Eagles TE In The Red Zone? 'There's Always A Chance'

The Eagles have so many playmakers in the red zone that star TE Dallas Goedert hasn't gotten many opportunities.

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (88) makes a catch against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half of a 2024 NFC wild-card game. / Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

PHILADELPHIA - If the Eagles’ lone public practice this summer was a foreshadowing of things to come in the 2024 season, be on the lookout for seventh-year tight end Dallas Goedert in the red zone.

Goedert, 29, had three touchdowns and a two-point conversion during a session in which nearly 50,000 fans took in. 

And many of those fans have been expecting the talented Goedert to become that red-zone threat over the past few years but the well-regarded veteran’s career-high in touchdown receptions is only five during the 2019 season when Zach Ertz was still the TE1 in Philadelphia, catching 88 passes with six TDs himself that season.

“There's a lot of different reasons,” Goedert said when asked about his vaunted skill set not translating to high numbers on the TD front. “Going back a couple of years ago, I think I had like six or seven of them called back. 

“Obviously that [TD number] takes a big hit when you have that many of them called back with penalties and different things that way. And then, you know, last year, it seemed like we weren't scoring as many points as we have in the past. So it's just a credit to everything that goes into the game.”

The Eagles are loaded with playmakers and quarterback Jalen Hurts has compiled a mind-boggling 28 rushing TDs over the past two seasons.

“We got to get to the red zone," said Goedert. We have really good explosive playmakers that score from 40/50 yards out when A.J. [Brown] has those days. And then like I said, we have a quarterback that can run, an O-Line that can block really well. So anytime we get inside the five you know if we can get double teams and ride the wave with the running back, it's a little bit safer to run the ball down there, just things get tighter.”

Eagles OC Kellen Moore / John McMullen/Eagles on SI

Goedert has always been in the forefront of Nick Sirianni’s mind as a game planner and the same figures to hold with new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore’s history of utilizing tight ends.

“It's kind of depending on how games go and how our O-Line is moving people around and what we decide to do based on the strengths,” said Goedert. “A lot of times we have a really good red-zone package where I'm heavily involved and the O-line is moving people out of the way and we're like, 'Man, why not? Hand it off and ride the wave.'"

Moore may decide to ride a different wave in the form of the 6-foot-5, 256-pound Goedert, who is a mismatch physically for just about any defensive back or linebacker assigned to cover him.

"There's always that chance,” Goedert said before pivoting back to the other playmakers the Eagles have. “We got a lot of special players down there. You know if we get too close, obviously, Jalen with the tush push is tough to stop.”

Goedert does believe the newest of the playmakers – running back Saquon Barkley -- could create opportunities for him.

“I think anytime you got a running back with aura that Saquon has, the safeties are going to be looking in the backfield because if he gets the ball in his belly you know, they don't want him to have a full head of steam,” Goedert said. “They're going to be closing close. So I think that that plays to my advantage with eyes in the backfield, things like that. 

“And then yeah, Kellen has done a good job of getting me involved down there, which is always fun, and I enjoy that."

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