July 21, 2026
Kirby Lee/Imagn Images
TE Dallas Goedert has absorbed a lot of hits for the Eagles over his eight seasons. Can his body hold up in 2026?
Every year across the NFL, each team usually has some players who take a big step forward and come from nowhere to exceed expectations – breakout players.
But also every season, each team typically has a few players who unexpectedly underperform. Any number of reasons could be responsible for regression – aging, injuries, scheme change, coaching change.
In May, we explored three Eagles who could be in line for a breakout season in 2026.
Now, with training camp beginning next week in South Philly, we'll take a look at three players who face the possibility of regression this upcoming season, and what could lead to their decline.
Last year, Goedert exceeded expectations after taking a pay cut to stick around on what most expected to be his final year in Philly. But the Eagles didn't draft his replacement, and then Goedert stayed healthy and caught a career-best 11 touchdowns, earning another one-year deal to return this season.
But a closer look at Goedert's 2025 season reveals some concerns for a steep decline in 2026. First off, his 11 TD catches didn't paint a true picture of his overall season. One of the few – lone? – bright spots of last year's offense was its red zone efficiency; the Eagles actually fielded the NFL's top-ranked red zone offense last year. They didn't get there often, but when they did, Goedert was often on the receiving end of some well-schemed TDs that probably any of his teammates could've scored.
Here's an example against the Raiders, where Jalen Hurts' "pass" isn't even thrown overhanded:
Goedert finds the end zone again!
— NFL (@NFL) December 14, 2025
LVvsPHI on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/gMwSMcCnBC
And here's another on a Hurts "pass" that again isn't thrown overhanded:
Eagles scheme up a Goedert TD!
— NFL (@NFL) October 10, 2025
PHIvsNYG on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/AiVg4kquj4
Eight of Goedert's 11 touchdowns were for 6 yards or fewer, which made him an excellent fantasy football play, but only a modest weapon in the overall Eagles offense. More significantly, Goedert's yards per catch average sank to 9.9 – way lower than his career 11.4 YPC.
Is some of that YPC drop attributable to an offensive scheme that was crumbled up and tossed in the trash can after the season? Sure. But Goedert's blocking had also regressed last year and, at age 31 with a track record of injuries, it's fair to wonder if he can repeat the 60 receptions and 591 yards he produced last season. The 11 TDs almost surely aren't replicable.
The Eagles have also added several bodies at his position, including second-round pick Eli Stowers, free agents Johnny Mundt and Stone Smartt, and very explosive undrafted free agent Dae'Quan Wright. They also brought back Grant Calcaterra and Cam Latu.
Goedert will still be the Eagles' No. 1 tight end in 2026, but age, usage and his blocking regression could result in a much less productive 2026 than last year.
You can make an argument that last year was already a sign of regression, but Smith missed four games because of a recurring triceps injury that stemmed from his surgery to repair a torn triceps from the Super Bowl. He's only 25, so he shouldn't be wearing down too badly.
But while Smith emerged at the end of the 2024 season, he wasn't dominant by the end of last year and was definitely third in the pecking order behind Jaelan Phillips and Jalyx Hunt. He's an excellent run defender, but it's possible some of his tenacity against the run has also been the reason for his triceps and shoulder injuries.
Some of his underlying metrics last season after he returned from the triceps injury were very good in some games, but just average in others – 33% against the Chargers in Week 14, but 16% vs. the Commanders in Week 16. In 29 snaps against the 49ers in the Wild Card, he had one QB hit, three pressures and a 17.6% win rate on 17 pass rushes. Smith Jr. can be very streaky.
Then came this offseason, when the biggest headline he made was for driving 130 mph, and not on the Autobahn.
We already know Vic Fangio prefers a three-man edge rotation, and the trade for Pro Bowl EDGE Jonathan Greenard after losing Phillips in free agency, along with the addition of free agent Arnold Ebiketie – a player Howie Roseman has liked for years – give Fangio four capable edge defenders. It's entirely possible that Smith Jr. either struggles again to stay healthy or isn't as impactful as an edge rusher as the other three, and gets pushed down the rotation.
When he's been healthy, Lane Johnson has been one of the best offensive tackles on the planet, and yet somehow underrated. He has made six Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams along with being a staple at RT on the only two Super Bowl-winning teams in franchise history, but it seems like Johnson should've earned more accolades.
Johnson, who enters his 14th season, has dealt with numerous injuries in his career, many of the lower-leg variety. He had ankle issues earlier in his career that required surgery and last year missed the final eight games, Wild Card game included, because of a Lisfranc sprain that he desperately tried to come back from but never fully healed until late February.
When healthy, Johnson has always been a dominant QB protector. But ankle and foot injuries can be brutal on offensive linemen – big guys who put a ton of weight and therefore strain on their lower legs. Johnson's Lisfranc injury was in his right leg, his kick-slide leg – a vital leg for pass protection.
PFF gave Johnson an 80.4 pass-blocking grade last year, which ranked 10th among all NFL OTs who played at least 10 games. The year before, he ranked sixth (88.7), so there are already signs that Johnson was declining in one of the best areas of his game.
The new offense and its emphasis on under-center play action could be a boost for Johnson and give him more help, which he has never needed in the past. But the major concern here would be the mileage from 13 seasons coupled with lower-leg injuries leading to a steep decline.
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