Zach Ertz might still be pushing for his way out of Philadelphia, but that won’t stop him from attending camp. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports that the veteran tight end is expected to report to the start of Eagles training camp.
This echoes a report from earlier this week by veteran reporter Howard Eskin, who noted that Ertz would indeed be attending training camp. Eskin took it a step further, noting that Ertz was “over the issues” with the organization, and the reporter believes there’s a “great chance Ertz will be on [the Eagles] at start of season.”
However, Garafolo slightly pushed back at that report. Ertz hasn’t “forgotten or forgiven” the various issues he’s had with the organization, per Garafolo, and the reporter believes there’s still a chance the tight end isn’t on Philly’s roster by the start of the season. Garafolo attributes Ertz’s decision to attend training camp to professionalism, noting that the veteran had never threatened to skip camp. Further, Garafolo says we shouldn’t read too much into the fact that Ertz has recently been working out at team facilities.
We previously heard that Ertz wasn’t going to report to the team “until his situation is resolved,” which we assumed meant he wanted a trade or his release. Ertz was given permission to seek a trade months ago, but nothing has materialized. Although there has reportedly been some interest, no one has been willing to meet GM Howie Roseman’s apparent asking price of a third- or fourth-round pick.
Ertz, who will turn 31 in November and is coming off a down year, is entering the final year of his contract. 2020 was a big disappointment, but he made three straight Pro Bowls from 2017-19 and has consistently been one of the league’s better tight ends for a while now.
More must-reads: