Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert are three months away from beginning the last year of their contracts with Philadelphia.
As the Eagles’ top-two tight ends, neither player had an outstanding performance in 2020. But as Ertz trade rumors continue to escalate, time may be in favor of Goedert. The future for Ertz’s successor will likely continue in Philadelphia as the TE1 position becomes more tangible.
CURRENT AND FUTURE CONTRACTS
During the 2018 NFL Draft, Philadelphia traded their second (52nd overall) and fifth-round (169th overall) picks to the Indianapolis Colts. The trade placed them ahead of the Dallas Cowboys, and with their new No. 49 overall selection, the Eagles choose Dallas Goedert.
Goedert was selected as a replacement for Brent Celek. He signed a four-year $5.62 million contract, including $2.9 million guaranteed with a $2.17 million signing bonus.
As he heads into his final year, Goedert is hoping to remain in midnight green.
During a press conference last week, he stated, “I think the contract stuff is still in discussions a little bit. I’m not too worried about that”. He continued, “I would love to be in Philly forever, and having the second contract is the ultimate goal. The sooner you can get to it; I feel like it’s better. Either way, whether I get it or not, I’m going to have the same mentality. I have to go in there, have a good year, we have to make the playoffs, we have to get more wins than we did last year”.
According to Pro Football Focus, Goedert ranks fifth among the top-32 tight ends in the league entering the 2021 season. Ertz ranks thirteen.
- Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
- George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
- Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders
- Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
- Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles
Of the top-five, Kelce and Kittle make $14.3 million and $15 million annually, respectively. So, one would wonder if Goedert’s possible extension will run similarly given his production.
THE POSSIBILITY OF TE1
Philadelphia’s refusal to give Ertz his big payday certainly wasn’t because of performance. The Eagles denied his request before the 2020 season began, which happened to be the worst season of his career. The Eagles are, however, spending $17.5 million at the TE position — more than any other team in the NFL. With ongoing salary cap issues and Ertz’s growing impatience, the TE’s reign may be coming to an end.
What we know for sure, though, is that a contract extension for Goedert would push him into TE1, if not this year, then next.
But the 26-year-old is in no rush.
He stated, “We’ll take him [Ertz] here. The more good players we have here, the better. He added, “Zach’s been an incredible mentor to me. The way he attacked every day, how much he knew about the playbook, how much he knew about opposing defenses. The way he approached everything, the way he was able to dissect defenses, the way he was able to attack leverage. Learning from him was one of the biggest blessings of my career. But if it’s not the right situation for him (to remain in Philadelphia), that’s his decision, ultimately.”
Since 2018, Goedert has completed 137 receptions on 197 targets for 1,465 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.
