Auburn’s rebuild along the offensive line took a hit last week when Hugh Freeze announced Tate Johnson was “probably” going to miss the rest of spring practice with a dislocated elbow.

That same unit received a positive development a week later, as Johnson returned to the fold and worked with the first offensive line unit during the Tigers’ 10th spring practice Monday afternoon.

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“Having him back is just kind of a bolt in the arm for us,” offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery said. “…Just to have him back in the mix is a positive thing for us.”

Johnson repped at right guard with a starting unit that included a trio of transfers — right tackle Gunner Britton, left tackle Dillon Wade and center Avery Jones — and another returning piece in left guard Jeremiah Wright during the pace period of Monday’s practice, which was open to the media. Johnson’s return to the starting group came as somewhat of a surprise after Freeze announced a week earlier that the redshirt junior would likely be sidelined the final three weeks of spring due to a dislocated left elbow.

Freeze said last week that the good news for Johnson was that the MRI results showed no structural damage to his elbow. Surgery wasn’t necessary, as it was on his right elbow last season, and it was just a matter of needing time for the joint to tighten back up.

Yet there was Johnson, back in the mix as the Tigers kickstarted their fourth week of practices. It was a welcome return for a unit that is undergoing wholesale changes this offseason. Along with the three experienced transfer additions, Auburn also brought in four high school signees — three of which are enrolled early — and junior college transfer Izavion Miller to a room that lost both starting tackles and another versatile starter in Brandon Council.

Johnson will still be limited for the final two weeks of spring practices, according to Montgomery, but his availability — even in such a capacity — should provide a level of continuity for the new-look offensive line. The 6-foot-4, 295-pound Johnson started four games at center for Auburn at the beginning of last season following Nick Brahms’ decision to medically retire, but he missed the remainder of the year with a right elbow injury.

Even as Auburn has overhauled its offensive line room under Freeze, Montgomery and new position coach Jake Thornton, Johnson has been a key presence for the group and has been lauded for his leadership this spring.

“It’s great to have him back,” Montgomery said. “It provides such great leadership; he’s a guy that works extremely hard, takes a lot of pride about his work and the way that he approaches things.”

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.