The Philadelphia Eagles Sign Franchise Legend Zach Ertz

The Philadelphia Eagles Sign Franchise Legend Zach Ertz

After losing Dallas Goedert to a multi-week MCL sprain, the tight end room had to be added for the Philadelphia Eagles. The team has blocking tight ends already rostered, but what the team missed with Goedert out is a true pass catcher at the tight end position. Enter Zach Ertz, who is only 11 receptions away from being the Eagles’ all time pass catcher and is more than comfortable being an Eagle. While Ertz may be past his prime, he’s more than capable at replacing Goedert’s production in the passing game.

Even last season, Ertz still averaged 38.8 yards per game for the Washington Commanders and added 4 touchdowns in 13 games. Goedert on the other hand had 39.4 yards per game in 15 games last season, but was much more prevalent in the touchdown category with 11 on the season.

Ertz also was surrounded by inconsistent quarterback play, with Jayden Daniels being sidelined for a good chunk of the season. The difference between what’s expected of Goedert versus Ertz is that Goedert will be back to starting in just a few weeks. Ertz can fill in for now, and will slot in as a great backup receiving option for Jalen Hurts.

Who Else Will Step Up In Goedert’s Absence?

The issue is that the rest of the Eagles tight end room excluding the newly added Ertz is incredibly thin. Grant Calcaterra, who stepped up in the absence of Goedert in the 2024-25 season, is currently on injured reserve.

The other backups listed on ESPN are Johnny Mundt and E.J. Jenkins. Mundt has played 116 career games, and while he hasn’t racked up many receiving yards (666 yards in his career), he will mainly be used as a blocker, where he ranked in the top 10 in run and pass blocking according to PFF. Jenkins only has 2 targets in his entire career despite being on the Eagles for three years. However, most of his value comes on special teams, where he has recorded 147 snaps through two weeks.

With all this in mind, adding Ertz was not only a good move, but nearly a necessity for a team that uses their tight ends regularly in the passing game. Ertz is coming back from an ACL injury, which could mean a lower snap count for the first few games, but he will come in and make an instant impact for a team that needs it. Ertz also has experience (granted somewhat limited) playing with Jalen Hurts, starting 11 games together. Regardless, seeing Zach Ertz in an Eagles jersey no matter how he performs will be good for a fanbase that loves him.