Dallas Goedert is a longshot to be on the Eagles this fall. The tight end could be traded as early as draft weekend by general manager Howie Roseman or at some point this summer, so prepare yourself. The Eagles have already.
They signed a pair of free-agent tight ends, Harrison Bryant and Kylen Granson, who are steady and reliable, but probably generated more yawns than high-fives among the fan base. A big swing up the draft board to grab one of the top two at the position would be a thrill ride when the first-round begins on April 24.
The Eagles have 20 draft picks between this year’s draft and the one next spring. That’s called ammunition.
Despite what Jeffrey Lurie said earlier in the week at the NFL owners’ meetings, it would be surprising if general manager Howie Roseman adds 20 new players via the draft. Roseman will use those picks to move up and down throughout this year’s three-day draft, which begins on April 24, though his boss said, “we want as many draft choices as possible.”
Twenty feels excessive. It’s eight this year and 12 next with the compensatory picks factored in for losing Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, and Mekhi Becton in this year’s free-agent period.
THE PLAYER
Most mock drafts have Penn State’s Tyler Warren falling no farther than the Colts at 14. Michigan’s Colston Loveland, on the other hand, is mocked to go at No. 22 to the Chargers by NFL Media draft analysts Lance Zierlein, Bucky Brooks, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Mike Band. Daniel Jeremiah has Loveland going 18 to the Seahawks.
If Loveland is there at 22, could Roseman try to make a move up?
The Eagles drafted only one tight in the first round - Keith Jackson in 1988. Roseman was about to turn 13 that year. Jackson turned out well, winning the league’s Rookie of the Year and setting the team record for most yards in a rookie season at 869, which stood until DeSean Jackson came along 20 years later.
Loveland is 6-6, 248 pounds and considered a Year 1 starter. Does his blocking need work? Sure. Which tight end entering the league doesn’t need to improve that area of his game?
Last year, he set Michigan’s school-record for most catches by a tight end in a season with 56. In 10 games (he missed time with a shoulder injury), he had 582 receiving yards with five touchdowns and was a finalist for the John Mackey Award.
It’s a deep tight end class, but Warren and Loveland are at the top of the pack, so why not get one of the two considered the best?
THE TRADE
The ammunition Roseman has at his disposal includes three third-round picks next year – his own, the Jets from the Haason Reddick trade, and a comp pick for Williams. Roseman has two in the fourth (his own and a comp pick for Sweat), and three in the fifth (his own, the Texans’ from the C.J. Gardner-Johnson trade, and a comp pick for Becton).
That’s a lot of ammo to move up 10 spots.
Perhaps a third this year and next year will get a deal done with the Chargers. That would leave the Eagles without a third-round pick on April 25, but Roseman could find a way to remedy that, too, considering the ammo he has at his disposal.
Or maybe Goedert and a third and fifth next year gets the deal done.
The Chargers added to their tight end room in the offseason by adding Tyler Conklin in free agency to go along with Will Dissly and a couple of others further down the depth chart. Even at 30, Goedert is better than any of them.
