Eagles Place Rookie TE Eli Stowers On IR

The second-round pick out of Vanderbilt was the second tight end taken in a very deep draft at the position. The Eagles intended for Stowers to come in and improve the team’s secondary options behind Dallas Goedert at tight end after Grant Calcaterra finished second in the tight ends room with only nine catches for 92 yards in 15 games last year. Instead, he’ll join Calcaterra on IR while free agent addition Johnny Mundt will presumably take up TE2 duties across from Goedert.

The reason the media was surprised to hear about Stowers’ prognosis is because they received a starkly different message yesterday. After being limited at practice, Stowers told reporters he was confident he would play (via Mike Garafolo of NFL Network). Zach Berman of The Athletic clarified that Stowers had been questionable because of the hamstring injury but reported the quadriceps discomfort yesterday and underwent some imaging that determined he had a strain that would “require a weeks-long absence.”

Berman also notes that Stowers’ extended absence should only increase speculation about the return of a certain fan favorite. Back around the roster cut deadline, rumors emerged that the Eagles might reunite with former longtime tight end Zach Ertz, following his stints with the Cardinals and Commanders. His time in Washington proved Ertz could still produce at a high level, even if he’s about to be entering his age-36 season. Ertz is only 11 receptions away from setting Philadelphia’s all-time franchise record, and a minimum four-week absence for Stowers could open Ertz’s window to the record books.