Months after Zach Ertz‘s name popped up in trade rumors, he remains with the Eagles. The three-time Pro Bowl tight end is not viewed as likely to be part of this year’s Philly team and did not report for the team’s offseason program. Despite a lengthy delay in this saga, a separation still feels imminent.
Ertz has one season left on the five-year, $42.5MM extension he signed way back in January 2016. The veteran lobbied for a new deal last year, but he and the Eagles could not agree on terms. Those disagreements became rather noticeable as well. Even if some suitors cannot presently afford Ertz’s $12.7MM cap number, which could cause the Eagles to finally release him, the team will likely try to work a trade for a bit longer.
Where will the 30-year-old pass catcher be come Week 1? Here are a few candidates:
Arizona Cardinals
This franchise has not shown a strong interest in bolstering this position in many years, and Kliff Kingsbury — with A.J. Green and Rondale Moore joining DeAndre Hopkins and Christian Kirk — may well opt to deploy more four-receiver sets. That said, the Cardinals’ additions of Green, J.J. Watt, Rodney Hudson, Brian Winters and Malcolm Butler illustrate a commitment to adding veterans to help the cause in a loaded NFC West. The Cards, who have Maxx Williams (304 yards in two Arizona seasons) as their top tight end, have not had a tight end surpass 600 yards in a season since moving to Arizona in 1988.
Buffalo Bills
The team most closely connected to Ertz this offseason, Buffalo has not received much from the tight end position in recent years. And the defending AFC East champions have lacked a higher-end receiving threat at this spot for much of its existence. Five Ertz receiving totals would eclipse the best tight end showing (726 yards) in the Bills’ 61-season history. While the Bills’ Stefon Diggs–Emmanuel Sanders–Cole Beasley–Gabriel Davis quartet leaves it well-stocked for aerial targets at present, the tight end position has come up as one the franchise would not mind bolstering.
Dawson Knox led Buffalo tight ends with 288 yards last season; the team lost Tyler Kroft in free agency and has second-year player Tommy Sweeney coming off a season in which he encountered severe COVID-19 issues. With the Bills in position to aim for a Super Bowl berth again, another weapon makes sense.
Indianapolis Colts
With Doug Pederson out of the NFL at the moment, the Colts serve as the reunion spot for Ertz. Carson Wentz played with Ertz for five seasons and helped him set a tight end record with 116 catches in 2018. Frank Reich coached Ertz the previous two years, and the Colts could certainly use another viable weapon — even if they figure to lean heavily on the run game.
Indianapolis re-signed T.Y. Hilton and has 2020 second-rounder Michael Pittman Jr. coming off a promising finish to his rookie season, but the team has not been able to keep injury-prone ex-second-rounder Parris Campbell on the field. Ninth-year tight end Jack Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox combined for just 645 yards last season. The Wentz trade, assuming he stays healthy for most of this season, will cost Indianapolis a first-round pick in 2022. Bringing in his former top target at a low cost would enhance the relocated QB’s comfort level and help justify the lofty investment.
Jacksonville Jaguars
This spot differs from the rest mentioned here, with the Jaguars coming off a 1-15 season and in clear rebuild mode. But Jacksonville drafted Trevor Lawrence and has no proven tight end to pair with him. The team leads the NFL in cap space ($38MM) as well.
Exiting draft weekend, Urban Meyer expressed concern about his team’s tight end depth chart. The Jags drafted Ohio State’s Luke Farrell in Round 5 and did go on to sign Tim Tebow. While this would seemingly not be a desirable spot for Ertz as a free agent, the Jags could make sense as an unorthodox trade destination.
Tennessee Titans
Ertz trade compensation would not approach what the Titans paid for Julio Jones, and even after acquiring the all-time Falcons great, the team was on the lookout for tight end assistance. The Titans lost Jonnu Smith and did not add a notable replacement. The Jones trade shows the Titans are committed to contending this season, even after losing Smith and Corey Davis. Even after a disappointing 2020 season, Ertz would provide a substantial upgrade over Anthony Firkser.
Zach Ertz for Jordan Hicks…
Eagles need the upgrade to the linebackers and Hicks would be a welcome return.
Indy could make the alter the Wentz offer make make it a guaranteed first round pick plus a late pick for Ertz to come.
Dark horse maybe they do a Ertz plus pick for Mosley. If fit Mosley would be a huge addition to the defence.
Philly wouldn’t do that, they’d need draft compensation along with Hicks
If Ertz had any real trade value he’d be gone already
If I’m the Eagles I’d take Hicks for Ertz straight swap. Take the L and move along.
Going to have a much better younger and hungry offence next year and still missing bits on defence.
Simmons (etc) – every scenario you mentioned is getting the Eagles 3X the value of Ertz. I heard it might be a 6th or 7th round draft pick, so a starting LB, extra draft picks, or generally overpaying for Ertz isn’t going to happen. Dream on!
Eagles will receive better than a 6th Rd pick in comp if he leaves in free agency,so the 6th or 7th Rd return won’t happen.
The Cards have shown that they want to get as many names as possible this offseason, so I would not be terribly surprised to see them go for Ertz, but Williams actually has played pretty well for them so far. His receiving numbers are not high, but he is a fantastic blocker and has had a better career in Arizona than in Baltimore because of that. Ertz would definitely be an upgrade as a receiver, and most likely an upgrade overall, especially since Williams can easily fill a blocking role as a number two or sub TE.
Thing is, the Cardinals don’t really use their TEs much right now as receivers, at least not as much as we’d expect, so the question really becomes if they would get that much of a return versus what they’d pay. Keim has been bringing in the big names, so Ertz may show up in the desert, but the playbook may have to change to make his paying price worth it-not to mention Ertz’s desire for a new deal. Murray will need an extension soon, as will a couple of other players, and though Arizona may want to go all in now they’ll likely be limited in their ability kick the can down the road by their recognition that Murray will demand a large contract.
For what they get out of their TEs currently, I think they may stick with Maxx Williams and play it responsibly. But hey, it’s Steve Keim we’re talking about here, so who really knows…
Anyone want to play fantasy football? Let me know it’s 50 entry on league safe!!
I would think the jets might be interested. They have the cap room and really have had no production from the TE position in quite a long time. With a rookie QB, a good TE is a nice safety net.
Ditto. I was surprised they weren’t in the list. A 49ers-style offense depends on the TE. It’s hard to see the current crop rising to the occasion the way Ertz would.
The reason the 9ers would be iffy is the fact that Ertz doesn’t block well, and Kittle is already entrenched as a number 1. It’s be hard to justify giving up assets for a player that is older, wants a new contract, and doesn’t block well enough to be a non-primary receiver at the tight end position. He’d certainly add a spark in certain pass catching scenarios, but it wouldn’t be worth the full time price that the 9ers would have to pay for that.
He said “49ers style offense”….but he was talking about the Jets
True. I misread that. Ertz will still have to block to get by in that offense, but won’t have Kittle ahead of him. Of course, we’re assuming that the Jets will run that offense at all. That said, if Kittle were a free agent, I could see them signing him, but since that would involve giving up assets, they probably won’t. Douglas has shown patience and a preference for using his picks to build the team rather than as trade currency. If they wanted to, though, I think unloading Mosley’s contract would be a part of it, considering the Eagles’ need.
Arizona spent the off-season building a roster of over the hill, has been names. Why not one more…
Patriots? I’d also toss the Jets in there. They have the cap room for the last year of his contract.
Have you followed the Patriot’s offseason moves at all?
Has that ever stopped BB from collecting TEs? Henry, Smith, sure. Two TE sets, rotate, and depth for injury.
Yeah ok. Name me three good TE’s he’s ever had on the roster at the same time.
I would hedge that with “three expensive” tight ends.
Just sit back and wait. Eagles lose leverage with each passing day. Eventually the weight of his contract is too much and Eagles get very little and ultimately retain some of the dead money
They have a full roster,1 unsigned draft pick,and the space to sign him.
The weight of his contract is a non-factor.With each passing day,the Eagles show that they value him enough to let his contract play out,and other teams will need to pay to play.
They have nothing to lose either way.He don’t show for camp,they don’t pay.He don’t show,he don’t get to rebuild his value.
If I were them I would honestly just keep him when inevitably no one offers more than a 5th.
Good chance they get a 5th Rd comp pick if he leaves through free agency.
No reason to take less.
Why not the Bengals? Back to his hometown and we need a Tight End!
Meh. No smart team will 1-trade anything of value for him and 2-give him the contract extension he’s demanding. Last thing the Bengals need is an over the hill TE who can’t block. Would be better off just sticking Tate there than dealing with Ertz
This. He honestly may end up cut
Greatest part about it though as an Eagles fan is Philly DOESN’T have to trade him at all. Errs will be unhappy , but he’s going to have to prove he’s still viable in a walk season.
Nobody cares if your unhappy unless your a QB.
Right so the question becomes do you keep an unhappy TE that isn’t in your long term plans on the roster in hopes that he bounces back and gets you…what? A 2023 4th rd comp pick? At best?
At a certain point the cap space you’d be able to roll over to next year becomes more valuable than rostering an unhappy backup.
There is the caveat though that Ertz does need to demonstrate value after a terrible year last season, and in a contract year. He may end up attempting to put up a good stat line to persuade his next team to commit valuable assets to him.