The Eagles are signing tight end Albert Okweugbunam to a one-year contract ahead of NFL free agency.
Philadelphia acquired Okwuegbunam from Denver after a preseason finale that saw the versatile tight end catch seven passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. But the Broncos didn’t have room for him on their roster, so they made a deal with the Eagles.
Philadelphia traded a 2025 sixth-round pick and a 2025 seventh-rounder to the Broncos last August and decided not to utilize the pass catcher at all the previous seasons under offensive coordinator Brian Johnson.
A fourth-round pick out of Missouri, Okweugbunam was targeted just once in four games of action last season and did not have a catch.
He’ll return under first-year offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and should find a role with the innovative play-caller.
With the move yet to be made official, here are four takeaways from the puzzling decision.
The Kellen Moore impact
The Eagles took a step back offensively as quarterback Jalen Hurts threw a career-high 15 interceptions, and Philadelphia slipped from third in points per game (28.1) to seventh (25.5); they went from ninth in passing (241.5 yards per game) to 16th (225.5) and fell from fifth in rushing (147.6) to eighth (128.8).
Moore will bring a modern offense that heavily features pre-snap motion and aggressive, vertical route concepts.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott had a career year under Moore in 2021, finishing that season with 4,449 passing yards on 68.8% completion percentage while throwing 37 touchdowns and ten interceptions.
Prescott achieved career highs in passing attempts twice with Moore, with 596 in 2019 and 2021.
Look for Moore to incorporate Okwuegbunam into the passing game more, leaving Jack Stoll in on obvious running down or the red zone.
Eagles offensive system failed in 2023
The idea that Okwuegbunam would return in 2024 after being barely used last season gives insight into how poorly coached the Eagles were on offense.
Even with Dallas Goedert for almost a month, Brian Johnson never found a role for the talented pass catcher.
An odd Eagles career for Okwuegbunam — the Eagles trade for him on cut-down day to keep him from going to waivers, they bury him on the depth chart and barely use him even with Goedert sidelined for 3 games (Albert O was targeted once all season), put him on IR in December, then… https://t.co/fGsM3Ljs1Y
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) February 22, 2024
Howie Roseman’s do-over indicates that Okwuegbunam’s lack of usage in 2023 was on the staff, not the player.
Dallas Goedert
Goedert missed five games on IR during the 2022 season with a shoulder injury. He finished last year as the team’s third-leading receiver with 702 yards across 55 catches after missing another four games.
Okwuegbunam’s return ensures four tight ends during training camp and a chance to make the Eagles rotation without guaranteeing that Goedert will be healthy.
Okwuegbunam has produced
Okwuegbunam had seven catches for 109 yards and a touchdown in the Broncos final preseason game, motivating Howie Roseman to acquire him.
A 2020 4th-round pick, he’s logged 54 catches for 546 yards and four scores in 3 seasons in Denver.
