Eagles Depth Chart: Tight Ends
The Philadelphia Eagles Depth Chart series is now moving on to the tight end position. The tight end position has been one of the more fascinating positions around the league in the last few years. The importance and value to a team they provide have only gone up. When you look at the teams in the playoffs last year, most of them had a standout tight end. The value a good tight end can bring is potentially game-changing. Not only is a good tight end a massive threat in the receiving game, a la Travis Kelce, but having one that is also able to block well can bring an element of unpredictability to an offense, which is extremely valuable.
Tight ends that are receiving threats but can also block will inherently be a problem for most defenses. According to Warren Sharp at Sharp Football Analysis, the two most used personnel groups in the NFL in 2021 are 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end, and three wide receivers) and 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends, two wide receivers). In 2022 more of the same occurred with those two being the most popular personnel groups, and for good reason.
It’s imperative for the Eagles offense to have the tight end position be strong, and able to add to the unpredictable offense centered around the Eagles run game with Hurts and the running backs, while still providing many dangerous receiving threats. Especially for the Eagles, great tight end play may be the difference between getting back to the Super Bowl or not. If you missed any of the other Eagles Depth Chart preview series, check them out below.
The Starter: Dallas Goedert
There’s no question as to who is atop the Eagles Depth Chart at tight end. Going into his fifth year in the NFL, Dallas Goedert has only ever impressed Eagles fans and the team. When he was first drafted in 2018 he had to sit behind Zach Ertz, but still was a surprising contributor. At that point, he was mostly used as an extra blocker. Then in short order he became one of the better blocking tight ends in the NFL. However, once Ertz was traded, was when we got to see what Goedert could do. Not only a blocker, but Goedert is also a phenomenal athlete and can stretch the field down the seam. He was tied for first last season in yards per reception for a tight end with at least 50 receptions.
Defenses against the Eagles are already terrified of the run game and the two star receivers in Brown and Smith. Adding in a tight end that can routinely run behind linebackers makes up a lot of why this Eagles offense is special. There’s too much to worry about for defenses where they can’t defend it all. While Goedert doesn’t have the same eye-popping stats as the elite tight ends in the league, he’s not too far off from them. As he is not one of the primary options, his stats and production should only reinforce the great player he is. However, he has tended to miss a few games every year. If he must miss more games than a few, do the Eagles have enough at the position to replace even half of his impact?
Backup: Jack Stoll
Stoll has been looking more and more promising with every game fans get to see him. An undrafted rookie out of Nebraska, Stoll was one of the top 10 recruits at his position. While his college career didn’t go as planned, he is finding ways to get on the field for the Eagles. Stoll impressed Head Coach Nick Sirianni last year, “He’s savvy on how to get to the guy he’s supposed to block and how he adjusts to the picture not being completely clean. He’s just got great feel, great instincts, and great toughness.”
Stoll has been a good blocker throughout his career. He’s a big reason why the Eagles started to use more 12 personnel last year. While his receiving stats aren’t that impressive, neither were Goedert’s when he was behind Ertz. Stoll has shown himself to be a good route runner with quickness out of his breaks and could continue growing into a reliable receiving option. In general, he has a nice all-around game, so he likely won’t be pushed for the backup job on the Eagles Depth Chart. However, if Goedert were to miss significant time, Stoll would need to make a big jump to be able to fill his shoes even a little. Right now, he is a solid backup option for the Eagles with some upside, but he needs some more growth before he can be considered a great backup.
Fighting for Third String and Practice Squad: Grant Calcaterra, Tyree Jackson, Dan Arnold, Brady Russell, Dalton Keene
Last year, Grant Calcaterra was the third-string tight end on the Eagles Depth Chart, while Tyree Jackson was on injured reserve with a broken back. Calcaterra is a shifty, good route runner who can line up in the slot at times. He is undoubtedly a good and talented receiving threat, but he provides very little as a blocker at this point in his career. Jackson on the other hand, is an athletic specimen. As a former college quarterback for the University of Buffalo, Jackson stands at 6’7” and 250 pounds. He ran a 4.59 forty-yard dash at the combine and has a tremendous combo of size and athleticism. He has been a long-term project for the Eagles at tight end but showed a lot of promise last year at training camp. It will be interesting to see what he looks like coming off his injury.
Dalton Keene is a former third-round pick by the New England Patriots but failed to see any success while on the team. Coming out of college, Keene was seen as a do-it-all tight end, but sometimes being great at one thing outweighs being solid at many things in the NFL. It’s unclear what Keene can excel at but is worth a training camp shot. Dan Arnold is an NFL veteran going into his fifth year in the league. He has been a journeyman throughout his career but has had some impact on other teams. He is a solid blocker with some athleticism to create chunk plays for an offense. Brady Russell is an undrafted rookie from the University of Colorado. A tough player with some run-after-catch ability but doesn’t possess any elite athletic traits.
Eagles Depth Chart Preview Conclusion: Tight Ends
There’s no question that Goedert will be and should be the starter for the Eagles. While Stoll has not necessarily cemented his status as the backup it’s hard to imagine any of the other tight ends could supplant him on the Eagles Depth Chart. While players like Calcaterra and Jackson have some major upside, they are going to have to show they improved their overall game in the offseason. Last year, the Eagles only kept three tight ends on the roster and one on the practice squad. But, with the uptick in the use of 12 personnel, there is a chance the Eagles will decide to keep four tight ends. Expect Goedert, Stoll, and Calcaterra to make the team. Then there is the chance they decide to keep Jackson or Arnold on the team as well.
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