Zach Ertz‘s disappointing season will pause for at least three weeks. The Eagles placed their Pro Bowl tight end on IR Thursday, taking another weapon away from Carson Wentz.
The eighth-year target suffered a high ankle sprain against the Ravens. Philadelphia’s bye falls in Week 9, so Ertz will not be able to return until Week 11. By the time he comes back, the Eagles should have more firepower on offense.
Ertz resided as the lone high-profile pass catcher for Wentz, after the Eagles lost DeSean Jackson, Jalen Reagor and Dallas Goedert earlier this season. Alshon Jeffery has yet to make his 2020 debut and is now dealing with a calf injury in addition to his foot problem. Ertz, however, has not played well. He has turned 45 targets into 24 catches for 178 yards. The soon-to-be 30-year-old tight end was riding a streak of five straight seasons with 800-plus yards. That will almost certainly end in 2020, which is not a good sign for Ertz’s contract aspirations.
The Eagles and Ertz broke off contract talks late this summer, with the veteran and GM Howie Roseman engaging in a shouting match after an early-September practice. Ertz was aiming for an extension on the level of the deals George Kittle and Travis Kelce landed ($15MM and $14.3MM AAV, respectively). His performance and Week 6 injury will interfere with those hopes. Ertz signed a five-year, $42.5MM Eagles extension in January 2016. He is under contract through 2021.
Wentz will have Jackson back Thursday but will be without Ertz, Goedert, Jeffery and Reagor. Goedert is not expected to return until after Philly’s Week 9 bye, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). That matches Reagor’s timeline in another injury-plagued Eagles season.
Not good for a guy who was looking to cash in. The way he’s played this season he hasn’t even been worth his current salary. Wouldn’t be surprised if they let him play out his contract and move on to Goedert
Seems like the Eagles are in the denial stage of rebuilding. Too many old dudes from that great run a few years back. Need some serious youth.
I’ve been saying sell sell sell since week 3…but there’s nobody left to sell! they need to fire their medical staff!
8th year in the league…if the Eagles don’t re-sign him, he’ll probably go to the Packers and become an absolute star again with a real QB throwing to him…..this “old Dude” at 29 can still play!