January 19, 2019

Eagles stay or go: Tight end

By Jimmy Kempski
PhillyVoice Staff

The Philadelphia Eagles' 2018 season is over, and there will be a lot of interesting decisions made on the players currently on the roster, perhaps more so than in most years. Let's take a position-by-position look at who will likely be back with the team in 2019, and who won't.

Previous stay or go positional analysis

Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver

Today we'll look at the tight ends.

Zach Ertz

Ertz broke the NFL single-season tight end record for most receptions in a season. I think his job is secure.

#JimmyVerdict: Stay.

Your verdict:

Dallas Goedert

It was pretty obvious way back in training camp that Goedert could play, and while his numbers (33-334-4) certainly weren't eye-popping because he didn't play as much as he should have, Goedert proved in his rookie season that he can get open and catch the football. However, the true pleasant surprise about Goedert's rookie season was his ability as a blocker, something he was not asked to do much of as the No. 1 passing game target at little South Dakota State.

There were no obvious holes in Goedert's game, a rare thing to say about a rookie tight end, and he would already easily be a top half of the league starter on a team that didn't also employ Ertz.

#JimmyVerdict: Stay.

Your verdict:

Richard Rodgers

Rodgers signed a veteran-minimum contract last offseason, had a very good camp and preseason, and then was lost for a big chunk of the season with a knee injury. He'll be a free agent this offseason, and will not have a strong market, seeing as he had 1 catch for 7 yards in 2018.

I believe the Eagles view Rodgers as a perfectly cromulent third tight end, and would be happy to bring him back on another veteran-minimum deal, which they should be able to do.

#JimmyVerdict: Stay.

Your verdict:

MORE: Your team's first round picks since 2010, if Mel Kiper's initial mock drafts were perfect | Eagles-only 2019 mock draft, version 1.0

Josh Perkins

Remember him? Perkins signed a futures contract with the Eagles at the conclusion of the 2018 season, and he ended up making the team after Rodgers was lost with the aforementioned knee injury.

The Eagles were forced to play Perkins as a wide receiver early in the season when they were without Alshon Jeffery, Mike Wallace, and Mack Hollins. He ended up with 5 catches for 67 yards on the season.

Perkins is actually under contract through 2019, so I imagine he'll be back in Eagles training camp again, but he'll probably need another injury to one of the other tight ends to make the team.

#JimmyVerdict: Stay.

Your verdict:

#JimmyVerdict Stay or Go Results

Green = Stay

Red = Go

Orange = Will be back in camp in 2019, but a roster spot is not guaranteed

(Note: Some mobile versions will not display colors.)

Position	1	2	3	4
QB	Carson Wentz	Nick Foles	Nate Sudfeld
RB	Jay Ajayi	Corey Clement	Darren Sproles
RB (cont.)	Wendell Smallwood	Josh Adams	Boston Scott
WR	Alshon Jeffery	Mike Wallace	Nelson Agholor	Golden Tate
WR (cont.)	Mack Hollins	Shelton Gibson	Jordan Matthews
TE	Zach Ertz	Dallas Goedert	Richard Rodgers	Josh Perkins
LT
LG
C
RG
RT
DE
DT
OLB
ILB
CB
S
K/P/LS
Head coach
Offensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
GM