Zach Ertz released by Cardinals (Cleared Waivers)

[Godfather]

He was spotted at the airport

[ManchesterEagle]

20 hours ago, xxeaglesfanxx said:

We all like Zach but what would he actually bring to the table at this point?

 

On 12/3/2023 at 2:51 PM, Utebird said:

5 years ago Ertz is no longer here.

Hes a shell of himself.

His new knack is catching 5 yard passes and falling down...☹️

All of this. I really like Ertz and appreciate everything he did, but he is no longer a danger as a pass catcher and doesn’t really bring much else to the table. He’s been flat out bad this year and even the Ravens who have a big need at Tight End aren’t interested.

We already have Julio Jones as a past his best receiver to run short and intermediate routes. I want to be wrong but I really don’t think Ertz helps.

[Godfather]

He'll sign here in the morning

[brkmsn]

I have to believe that anytime Hurts is standing in a clean pocket for 5+ seconds, Ertz would have found an open spot on the field by that point. Then again, Goedert might have too. But I just think people are downplaying what Ertz does still have to offer at this point. He can still get open and present the QB with a target.

[ManchesterEagle]

19 minutes ago, brkmsn said:

I have to believe that anytime Hurts is standing in a clean pocket for 5+ seconds, Ertz would have found an open spot on the field by that point. Then again, Goedert might have too. But I just think people are downplaying what Ertz does still have to offer at this point. He can still get open and present the QB with a target.

I want you to be right but he’s been really bad this year and I just think he’s done after his knee injury last year, especially being 33. Plus he’s coming off another major injury. Pre that - he would have been a big help.

[CheesesteakNBeer]

48 minutes ago, brkmsn said:

I have to believe that anytime Hurts is standing in a clean pocket for 5+ seconds, Ertz would have found an open spot on the field by that point. Then again, Goedert might have too. But I just think people are downplaying what Ertz does still have to offer at this point. He can still get open and present the QB with a target.

For the love of god, Ertz lost a step his last year here. Can you imagine how slow he is now? Can't imagine he'd be any better than Stoll at this point, and Stoll can block. No thanks. Some fans can never let the nostalgia go. I mean sure, would i love Brian Dawkins or Seth Joyner to come back? Yeah but they wouldn't upgrade this roster either.

[Mat]

They won't be asking Ertz to carry the offense and be the number 1 receiving threat like he was his last season here. They would be bringing him into be a solid vet and an upgrade over the dreck behind Goedert. He and Julio would be playing a similar role and maybe make a couple plays between them a game as the 5th/6th options. 

[The Holy Vagabond]

People saying "Ertz lost his speed” are clueless. Ertz has NEVER been a speed TE. He’s a Jason witten type. He finds holes in zones, spaces out room for other short routes, boxes out smaller and less athletic defenders, and attacks leverage better than any TE not named Travis Kelce. 
 

if you’re talking about Ertz and the first words out of your mouth have anything to do with "speed”, just see your way out and let the grownups talk. 

[brkmsn]

3 hours ago, CheesesteakNBeer said:

For the love of god, Ertz lost a step his last year here. Can you imagine how slow he is now? Can't imagine he'd be any better than Stoll at this point, and Stoll can block. No thanks. Some fans can never let the nostalgia go. I mean sure, would i love Brian Dawkins or Seth Joyner to come back? Yeah but they wouldn't upgrade this roster either.

The myth that Ertz can't block is just that --- a myth. I was watching the all 22 on the week 4 game between the Cards and the Whiners since that was the game Ertz played the most snaps. He was blocking just fine. Maybe it's just being older and a more mature player than he was in 2016, but he's very willing to block if asked to block now. Sometimes (in that particular game) they were using him to get a chip on Bosa on the way out. A couple times he blocked Bosa 1v1. When in on running downs, he blocked according to the play design and was usually effective on his assignment. He's much better than people here give him credit for as a blocker.

As a receiver, he was never a Kyle Pitts or Vernon Davis type that relied on speed. He was a technician that excelled at getting open. As a TE2, he has plenty to offer still. 

[VaBeach_Eagle]

No news on the Ertz front? I thought we'd hear something by now. 

[NOTW]

45 minutes ago, VaBeach_Eagle said:

No news on the Ertz front? I thought we'd hear something by now. 

He's waiting to see the outcome of the Eagles Dallas game this week.

j/k.  

[Godfather]

No news

[NOTW]

For some reason fans are really really attached to the 3rd and 4th string TEs who have 0 catches.

[Diehardfan]

7 minutes ago, NOTW said:

For some reason fans are really really attached to the 3rd and 4th string TEs who have 0 catches.

Right? They'd rather stick with people who got maybe 1 target in the last month with the starter out. Has any other team not thrown more than one pass to a TE for that many games?

[Eagz]

32 minutes ago, NOTW said:

For some reason fans are really really attached to the 3rd and 4th string TEs who have 0 catches.

If anyone has concerns about losing ST contributions from these guys, then cut Albert O, who has a grand total of 5 ST snaps all year, over Calcaterra.

[NOTW]

55 minutes ago, Diehardfan said:

Right? They'd rather stick with people who got maybe 1 target in the last month with the starter out. Has any other team not thrown more than one pass to a TE for that many games?

Just looking at some teams with top TEs as comparison.  

Chiefs TE Noah Gray: 29 targets, 22 catches, 246 yards, 2 TD.  Blake Bell: 5 targets, 3 catches, 19 yards, 1 TD (their 3rd string has about the same as our 2nd string and Goedert has missed 3 games).

Vikings TE Josh Oliver: 18 targets, 16 catches, 118 yards, 2 TD.  Johnny Mundt: 5 targets, 5 catches, 45 yards.  (Hockenson leads their team over all receivers with 108 targets, 80 rec, 786 yards and 5 TD)

49ers backup TEs have combined for only 3 targets, 2 catches, 12 yards and 1 TD. Similar situation as Eagles.

Ravens TE Isaiah Likely: 18 targets, 13 catches, 129 yards.  Charlie Kolar: 2 targets, 1 catch, 13 yards.

[VaBeach_Eagle]

2 hours ago, NOTW said:

For some reason fans are really really attached to the 3rd and 4th string TEs who have 0 catches.

Well, it was our 3rd string TE that threw the ball in one of the greatest plays in Eagles history... 

[NOTW]

27 minutes ago, VaBeach_Eagle said:

Well, it was our 3rd string TE that threw the ball in one of the greatest plays in Eagles history... 

Burton in 2017 had 31 targets, 23 catches, 248 yards and 5 TD.  That is way more than even our 2nd string Stoll (with his 7 catches).  Ertz has more than that in less games this year as a backup in Arizona.

Burton also was a former QB with a play designed for him.  Grant and Albert O have done absolutely nothing this year.  Stoll is great for the run game but not receiving.  So adding Ertz as the 3rd TE makes sense.

[ManchesterEagle]

On 12/5/2023 at 3:07 AM, Mat said:

They won't be asking Ertz to carry the offense and be the number 1 receiving threat like he was his last season here. They would be bringing him into be a solid vet and an upgrade over the dreck behind Goedert. He and Julio would be playing a similar role and maybe make a couple plays between them a game as the 5th/6th options. 

 

4 hours ago, Eagz said:

If anyone has concerns about losing ST contributions from these guys, then cut Albert O, who has a grand total of 5 ST snaps all year, over Calcaterra.

 

2 hours ago, NOTW said:

Burton in 2017 had 31 targets, 23 catches, 248 yards and 5 TD.  That is way more than even our 2nd string Stoll (with his 7 catches).  Ertz has more than that in less games this year as a backup in Arizona.

Burton also was a former QB with a play designed for him.  Grant and Albert O have done absolutely nothing this year.  Stoll is great for the run game but not receiving.  So adding Ertz as the 3rd TE makes sense.

I think Jones is a key here. Can the Eagles afford to have both Jones and Ertz active as 5th/6th receiving options who don’t play special teams? 

Hurts hasn’t shown much interest in spreading the ball around, so would Ertz actually be incorporated into the gameplan? He’s been bad and ineffective this year and that was before another injury.

I agree the 3/4 TEs are no loss and having him as insurance for Goedert makes sense, but I’m not sure Ertz would want to sign for that role.

Be interested to see how this plays out, but I just don’t think signing him is the no brainer that people think it is.
 

[NOTW]

29 minutes ago, ManchesterEagle said:

 

 

I think Jones is a key here. Can the Eagles afford to have both Jones and Ertz active as 5th/6th receiving options who don’t play special teams? 

Hurts hasn’t shown much interest in spreading the ball around, so would Ertz actually be incorporated into the gameplan? He’s been bad and ineffective this year and that was before another injury.

I agree the 3/4 TEs are no loss and having him as insurance for Goedert makes sense, but I’m not sure Ertz would want to sign for that role.

Be interested to see how this plays out, but I just don’t think signing him is the no brainer that people think it is.
 

I don't think it's a no brainer for the organization.  If he wants more snaps and targets than they are willing to give, he could easily go elsewhere.  My opinion is it makes sense to replace 2 backup TEs who do absolutely nothing with 1 who can contribute something.  And you still have Goedert and Stoll.  If Goedert were to get hurt again, we know they don't pass to other TEs and they barely use Julio Jones so maybe Ertz gets a few looks here and there.  You also have some games coming up with Giants twice and the Cardinals where you could try out some things with lower risk. 

[NOTW]

There was a rumor the 49ers are interested in Ertz.  Shanahan said he's happy with the group he has.

https://www.ninersnation.com/2023/12/4/23988427/ross-dwelley-zach-ertz-spencer-burford-ryan-tonges-arik-armstead-49ers-injury

Quote

ESPN’s Adam Schefter believes that Ertz is destined to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles. When asked if the Niners would have an interest in Ertz after Dwelley’s injury, Shanahan said, "I know John [Lynch] looks into all that stuff. I haven’t heard anything now. I wouldn’t think so. I know we’re pretty happy with this group.”

 

[brkmsn]

46 minutes ago, NOTW said:

There was a rumor the 49ers are interested in Ertz.  Shanahan said he's happy with the group he has.

https://www.ninersnation.com/2023/12/4/23988427/ross-dwelley-zach-ertz-spencer-burford-ryan-tonges-arik-armstead-49ers-injury

 

I know the whiners lost a backup TE for a few weeks, but what is Ertz going to do playing for a team that hardly throws past the LOS? His skill set definitely is not a fit for their scheme that relies so heavily on YAC. It would seem an unlikely pairing IMO.

[Mat]

5 hours ago, ManchesterEagle said:

 

 

I think Jones is a key here. Can the Eagles afford to have both Jones and Ertz active as 5th/6th receiving options who don’t play special teams? 

Hurts hasn’t shown much interest in spreading the ball around, so would Ertz actually be incorporated into the gameplan? He’s been bad and ineffective this year and that was before another injury.

I agree the 3/4 TEs are no loss and having him as insurance for Goedert makes sense, but I’m not sure Ertz would want to sign for that role.

Be interested to see how this plays out, but I just don’t think signing him is the no brainer that people think it is.
 

With Quez healthy the other option is they cut Julio and mix in 2 occassional 2 TE sets with Ertz in the slot. They can sign Jones to the practice squad

[EazyEaglez]

1 hour ago, Mat said:

With Quez healthy the other option is they cut Julio and mix in 2 occassional 2 TE sets with Ertz in the slot. They can sign Jones to the practice squad

Don’t know if they have seen enough from a returning Quez to want to cut anyone. The triumphal return led to just 19 points. The return of Goedert will mean far more to this offense. That and the return of running the darn ball especially in the 2nd quarter. 

[Godfather]

:crickets: