The next stop on our road through the Eagles roster takes us to a key position on the roster, tight end. Headlined by Zach Ertz, the Eagles are headed for a transitional offseason when it comes to one of the most vital spots in Pederson’s offense. So who stays and who goes?
Zach Ertz:
The Eagles leading receiver enjoyed the year that everybody knew he was capable of, amassing 824 yards and 8 touchdowns, emerging as a security blanket for Carson Wentz. The Eagles made a very smart decision in signing the Stanford product to a 5-year extension that keeps him in the City of Brotherly Love through 2022, especially considering how rapidly his development is coming along.
Ertz is already one of the most feared receiving tight ends in the league and is thriving with quarterback continuity and under the tutelage of Doug Pederson. This one’s a no-brainer.
Verdict: Stay
Brent Celek
With just one year left on his contact, the Eagles need to find a replacement for the longest tenured Eagle and fast. However, they don’t need to act immediately. Celek was a serviceable blocker in 2017 and has been a key figure in the locker room from a leadership perspective. With a Super Bowl ring finally under his belt, Celek should be given the opportunity to play out his contact as an Eagle and has already proven to be open to restructures and the like. The curtains are closing on the career of Brent Celek, but it’s time to get ready for the encore.
Verdict: Stay
Trey Burton:
Here lies one of the most intriguing pending free agents on the roster. Since Doug Pederson arrived in Philadelphia, the role of Trey Burton has increased dramatically. No longer just a depth option, Burton emerged as a Swiss-army knife who could be a factor in every aspect of the game. A former team-leader in special teams tackles, Burton ended his regular season season with 248 yards and 5 touchdowns. It’s clear that Burton has all the potential in the world to develop into a leading receiving option, if not in Philadelphia, then certainly elsewhere. After a big year, Burton will be seeking big money, especially as a Super Bowl winner.
The crux of the issue is this. The Eagles have very little wiggle room when it comes to cap space and if Burton seeks to be paid like a number one tight end as he so deserves, it may have to be elsewhere. The Eagles do have a project tight end on their hands in Billy Brown and they may well view the sophomore Shepherd product as they did Burton several year’s ago when he was a TE4 behind Ertz, Celek and James Casey.
Burton’s future is very much up in the air, but it would hardly be surprising to see the Eagles allow Burton to test free agency waters and instead re-invest in the tight end position through the draft.
Verdict: Go
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
