The Eagles Still Need a Tight End Upgrade After Cutting to 53

The Philadelphia Eagles reached their initial 53-man roster without solving the weakness behind Dallas Goedert. Johnny Mundt is positioned as the second tight end, while Eli Stowers and E.J. Jenkins remain developmental or specialized options rather than complete answers.

That leaves tight end as the clearest place for Howie Roseman to search for an outside upgrade. The Eagles can survive the current room for a week, but a contender should not enter the season one injury away from asking role players to replace both Goedert's receiving value and his connection to the offense.

Johnny Mundt offers a floor, not a complete TE2 profile

Mundt has built an NFL career through blocking, assignment reliability and the ability to fill a supporting role. Those traits matter in an offense that wants to marry its run looks with play action. He can line up, handle the dirty work and keep the structure from collapsing when Goedert leaves the field.

The concern is what happens when that supporting role expands. Philadelphia needs more than a blocker if Goedert misses time or draws extra defensive attention. A true second tight end should threaten the middle of the field, punish lighter personnel and give Jalen Hurts a dependable answer against pressure.

Mundt can be valuable without being that player. The roster problem comes from having no proven option to complement him. If he is the unchallenged No. 2, the Eagles are asking a specialist to absorb responsibilities that have not defined his career.

Eli Stowers and E.J. Jenkins are still incomplete bets

Stowers brings intriguing movement skills, but his transition remains a long-term project. He is still learning the position after a background that asked him to win more as a receiver than an in-line NFL tight end. Blocking technique, route separation and comfort in the full offense all require time.

His development should continue without the pressure of rescuing the depth chart. Forcing Stowers into a major early role would turn every growing pain into a game-plan limitation. Philadelphia can protect the investment by giving him specific assignments while another player handles the broader TE2 workload.

Jenkins presents the opposite profile. His blocking progress gives the staff a reason to keep him, especially for heavy packages and special teams. Yet he has not established himself as a volume receiving threat. Keeping him made sense; treating that decision as proof the room is complete would not.

The right addition would protect the offense's flexibility

The Eagles do not require another star. They need a tight end who can function in both phases well enough that personnel does not announce the play. A receiving-only addition would invite defenses to anticipate pass concepts. Another blocker would preserve the same limitation already present behind Goedert.

A balanced veteran would let Sean Mannion use multiple-tight-end formations without sacrificing route options. It would also reduce the burden on the offensive line by adding a trustworthy edge blocker who can still release into the pattern. That flexibility becomes valuable against defenses built to crowd Saquon Barkley's run lanes and squeeze Philadelphia's primary receivers.

The waiver period and the next round of veteran movement give Roseman a chance to find that player without forcing a bad trade. The bar is not Goedert-level production. It is a credible second option who keeps the offense functional if the starter rests, misses time or draws coverage away from the rest of the formation.

Philadelphia's initial 53 preserved several developmental bets, but it did not remove the tight end problem. The next roster move should target a player who can block without disappearing from the passing game, giving Stowers time to grow and Jenkins a role that matches what he currently does best.