Already a top TE, Goedert lands on list of most important Eagles

Already a top TE, Goedert lands on list of most important Eagles

Over the next few weeks leading up to training camp, we’ll be counting down the top 25 most important Eagles for the 2022 season.

25. Quez Watkins
24. Gardner Minshew
23. T.J. Edwards
22. Marcus Epps
21. Landon Dickerson
20. Jake Elliott
19. Brandon Graham
18. Jordan Davis
17. Kyzir White
16. Avonte Maddox 
15. Nakobe Dean
14. Fletcher Cox
13. James Bradberry
12. Miles Sanders
11. Josh Sweat
10. DeVonta Smith
9. Dallas Goedert

This time last year, Dallas Goedert was still sharing the TE1 role with Eagles great Zach Ertz. Now, there’s no question: Goedert is the top guy.

And we saw that pretty clearly last year after Ertz was traded in October. Goedert assumed the TE1 role in mid-October and never looked back. He had the best season of his NFL career and proved that he’s already an elite tight end in the NFL.

Goedert, 27, finished the 2021 season with 56 catches, 830 yards and 4 touchdowns. But in the 10 games after Ertz was traded (he sat for the regular season finale), Goedert had 41/614/2. That’s a 1,000-yard pace over the course of a 17-game schedule. And even though the Eagles were beaten badly by the Bucs in the playoffs, Goedert still had 6 catches for 92 yards.

All those numbers don’t even account for his ability as a blocker and he’s a really good blocker. That dual-threat ability is what makes Goedert such a special tight end. ProFootballFocus took notice last year. Goedert finished last year graded as the second-best tight end in the NFL behind just Mark Andrews of the Ravens. Here’s a look at PFF’s top five from last season:

1. Mark Andrews: 91.5

2. Dallas Goedert: 90.7

2. George Kittle: 90.7

4. Travis Kelce: 85.0

5. Kyle Pitts: 80.3

There are plenty of questions about whether or not Goedert can become an elite tight end in the NFL, but the evidence says he already is. And the Eagles paid him like it too, handing him a four-year, $57 million contract in November. In terms of APY, Goedert is the third highest-paid tight end in the NFL.

It’s also fair to expect Goedert to put up even better numbers in 2022, despite the addition of A.J. Brown, who will undoubtedly take away some targets. But Goedert’s yards-per-game average has gone up in all four of his NFL seasons: 20.9 in 2018, 40.5 in 2019, 47.6 in 2020 and 55.3 in 2021.

Goedert has never made a Pro Bowl in his career either. That could change in 2022 if he has the type of season many are expecting.

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-2022-season-dallas-goedert-list-most-important-players