In the fourth of our 12-part offseason series examining the future of the Eagles, Reuben Frank and Dave Zangaro give their opinions on who will be and who won't be on the roster in 2017. We go alphabetically - Part 4 is Daniel to Gordon.
Chase Daniel
Cap hit: $8M
Roob: Carson Wentz's backup had a heck of a year - completed all his passes, passer rating of 118.7, averaged 16 yards per attempt. Project that over a full season and Chase Daniel is going to Canton. OK, so he threw only one pass. But that's two straight years Daniel has been perfect. Last year, he was 2 for 2 for the Chiefs. Most importantly, Daniel has a $7 million base salary in 2017, and that makes him the 25th-highest paid quarterback in the NFL in 2017, and the sixth-highest paid Eagle. The numbers are ridiculous, but Daniel is clearly a good influence on Wentz, a valuable mentor. He's a solid backup, but that contract is just way too lucrative.
Verdict: STAYS
Dave: I know fans don't understand why Daniel is getting paid this much money to be a backup who doesn't ever play, and at times I have trouble figuring it out myself. But here's the reason. When Wentz arrives to the facility during the season at 5:15 a.m. and starts watching film, he's not watching with Doug Pederson or Frank Reich or John DeFilippo. He's watching it with Daniel. So while it might not make sense to pay a backup quarterback this much money, don't think of Daniel as a backup quarterback. Think of him as an asset to the franchise quarterback. Then it doesn't sound quite as bad.
Verdict: STAYS
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Anthony Denham
Roob: The Eagles must like Denham because he had two stints on the practice squad this year and they re-signed him to a futures deal when the season was over. But barring an injury, there just isn't room on the roster for another tight end.
Verdict: GOES
Dave: Denham is a tight end who was on the Eagles' practice squad in 2016. Maybe he'd have a shot to make the roster if the Eagles aren't able to bring back Trey Burton, but I don't see that happening. They'll bring him to camp and let him compete and maybe get another year on the practice squad.
Verdict: GOES
Jon Dorenbos
Cap hit: $1.08M
Roob: Assuming he's healthy, Dorenbos isn't going anywhere. Rick Lovato did a nice job filling in at the end of the season, but until Dorenbos decides he wants to pursue magic full-time, there's a spot for him on this roster.
Verdict: STAYS
Dave: During last year's training camp, I watched Dorenbos walk along the sideline, shaking hands and kissing babies (not literally). Then I looked on the field and saw his "competition" snapping footballs repeatedly to a goal post. That's when I realized Dorenbos wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. And now he has a new contract. He'll end up playing more games as an Eagle than anyone in the history of the franchise.
Verdict: STAYS
Zach Ertz
Cap hit: $5.6M
Roob: Even though he had the second-most catches in the entire NFL over the last 10 weeks of the season, a large segment of Eagles fans have decided Ertz is to blame for everything that went wrong with the Eagles this year. Never mind that he got off to a good start on opening day, then suffered a very serious rib injury, then came back after missing just two games, then after getting healthy finished the season with 67 catches for 685 yards and four TDs in the last 10 games. Not the last one or two or three games. The last 10 games. With a full offseason and preseason with Wentz, I fully expect Ertz to finish 2017 well over 1,000 yards.
Verdict: STAYS
Dave: I don't understand the Zach Ertz hate. He isn't Rob Gronkowski or Travis Kelce. So what? He's a really good tight end. Now, I understood why some people questioned the non-block play. I was one of them. But look at the numbers. Here's a list of tight ends who had more receiving yards than Ertz in 2016: Kelce, Greg Olsen, Jimmy Graham, Kyle Rudolph. Not bad company. And some look at his production and say, well, it all came in December. Maybe there will be a year in which his late-season production finally helps the Eagles with a playoff push. And he just signed a new contract, so he's here for a while.
Verdict: STAYS
Najee Goode
Unrestricted free agent
Roob: Goode, an unrestricted free agent, is a capable special teamer and emergency backup linebacker, but he would earn $775,000 even on a minimum-wage deal in 2017, and considering the Eagles' salary cap crunch, they may elect to replace him with a rookie late-round pick or undrafted guy who would earn about $300,000 less. Based on ability, he would stay. But those mid-career veterans with high minimum salaries who don't play much on offense or defense can be tough to keep around.
Verdict: GOES
Dave: In each of the last two seasons, Goode has managed to be on the team after missing out on the original 53-man roster. Maybe that's a possibility for this season, but first the Eagles need to re-sign him. It might be time to move on from Goode and find a younger linebacker/special teamer.
Verdict: GOES
Dillon Gordon
Cap hit: $543M
Roob: Gordon is an intriguing prospect. Like Jason Peters, he was a college tight end who moved to offensive tackle soon after arriving in the NFL. He's big and strong and athletic, he's just very new at offensive tackle. The Eagles liked him enough to keep him on the active roster all last year, and I'm guessing they see him as enough of a prospect that they'll keep him around for at least another year. Especially with so many question marks at offensive tackle.
Verdict: STAYS
Dave: Gordon was on the Eagles' roster for the entire season and was inactive in all but one week. He was a college tight end who came to Philly and is learning how to play offensive tackle. (Peters once made the same transition.) Gordon is crazy athletic for his size and the Eagles thought enough of him to put him on the active roster instead of risking losing him by placing him on the practice squad. He's a project, but one worth keeping.
Verdict: STAYS
