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The 2024 season could be the last campaign with the Philadelphia Eagles for tight end Dallas Goedert. He will be an unrestricted free agent next March.
But Goedert told The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff Neiburg that he’s focused on improving on the field rather than concerning himself with his job security.
“I’m not too worried about it,” Goedert told Neiburg of his contract situation. “I love being in Philadelphia. I’m going to give them everything I’ve got and let the chips fall where they may fall.”
Goedert will turn 30 before the end of the regular season. But he also forecast in his conversation with Neiburg that he hasn’t peaked yet.
“I still feel like the best years are ahead of me.”
During the 2023 season, Goedert posted 59 receptions for 592 receiving yards. He also had 3 touchdowns and scored another in the team’s lone postseason game.
Eagles’ Dallas Goedert Predicts Better Production Ahead
Goedert’s statistics probably don’t indicate that his best years are still ahead of him. While he was third on the team in receptions and receiving yards behind the team’s top 1,000-yard receivers (A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith), Goedert’s receiving yards declined for a second straight year in 2023.
He recorded 830 receiving yards with a career-high 14.8 yards per catch average in 2021. Then in 2022, Goedert posted 702 receiving yards before seeing his total dip back to below 600 last season.
From a yards per game perspective, Goedert peaked in 2022 with 58.5 receiving yards per contest. Last season, he registered 42.3 yards per game despite having a career-high 59 catches.
But Goedert spent a week of the offseason at Tight End University — a tight end camp led by Greg Olsen, George Kittle and Travis Kelce. Talking to Olsen at the camp seemed to inspire Goedert into believing that he can improve through his early thirties.
It’s uncommon but not impossible. In fact, Olsen achieved it.
Olsen posted his first 1,000-yard receiving season and made his first Pro Bowl when he was 29. That began a three-year stretch where Olsen made the Pro Bowl every season.
He also became a two-time second-team All-Pro member, as he recorded three consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons from 2014-16.
Goedert Excited About Kellen Moore’s Offense
To post his first 1,000-yard season at age 29 like Olsen did, Goedert will have to get back to averaging 12-14 yards per catch. Last season, he recorded a career-low 10 yards per reception.
But he will likely need more opportunities too. Goedert has received more than 80 targets just twice in his career.
Under new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, though, Goedert could be more involved.
“I feel like [his system will] play in favor of the tight end, the quick game a little bit, getting back to the pivots, the sticks that I caught earlier in my career that went away a little bit,” Goedert told Neiburg.
“I’m really excited for how he uses the tight end and how he feels like they can be a big part of the offense and help win games.”
The Eagles are likely to continue making Brown and Smith their primary targets in the passing game. Philadelphia also added running back Saquon Barkley in NFL free agency.
Barkley has averaged more than 5 targets per game in his six-year NFL career. That could cut into Goedert’s opportunities.
But the amount of energy opposing defenses will have to spend covering Brown, Smith and Barkley could make Goedert a very efficient target in 2024.
“I’m hoping that all year they double A.J., double Smitty, and they’re worried about Saquon, so I can run free down the middle all game long,” added Goedert.
If that happens often, it may be difficult for the Eagles not to re-sign Goedert next offseason, especially with no obvious tight end heir apparent on the roster.
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