Philadelphia Eagles: 5 burning questions in 2018

4. How much will Dallas Goedert help?

Zach Ertz was the Eagles top tight end last year, but Trey Burton’s ability to work down the field meant a lot to the offense. Now that Burton has taken his talents to Chicago, it will be up to the team’s second round draft pick to help fill the void created by his departure.

Richard Rodgers will be in the mix too, but Goedert is the player with superior upside. Of course, he has a big adjustment to make after coming to the NFL from South Dakota State. He put up big numbers for the Jackrabbits, but he’ll need to refine his technique to become a quality pro.

It’s safe to assume Goedert won’t be a huge factor Week One. Instead, the Eagles coaching staff will try to bring him along slowly. They’ve got to play the long game with Goedert. The important thing is to get him ready for the stretch run. By the time the playoffs roll around, Goedert needs to be able to provide a solid alternative Ertz in the passing game.

If he can’t make that happen, it’s going to make the Eagles offense slightly easier to defend. It won’t drastically change the way the group functions, but slight downgrades can mean early exits in the playoffs. Philadelphia needs Goedert to pay off late in his rookie season.