The big boys
Saving the boldest prediction for last, I think the Eagles will draft a tight end…early. As in, within the first three rounds, early.
‘Why?’ I hear you ask, shocked and appalled, ready to click off this article and tell me to stick to Soccer on Twitter. Let me explain.
I’d like to take you back to 2014. That year won’t go down as one of the most important or exciting in Eagles history like the ones that followed, but it was the last time that the tight end position was completely ‘reset’.
Zach Ertz was drafted one year beforehand and broke out that season, posting 702 yards and scoring three touchdowns. Behind him, two veterans in the way of BrentCelek and James Casey helped provide mentorship and reliability for a team who at the time was predicated on a balanced offense, meaning the tight ends had big roles to play. But waiting in the wings, under the radar, was an undrafted free agent by the name of Trey Burton.
The tight end quartet is something that has been a staple of the Andy Reid/ Doug Pederson culture for quite some time and although 2014 was the year of Chip Kelly, its roots ran deep.
Dallas Goedert had a very promising rookie campaign behind an elite Zach Ertz, but drafting a third tight end at a minimum in what is a very deep class of talent is preferable here. The injury to Richard Rodgers stung the Eagles MASSIVELY last year, with 13-personnel looks being eradicated and both tight ends becoming key receiving pieces. While effective, if one did go down with injury…only Josh Perkins remained. The mystery that having three-tight ends on the field vanished and you could argue, it also impacted the severely unbalanced offense.
Once the Eagles can begin running 13-personnel again, it opens up a whole new realm of offensive creativity. Whether all three are used as blockers, or you use ‘nub’ tight ends on either side of the line, their presence will only expedite a run game the Eagles have been dying to rebuild.
Not only that, but it takes a certain level of weight off a wide receiver position (due to there being one less on the field), which for a team still starved of a WR2 and potentially losing Nelson Agholor, can only be seen as a good thing.
So, with names like Irv Smith Jr. and Noah Fant potentially sliding to 25…dare I say that the Eagles do the unthinkable and draft another potentially elite receiving tight end? Don’t write it off…
