Eagles face increasingly difficult roster call with two young tight ends

[time2rock]

Eagles face increasingly difficult roster call with two young tight ends

 

 

 

Reuben Frank

EAGLES INSIDER

With final cuts just 13 days away, the Eagles are facing a fascinating and potentially difficult roster decision at tight end.

Rookie 6th-round pick Grant Calcaterra got off to a promising start the first few days of camp but hasn’t practiced since July 30 because of a nagging hamstring injury. No word when we’ll see him again.

Meanwhile, 25-year-old Noah Togiai, who began camp as a roster longshot, has strung together a number of eye-opening practices in a row, played well in the preseason opener and is really elbowing his way into the roster picture.

The Eagles will ultimately keep three tight ends, and fifth-year pro Dallas Goedert and blocking specialist Jack Stoll both have roster spots locked up.

After that?

It gets interesting.

Calcaterra retired from football after suffering multiple concussions while playing for Oklahoma, but after sitting out the 2020 season he resurfaced at SMU and caught 38 passes for 465 yards and four touchdowns last year.

But he got hurt on the third day of practice and hasn’t practiced in nearly three weeks, and there’s no indication when he’ll return to action. He’s been working on a side field with a trainer and has now missed nine practices, three walkthroughs and the first preseason game.

When training camp began, Calcaterra seemed to clearly be the No. 3 tight end, but in his absence, Togiai has really come out of nowhere and been very impressive.

Togiai began his career with the Eagles as an undrafted rookie out of Oregon State in 2020, but when the Eagles tried to get him through waivers to the practice squad after training camp, the Colts claimed him. He played in four games in Indy in 2020, where Nick Sirianni was his offensive coordinator and current Eagles tight ends coach Jason Michael was his position coach.

When the Colts released him just before last season began, the Eagles snapped him back up. He spent most of the year on the practice squad but did play in the meaningless season finale against the Cowboys.

So this is his third year in Sirianni’s offense and things seem to have really clicked for him.

So the Eagles have two young tight ends they like and final cuts coming up in less than two weeks and presumably only one roster spot.

Here are their options:

Place Calcaterra on IR before final cuts and keep Togiai on the 53: Under this scenario, Calcaterra’s season would be over, but the Eagles would retain his rights. He could attend meetings and watch practice but wouldn’t be eligible to play. This would allow the Eagles to keep Togiai on the 53-man roster and begin the year as TE3 behind Goedert and Stoll.

Place Calcaterra on IR after final cuts and release Togiai: If the Eagles wait until after final cuts on Aug. 30 to IR Calcaterra, he would be eligible to return after just four weeks. They could try to get Togiai through waivers and back onto the roster to start the season as TE3, but they already lost him once, and they would risk losing Togiai for good if they cut him again.

Place Calcaterra on IR after final cuts and keep Togiai: If they believe they’ve seen enough from Calcaterra to warrant a roster spot but they also don’t want to lose Togiai, they could keep both on the 53 at final cuts. That would mean four tight ends on the initial 53, and that would mean somebody else they really like gets cut – maybe a promising young cornerback or defensive lineman. Most likely, you’d be able to get those guys back, but you do risk losing them to a waiver claim.

Last year the Eagles kept another young tight end, Tyree Jackson, on the 53-man roster after he suffered a serious back injury in training camp. They finally activated him on Nov. 6, and he wound up playing nine games and caught three passes for 22 yards and a touchdown – all in that meaningless Dallas game – before tearing his ACL.

Jackson is still rehabbing the ACL, and the Eagles can place him on the PUP list at final cuts and keep his rights without worrying about a roster spot. He would be eligible to resume practicing (or be activated) after four weeks.

The Eagles can put off a decision with Jackson, but they don’t have that luxury with Calcaterra and Togiai.

Ultimately, it will come down to their confidence in both young tight ends. Has Calcaterra earned a roster spot in impressive but very limited practice time? Has Togiai done enough to convince the coaches he’s for real?

Neither one has ever caught a pass in the NFL, but they’re both young, they’re both promising, and the last thing the Eagles want to do is keep the wrong guy. And then Jackson is looming out there as well.

A curious situation and a difficult decision. And the Eagles have until 4 p.m. Aug. 30 to make it.

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-training-camp-2022-tough-roster-call-looming-grant-calcaterra-noah

[time2rock]

Not a difficult decision for me ... not in the slightest.  Togai has been stacking very good performances at practices lately ... he's my TE3 to start the season.  And there is another option with Calcaterra in addition to the 3 Frank presented:  you cut him at final cuts and hope he makes it through waivers to be able to sign him to the practice squad.  I don't think there are going to be teams waiting to pounce on a 6th round pick that has missed 3 weeks now due to injury, a guy who retired from football and sat out the entire 2020 season, to add him to their 53.  I'd prefer this route than placing him on IR where he would not be able to participate in practice all year (that does nothing to help his development).  

 

[UK_EaglesFan89]

I think ultimately one way or another they'll try to keep both. I would be surprised to see Calcaterra end up on IR or they may just try to sneak him through waivers.

[weko]

On 8/18/2022 at 11:42 AM, time2rock said:

Not a difficult decision for me ... not in the slightest.  Togai has been stacking very good performances at practices lately ... he's my TE3 to start the season.  And there is another option with Calcaterra in addition to the 3 Frank presented:  you cut him at final cuts and hope he makes it through waivers to be able to sign him to the practice squad.  I don't think there are going to be teams waiting to pounce on a 6th round pick that has missed 3 weeks now due to injury, a guy who retired from football and sat out the entire 2020 season, to add him to their 53.  I'd prefer this route than placing him on IR where he would not be able to participate in practice all year (that does nothing to help his development).  

 

I agree.  Have to keep the player with the better healthier stronger NFL body.  If Cal is claimed so be it. Not sure who would as often injured as he's been 

[weko]

On 8/18/2022 at 11:42 AM, time2rock said:

Not a difficult decision for me ... not in the slightest.  Togai has been stacking very good performances at practices lately ... he's my TE3 to start the season.  And there is another option with Calcaterra in addition to the 3 Frank presented:  you cut him at final cuts and hope he makes it through waivers to be able to sign him to the practice squad.  I don't think there are going to be teams waiting to pounce on a 6th round pick that has missed 3 weeks now due to injury, a guy who retired from football and sat out the entire 2020 season, to add him to their 53.  I'd prefer this route than placing him on IR where he would not be able to participate in practice all year (that does nothing to help his development).  

 

But he's a Howie draft pick and that almost always guarantees two years and a 3rd training camp