NFL free agency rumors are heating up with the new league year beginning next week. Some of the latest buzz involves Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert.

Goedert, who turned 30 in January, is currently under contract for the 2025 season. But there’s no guaranteed money left on his deal and he’s set to be a free agent in 2026.

One can wonder if Goedert and his camp will be looking for more financial security. One can also wonder if the Eagles want to make a commitment to an aging player who’s struggled to stay healthy. If the two sides can’t get on the same page, an end to this relationship might be near.

On that note, there’s some sentiment out there that Goedert won’t be returning to Philly. The following comes from Jeff McLane’s most recent unCovering the Birds podcast episode (bold emphasis mine):

“One of those tips came via an agent I had known for years, who I ran into at the JW Marriott. He was convinced the Eagles wouldn’t be bringing back tight end Dallas Goedert, and offered information that suggested as much. Goedert has been one of the best at his position for the last several years. But staying healthy has been an issue. He’s under contract for the 2025 season. But he doesn’t have any remaining guaranteed money remaining on his contract and he just turned 30. Goedert was also instrumental in the Eagles’ Super Bowl run. He was great in the postseason, catching 17 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown. But I could see things coming to a head. Because Goedert could have more value on the open market than the Eagles might be willing to pay considering their cap situation. So, I sent a few messages to sources, one who verified Goedert by no means is a slam dunk to return to Philly for an eighth season. That wouldn’t come as a surprise, but the Eagles don’t exactly have an obvious starting tight end [to replace Goedert], as they did three years ago when they traded Zach Ertz with Goedert entering his prime.”

Indeed, the Eagles do not have an obvious in-house replacement for Goedert, which makes the idea of moving on from him a concerning proposition.

Maybe Goedert and the Eagles can work something out. PHLY’s Zach Berman suggested that the two sides might be able to alter the contract. But he also said he’s leaning towards Goedert not being back:

BO WULF: You’re right on the fence.

ZACH BERMAN: Yeah. I wish I had a strong view here. If I had to lean one way, I guess I’m leaning towards Goedert not being back. And the reason I’m saying that is because I think Goedert is a good player who would get paid on the open market.

Berman also suggested resolution on Goedert’s status could be what’s next for the Eagles following Zack Baun’s contract extension.

So, what’s next for the Eagles? My guess is this is the “take care of family business” week, and the next line of business should be a resolution for Dallas Goedert. Even though he’s under contract, he has no guaranteed money on his contract. The Eagles can rework his deal, maybe guaranteeing this year’s salary and bringing the cap number down. They can trade him if they’re ready to commit beyond this year. I don’t believe they’ll cut him, but I don’t think they sit still.

There are multiple reasons why cutting Goedert definitely doesn’t make sense:

• He’s too good to simply let go with no value returned.
• Again, the Eagles have no viable in-house replacement options. And they have limited resources to find a new top tight end.
• Cutting him or trading him before June 1 causes the Eagles to lose $9.6 million in cap space. Designating him as a post-June 1 cut is more financially feasible but the Eagles reportedly already plan to use their maximum of two post-June 1 designations on Darius Slay and James Bradberry.

The feeling here has been that the Eagles should ride it out for one more year while adding a potential Goedert successor (likely via the 2025 NFL Draft) to their roster this offseason. But perhaps it’s not that simple if Goedert is applying pressure for a new deal.

Certainly a situation to monitor.