Together, Again

As the Eagles begin preparing for a Week 3 matchup on the road in Chicago, they’ll do so without one of their top offensive playmakers as part of the gameplan.

According to a report from NFL Network/ESPN, Dallas Goedert suffered a sprained MCL in the Eagles’ 24-20 win over the Tennessee Titans and is expected to miss “a few weeks.”

The Eagles do have an interim solution waiting in the wings, however, as ESPN reports of a reunion of Eagles great Zach Ertz, who will join the Eagles’ practice squad to start.

Drafted 35th overall in the 2013 NFL Draft, Ertz, a three-time Pro Bowler, is a franchise icon, playing in 123 games for the team before being traded to the Arizona Cardinals. The Stanford product pulled in 579 receptions for 6,267 yards and 38 touchdowns.

While his list of accomplishments in Philadelphia is extensive, Ertz will forever be remembered for scoring the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl LII.

Ertz, 35, last season appeared and started in 13 games for the Washington Commanders, recording 50 receptions for 504 yards and four touchdowns before sustaining a severe knee injury in which he’s now nine months removed from.

Ertz, by the way, is just 11 receptions shy of breaking Harold Carmichael’s receptions record (589). He’ll now have an opportunity to sit atop the record book as the Eagles’ all-time receptions leader.

Goedert, 31, exited the game in the second quarter following a run play when a defender made contact with his leg, totaling 19 snaps. His absence as a big-bodied, mid-range safety valve and red zone target was sorely missed, leaving the Eagles with the blocking-centric Johnny Mundt and E.J. Jenkins to fill the void.

Mundt accounted for eight yards on two receptions (three targets), while Jenkins wasn’t targeted. Both Mundt and Jenkins made their presence felt as point of attack blockers, though the room is in need of a pass-catching addition to supplement the depth.

Of course, entering the summer, that player was expected to be second-round rookie Eli Stowers, who is on injured reserve. So too is veteran Grant Calcaterra, who would have fit the bill for as an immediate contributor.

Seventh-year pro Josiah Deguara, who has appeared in 77 games (12 starts), is also on the practice squad, in case the Eagles are in need of someone more familiar with the offense to get them through the game in Chicago.

Regardless, the Eagles will miss Goedert in the interim, who appears primed for a larger role in this offense. The veteran tight end, before exiting, reeled in a pass for four yards, but served as an offensive standout in Week 1, totaling 77 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

— Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is the Eagles beat reporter for InsideTheBirds.com