We’ve all seen the talent. It was evident from his rookie season back in 2018. But now that Dallas Goedert is the unquestioned TE1 in Philadelphia, his status as en elite tight end in the NFL is being cemented.
On Sunday against the Jets, Goedert had his best game as a pro. He hauled in six receptions for 105 yards, along with two first half touchdowns from Gardner Minshew. Both of his touchdowns were over 25 yards in length; the Eagles haven’t had a tight end score two touchdowns over 25 yards in the same game in over two decades. With names like Brent Celek and Zach Ertz, it’s hard to imagine Goedert is already doing things that were never accomplished by two Eagle greats. But here we are.
“That guy is a monster when he gets the ball in his hands,” said head coach Nick Sirianni on Monday. “He’s big, he’s strong, he’s hard to tackle.”
On the season, Goedert has caught 41 of his 56 targets for 596 yards and four touchdowns. His 14.5 yards per reception is a career high, as well as his 10.6 yards per target. His 85.9 offensive grade on Pro Football Focus ranks third among 76 qualifying tight ends.
What makes Goedert so valuable is his ability to do anything the coaching staff asks out of him. As we saw on Sunday, he’s more than capable of being the go-to option in the passing game. But he’s also proven to be an integral part of the Eagles running game with his run blocking acumen.
His 67.6 PFF run blocking grade ranks 20th in the NFL among tight ends. He’s had numerous games this season where he’s graded in the 79.0 range or higher.
I mentioned Celek and Ertz earlier, and while Goedert is certainly a unique talent, his talent tree is almost like a combination of those former Eagles tight ends.
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He possesses the physicality of Celek. The bruising open field running, the ability to be a mauler in the running game. Goedert is faster and more agile than Celek, though, which is where the Ertz comparison comes in. Goedert may not have the precise route running ability of Ertz in his prime, but that doesn’t mean he can’t get open on a consistent basis. He’s very good as fighting off press coverage when he’s on the outside or in the slot, and he’s smart enough to understand how teams are trying to shadow him in zone.
Like Ertz, Goedert understands when to sit on a route when defenses are in zone coverage. And when teams are foolish enough to try and man-up with him, Goedert is quick enough to maneuver past the coverage and make plays.
The national sports media may not crown Goedert as an elite tight end until he makes a few Pro Bowls or has a full season as the starter, but it’s been obvious for years that this South Dakota product has all the tools to be a top tier tight end in this league.
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