Ertz’s career was over by the time he signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Commanders in March 2024, his fourth team in four seasons and a far cry from his nine seasons as one of the NFL’s most dominant tight ends with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2013 to 2021.
In Ertz, the Commanders discovered nothing short of a revelation. With no real WR2 option after NFL All-Pro wide receiver Terry McLaurin, Ertz filled the vacuum and became one of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels’ favourite targets, finishing second on the club with 66 receptions for 654 yards and 7 touchdowns.
The Commanders finished 12-5 during the regular season, their best record since 1991, and defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card Round for their first playoff win since 2005.
With an NFC Divisional Round meeting against the No. 1 seed Detroit Lions on January 18, Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay believes Ertz, 34, should be signed to a new contract.
“The Commanders have to be happy with the returns on their one-year, $3 million investment into Ertz,” Kay pointed out. “While he’ll likely earn a raise on his next deal, retaining the 34-year-old should be a priority for a team that has the third-most projected cap space in the league.”
Ertz didn’t inspire confidence in the preseason.
From the outside looking in, Ertz’s role heading into the season was more akin to that of a placeholder for 2024 second-round pick Ben Sinnott, rather than one of the best players on a playoff club.
Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon even included Ertz on his list of the NFL’s possible “Biggest Busts” for the next season.
“Zach Ertz has reliable hands,” Kenyon wrote. “For rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, that will be a plus in a safety outlet. At this stage in Ertz’s career, however, that is about as optimistic as it gets. He rarely gains yards after the catch and is no longer a high-volume target.”
Dominant Decade With the Philadelphia Eagles
Ertz spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Eagles, who selected him in the second round (35th overall) of the 2013 NFL draft.
Ertz appeared in three consecutive Pro Bowls from 2017 to 2019 and was a member of the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning team after the 2017 season. From 2014 to 2019, he had at least 700 receiving yards per season, including a career year in 2018 when he established an NFL record for tight ends with 116 receptions, 1,163 receiving yards, and 8 touchdowns. He also has the Philadelphia franchise marks for most receptions in a single game (15) and most receptions in a season (116).
In 2021, Ertz was dealt to the Arizona Cardinals midway through the season and rebounded with 74 receptions for 763 yards and five touchdowns. His performance earned him another large salary when he signed a three-year, $31.65 million contract with the Cardinals in March 2022.
Ertz missed 17 games due to injury between the 2022 and 2023 seasons, and he was eventually released by the Cardinals before the close of the 2023 season, finishing the year on the Lions’ practice squad.
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