According to Pro Football Focus’ Ari Meirov, QB-turned-TE Tyree Jackson suffered a fractured bone in his back yesterday after landing in the end zone. He will be out eight-to-ten weeks.
Jackson, 23, played quarterback at Buffalo, throwing for 28 touchdowns in his senior year. After going undrafted in the 2019 draft, Jackson signed with the Buffalo Bills and was waived shortly before the season.
After spending 2020 with the XFL’s DC Defenders, Jackson signed with the Eagles back in January.
It’s an extremely disappointing camp ending for a player who looked to be on the ups. Jackson had been receiving praise in the last couple weeks, with NBCS Philly’s John Clark even saying coaches believe Jackson has “Jimmy Graham potential.”
Jackson isn’t far off from Graham in terms of stature, as he stands at a towering 6’7″ and weighs in at 245 lbs.
The good news is that Jackson seems to have made enough of an impression that the Eagles will want to keep him around, whether that’s on the roster or the practice squad following his return.
The Tight End Group Still Looks To Be In Solid Shape
Even with the injury to Jackson, the TE group the Eagles have assembled looks to be a good one. Dallas Goedert and Zach Ertz will be vying for snaps and passes, with Ertz looking to rebound after his worst season to date.
Richard Rodgers (aka the legendary Dick-Rod) will serve as the team’s third option. He showed last season he can step up when he’s needed. Certainly could do a lot worse.
The other two tight ends in camp- Jack Stoll and Jason Croom- probably don’t have a realistic shot at making the Week One roster.
However, Croom got some looks last year when the Eagles needed emergency TE depth, so he might be the first man signed if a flurry of injuries occur again.
Jackson Could Play A Big Role Down The Line
While Jackson wasn’t likely to get much playing time this season unless there was a major injury, there’s a still a chance he could play a part in the Eagles’ offense down the line.
There’s a lot of uncertainty when it comes to the tight end position for Philadelphia. Ertz, Goedert, and Rodgers are all set to be free agents in 2022, with Ertz and Rodgers unlikely to return.
The Eagles are always in need of young, promising talent, and Jackson appears to fit that bill. Keeping him in the wings could bode well for the future.
