The Philadelphia Eagles are known for never drafting out of immediate necessities. Instead, they look ahead to the next year or two and make sure to find and develop promising replacements for their current stars.
Considering that approach, the writing is already on the wall for Dallas Goedert. The Eagles used a second-round pick on Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers, one of the most promising tight ends in this class, and he already looks like the heir apparent in the City of Brotherly Love.
Eli Stowers Will Keep Dallas Goedert on His Toes
Following some speculation, the Eagles signed Goedert to a one-year, $7 million deal. The 31-year-old has rarely been a primary weapon in the passing game, but he's coming off posting a career-best 11 touchdown receptions in 2025, nearly one-third of his overall scoring production in his eight-year career (35).
The Eagles will have Sean Mannion as their new offensive coordinator, and that might be great news for tight ends, given that Tucker Kraft was one of the Green Bay Packers' go-to guys last season. That said, more opportunities may also lead to more exposure, and that's not always a great thing.
Stowers has all the tools to be an explosive and dominant pass catcher at the professional level. Last season, he had 62 receptions for 769 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 64.1 receiving yards per game and 12.4 yards per catch.
He needs to work on his blocking, and that should be a point of emphasis in the Eagles' development plan. If he can be more of a willing contributor in the running game and improve his blocking angles, he'll get on the field early and often for Nick Sirianni's team as a rookie.
But even if that's not the case, the Eagles are sending Goedert a clear message with this selection. They believe it won't be long before they have to get him off the field and find his replacement. With no financial security beyond this year, Goedert must have already realized that this will most likely be his final season in Philadelphia.
All things considered, this shouldn't be much of a surprise. As mentioned, that's just how the Eagles usually operate, and they're at least allowing Goedert to prove that last year's scoring spree wasn't a fluke. Still, unless he manages to replicate that type of touchdown production, this might be the end of the line for him.
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