Moving Forward With Star TE Helps Eagles' On Developmental Front

The somewhat surprising reunion of Dallas Goedert and the Eagles for at least one more season has pushed back the need to improve the team’s depth at both tight end and receiver.

The most obvious impact comes at Goedert's own position, where the idea of cobbling things together with the trio of Grant Calcaterra, Kylen Granson, and Harrison Bryant may have resulted in competency, but nowhere near the upside that Goedert himself provides.

The butterfly effect of the eight-year veteran's presence pushes everyone down a notch on the depth chart for roles each is better-suited for.

The lesser-realized impact of the dangerous Goedert returning as the third piece of the passing-game puzzle puts less pressure on penciled-in WR3 Jahan Dotson, newcomer Terrace Marshall Jr., and the development of second-year players Johnny Wilson and Ainias Smith.

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni has often said the Eagles’ passing game runs through A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Goedert.

The absence of the third option in that equation would have put either Dotson, Calcaterra, or the down-roster players pushing them into roles that they are not as well-equipped for.

Dotson, the 16th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, was a disappointment to most in the regular season after being acquired from Washington, but did show his playmaking ability in the playoffs with a touchdown reception against Green Bay and a 27-yard chunk in Super Bowl LIX against Kansas City.

The longer-term issue is that Dotson and Calcaterra are on rookie contracts set to expire after this season, while Granson and Bryant are on one-year deals. meaning none of those players are tied to Philadelphia past the 2025 season.

Goedert’s own more-than-likely final run with the organization gives the Eagles’ developmental process 12 more months to see if something can be mined from Marshall Jr., Wilson or Smith, as well as lesser-known names at WR like Danny Gray, Elijah Cooks, and undrafted rookies Darius Cooper, Giles Jackson, and Taylor Morin.

At TE, it’s E.J. Jenkins and futures contract players Nick Muse and Cameron Latu. 

It still doesn't look great on paper down roster, but one more year with Goedert will enable the Eagles to punt on longer-term solutions at two positions to next year's talent-acquisition season.