Marcus Hayes: NFL draft: Eagles trading tight end Dallas Goedert would be crazy

Marcus Hayes, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Apr 23, 2025

Published in Football

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PHILADELPHIA — As the draft approaches Thursday, I do not understand the general indifference in Philadelphia surrounding the possibility of the Eagles trading Dallas Goedert. He is an elite tight end as both a receiver and as a blocker. There should be anger. Outrage. Incredulity.

For a team rebuilding, or a team without a proven quarterback, this might make sense.

For a star-studded team with a superstar quarterback hoping to repeat as a Super Bowl champion, it’s crazy talk.

Goedert is entering his eighth season. He has been a teammate of left tackle Jordan Mailata, receivers DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown, running back Saquon Barkley, and, most notably, quarterback Jalen Hurts, since they arrived in Philadelphia. And, of course, Goedert has been Lane Johnson’s teammate since Goedert was drafted in the second round in 2018. He is as familiar and as comfortable as a broken-in shoe.

He just turned 30, which is not old. Travis Kelce caught 97 passes when he was 30. When they were 31, George Kittle caught 78 passes and Zach Ertz caught 74.

Goedert’s in the final year of his contract, which, with a cap hit of just under $12 million, ranks 10th among tight ends. He is not particularly expensive.

He does get hurt a lot, averaging four missed games over the last four seasons. So what?

He caught 16 passes in the 2022 playoffs, most among Eagles receivers, as the team reached Super Bowl LVII.

He caught 17 passes in the 2024 playoffs, most among Eagles receivers, as the team won Super Bowl LIX.

His 52 postseason receptions are the Eagles’ record — by nine. He ranks second with 562 receiving yards and four TD catches in the playoffs.

He is at his best when the games mean the most.

One report last month indicated that the Eagles were willing to part with Goedert for as little as a fourth-round pick. Another report indicated that Goedert would have to agree to a pay cut to remain in Philadelphia. Several reports last week had the New York Giants inquiring about his price tag.

Recently, when given chances to deny trade rumors involving Goedert, neither general manager Howie Roseman nor coach Nick Sirianni denied anything.

Right now, he’s on our football team. He’s meant a lot to us. We’ll see how that plays out. He’s a heck of a football player and leader,” Sirianni said.

It’s as if Nick has moved on already.

This is madness.

Why would the Eagles listen? Goedert is irreplaceable.

The draft contains just one plug-and-play tight end with Goedert’s gifts, and that’s Penn State stud Tyler Warren, who will be gone 20 picks before the Eagles draft at No. 32. The Eagles added Kylen Granson and Harrison Bryant to a tight end stable that already included pass-catcher Grant Calcaterra, but the trio last season combined for just 47 catches. Goedert had 42 catches in just 10 games.

I’ve never been much for sentimentality. I was among the minority that was mostly indifferent to the departure of Brian Dawkins after the 2008 season, when he was 35.

I understand the necessity to move on. I didn’t expect Milton Williams, Mekhi Becton, Josh Sweat, or Darius Slay to return this season, and I understood why C.J. Gardner-Johnson got traded, too.

The only player I considered too precious to lose was linebacker Zack Baun, and the Eagles wound up keeping him.

I never considered Goedert’s departure a possibility.

Why would the Eagles consider removing one of the best tight ends in franchise history?

Well, Goedert’s numbers were down in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus. But when the playoffs arrived, and he’d completely recovered from knee and hamstring injuries, he was the best tight end in the postseason.

Further, I guess, the Eagles can save some money, but it is unclear just how much. One website suggests that a pre-June 1 trade (or cut) would save them only about $2 million against the salary cap. Most sites agree he will take home $15 million in cash.

None of those numbers matters.

For my money, another year of Dallas Goedert would be worth every penny.

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