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TE Zach Ertz signing with Lions ahead of NFC Championship Game vs. 49ers

Originally posted on 49ers Webzone | By David Bonilla | Last updated 1/22/24

Free agent tight end Zach Ertz expressed his desire to join a championship contender, and with Super Bowl 58 just 20 days away, he has inked a deal with the Detroit Lions, signing onto the team's practice squad.

Three-time Pro Bowl TE Zach Ertz is signing with the #Lions, per sources.
Ertz will start out on the practice squad, with plans to potentially elevate him for the NFC Championship Game. A boost for the final stretch. pic.twitter.com/0vaDCwUvQu
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 22, 2024

The San Francisco 49ers are set to host the Lions on Sunday in the NFC Championship Game, and the latter is hopeful that Ertz can boost their efforts in challenging the top-seeded team.

Ertz played a pivotal role in the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl LII victory, earning three Pro Bowl selections during his tenure with the Eagles and setting the record for receptions by a tight end in a single season (116 in 2018).

Selected by the Eagles in the second round (No. 35 overall) out of Stanford in 2013, Ertz (6-5, 250) posted 27 receptions for 187 yards and a touchdown through seven starts with the Arizona Cardinals in 2023, per Pro Football Reference.

On October 24, the Cardinals placed Ertz on injured reserve due to a quadriceps injury. Subsequently, the tight end requested his release, and Arizona granted that request, waiving him on November 30.

Ertz, 33, has caught 709 passes for 7,434 yards and 46 touchdowns in 151 game appearances (113 starts) through his 11 NFL seasons with the Eagles and Cardinals. He is a three-time Pro Bowl selection.

This article first appeared on 49ers Webzone and was syndicated with permission.

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