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The remarkable emergence of Eagles tight end Grant Calcaterra originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The first four weeks of the season, Dallas Goedert led all NFL tight ends with five catches of at least 20 yards, and his 12.4 yards per catch was 2nd-highest among all tight ends with at least 10 catches.
Then he gets hurt, Grant Calcaterra replaces him, and over the last three weeks he’s picked up right where Goedert left off.
Calcaterra has four catches of 19 yards the last three weeks – only George Kittle has more – and he’s averaging 15.5 yards per catch during Goedert’s absence – highest in the NFL among tight ends with at least 10 catches.
In all, Calcaterra has 12 receptions this year – including catches of 15, 19, 20, 26, 28 and 34 yards.
This is a guy who a month ago was averaging 4 1/2 yards per game.
“A lot of those plays they’re because A.J. and Smitty and Jahan are taking the top off and it’s leaving me open underneath with a lot of space to run,” Calcaterra said after practice Wednesday.
“Some of it is because our play-action game is so good and I get open that way. But it’s great to have some explosive plays.”
Goedert, Calcaterra and Jack Stoll have a combined 36 catches for 497 yards. That puts the Eagles on pace to get 87 catches and 1,207 yards from their tight ends.
Only the Ravens, Chiefs, Raiders and 49ers have gotten more production this year out of the tight end position.
“Grant has got a great feel for space,” Kellen Moore said. “He’s got a great understanding of the passing game. Hats off to him, hopping in here since Dallas went down.
“For him to take the workload, the volume that he’s taken in the run game, he’s done a tremendous job, and then still being viable in the pass game. He seems to make big plays in critical moments, and he’s very reliable, and we feel very fortunate to have these tight ends that we do.”
Through the Saints game in Week 3, Calcaterra had played in 33 games in three seasons…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/remarkable-emergence-eagles-tight-end-034816701.html
Author : NBC Sports Philadelphia
Publish date : 2024-10-31 03:48:16
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