Eagles Deliver ‘Prove It’ $2 Million Contract for 1,000 Yard TE

In terms of NFL tight ends, no one has been a victim of circumstance throughout their career more than Harrison Bryant. Given the right opportunity, there’s no telling what Bryant’s NFL ceiling might be.

We might finally get the chance to find out what Bryant can do in 2025 after he he signed a 1-year, $2 million free agent contract with the Philadelphia Eagles on March 13 — signed as the franchise plays a waiting game to see what the trade market is for veteran tight end Dallas Goedert.

Bryant, 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, is only 26 years old and headed into his sixth NFL season.

“There are league sources who believe the #Eagles are holding out hope for at least a 4th-round pick for TE Dallas Goedert in a potential trade, even if said pick was from later years like 26′ or ’27,” NFL insider Josina Anderson posted on her official X account on March 9. “However, a lower pick & more of a salary adjustment is needed for some* teams to continue conversations.”

Goedert, who turned 30 years old in January, is entering the final season of the 4-year, $57 million contract extension he signed in March 2021.

Bryant Could Have Big-Time Upside for Eagles

At Florida Atlantic, Bryant was a 3-time All-Conference USA selection. In his final season, he had career highs of 65 receptions for 1,004 yards and 7 touchdowns in 13 games while becoming the first player outside the Power Five to win the Mackey Award as the nation’s best collegiate tight end.

Bryant was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round (No. 115 overall) of the 2020 NFL draft and seemed primed to become the featured tight end in the offense. Unfortunately for Bryant, that was around the same time 2017 first round pick David Njoku finally figured things out and became one of the NFL’s elite tight ends.

Playing alongside Njoku on the Browns, Bryant was named to the PFWAA All-Rookie Team in 2020 with 24 receptions for 238 yards and 3 touchdowns. In 4 seasons in Cleveland, he had 89 receptions for 791 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Bryant seemed on track to finally have his opportunity to shine after signing a 1-year, $3.25 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024. Unfortunately for Bryant, The Raiders drafted tight end Brock Bowers in the first round (No. 10 overall) just one month later and Bowers set the NFL rookie record for receptions (112) and became the first rookie tight end named NFL All-Pro since Jeremy Shockey in 2002.

Bryant finished the season with just 9 receptions for 86 yards and didn’t score a touchdown for the first time in his career.

Eagles Have Big Role for TE in Offense

Since becoming the starting quarterback in 2021, reigning Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts has leaned heavily on Goedert and the Eagles’ other tight ends. That included consecutive seasons with Goedert finishing with at least 700 receiving yards in 2021 and 2022.

Goedert had 42 receptions for 496 yards and 2 touchdowns in just 10 games in 2024 — his lowest numbers since pairing with Hurts. Fourth-year tight end Grant Calcaterra also showed some promise in 2024 with career highs of 24 receptions for 298 yards and 1 touchdown while making 13 starts.