Eagles' new OC might be the catalyst for Dallas Goedert's breakout season

USA Today

4 hours ago

Dallas Goedert's long-awaited breakout season may finally be unlocked by the new offensive coordinator.
Time certainly flew by. A little over two months after the Philadelphia Eagles raised the Lombardi Trophy (for the first time), they made Dallas Goedert the 49th overall selection of the 2018 NFL Draft. The former South Dakota State Jackrabbits standout was a hit almost immediately.
Goedert became a hit almost immediately despite his first name being the same as that of one of Philadelphia's fiercest rivals. The Birds felt so good about their young tight end that they eventually allowed a franchise legend and Super Bowl hero (Zach Ertz) to walk.
Ertz's exit meant Goedert was now the starting tight end on the depth chart. Since day one in that role, it was obvious that he had the tools to be one of the best at his position.
There's only one problem. More often than not, Dallas has missed time because of injury, or he has been underutilized. That brings us to the present day. Goedert is in a contract season. Might we finally get the breakout season we have always hoped for?
Dallas Goedert seems thrilled about Kevin Patillo's recent promotion
Believe it or not, Goedert is on the other side of 30 now. He enters his eighth NFL season, possibly his last with the only franchise he has known since entering the NFL.
Yearly, we discuss Goedert's potential breakout campaign. He's a rare blend in today's NFL, the prototypical tight end who blocks and catches the ball with equal proficiency. Still, his role in this Eagles offense seems set in stone. It appears he'll probably never be more than the fourth option in the offensive attack behind A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Saquon Barkley.
Dallas Goedert never exceeded 1,000 yards or five receiving touchdowns in a single season before now. With so much offensive weaponry on the roster at the moment, it seems unlikely that he'll do so for as long as he continues playing in Philadelphia.
Still, he's viewed by his coaches and teammates as an essential cog in the machine. Jalen Hurts has told him this, and the new offensive coordinator, Kevin Patullo, has echoed that same sentiment.
Goedert recently hung out on ESPN's NFL Live. He offered some high praise for Patullo. Thank NBC Sports' Pro Football Talk for providing the quote:
'I'm really excited for Kevin. He's been with us since (Nick) Sirianni got here. He's waited his turn to get this opportunity. Throughout OTAs, I've really loved what he's doing with the offense. Little changes here and there and I'm really excited for the opportunity just to — with the connection I grew with him the last four years. What he sees in me in different ways that he's going to get me the ball I'm really excited for.'
For most of Goedert's career, we have often said that his next season would be the season. For various reasons, including injuries, we never saw the breakout affair that we had been waiting for. Still, if he's able to stay healthy and stay on the field for a full 18-week, 17-game slate, there's a high probability that something magical will happen from time to time.