By: Levi Ellis

The question all offseason has been when, not if, Zach Ertz would be traded. It’s now late April and Zach Ertz is still a Philadelphia Eagle. Make no mistake it’s not a matter of if this trade will happen, it’s a matter of when this trade will happen.  Philly is in salary cap purgatory and they are rebuilding. A 30 year old tight end with recent health issues on a large contract and who still holds value has no future on a rebuilding Philly roster. Let’s break down the reasons why a trade involving Zach Ertz has not yet happened as well as some possible landing spots and finally my prediction of where he ends up. 

I think we can speculate on the many reasons why Ertz has not yet been traded.  First and foremost Ertz has a cap hit of $12.72 million this year and if he is cut or traded prior to June 1st his dead cap hit ($7.7 million) would be more than twice the amount if he was cut or traded after June 1st ($3.5 million). At this time we can only speculate which option fits the Eagles long term plans better. If they cut or trade him prior to June 1st the dead cap is obviously more expensive and immediate but it takes effect this season. If the Eagles wait until after June 1st the dead cap will be significantly less but the dead money will affect next year’s salary cap. If I’m the Eagles I know my team isn’t ready to compete for a Super Bowl this season and I would jump start this rebuild and take the dead cap hit this year much like they did with Wentz and not push any dead money into the future.

Secondly, Ertz is coming off an injury derailed season and he will have to pass a physical for the team that trades for him. A little additional time to heal and recover will certainly help with this process.  

Thirdly and possibly most importantly, I’m sure the Eagles are working to find the best return for their former pro bowl tight end. Let’s take a look at the best possible landing spots for Ertz.

I think we can easily make an argument for over half the teams in the NFL on why Ertz would make an immediate impact for their team. Another reason for this is because tight end is not a deep position group in the NFL and only a handful of teams have a true defacto #1 starting TE. I have narrowed the list of teams that I believe could acquire Ertz to those listed below.

Indianapolis Colts – The Indianapolis Colts make a ton of sense. They are a team ready to win now, the coaching staff is intimately familiar with Ertz after coaching him for several seasons and we already know that the Carson Wentz to Ertz connection is as real as the similarities to their last names. Let’s get the no-brainer selection out the way.

San Francisco 49ers – Last offseason all we heard were rumors on how the 49ers wanted to pair another great tight end with George Kittle. Although the 49ers settled for Jordan Reed the last offseason there has been no talk of it this offseason which I find strange especially when Kittle was injured for much of last year. If anything you would think they would be even more focused on finding a second great tight end now. Factor in that they are also drafting a young QB at pick 1.3 and they are a Super Bowl contender who has had issues with their offensive weapons staying healthy and I would say the 49ers not only should want another weapon at tight end but they need another weapon at tight end. It is especially helpful to young quarterbacks to have that tight end safety valve and to put it into simplistic terms, two is better than one.

Carolina Panthers – The Panthers have been in need of a quality tight end since Greg Olsen’s early 30s. They also just traded for Sam Darnold and if they want to give the guy every chance to succeed then they need to surround him with weapons and an offensive line. I think they work on the offensive line in the draft so trading for Ertz makes a lot of sense. 

Seattle Seahawks – Seattle has wanted a great tight end for years and it has just never worked out. If they really want to make Russ happy and try to repair the relationship they once had they need to fix the offensive line and get him a new toy at tight end. Based on the lack of superior tight end options in the draft and their lack of draft capital Ertz should be a target.

Buffalo Bills – Buffalo is just a few pieces away from being a Super Bowl contender and tight end is one of those pieces. They have also shown the willingness to be aggressive to fill their needs after last season’s trade for Stefon Diggs. Now is the time Buffalo needs to make another big trade to solidify this passing game.

Baltimore Ravens – Baltimore is in win-now mode and they have been working hard all offseason to improve their wide receiver unit. Although they had to settle for Sammy Watkins up to this point, they should seriously consider running a two-tight-end offense and have Ertz join forces with Andrews. This would take a lot of pressure off of Lamar Jackson and allow him to continue to work the middle of the field in the passing lanes while Hollywood and Sammy stretch the field on the outside.

Tennessee Titans – Tennessee lost some big-time weapons this offseason in Jonnu Smith and Corey Davis. They are likely to make an attempt to replenish that depth in the draft but they are also a team on a short-term window to win now so acquiring a player like Ertz makes a lot of sense. He would immediately become the #2 option in the passing game trailing only the great AJ Brown.

Los Angeles Chargers – The Los Angeles Chargers are an ascending team with a young and intriguing quarterback and a new coaching staff. Yes, they did sign Jared Cook in free agency but Ertz would be a huge upgrade on the depth chart and have a significant impact in helping Justin Herbert’s ability to continue to grow and win some football games. They are also in many people’s eyes the #2 team in Los Angeles so not only would this move help win football games but it would help them take a little bit of the market back.

Finally my prediction: Zach Ertz will be traded to the Indianapolis Colts for a 4th rd pick.  There are too many connections here for this not to work out, the team need, coaching staff familiarity, quarterback connection, available salary cap, and most importantly a contending team that is ready to go get that ring!

The post Top trade destinations for Zach Ertz: Indy tops the list appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Adam Martin

The New England Patriots have been in a little slump after Tom Brady left for Tampa Bay. They now look to be rebuilding in order to make a comeback and one player they can get value from is Stephon Gilmore. Gilmore was the defensive player of the year in 2019 and is a four time pro-bowler. He also won the Superbowl back in 2018 and at the age of 30 is one of the most experienced corners in the league. With that in mind, we look at some potential candidates to trade for Stephon Gilmore in order to improve their team.

San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers are a team that are defiantly in win now mode. It was only two years ago that they lost the Superbowl and they can get back there quickly. Last year they were decimated by injuries and this now gives them a massive opportunity to pick some good players in the draft. However, you do need the experience to go with the rookie picks and Stephon Gilmore would be a great choice. Currently, the 49er’s have got $23m of cap space available to use and Gilmore’s estimated value is around $9-10m a year.

Not only can the 49ers afford Gilmore, they also need a corner to replace the outgoing Richard Sherman. Although Sherman has not been as solid as he has been in the past, he will still leave a whole in the defense. Gilmore is exactly the type of player that the 49ers should be looking to acquire in order to win a Superbowl. Another reason for this to happen is that the 49er’s also have something that the Patriots want. With the 49er’s looking to move on from Jimmy Garoppolo and the Patriots wanting him, a trade is more likely to happen.

This is also a very attractive option for Gilmore given the 49er’s ability to compete. He is currently in New England who are not in a position to compete at the moment. Therefore a move to San Francisco would be an attractive option to him. The only downside to this move is that he would have to move across the country. Although this might not seem like a big deal he has spent five years in Buffalo and four in New England. If he is up for the move and the 49er’s are happy to pay around a second round pick then this could be a great move for everyone.

Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts are another team who need to be looking for another high quality cornerback. There defense is very good and finished as the third best defense in the 20/21 season. However, one area that they do need some help is at the cornerback position. The Colts do have a quality corner in Xavier Rhodes but that is about as good as it gets. By bringing in a stud corner like Stephon Gilmore to play on the other side would be a massive statement by the Colts.

The Colts still have plenty of cap space so bringing in Gilmore wont be a problem. They currently have $44m of cap space so even if they did bring in Gilmore they would still have plenty of money left over. They also have the draft capital available in order to bring him in. The Patriots were after a first round pick last year but they may have to settle for a second and the Colts could do that.

For Gilmore this would be a very good move for him as he moves towards the end of his career. Not only do the Colts have a strong defense but they also have a strong overall team. They made it to the Wildcard round this year but with a few extra pieces they could get further over the next few years. Indianapolis have the potential to be genuine Superbowl contenders so this would be a great move for everyone concerned.

Washington Football Team

The Washington Football Team are another team that are in need of a quality cornerback. In a similar story to the Indianapolis Colts, Washington are a very good defense but they are weaker at the corner position. They have a great front seven which helped them to becoming the sixth best defense in the NFL last year. However, although they are talented they are a young and unexperienced group who could do with that extra experience. Gilmore is exactly the type of player who could do that and make them even stronger defensively.

The cap is not a concern when it comes to Washington as they currently have $54m to spend if they want to. With Gilmore estimated to cost around $9-10m a year they can make this deal happen easily. Also, thy would still have around $44m left which means they could use that to improve their offence. They have draft picks in the first and second rounds for this years draft so compensating the Patriots wont be a problem either. Washington might not be as big a contender as the other two teams mentioned but they do look decent. If they could improve their offence and bring in Gilmore this team could improve rapidly.

Others

There are other teams who might be able to make a trade happen as their are a lot of teams needing a cornerback. The New York Jets are a team that need improvement all over the team. They have plenty of money available and the draft picks to trade for him. However, he is 30 and it feels like the Jets are in a full rebuild so might not want to spend so much on an ageing corner.

The Cleveland Browns looked good this year but could do with that extra experience in the team. If they wanted to trade for Gilmore they would have the picks to do it and also they have players that the Patriots would like. They did well without Odell Beckham so maybe that could be a potential move.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are another team who have plenty of money and draft capital to make this move happen. The Jags have the money and potential franchise QB to turn this around very quickly. However, like the New York Jets they are in a full rebuild and it would be surprising to see them go for Gilmore even though they can.

The post Who should trade for Stephon Gilmore? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.