By: Will Baptist
The departure of TE Zach Ertz from the Philadelphia Eagles seems inevitable, but at this point trade talks have dwindled. The Eagles asking price may be too high for opposing teams to pull the trigger on a trade, but when a team lands Ertz, they will be getting a difference maker.
Ertz has been one of the most productive tight ends in the NFL since 2015, and he could play a major role on a winning team. He is 30 years old and his 6’5 frame makes him a formidable red zone target. He is coming off an extremely disappointing 2020 campaign, but there was turmoil surrounding the Eagles and their quarterback situation that made it impossible for him to succeed.
He is a 3x Pro Bowler, First-Team All-Pro (2018) and a Super Bowl champion. He has 561 catches, 6078 yards and 36 career touchdowns and would be an immediate weapon for a team searching for a tight end.
Considering how inconsistent his quarterback play has been, he has surpassed expectations and has been a model of consistency. His best season of his career thus far was 2018, the year following the Eagles Super Bowl victory. He hauled in 116 catches, 1,163 yards and eight touchdowns.
These are three teams that are in need of a tight end, that would benefit immensely from an Ertz trade.
1. Green Bay Packers
The Packers trading for Ertz is not their priority with all of the uncertainty surrounding their star QB Aaron Rodgers. Part of the reason Rodgers is not happy with the organization is their lack of weapons, and commitment to helping Rodgers out on the offensive side of the ball. Ertz could go a long way in showing Rodgers how committed the Packers are, and Ertz would thrive in that offense. Ertz has never had a QB the caliber of Rodgers, and this could allow Ertz to get back to his dominant ways. This would make WR Davante Adams happy and take some of the pressure off of him, and give him more room to operate.
2. Buffalo Bills
The Bills are emerging as one of the best young teams in the NFL, led by QB Josh Allen. Their offense is dynamic, but they severely lack production from the TE position. The Bills will have to try and keep up with the loaded Kansas City Chiefs if they want to make a run at a Super Bowl, which means they should never be content with their roster. Adding a TE like Ertz would take a lot of pressure of WRs Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley. This would make the Bills one of the most potent offenses in the NFL, and they would be impossible to stop. Opposing defensive coordinators already got a glimpse of how great Allen and this offense could be, and adding a former Super Bowl champion TE could take this offense to another level.
3. Tennesse Titans
The Titans are in need of a playmaker on offense to pair with WR A.J. Brown. TE Delanie Walker is no longer in Tennessee, which leaves an opening for Ertz to come in and take over as the lead TE. The Titans also lost WR Corey Davis in free agency, and their main focus in the offseason was addressing their defensive issues, but they should be all in on pursuing Ertz. He would fit their scheme perfectly and would be QB Ryan Tannehill’s best friend from day one.
All three of these teams could use the services of Ertz, along with many others. It has been quite on the trade front for a long time now, but with OTAs starting up and training camp right around the corner, an Ertz trade will happen sooner rather than later.
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