Eagles Howie Roseman Strikes Quickly, Signs Two Tight Ends in 30-Minute Span

This is what Howie Roseman is good at – spackling. He fills roster holes in free agency so there is no need for desperation when the draft begins, because desperation leads to a reach and a reach leads to a bust.

The Eagles needed tight ends. So, the general manager signed two, both one-year deals, on Tuesday evening in the span of about 30 minutes. One is an old friend, Grant Calcaterra, a sixth-round pick of the Eagles in 2022. The other is a nine-year veteran, and it’s not Dallas Goedert. It’s Johnny Mundt.

That doesn’t mean Roseman won’t grab a tight in the draft. He should. It’s been too long without a succession plan for when Goedert leaves, and the moment of his departure is nigh. They need to get younger at the position.

Mundt will turn 32 during the season. Calcaterra will be 28 during the season. His blocking in the run game left something to be desired this past season. Not so with Mundt, whose forte is supposed to be run blocking. He’ll mix in a catch here and there, but he only has 74 of them for 698 yards in 114 games over nine years.

Head coach Nick Sirianni won’t be saying, 'The offense runs through A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Johnny Mundt,' but the Eagles are a run-first team, and the contributions they got in that part of the game last year from Calcaterra and Goedert were subpar.

Calcaterra Will Return To Eagles

Eagles TE Grant Calcaterra | John McMullen/Eagles on SI

Roseman said he adjusted his thinking regarding the position. It can’t just be about catching passes, something Calcaterra can do a bit, collecting 42 receptions for 494 yards in four years, mostly as the second tight end behind Goedert.

"I would say that the tight end position starts with me in evolving,” said Roseman on Feb. 20, before leaving for the Scouting Combine. “I think that from my perspective, I've always had an affinity for kind of the receiving tight ends. I think that's shown in my work, you know, unfortunately for me, I can't hide behind anything other than the product we put out there, which I'm proud of.

“So, I think that also something that as you evolve as a GM, as an evaluator, and you watch what's out there, you got to be cognizant of the fact that at some levels the game has changed. And so, there's certainly room for both at that spot. I think when you look at it from this year, probably needed more of a diverse skill set at that position. All the good players that we had there, but probably could have used that (blocking tight end).”

Mundt should offer that. He entered the league out of Oregon in 2017 as an undrafted free agent and has survived into what will be his 10th NFL season. He spent his first five years with the Rams, the next three years with the Vikings, and last year with the Panthers.

It was a busy second day of free agency for Roseman. After sitting quietly while other teams emptied their vaults, Roseman lay low before pouncing. In addition to the two tight ends, he also signed cornerback Riq Woolen, who will be the starter opposite All-Pro Quinyon Mitchell, and allow All-Pro Cooper DeJean to stay in the slot.