Mark Andrews is among the veterans worth monitoring as the draft approaches. Fellow tight end Dallas Goedert also finds himself on the market, and a trade being worked out over the next few days is thus a possibility to watch for.

The 30-year-old is attached to an expiring contract and is currently set to carry a cap hit of $11.76MM in 2025. A pay cut may very well be needed for Goedert to remain in Philadelphia; failing that, trade talk leading up to the draft will no doubt pick up. Teams often seek compensation for the immediate future when dealing away veterans to replace them as quickly as possible, but that may not be the case in this instance.

Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports the Eagles are viewed by Goedert suitors as being willing to accept “future” draft picks if a deal involving 2025 capital cannot be worked out. Time still remains for a swap to take place before the start of next week’s draft, one which features a highly-regarded group of tight end prospects. If that does not take place, however, the possibility of a Goedert trade will remain if general manager Howie Roseman is willing to take 2026 picks as compensation.

Goedert has spent his entire seven-year career in Philadelphia, and since the Eagles’ decision to move on from Zach Ertz he has been a key contributor in the passing game. The former second-rounder was limited to games in 2024 and as a result his 496 yards and two touchdowns marked a step back from his previous production. A rebound would be welcomed in an Eagles offense which will again have A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley leading the way, although parting ways with Goedert would leave the team in need of a new option atop the tight end depth chart.

Any number of rookies from the 2025 class would be expected to handle a notable role upon arrival in Philadelphia in the event Goedert were to be dealt. If a deal were to take place after the draft, though, adding a veteran would come into play as Philadelphia prepared for adding a long-term successor next spring.

Several weeks ago, we heard the Eagles were interested in trading tight end Dallas Goedert. One report that surfaced at the time indicated the only way Goedert returns to Philadelphia in 2025 is if he accepts a pay cut.

ESPN’s Tim McManus offers more support for that notion, saying it is difficult to envision the Eagles retaining Goedert at his current rate of pay. Although the 30-year-old TE is only due a $1.25MM base salary for 2025 – the last year of his current deal – his option bonus of nearly $14MM is seemingly driving the club’s willingness to seek a trade (h/t Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia).

As McManus implies, the Eagles – who already have sizable commitments on the books for skill-position talent like Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Saquon Barkley – may not view Goedert as a core part of their future. As such, they are apparently looking to extract some value for him now rather than simply allowing him to walk in free agency in 2026.

In addition to the option bonus, the fact that Goedert has missed 15 games due to injury over the past five seasons is also working against him, per McManus. On the other hand, he has remained a valuable contributor both as a blocker and receiver, and Philadelphia does not have an obvious replacement on the roster (their recent additions of Harrison Bryant and Kylen Granson notwithstanding). The top free agent tight ends have long been taken off the board, and the reigning Super Bowl champs will likely not be in a position to draft one of this year’s elite TE prospects absent a significant trade-up from their No. 32 pick.

The Eagles are not setting a high bar in trade talks. They are reportedly seeking a fourth-round selection in exchange for Goedert, and they are said to be willing to accept a 2026 or 2027 pick to facilitate a deal. The actual cash outlay aside, only a post-June 1 trade (or release) would yield any savings on the 2025 cap sheet. But even a post-June 1 transaction of some kind would only create a 2025 savings of roughly $4MM.

Still, it sounds like Goedert may have already played his last snap in an Eagles uniform. At last week’s league meetings, head coach Nick Sirianni was asked whether he wants his TE1 back. Sirianni simply replied, “[r]ight now, he’s on our football team.”

Without some sort of contract restructure, that may not be the case for much longer. 

Dallas Goedert is on track to remain atop the tight end depth chart for the Eagles in 2024. No guaranteed salary exists on his deal after the coming season, though, which could lead the team to seek out a replacement in the near future.

Goedert has been a consistent presence in Philadelphia’s passing game when on the field, though injuries have been present throughout much of his career. The 29-year-old has not played a full season since his rookie year in 2018, and he has missed eight combined contests across the past two campaigns (including a fractured forearm in 2023). Goedert is under contract through 2025, but that year calls for a non-guaranteed $14.25MM in compensation and a cap charge of $11.81MM.

The Eagles could thus look to move on from Goedert by adding a successor in the same way he took over from Zach Ertz. In 2023, Goedert’s average of 42.3 yards per game was his lowest mark 2019, and Philadelphia’s offensive pecking order includes wideouts A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith along with running back Saquon Barkley. Both Brown and Smith signed lucrative extensions this offseason, while Barkley inked a three-year pact including $26MM guaranteed to provide the team with a pass-catching option out of the backfield. Goedert is not concerned about where things stand with respect to his financial outlook at the moment, though.

“I feel really good,” the South Dakota State alum said (via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer). “I’m not too worried about it. I love being in Philadelphia. I’m going to give them everything I’ve got and let the chips fall where they may fall.”

The Eagles signed C.J. Uzomah in free agency, but a long-term Goedert successor does not appear to be on the roster for the time being. That is especially true since the team did not elect to add a tight end during the draft. Goedert is therefore safe with respect to playing time for at least one more season, and how Philadelphia operates regarding his contract will no doubt be tied to his performance in 2024 under new OC Kellen Moore. His comments on his future point to optimism regarding a new agreement being possible, and it will be interesting to see if he plays his way into another Philadelphia extension.