The Philadelphia Eagles have been signaling they were ready for a change at tight end for several years, and put the final touches on that by drafting Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers in the 2nd round of the 2026 NFL draft.
With that move — and the inevitable exit of veteran tight end Dallas Goedert after this season — there’s a purge at the position in the works.
“Eagles waived TE Jaheim Bell,” The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane wrote on his official X account on Tuesday.
Bell was a 7th-round pick by the New England Patriots in the 2024 NFL draft. He was released after 1 season with the Patriots and spent 2025 with the Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers.
In 15 career games, Bell has just 2 receptions for 20 yards.
Eagles Bring Back Dallas Goedert on 1-Year Contract
The Eagles have Goedert on a 1-year, $7 million contract in 2026 after he set the franchise single-season record for tight ends with 11 touchdown receptions in 2025.
Philadelphia also appears totally set at the tight end position in 2026 with Goedert and Stowers, who will certainly see the field, and veteran backup Grant Calcaterra, who was a key fill-in during the Eagles’ run to the Super Bowl in 2024 when Goedert missed 7 regular-season games due to injuries.
Along with Stowers, the Eagles are also bringing in a highly thought of undrafted free agent tight end with Ole Miss’ Dae’Quan Wright.
From NBC Sports Philadelphia: “The Eagles drafted a TE in the second round but they added another after the draft. Wright (6-4, 246) began his career at Virginia Tech but spent the last two seasons at Ole Miss. He had 39 catches for 635 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2025. The Eagles paid attention to Charlie Weis Jr.’s offense last season.”
Not Everyone Sold on 2nd Round TE Eli Stowers
Bleacher Report’s Brent Solbeski handed the Eagles a “C” grade for taking Stowers — not exactly what you want out of a Day 2 pick.
“The reigning John Mackey Award winner would have been rated higher throughout this process if he had contributed anything as an inline option,” Sobleski wrote. “To be clear, Stowers has experience working in-line, but he’s not much of a blocker and lacks the strength and technique to excel in that area at the next level … provides little to nothing as a blocker, functional strength is limiting, can improve route-running.”
Stowers wowed at the NFL scouting combine with his performance, running the 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds to go with an 11-foot, 2-inch broad jump, along with a stunning performance in the vertical leap of 45.5 inches.
“Oh my Lord,” ESPN’s Ben Solak wrote on his official X acount on February 27. “Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers. 45.5-inch vertical jump. Tied with Cameron Wake for the third-highest vert in the Combine (since 1999).”
Stowers was a fringe 1st-round prospect who drew comparisons to NFL All-Pro wide receivers Mike Evans and D.K. Metcalf as well as NFL All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers in the pre-draft process.
“In terms of size and speed, the NFL tight end that Stowers most closely matches is the Las Vegas Raiders‘ Brock Bowers, a 2024 first-round pick who has set tight end records and made the Pro Bowl in each of his two pro seasons,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote. “Bowers is 6-4, 235 pounds, and ran a 4.55 40, and the parallels come from someone who worked with both of them.”
Eagles Part Ways With 6-foot-2, 241-Pound Veteran Tight End