Eagles Could Land Replacement for $57 Million TE in Former NFC East Rival

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Washington Commanders tight end Logan Thomas.

The Philadelphia Eagles have kept tight end Dallas Goedert as a highly-paid safety blanket for most of the season as Goedert and the rest of the Eagles’ offense have taken a back seat to running back Saquon Barkley as he makes a run toward the NFL’s single-season rushing record.

Goedert has still put up numbers most NFL tight ends would love to have, with 38 receptions for 441 yards and 2 touchdowns before he was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury on December 7.

While Goedert’s injury designation would allow him to return for the regular-season finale against the New York Giants in Week 18, there’s no guarantee he’ll be healed up by that time and no guarantee he’ll be ready for the playoffs.

Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder thinks a possible fill-in for Goedert could come in the former of former Washington Commanders tight end and free agent Logan Thomas.

“The Eagles placed Dallas Goedert on injured reserve this week, leaving the offense thin at tight end,” Holder wrote. “While he could return in time for the playoffs, it would be smart to add a veteran tight end like Thomas to the practice squad just in case. That way he can learn and get comfortable in the offense in case of an emergency heading into the postseason.”

Goedert Also One of NFL’s Highest Paid Tight Ends

Whatever level his production might be at this season, Goedert is one of the NFL’s highest paid tight ends after signing a 4-year, $57 million contract extension with the Eagles in November 2021.

Goedert is still due  $14.25 million in 2025 in the final season of his contract, but the Eagles might want to look to replace him sooner than later. When his stint on injured reserve ends he will have missed 7 games in 2024 and 25 games due to injuries over the last 5 seasons.

Thomas Played Like Elite NFL Tight End in 2023

Thomas signed with the San Francisco 49ers in the offseason and was a surprise release by the team on Aug. 27 despite having one of the best seasons of his decade-long NFL career in 2023 with the Washington Commanders. Thomas was one of the few bright spots for the team as it struggled to a 4-13 record, finishing the season with 55 receptions, 496 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns.

That put Thomas 19th in the NFL in receiving among tight ends — Goedert had 59 receptions for 592 yards and 3 touchdowns with the benefits of a Pro Bowl quarterback in Jalen Hurts and an NFL All-Pro wide receiver in A.J. Brown.

Thomas, 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round (No. 120 overall) of the 2014 NFL draft as a quarterback and played one season there before he was released. He spent 2015 as a backup quarterback on the Miami Dolphins, then spent part of 2016 as a quarterback on the practice squad for the New York Giants before switching positions to tight end and spending the last part of 2016 on the practice squad with the Detroit Lions.

He spent 2017 and 2018 with the Buffalo Bills and 2019 back with the Lions before having a breakout season with Washington in 2020, starting 15 games while putting up career highs for receptions (72), receiving yards (670) and touchdowns (6) as the franchise made the playoffs for the first time since 2015.

Washington rewarded Thomas with a 3-year, $24 million contract extension following his breakout season in 2020, but he played in only 6 games in 2021 due to injuries.