Eagles All-22 Film Review: What makes Dallas Goedert so good

This is a slightly different article to usual as we all know that Dallas Goedert is great. The purpose of this one is to explain why he is so good and also discuss just how good he can be moving forward. Enjoy!

Stats/Scheme Notes

- 867 total snaps. 544 inline, 224 slot, 53 out wide. This slot % ranks only 19th in the league.

- 53 receptions, 830 yards, 14.8 AVG, 4 TDs in regular season. 14.8 AVG was 2nd highest TE behind Pitts.

- Total PFF grade of 90.7, ranks 2nd among all TE’s.

- 423 routes run, 377 run blocking plays, only 40 pass blocking attempts

- Allowed 1 sack, 1 hurry in these 40 attempts.

- 68.9 run blocking grade, ranks 25th among all TE’s. 66.1 pass blocking grade, ranks 36th among all TE’s.

More advanced stats, minimum 20% of snaps played.

- Caught 62/84 targets, 73.8%. This % ranks 16th.

- 415 YAC, ranks 5th highest.

- 2.33 yards per route run, ranks 1st!! Kittle was 2nd at 2.21.

- 8.8drop%, 6 total drops. 2nd highest amount of drops, 10th highest in terms of %.

- 10/15 contested catches. 7th most contested catches and 5th best %.

- 23 miss tackles forced, 3rd best in the league.

Strengths

+ Uses his frame really well to hang onto tough catches in the middle of the field.

+ Good at finding soft spots in zone.

+ Proper run blocker, not just a receiving TE who is ‘willing’ to block. He can be a big factor in the run game and he can seal edges and will help with doubles.

+ Has just about enough size and strength to handle some defensive ends one on one on run plays.

+ Outstanding route runner vs man coverage, understands how to get open and the nuances of route running. He is elite at getting open in the intermediate game, on crossers, deep outs, or post-corners. This matches up really well with Jalen Hurts’ skillset.

+ Can create big plays down the seam despite not being the fastest. Can outrun and physically overmatch linebackers.

+ Can create YAC consistently by using his big frame to carry defenders for extra yards.

+ Knows how to use his frame to box out defenders and create a throwing window between himself and the sideline.

+ Good at contested catches. Uses his size well and does a good job high pointing the football.

+ Can line up as the ‘X’ receiver and frequently does this opposite trips. Has the ability to beat cornerbacks.

This route below is as good as it gets… beating outside leverage with barely any space to the sideline is extremely difficult. The ever so slight movement towards the inside gets the corner to get too close.

Weaknesses

- Has an issue with drops. Seems to be a concentration issue but he has had some vital drops throughout his career.

We all remember this one…

- Despite his increased output after the Ertz trade, still only had 4 touchdowns all year. Never had more than 5 in one season. Surprising considering his size and contested catch ability. Obviously partly due to scheme but still, would like more output here.

- This is not a weakness really, but doesn’t provide a vertical down the field element when lined up as an ‘X’ receiver like some TE’s, such as Kyle Pitts or Darren Waller. Not as explosive as the elite receiving tight ends.

Overall

Again, this was a little bit of different breakdown as we all know how good Dallas Goedert is. Still, I do find it interesting to really focus on a player and consider just how good they are. I think as an all around tight end, Goedert is one of the best in the league as his blocking is really good. I think as an all around tight end, you could make an argument that he could be as good as the 3^rd best tight end, behind only Travis Kelce and George Kittle. As a receiving option only, I think Kyle Pitts and Darren Waller are slightly ahead of him due to their explosiveness and ability to get down the field.

Goedert is pretty irreplaceable in this offense and it has been a lot of fun watching him develop into a top tight end. I know many people were upset when the Eagles selected him as we already had Zach Ertz, but those of you who have followed me for a while know that I am a big believing in having 2 top tight ends on your roster, so I was happy with the selection.

How much better can Goedert really get? I think he still has a little bit of untapped potential as a receiver. We know that Hurts struggles over the middle of the field, and this is obviously an area where Goedert can succeed. Additionally, he can improve his hands and if he cuts out the concentration drops, he should continue to post good numbers. He has struggled with drops at key times before and I hope as he gets more experienced that this will stop happening as much.

Due to the addition of AJ Brown and the fact the Eagles will still likely run the ball a lot next year, I wouldn’t be surprised if Goedert does not post ‘elite’ numbers as he will likely be the 3^rd highest in targets, whereas some guys like Kelce and Pitts will end up as the number 1 option on their teams.

Regardless of his numbers, the film shows Goedert is a top, top tight end and I am looking forward to watching him perform at a high-level next season.