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How the George Kittle contract extension impacts the Eagles


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How the George Kittle contract extension impacts the Eagles

 

Big news in the NFL today as star tight end George Kittle and the San Francisco 49ers have reportedly agreed to a five-year contract extension worth $75 million with more than half guaranteed.

 

Kittle’s $15 million yearly average puts him wayyyyy out in front of other NFL tight end contracts. Previous market leader Hunter Henry of the Los Angeles Chargers now checks in at second place with a $10.6 million annual value.

It’s not a shocker that Kittle got paid this much. NFL Network’s Mike Silver previously talked about how Kittle’s camp viewed him as more than a mere tight end:

"He is so important as a blocker. We’ve seen metrics where their running game does statistically when he’s in versus when he’s not in. And he’s amazing after the catch. You could argue that his importance to them as a receiver is like a No. 1 wide receiver’s. He’s almost like an honorary tackle. So, they’re going to have to pay him, and they’re going to have to pay him a lot. And I just don’t think you can apply normal tight end standards to this unique player.”

Kittle’s extension obviously has an impact on the Philadelphia Eagles as they potentially try to reach another long-term agreement with Zach Ertz.

To recap, it was previously reported that Ertz "turned down a deal more lucrative” than the $10.5 million average that the Cleveland Browns gave to Austin Hooper in free agency this year. I offered some extensive thoughts on the Ertz situation at the time that are still relevant now:

This is a player that’s highly valued by the organization. Ertz is on pace to overtake the legendary Harold Carmichael as the Eagles’ all-time leader in total receptions. Ertz broke the NFL’s single-season record for tight end receptions in 2018. Ertz is the guy who caught the franchise’s only game-winning Super Bowl touchdown pass. Ertz is Carson Wentz’s favorite target and arguably the franchise quarterback’s best friend on the team. Ertz has been the Eagles’ leading receiving in each of the past four seasons dating back to 2016.

That last point might factor in to why Ertz reportedly turned down the Eagles’ extension offer. Just speculating here but the Eagles might be interested in paying him like an elite tight end while Ertz wants to be paid more along the lines of a true No. 1 receiver, which he effectively has been for the Eagles. Silver touched on this notion as it relates to Kittle.

But why should the Eagles be rushing to pay Ertz when he turns 30 in November and still has two seasons left on his contract? Well, the Eagles do prefer signing players to extensions earlier than later with the thinking that it’ll be more expensive the longer they wait. They don’t want to be in a situation like the Dallas Cowboys are (or were with Amari Cooper) with Dak Prescott, for example.

The thing is ... the goal of getting out in front of an increasing price tag makes more sense when it’s known that the player is definitely in the long-term plans. And should the Eagles really be making that decision now on Ertz when he has two years remaining and his potential successor in Dallas Goedert waiting in the wings? And if the Eagles do give Ertz a big extension, does that deter Goedert from signing a long-term deal with Philly? Keep in mind Goedert said last summer that he views himself as the NFL’s fourth best tight end. There are clearly a number of layers to consider here.

Ultimately, I do think the Eagles will sign Ertz to an extension at some point. So does Silver.

There’s thought that the Eagles shouldn’t extend Ertz and should instead trade him and move forward with Goedert. I just don’t think the Eagles will be so eager to make that happen. There’s definitely reason to be optimistic about Goedert’s potential. But unlike Ertz, he’s still unproven as a volume option. Then again, he won’t really get the chance to fully establish himself in that regard if Ertz remains around to block his path.

This is for certain: Ertz took notice of Kittle’s record-breaking extension today. And he clearly doesn’t think he ranks that far below him and the other top tight ends in the NFL:

Kittle got paid and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs is in line for a new deal as well. The market is going up. The Eagles felt enough pressure to make an offer to Ertz within the last year. Will the two sides find agreeable terms or will the Eagles try to slow play this thing?

We’ll have to see but the Kittle deal only helps Ertz’s case. He shouldn’t be making more than the 49ers tight end but he’s clearly going to push for more than what he was previously offered, meaning at least $11 million per year and quite possibly in the $12-to-$14 million range.

UPDATE: All eyes are now on Ertz with Kittle and Kelce getting paid.

https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2020/8/13/21366469/george-kittle-49ers-contract-tight-end-philadelphia-eagles-nfl-zach-ertz-trade-rumors-dallas-goedert

My view on this... Its a really difficult situation and decision for Howie BUT... I'd see what a team may offer in a trade for Ertz. If the value isn't great then you accept he's going to leave in a year and hope for a really good comp pick. I just don't think you can pay him a deal to match Kittle. He's just not as good. 

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Love Ertz and continue to hold out hope he could remain an Eagle, but sure seems like a long shot considering our cap situation and the fact that he already turned down a deal north of $10.6M annually.  Plus Goedert is going to need a new deal soon as well.  More and more I get the feeling Ertz will be traded either by the trade deadline this year (if our season isn't going as expected) or next offseason (probably the more likely scenario).   

It's a shame that these players can't take into account the current cap situation (and limitations due to a reduced cap in 2021 due to the pandemic chewing into revenue) and play for a more team-friendly deal, but it is a business and they obviously do tend to look after their own interests more so than the team's.  

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15 hours ago, time2rock said:

It's a shame that these players can't take into account the current cap situation (and limitations due to a reduced cap in 2021 due to the pandemic chewing into revenue) and play for a more team-friendly deal, but it is a business and they obviously do tend to look after their own interests more so than the team's.  

Well and also Ertz is a fair bit older than Kittle. Kittle has more to bring to the Niners during the next 5+ years. Its a really tough decision facing the Eagles but one that I think it sadly becoming a no brainer.

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5 hours ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

Well and also Ertz is a fair bit older than Kittle. Kittle has more to bring to the Niners during the next 5+ years. Its a really tough decision facing the Eagles but one that I think it sadly becoming a no brainer.

Agreed.  Ertz signed an extension in 2016 when he was about the same age as Kittle is now (although it wasn't quite as lucrative ... it was a 5 year deal worth $42.5M with $20M guaranteed compared to Kittle's 5 year $75M deal with $30M guaranteed).  But the salary cap has really blown up since 2016 and players are now getting paid substantially more.  

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25 minutes ago, time2rock said:

Agreed.  Ertz signed an extension in 2016 when he was about the same age as Kittle is now (although it wasn't quite as lucrative ... it was a 5 year deal worth $42.5M with $20M guaranteed compared to Kittle's 5 year $75M deal with $30M guaranteed).  But the salary cap has really blown up since 2016 and players are now getting paid substantially more.  

True they are but then that's about to take a real hit...

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Ertz should be more compared to Kelce’s contract. They’re only a year apart in age, where Kittle is 3 and 4 years younger. Either way Ertz’s next contract will probably be between 14-15 million per year. Is that with the Eagles? Idk. Is he worth that much being 30 and having a replacement already on the team? Idk. I’m glad I’m not Howie right now though. 

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1 hour ago, 20dawk4life said:

Ertz should be more compared to Kelce’s contract. They’re only a year apart in age, where Kittle is 3 and 4 years younger. Either way Ertz’s next contract will probably be between 14-15 million per year. Is that with the Eagles? Idk. Is he worth that much being 30 and having a replacement already on the team? Idk. I’m glad I’m not Howie right now though. 

Tough call for sure.  It would be a tough decision regardless of cap situation.  Knowing we are $75M OVER the projected 2021 cap (absolute worst in the league and by quite a large margin) makes it even tougher (or perhaps it makes it easier??).  

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3 hours ago, time2rock said:

Tough call for sure.  It would be a tough decision regardless of cap situation.  Knowing we are $75M OVER the projected 2021 cap (absolute worst in the league and by quite a large margin) makes it even tougher (or perhaps it makes it easier??).  

Right now I think they're $51.4M over but have around $24M they can roll over into next year so really they are about $27M over. It's still not a good place to be in and moving Ertz probably makes sense, especially if he's still highly productive. He could be part of a package that returns a relatively early draft pick for 2021 or 2022. I think the Eagles need that more than hanging on to him.

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4 hours ago, PoconoDon said:

Right now I think they're $51.4M over but have around $24M they can roll over into next year so really they are about $27M over. It's still not a good place to be in and moving Ertz probably makes sense, especially if he's still highly productive. He could be part of a package that returns a relatively early draft pick for 2021 or 2022. I think the Eagles need that more than hanging on to him.

OTC has us at $71M over.

https://overthecap.com/nfl-asks-for-175m-2021-salary-cap/

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Tough decision on Ertz and you can make arguments for both sides of it.  He has been our best WR (even though he plays TE) over the past 4 seasons and is Wentz's go-to.  However, Kittle is younger, he's a helluva blocker as well and he's more dangerous after the catch than Ertz.  So Kittle is a better all around TE.  I know Ertz thinks he's right there alongside Kittle, but truthfully he's just not.  He's definitely top 5 among TEs, maybe even as good as 3rd after Kittle and Kelce, but IMO they shouldn't give him an extension in the neighbourhood of Kittle's average yearly salary.  Offering him an extension that would have made him the highest paid TE was pretty generous on their part so hard to be mad at them if he doesn't retire an Eagle.  He said he wants to be like Kobe and retire having only played for 1 team his whole career, but when you turn down a deal that would have made you the highest paid player at your position then it's obvious you're at least equally or more so about getting your perceived respect by being paid a certain amount that will hold up to when younger players get their pay day after you.  

 

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This is no surprise. We all knew this was coming when Ertz turned down the Eagles offer months ago to be the highest paid TE in the league. If Ertz really wanted his wish to only play for one team from start to finish he would have taken the offer they gave him. He gave Howie the middle finger. 

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I say it all the time, to get our cap situation under control and get younger, we need to trade ertz while we can for a couple serious picks and let goeddert get the reps he deserves.  I think ertz could garner a #1 plus a mid round conditional pick or maybe two seconds which would really help us get a younger, cheaper roster. 

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10 hours ago, PoconoDon said:

looks like 51 to me. You might try that Warby Parker try glasses on app.;)

Eagles ($51,402,705) ($51,402,705) 57 $266,396,705 $6,000

I was going by the table in that link (which looks much different than what you posted).  Top 4 and bottom 4 teams included in my snip.  Anyway, I hope you are right.

 

Cap space 2021.PNG

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4 minutes ago, time2rock said:

I was going by the table in that link (which looks much different than what you posted).  Top 4 and bottom 4 teams included in my snip.  Anyway, I hope you are right.

 

Cap space 2021.PNG

Far stretch from the days of us winning the cap space wars!!

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5 hours ago, time2rock said:

I was going by the table in that link (which looks much different than what you posted).  Top 4 and bottom 4 teams included in my snip.  Anyway, I hope you are right.

 

Cap space 2021.PNG

I see what happened. My number is with no reduction of the cap, and yours is if the proposed $175M were accepted by the players. If it goes to the $175M level, then you're 100% right and the Eagles are definitely in trouble. I hope it doesn't go there, otherwise we'll all have to learn 40 new player names.

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Ertz would have to take a major home discount and I don't think he would take the discount that he would be offered. The Eagles will have a tough time keeping him.  I think the Eagles are starting to change their philosophy  to a 1 RB and 3 WR system vs. 12 personnel. I think that is why they went for so much speed at WR in the draft.  They will use a lot of 12 personnel this year because they have Ertz and Goedert.  But, I think they are going to start transitioning away from it in time because I think they want to be more like KC.

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