Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Time for Birds to part ways with Ertz
The trade deadline is Nov. 3.
That gives the Eagles three weeks to move on from tight end Zach Ertz.
At this point, both Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz and head coach Doug Pederson are tired of talking about Ertz’s declining role in the offense.
Ertz is frustrated, too, judging by the reactions to the dwindling and almost impossible opportunities he’s receiving.
Ertz almost certainly is feeling repercussions after accusing Eagles management of insulting him with a lowball contract offer.
In an emotional rant the week of the season opener, Ertz reminded the Eagles during his media availability that he’d given themeverything he’d had. He spoke about the sacrifices he’d made including suiting up and playing in the wild card game against the Seattle Seahawks this past January with a lacerated kidney.
Ertz vowed to push forward, focus on his job and be a great teammate. Right now, he’s just an $ 8.5 million decoy.
Ertz averaged 7.25 receptions a game on his way to setting the single- season club record of 116 catches in 2018. He has five catches for 15 yards in the last two games for the Eagles.
In the 38- 29 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday, Ertz had one reception for six yards.
Critics accused him of giving up on a route leading to one of two interceptions thrown Sunday by Carson Wentz, who has nine picks on the season. The turnover really wasn’t Ertz’s fault as he was nudged out of his route by linebacker Vince Williams. When Ertz sat down to give Wentz a target, the quarterback threw ahead of him and into the arms of safety Steven Nelson.
Ertz wasn’t made available after the loss to the Steelers. Wentz was. And though he insisted there wasn’t a problemwith Ertz, it was easy to read between the lines.
“It’s a timing throw, a timing route and when he runs into a linebacker it’s kind of a tough break,” Wentz said of the interception. “You’ve got to live with that one. As far as the targets and everything, it’s one of those things I’m not worried about. As far as chemistry goes, I feel great with Ertz and I think I’ve showed that over the years. That was the type of day it was today and really, last week. But I still feel confident that he’s going to get open, he’s going to get his going forward. And we can be better.”
Getting open is only part of the problem. Some of Wentz’s throws to Ertz have been uncatchable. Against the Steelers, Wentz threw a ball so high that 6- foot- 8 Eagles Hall of FamerHarold Carmichael wouldn’t have gotten to in his prime. Another, shorter throw to Ertz went into the grass. It was more like a spike than a pass.
Wentz’s confidence in Ertz getting open is another example of how their relationship
has changed. Even when Ertz has been doubleteamed, Wentz never has said anything about his teammate making himself available. They clicked when he was open, and when he wasn’t.
Pederson inadvertently threw fuel on the fire when he addressed the unhappiness Ertz was dealing with by saying “I’m all for the
player getting as much as he can but … ”
During his Monday availability, Pederson put his spin on the role Ertz played against the Steelers.
“There were a couple opportunities for him to make plays,” Pederson said. “Carson, just the ball sailed a little bit high. We had a red zone route dialed up. We had a false start in the red
zone where Zach had a potential touchdown pass there. Carson and Zach, they have to continue to work. I haven’t seen the ball travel as high towards Zach than it is right now. Those are things we continue to work through during the week. Those two guys will be on the same page.”
The question now is if, not when.
The Eagles obviously cannot get through the rest of the season with Richard Rodgers starting at tight end. Dallas Goedert, who chipped a bone in his ankle. is eligible to return after the Eagles oppose the Baltimore Ravens this weekend at the Linc. That’s the ultra- optimistic timetable.
With the NFC East a graveyard of losing teams with key players like Dak Prescott, from the firstplace Dallas Cowboys ( 23) lost to serious injury, the Eagles probably don’t need Ertz to stay in contention. Not with the role they have now.
It’s now or never to get a decent haul for Ertz, who thinks he deserves a megabucks contract extension in the neighborhood of recent pacts earned by tight ends George Kittle ( five years, $ 75 million) and Travis Kelce ( four years, $ 57 million).
There is no shortage of decent teams that need tight ends.
The Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks and Indianapolis Colts all would be good landing places. Particularly the Colts, where former Eagles coordinator Frank Reich is head coach.
The clock is running on the Chicago Bears with 31- year- old quarterback Nick Foles and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Tom Brady, 43. There’s a major drop- off on those teams after Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski, respectively.
A trade of Ertz for a secondday draft pick would be a win- win for the Eagles, who, like their polished tight end, need to move on.