Jack Stoll Emerging as Solid Complement to Budding Superstar Dallas Goedert
Exactly where Tyree Jackson will fit in the tight end room is unclear.
The Eagles have one week to figure it out after opening his return-to-practice window on Oct. 26. That’s two weeks ago, and the window is only allowed to be open for 21 days before they have to add him to the 53-man roster or put him back on IR for the remainder of the season.
Jackson showed so much promise in the 2021 training camp then broke his back late in training camp. He returned late in the season and then, in the final game of the regular season, tore his ACL.
That bad luck hasn’t helped his situation, but neither has the emergence of tight end Jack Stoll as a solid complement to budding superstar Dallas Goedert. The roster also includes rookie Grant Calcaterra.
Shane Steichen talked on Tuesday about “spreading the love around” to all the Eagles’ weapons. Clearly, Stoll and Calcaterra aren’t one of those weapons that will get a lot of love in the passing game, but Stoll has stepped up in that area when his number has been called.
He has been targeted four times in the last three games, has two catches for 34 yards, and now has three receptions for 38 yards. Last year, as an undrafted rookie from Nebraska, he had four catches for 22 yards.
Stoll said during training camp that he spent the offseason working on his route running and pass catching. The Eagles have shown confidence in him.
“I think (throwing him the ball more this year) kind of naturally happens organically, to be honest with you,” said Steichen. “...(but) there's no question, the way he's coming in and out of breaks, it's been tremendous.”
Stoll has played 41% of the offensive snaps, mostly in 12 personnel with Goedert, and 48% of the snaps on special teams.
That will be tough for Jackson to unseat. Same with Calcaterra, who was drafted and has played 11% of the offensive snaps.
Goedert, meanwhile, has become one of the top tight ends in the league, probably No. 2 right behind Travis Kelce.
“There's no question about it, Dallas is one of the premier tight ends in this league right now,” said Steichen. “He continues to show it week in and week out, what he does on the field. It starts in the meeting rooms. It starts on the practice field. The way he takes care of his body to get ready for football games. And the way he mentally prepares for football games.
“Then just his strength and size and his quickness and his play strength, it's at the top of the league right now without question.”
George Kittle gets a lot of pub in San Francisco but hasn’t been anything special this year. Mark Andrews in Baltimore has been hurt.
Maybe T.J. Hockenson, who was traded from the Lions to the Vikings last week, could be in the conversation for No. 2, but no matter how you slice it, Goedert is in the top three this season.
His 561 yards receiving are second on the team and second among all tight ends, behind Kelce’s 659. He leads all tight ends in yards after the catch with 348 and he is second in yards per catch average (13.0) behind Hockenson’s 13.3.
Goedert posted the fourth 100-plus receiving-yards game of his career in last Thursday night’s win over the Houston Texans.
“The fun part about our team is it might be me this week and next week it might be A.J. (Brown), the week after it might be Smitty (DeVonta Smith), we just have so many weapons and so many ways to attack a defense,” said Goedert during a segment on SiriusXM NFL radio with hosts Jim Miller and Pat Kerwin on Wednesday's 'Moving the Chains' show.
“You just have to make sure you’re ready for your opportunity and when it comes you make the most of it because it might be a week or two until you get the opportunity to do it again.”
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
