Eagles’ most underrated training camp battle may be at tight end
· Yahoo Sports
The Eagles’ most underrated training camp battle may not be at wide receiver, linebacker, or cornerback.
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It may be at tight end.
Dallas Goedert remains the clear starter and one of the offense’s most trusted players, but Philadelphia has real questions behind him. The Eagles have several different tight end profiles on the roster, and the decisions made at the position could affect roster math, offensive packages, and how much flexibility Sean Mannion has in his first season running the offense.
Goedert gives the Eagles a complete starter who can win as a receiver, create after the catch, and hold up well enough as a blocker to stay on the field in multiple situations. The question is how the Eagles build the room behind him. Grant Calcaterra has experience in the offense and gives Philadelphia a familiar pass-catching option. Eli Stowers brings the highest upside after a productive college career at Vanderbilt and rare athletic testing that makes him one of the more intriguing rookies on the roster.
Johnny Mundt, Stone Smartt, E.J. Jenkins, and Cameron Latu add more competition. Mundt gives the Eagles a veteran option. Smartt brings receiving ability. Jenkins has size and red-zone appeal. Latu is still trying to turn his physical profile into a reliable NFL role.
The roster math is where this battle becomes interesting. If the Eagles keep three tight ends, the competition behind Goedert becomes tight quickly. Calcaterra’s experience matters, but Stowers’ upside may be difficult to risk. If the Eagles keep four, special teams and blocking value could decide the final spot. That puts pressure on every backup candidate to prove he can contribute beyond catching passes in preseason games.
This battle also matters because Goedert’s future remains part of the larger conversation. He is still the starter, but the Eagles need to know whether they have a young tight end capable of growing into a larger role.
That makes the tight end more than a depth battle. It could quietly reveal how Philadelphia plans to build the next version of its offense.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles’ most underrated training camp battle may be at tight end