Desperate times call for desperate measures, and with Dallas Goedert now on injured reserve, the Eagles are going to try to get creative at tight end.
The Eagles signed wide receiver Hakeem Butler to their 53-man roster on Tuesday, but intend to play the 6-foot-5, 227 pound receiver at tight end.
The idea is an interesting one — take an extremely athletic, big receiver and ask him to take on some of the responsibility Goedert had in the passing game. Considering most tight ends are essentially big receivers anyway, it isn't a stretch to think Butler could pull it off.
Here are some thoughts on the Eagles newest tight end:
*** As mentioned above, the reason this is such an interesting move is how athletic Butler is. Butler turned in a 4.48 at the 2019 NFL Combine. To put that in perspective, Eagles receiver Jalen Reagor ran a 4.47 and is 6-inches shorter. Butler also has huge hands, a great vertical jump (36 inches) and an extremely long wingspan (83 7/8th inches). So yes, Butler basically steps onto the field as one of the most athletic tight ends in the NFL.
*** The issue with replacing Goedert, or at least some of Goedert's role in the offense, with Butler is that Butler is also extremely skinny for a tight end. Butler weighs in at around 225 pounds. Zach Ertz weighs 250 pounds, Goedert weighs 256 pounds and Richard Rodgers weighs 245 pounds. So Butler comes to the position severely light for the position. It is hard to imagine him doing anything close to blocking at the line of scrimmage.
*** Chances are, if Butler even sees the field on Sunday night against San Francisco, he will do so mostly split out wide or as a pass-catching option, not being tasked with blocking. That will put extra pressure on Ertz and Rodgers to stay back and block, especially against a strong 49ers defensive line.
*** Butler had an issue with drops in college, as he dropped 16.7% of the passes thrown his way his final season at Iowa State. Not great, especially when as an undersized tight end he won't be able to do much blocking, and can really only make an impact in the passing game at the position.
*** Yes, the idea of taking Butler and turning him into a pass-catching, super-athletic tight end is interesting, but let's be honest — do we really think the Eagles can pull it off? This team is not exactly firing at all cylinders right now, especially on offense. Player development has been an issue, the offense looks stale and the quarterback is a mess. They do not look like a team ready to add a super new, creative player or wrinkle to their offense.
*** The fact the Eagles have to turn a wide receiver with zero NFL catches into a tight end only further speaks to the mistake they made by releasing Noah Togiai at final cut downs. Togiai had a great training camp, looked very capable of being an impact player in the passing game and was big enough to block as well. Instead, the Eagles kept players like defensive end Genard Avery — who is once again a complete non-factor — on the roster.
As a result, the Eagles are now making desperation moves at the position just three weeks into the season.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
