Over the next few weeks or so (basically, when there’s no other news to cover), we’ll take a look at every player on the Philadelphia Eagles roster and how they fit in with the team heading to training camp, assuming, you know , there is a training ground.
Training camp preview
QB The | RB The | Old Testament The | IOL The | WR
Today we will see the tight ends. The Eagles currently only have four tight ends on the roster, after releasing Alex Ellis to make room for Jason Peters’ signature. The depth table:
| NT1 | NT2 | NT3 | NT4 |
| Zach Ertz | Dallas Goedert | Josh Perkins | Noah Togiai |
Zach Ertz
In his first four years in the NFL, Carson Wentz’s most trusted target by far has been Ertz, who He has led the team in receptions and yards in each of the past four seasons. In 2018, he had 51 more receptions than the next closest player and 321 more yards. In 2019, he was 31 more receptions than the next closest player and 309 more yards. In a team that still has major question marks in the wide receiver position, Ertz remains an extremely important player for Wentz in the 2020 season.
Ertz has been a player commonly bred by the fan base as a commercial bait, as the team already has Dallas Goedert, a young and full tight end who already appears to be a long-time good starter in the NFL. That is not happening, of course, for the reasons mentioned above. The Eagles think they are Super Bowl contenders, and were never going to trade their only tried and true, undoubtedly reliable, pass receiver. Whether they should give him a top-tier contract extension in the market is another debate we covered in April.
Expect Ertz to lead the team in receptions and yards once again, and he will likely receive TDs as well.
Dallas Goedert
Goedert has shown in his first two seasons in the NFL that he would be the No. 1 tight end in all, but, I don’t know, 5 or 6 NFL teams?
In 2018 Goedert “solo” had 33 catches for 334 yards and 4 touchdowns (added 2-20-1 in the playoffs), but he showed a well-rounded skill set with no obvious holes in his game. His catching ability was not in question as he left the small state of South Dakota, where he flashed to catch reel catches. However, most resigned themselves to the probability that it would take her a while to appear as a blocker. He did not show in his rookie season that he was clearly the team’s best blocking tight end.
In 2019, Goedert played most of the season through a painful calf injury, and still caught 58 passes for 607 yards and 5 touchdowns. After Ertz took a brutal hit in the Eagles’ biggest game of the season against Dallas Week 16, Goedert became the catcher for Wentz, catching 9 passes on 12 goals for 91 yards and a TD. On the season, Goedert’s quick count was up 66 percent from 48 percent in 2018. He would project a modest increase in quick count and production in 2020.
This offseason, Goedert was involved in an altercation in which he appeared to have been knocked out by a “cheap hit.”
The criminal case after that incident is ongoing and could become a distraction, even with Goedert as the alleged victim.
Josh Perkins
Perkins is somewhat of a wide receiver / tight end hybrid as he blocks like a wide receiver and has the receiving abilities of a tight end. For a team that wants to be a two tight end offense, it may be a bit surprising that the Eagles appear to be happy with Perkins as No. 3, at least for now.
Noah Togiai
Togiai, like the Eagles’ other undrafted free agents, will have to meet a limited number of practice reps to impress the coaching staff. He does have some receiving skills and a little athletic ability, but his challenge will be to become a competent blocker. A featured reel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj9APVSl7ec
Togiai feels like a decent bet for the practice squad, where Justin Peelle can work on his blocking.
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