Zach Pascal Reunites with Jonathan Gannon in Arizona
As an NFL wideout, you never want to be called a great blocker first but Zach Pascal really is a great blocker.
The veteran receiver and Nick Sirianni favorite excelled doing the dirty work during his one season in Philadelphia, and it got him a two-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals and their new head coach Jonathan Gannon on Monday.
Pascal, 28, was the Eagles' WR4 behind stars A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, as well as Quez Watkins. He played 408 snaps and was graded as the No. 3 run-blocking receiver in the NFL behind only Miami's Trent Sherfield and Detroit's Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Ironically, Sherfield signed a one-year deal with Buffalo on Monday, the same day Pascal got his new contract with the Cardinals.
As a receiver, Pascal had 15 receptions for 150 yards and a 34-yard touchdown against Pittsburgh when two Steelers defenders jumped Brown and left Pascal alone. He spent the first four seasons of his career with Indianapolis where he caught on as an undrafted free agent out of Old Dominion.
Pascal's role with the Eagles was not a sexy one but it's one of the little things it will be difficult to replace for the Philadelphia offense.
At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, Pascal not only has the physical stature to block well but also the willingness to do so and there is no obvious replacement on the roster.
Because of Pascal's relationship with Sirianni, the thought was that Philadelphia would get the veteran back on a one-year deal at the minimum but he got two years from the Cards.
Like Sirianni, Gannon, the former Eagles' defensive coordinator, was with Pascal in both Indianapolis and Philadelphia.
Pascal is the 10th unrestricted free agent to sign elsewhere during free agency.
The reigning NFC Champions have lost seven starters from the 2022-23 team - DT Javon Hargrave (San Francisco), LBs T.J Edwards (Chicago) and Kyzir White (Arizona), safeties Marcus Epps (Las Vegas) and C.J. Gardner-Johnson (Detriot), RB Miles Sanders (Carolina) and RG Isaac Seumalo (Pittsburgh), as well as three key reserves: OT Andre Dillard (Tennessee), QB Gardner Minshew (Indianapolis) and Pascal (Arizona).
-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Football 24/7 and a daily contributor to ESPN South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
