Roseman explains why Eagles traded for their new tight end

[time2rock]

Roseman explains why Eagles traded for their new tight end

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman on Tuesday explained why the Eagles traded for Albert Okwuegbunam.

By Dave Zangaro • Published August 30, 2023

 

The Eagles didn’t even want to deal with the waiver wire process.

They wanted Albert Okwuegbunam.

So instead of waiting and hoping, they pulled off a trade for the former Broncos tight end on Tuesday. The Eagles acquired Albert O and a 2025 seventh-round pick from the Broncos for a 2025 sixth-round pick. That’s one way to skip the line.

What did the Eagles like about Okwuegbunam (Oak-woo-aye-boo-nom) so much?

"Yeah, first thing you talk about Albert, you talk about the physical ability,” Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said. "He is 6-5. He is almost 260 pounds. He runs a 4.4. He’s got a huge wing span. He has really good lower body flexibility for a big guy.

"We had a chance to watch him together, and obviously Coach (Nick Sirianni) has had tremendous success with that position and some guys who look like this. So, bring him in here. He is 25 years old. We have some people in the building who were with Denver when they drafted him and give him an opportunity.”

Okwuegbunam, 25, was a fourth-round pick (No. 118 overall) out of Missouri back in 2020 and there’s no denying his impressive size/speed. At the 2020 Combine, Okwuegbunam ran a 4.49 at 6-5, 258 pounds.

That 4.49 is the fastest tight end 40 time at the Combine since Evan Engram’s 4.42 back in 2017 and Engram did that at 234 pounds.

In his first three years in the NFL with the Broncos, Okwuegbunam played in 26 games with 7 starts. He caught a total of 54 passes for 546 yards and 4 touchdowns. His best season came in 2021, when he had 33/330/2.

While Okwuegbunam wasn’t going to make the Broncos’ roster, he did put together a strong final push. In Denver’s final preseason game, a 41-0 win over the Rams, Okwuegbunam caught 7 of 8 targets for 109 yards and a touchdown.

"I think Coach remarked, not a lot of tight ends who have 100-yard receiving games in the preseason, and it was because he has a unique ability to uncover, he has lower body flexibility, he has speed, he has length. He has all the tools in his body,” Roseman said. 

"Again, that's a start, and now he gets here. I know that he will be coached up, and we'll get the most out of him when he gets here.”

In Philly, Okwuegbunam will be coached by longtime tight ends coach Jason Michael. While the Eagles traded for Albert O, they also kept their other three tight ends — Dallas Goedert, Jack Stoll and Grant Calcaterra — on the roster, at least for now.

Roseman said the trade wasn’t about their tight end room, but about Okwuegbunam and his potential.

"For us, any time we have an opportunity to add an offensive player that we think can help us and help our team we look at that,” Roseman said. "So that's the reason we brought him in.”

https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/roseman-explains-why-eagles-traded-for-their-new-tight-end/534092/