Previewing Eagles' Draft: Tight Ends

The Eagles have a top-5 tight end in Dallas Goedert but need to add some depth behind the emerging star

The current standard at tight end in the NFL features some pretty familiar names like Travis Kelce, George Kittle, and Mark Andrews.

There might be a bit of a lag to the casual fan concerned only with raw statistics but to those inside the league, another name belongs in that small group and it happens to be fifth-year Eagles TE Dallas Goedert.

Goedert, of course, spent his first few seasons in the league playing second-fiddle to Zach Ertz and had already overtaken the three-time Pro Bowl selection on the depth chart when Ertz was dealt to Arizona before last season’s trade deadline.

The move, however, opened up even more playing time and Goedert excelled with it, grading out as the second-best TE in the NFL behind Andrews and ahead of Kittle and Kelce, according to Pro Football Focus. Goedert was rewarded with a four-year, $59 million extension in November of last year.

"(Goedert is) the type of guy you want to succeed and to sign contracts like this, and to keep in the building," coach Nick Sirianni said after the extension was put together.

Goedert’s numbers (56 receptions for 830 yards and four touchdowns) were very good for a run-first offense and could be spectacular in a more pass-heavy system.

The 27-year-old is just as effective in-line as he is as a flex receiver but he’s so explosive as a downfield threat you almost feel he’s being wasted a bit if he plays too much old-school Y.

To that end when Ertz was dealt, the Eagles went with Jack Stoll as the TE2 and the undrafted rookie played over 49% of the offensive snaps five times as Sirianni shifted to more 12 personnel looks to take advantage of the team’s top-ranked rushing offense.

As far as the passing offense, Sirianni consistently noted it starts with 6 (DeVonta Smith) and 88 (Goedert), and often you could flip that as Goedert and his 6-foot-5 frame seemed to be the favorite target as the season wore on for emerging young QB Jalen Hurts.

"He does a lot of things really well. I think that's what's special about Dallas,” said Sirianni. “He's not (just) a receiving tight end, he's not (just) a blocking tight end. He can do both. There aren't a lot of guys like that, who are really exceptional at being able to create mismatches in the pass game and also get their job done in the run game."

The depth at TE, though, needs improvement.

Stoll is limited and the other current options are veteran safety net Richard Rodgers, who remains capable but lacks explosion as both a receiver and blocker, as well as developmental project Tyree Jackson, who tore his ACL in Week 18 against Dallas.

The injury to Jackson, the 6-foot-7 former University of Buffalo quarterback who made the transition to TE last spring and summer, is a bigger setback than it typically would be because Jackson needs the offseason work and the ninth-month rehab erases that.

Jackson looked like a natural for the position in training camp and the Eagles showed how much they liked him by carrying him on the roster despite a small fracture in his back suffered when Jackson made an awe-inspiring leaping catch in the end zone in practice before landing flat on his back.

The other young player coming back is Noah Togiai, an Eagles’ original undrafted free agent signing in 2020 who the organization had hoped to stash on the practice squad, something spoiled by a waiver-wire pickup by the Colts.

EAGLES TE DEPTH CHART:

Dallas Goedert

Jack Stoll

Tyree Jackson (coming off torn ACL)

Richard Rodgers

Noah Togiai

EAGLES TODAY TOP 10:

1. Greg Dulcich, UCLA

2. Trey McBride, Colorado State

3. Jeremy Ruckert, Ohio State

4. Cade Otton, Washington

5. Charlie Kolar, Iowa State

6. Jelani Woods, Virginia

7. Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina

8. Daniel Bellinger, San Diego State

9. Jake Ferguson, Wisconsin

10. James Mitchell, Virginia Tech

Sleeper - Andrew Ogletree, Youngstown State

Boom or Bust - Greg Dulcich, UCLA

BUILDING THE PERFECT TE

Route-Running - Cade Otton, Washington - Otton has the feel and nuance of a professional tight end when it comes to his route discipline.

Hands - Charlie Kolar, Iowa State - Kolar is a dependable, chain-mover in the Kyle Rudolph mold.

Speed - Chigoziem Okonkwo, Maryland - Okonkwo is raw and not much of a blocker at this point but the one thing he can do at 240 pounds is run.

YAC- Greg Dulcich UCLA - Dulcich is easily the most explosive TE in this year’s class and could generate some big chunks as a flex receiver.

Release - Trey McBride, Colorado State - McBride is probably the most well-rounded TE in the draft with the ability to get off the line as a traditional Y-back or as a flex option.

Blocking - Daniel Bellinger, San Diego State - Bellinger is an old-school, in-line TE who may move some people in 13 personnel or set the edge in 12. If he develops as an outlet receiver he will have a long NFL career.

Eagles Potential Picks:

Day 1 - None

The Eagles have a top-5 NFL tight end in Goedert and there are no prospects even worthy of being among the top 32 picks at the position this year.

Day 2 - None

The Eagles simply have too many more pressing needs to think about TE over the first 101 picks even though an upgrade at TE2 would be a nice luxury.

Day 3 - Charlie Kolar, Isaiah Likely

Philadelphia certainly wants to add a body at TE, especially with Jackson missing off-season work. The Eagles have shown the most overt interest in Kolar, a true Y who could take some of that work of the explosive Goedert’s play, along with Likely, who they may have gotten an early beat in when scouting Tarron Jackson last year at Coastal Carolina. Likely is more of a flex option, though, and that would mean more work for Goedert in-line.

MORE

Previewing Eagles Draft: Quarterbacks - Sports Illustrated

Previewing Eagles' Draft: Running Backs - Sports Illustrated

Previewing Eagles' Draft: Wide Receivers - Sports Illustrated

-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Extending the Play" on AM1490 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen