Eagles bringing back TE before he hits free agency

[time2rock]

Eagles bringing back TE before he hits free agency

The Eagles have reportedly signed TE Albert Okwuegbunam to a one-year deal through the 2024 season.

By Dave Zangaro • Published February 22, 2024

 

The Eagles have signed tight end Albert Okwuegbunam to a one-year deal that could keep him in Philadelphia through the 2024 season.

Okwuegbunam, 25, was set to become an unrestricted free agent next month.

It seems a bit strange that the Eagles couldn’t wait to bring back Okwuegbunam, who didn’t play a role for them in 2023. The Eagles pulled off a trade with the Broncos at roster cutdown before the 2023 season to acquire Okwuegbunam and then never found a role for him.

The Eagles shipped a 2025 sixth-round pick to get Okwuegbunam and a 2025 seventh-rounder on Aug. 29.

In his first season with the Eagles, Okwuegbunam (6-5, 258) played a grand total of 57 offensive snaps and didn’t even get much playing time when Dallas Goedert was out with injury. Okwuegbunam was buried on the depth chart behind Goedert, Jack Stoll and Grant Calcaterra.

And Okwuegbunam’s 2023 season ended on Injured Reserve in late December when the Eagles needed a roster spot for Avonte Maddox. But the Eagles kept Okwuegbunam on the roster for most of last season without playing him.

The former Broncos fourth-round pick out of Missouri was targeted just once in four games of action last season and did not have a catch. In his three seasons in Denver, Okwuegbunam had 54 catches for 546 yards and 4 touchdowns.

In the Broncos’ preseason finale in 2023, Okwuegbunam had a monster game, catching 7 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. But the Broncos didn’t have room for him on their roster so they made a deal with the Eagles.

"It’s a fresh start, you know what I mean?” Okwuegbunam said in early September. "I’m really excited about the opportunity. I’m going to come in here and work my butt off.”

Going into 2024, the Eagles still have Goedert and Calcaterra under contract but Stoll is a restricted free agent. Stoll, who went undrafted out of Nebraska in 2021, has now played three NFL seasons and has been the Eagles’ TE2 in each of the last two seasons.

Signing Okwuegbunam in February is certainly not a guarantee that he’ll be on the roster in 2024 but he’ll at least come to training camp with a chance to earn a spot.

https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/eagles-sign-albert-okwuegbunam-tight-end-free-agency/566748/

[UK_EaglesFan89]

Seems strange given they didn’t seem to have a plan for him this year.