Goedert says contract talks with Eagles have stalled originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
As Dallas Goedert enters the final year of his rookie contract, he’s doing so without a long-term contract extension.
That’s a bit of a surprise to him.
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“My representation, we talked about it earlier, we thought we’d have a deal done by this time of the year,” Goedert said on Monday afternoon, “but the team decided to go a different way. We haven’t got that done yet.”
Back in early June, the 26-year-old Goedert said talks were ongoing. So sometime between then and now they broke down.
If you’re wondering, Goedert said he doesn’t think Zach Ertz’s presence on the roster changed the course of these talks. Goedert said when the negotiations were cut off it was still unclear whether or not Ertz would be back.
“I’m not too worried about it,” Goedert said. “I believe in what I can do. I believe in going out and being able to perform and whatever happens, happens. Not too worried about my contract right now. Just want to focus on winning games, winning the division and ultimately winning the Super Bowl.”
On the fourth and final year of his rookie contract as a second-round pick, Goedert is set to earn just $1.25 million in 2021, which means he’s obviously underpaid as a guy who is probably already a top 10 tight end and is still ascending.
When asked where he thinks he ranks among the league’s best tight ends, Goedert didn’t hesitate.
“I think I’m one of the better tight ends in the league,” he said. “I think all tight ends are going to say that but I hold myself for a high standard.”
Based on his rookie contract, Goedert is the 50th among NFL tight ends in terms of average per year. But the tight end market has been slower to reset than others and there are still just five tight ends making over $10 million per season.
It’s tricky to figure out what Goedert is worth because he has never played a season without Ertz and because his numbers have been good but not great. Last year in 11 games, Goedert caught 46 passes for 524 yards and three touchdowns. And it’s also worth pointing out that Goedert is also known for his blocking ability, which obviously doesn’t show up in the stat sheet.
Goedert on Monday said he’d “love” to have a contract extension in hand. It would at least give him some peace of mind, knowing where he’ll be playing for the next several years.
“But for me, I really don’t think about it that much,” he said. “I’m fortunate to be able to play football, the game I love. I get to come out here and hang out with some of the coolest guys I’ve ever met. I’m just taking advantage of being able to be in the NFL and just not worry about that stuff.”
Is he hopeful that an extension might happen during the season?
“Yeah, like I said, I’m kind of leaving that up to my representation,” Goedert said. “They’ll inform me if any big news happens. But that hasn’t yet. I’m just letting them handle it, just focusing on getting better each and every day, focusing on this season, getting ready to go and beat Atlanta.”
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