The Eagles’ Week 1 home opener against the Washington Commanders may carry a little more weight than usual for two familiar faces in Philadelphia.
For Dallas Goedert and Lane Johnson, this could be the last time they run out of the tunnel at The Linc for an opening-day game. Both are expected to be in the starting lineup on offense, and both have built major résumés in Philadelphia. But the reasons their futures are drawing attention are a little different.
Goedert’s situation has the feel of a possible final chapter. He is on a one-year deal, which naturally puts this season under a brighter spotlight, and the Eagles also used a second-round pick on Eli Stowers.
That doesn’t lock anything in, but it does make the picture murkier for the veteran tight end. This will be the ninth home opener of Goedert’s career, and he comes into the season off an 11-touchdown year in 2025.
He has long been one of Jalen Hurts’ most dependable options, the kind of target who keeps drives alive and gives the offense a steady answer when things tighten up. If there’s any extra skepticism around his role, it only adds more fuel to the fire.
One thing he still hasn’t done in a home opener: score a touchdown. If that changes Sunday, it would fit the moment perfectly.
Johnson’s case is simpler, and in some ways more final. There has been plenty of talk that this could be his last season, and the idea of the veteran right tackle stepping onto the field at the Linc for an opening-day game one more time feels especially meaningful.
In 13 seasons in Philadelphia, no one has meant more in the trenches as a leader or a presence than #65. He has played in 168 games for the Eagles and made six Pro Bowls along the way.
Johnson and Goedert have each won a pair of rings in Philadelphia, and a win in this opener would be a strong way to start what could be a huge season for both.
The Eagles have won five straight home openers, and their last Week 1 loss at home came in 2010. That streak gives this game its own significance already. For Goedert and Johnson, though, it could feel even bigger than that.
In Other News...
Eagles Quietly Fixed A Week 1 Problem Fans Remember Too Well
After a season in which tight end blocking was too often a lingering issue, the Eagles have made a quiet but pointed addition in Johnny Mundt, a veteran known more for the work he does without the ball than with it. Philadelphia brought him in to help stabilize the edge of the formation, where tight ends can have just as much responsibility in protection and the run game as they do as pass targets, especially on the right side of the line.
Mundt joins a tight end room that still has Dallas Goedert as the biggest receiving threat, along with E.J. Jenkins and rookie Eli Stowers, giving the Eagles a blend of roles as they get ready for Washington in Week 1. The move does not change the identity of the group, but it does suggest the staff is serious about cleaning up a part of the offense fans noticed last year, even if the bigger questions around usage and matchups are still waiting to be answered. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Suddenly Have A Camp Battle Fans Should Feel Better About
The Eagles have spent camp shoring up the interior of their offensive line, and the early returns are enough to make the competition feel more like an encouraging sign than a problem. Howie Roseman has been vocal about his confidence in the growth of Drew Kendall, Willie Lampkin and Micah Morris, a trio that has given the staff reasons to believe the depth along the front is moving in the right direction.
Drew Kendall and Willie Lampkin have been the most visible parts of that battle, each showing enough at guard to make a real case for playing time. Both have also contributed heavily in preseason action, and offensive line coach Chris Kuper has pointed to their progress and consistency throughout camp, which is exactly the kind of development the Eagles want to see before the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Carter Is Pushing For An Eagles Honor Fans Have Wanted
Jalen Carter has been one of the most talked-about players in Eagles camp, and not just because of his on-field work. Entering his fourth NFL season, the defensive tackle has been dominant enough that Philadelphia rewarded him by making him the highest-paid player at his position in league history, a sign of just how central he has become to the defense. Defensive line coach Clint Hurtt has praised Carters consistency, and the buzz around him has only grown as analysts have started to mention him in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation.
For Eagles fans, though, the bigger question is whether this is the year Carter turns camp hype into the kind of season that brings home one of the franchises most cherished individual honors. His health, his past production and the way he has looked this summer all point toward a player ready to anchor the front and chase far bigger recognition. The only thing left is whether he can keep that level going once the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]