Ben Levine of the Eagles re-signs tight end Albert Okwuegbunm
Philadelphia is where Albert O. will remain. Tight end Albert Okwuegbunam has agreed to a one-year contract extension with the Eagles, according to Field Yates of ESPN. Next month, the 25-year-old is scheduled to enter unrestricted free agency.
At the conclusion of the 2023 preseason, Okwuegbunam was on waivers after three seasons in Denver. By trading the tight end and a seventh-round pick for a sixth-round selection, the Eagles moved quickly to add him.
Even with starter Dallas Goedert injured, Okwuegbunam seldom played this past season despite the trade. He played in just four games in 2023 and, behind Goedert, Jack Stoll, and Grant Calcaterra, was fourth among Eagles tight ends in terms of offensive snaps at the end of the season. Okwuegbunam was still considered valuable enough by the Eagles to offer him a shot at a roster position in 2024. With Stoll about to enter restricted free agency, the veteran might serve as a little insurance for the team.
After a successful time as a student at Missouri, Okwuegbunam was selected by the Broncos in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Due to an ACL tear, he was only able to play in four games as a rookie, but in his second season, he was given a major offensive role. Having started six of his 14 games, he concluded the 2021 season with 33 receptions for 330 yards and two touchdowns. Okwuegbunam played a limited role after rookie Greg Dulcich was joined to the depth chart in 2022; he finished with just 10 catches for 95 yards.
Pro Football Focus rated Okwuegbunam positive reviews throughout his first two NFL seasons, but his 2022 and 2023 performances haven’t received as much praise from the publication. The tight end may find himself in a bigger role in 2024 if he can resurrect any of that prior talent.
