Roseman Explains Why The Eagles Traded For Their New Tight End

The Eagles didn’t even want to deal with the waiver process.

They wanted Albert Okwuegbunam.

So instead of waiting and hoping, they made a trade for the former Broncos tight end on Tuesday. The Eagles acquired Albert O and a 2025 seventh-round pick from the Broncos for a 2025 sixth-round pick. That’s one way to skip the line.

What did the Eagles like so much about Okwuegbunam (Oak-woo-aye-boo-nom)?

“Yes, the first thing you talk about Albert is physical ability,” Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said. “He’s 6-5. He weighs almost 260 pounds. He runs a 4.4. He has a huge wingspan. He has really good lower body mobility for a big guy.

“We’ve had a chance to watch him together and obviously Coach (Nick Sirianni) has had tremendous success with that position and some people who look like it.” So bring him here. He is 25 years old. We have some guys in the building who were with Denver when they drafted him and will give him a chance.”

Okwuegbunam, 25, was a fourth-round pick (No. 118 overall) from Missouri in 2020, and his impressive size and speed are undeniable. At the 2020 Combine, Okwuegbunam ran a 4.49 at 6-5, 258 pounds.

That 4.49 is the fastest tight end 40 time at the combine since Evan Engram’s 4.42 in 2017, and Engram did it at 234 pounds.

In his first three years in the NFL with the Broncos, Okwuegbunam played in 26 games with seven starts. He caught a total of 54 passes for 546 yards and 4 touchdowns. His best season came in 2021 when he had 33/330/2.

Although Okwuegbunam wasn’t expected to make the Broncos’ roster, he still had a strong finish. In Denver’s final preseason game, a 41-0 victory over the Rams, Okwuegbunam caught 7 of 8 targets for 109 yards and a touchdown.

“I think Coach noted that there aren’t a lot of tight ends preseason that have 100-yard receiver plays and that’s because he has a unique spotting ability, he has the lower-body flexibility, he is fast, it has length. He has all the tools in his body,” Roseman said.

“Again, this is a start, and now he comes here. I know he will be trained and we will get the best out of him when he is here.”

In Philly, Okwuegbunam is coached by longtime tight ends coach Jason Michael. While the Eagles traded for Albert O, they also kept their other three tight ends — Dallas Goedert, Jack Stoll and Grant Calcaterra — in the roster, at least for now.

Roseman said the trade wasn’t about their tight end cap space, but about Okwuegbunam and his potential.

“For us, whenever we have an opportunity to add an offensive player that we think can help us and our team, we look into it,” Roseman said. “So that’s why we brought him in.”