The Eagles' Tight End Room Needs a Complete Renovation — And the 2026 Draft Class Has the Blueprints

The Eagles don't just need a tight end. They need an entire tight end room. And after what we saw at the NFL Combine this past weekend, the 2026 draft class might be the best possible time to rebuild it from scratch.

Dallas Goedert, Grant Calcaterra, and C.J. Uzomah are all free agents. That's the entire room, wiped clean. Howie Roseman acknowledged what everyone watching the 2025 season already knew — the Eagles were brutal in the run game from the tight end position. They played a ton of 12 and 13 personnel and had nobody who could consistently set the edge.

Roseman also admitted something fascinating: he needs to evolve past his obsession with receiving tight ends. That's a significant philosophical shift for a GM who's historically prioritized pass-catching at the position. The Eagles need a blocker, and they know it.

The Combine Freaks

Kenyon Saddiq set the all-time record for fastest tight end at the combine with a 4.39-second 40-yard dash. For context, that's faster than Saquon Barkley ran at his combine. At 241 pounds, Saddiq posted a better vertical leap than Julio Jones and better movement quickness than Andre Johnson. The athleticism is genuinely absurd.

But here's the thing — Saddiq wasn't even the top tight end in Relative Athletic Score. That distinction belongs to Eli Stowers from Vanderbilt, who dominated the broad jump and showed elite explosion. Stowers could be available in the second round, potentially at pick 53, while Saddiq is being discussed as a first-round talent at 23.

The Eagles reportedly met with a ton of tight ends at the combine but notably did not meet with Saddiq. They did, however, talk to blocking-oriented options like Sam Roush from Stanford and looked into Eli Stowers extensively. That tells you where their heads are — they want versatility, not just another receiving weapon.

The Free Agent Wildcard: Michael Mayer

There's also a trade option percolating. Michael Mayer, the former Notre Dame tight end now with the Raiders, has one year left on his rookie deal. He can block AND catch — exactly what the Eagles need. Las Vegas brought in Brock Bowers, but you still need more than one tight end. That said, having Bowers makes Mayer expendable, and the trade chatter is growing louder.

Charlie Kohler from Baltimore is another free agent name to watch. He's essentially an athletic offensive tackle moonlighting as a tight end — not a pass catcher, but a dominant edge-setter in the run game. Think of him as a sixth offensive lineman, which is exactly what this run scheme demands.

The Smart Play

The smartest path forward might be a layered approach: bring back Goedert on a reasonable deal if the market allows, sign a blocking tight end like Kohler, and draft a dynamic athlete like Stowers in the second round. You get the veteran, the blocker, and the future — all without burning the 23rd pick on the position.

The combine didn't change what the Eagles need. But it confirmed that this tight end class is historically deep and athletic. For a team that needs to rebuild the entire room, the timing couldn't be better.