Report: Eagles are going to trade Zach Ertz ‘by the end of the draft for sure’ [UPDATE]

[Road to Victory]

https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2021/4/26/22403629/zach-ertz-trade-rumors-eagles-nfl-draft-2021-philadelphia-tight-end-contract-adam-caplan-news
Report: Eagles are going to trade Zach Ertz ‘by the end of the draft for sure’ [UPDATE]

What will Philadelphia be able to get for their veteran tight end? 

By Brandon Lee Gowton@BrandonGowton  Updated Apr 27, 2021, 12:25pm EDT 

 

UPDATE: Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network offers some more information on the Zach Ertz situation.

I’m told there are six to seven teams in the running, including the Indianapolis Colts. Many tell me it’s a situation where Howie Roseman will try and squeeze as much as possible from a team that wants Ertz considering the weakness of the tight end class. As we previously reported, the Eagles’ initial third-round asking price was too much for teams initially interested.

ORIGINAL STORY BELOW.

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It’s been over a month since we’ve heard anything on the Zach Ertz trade front. Some have wondered if the Philadelphia Eagles might just keep their veteran tight end at this point. 

As it turns out, though, Ertz is still very much a goner. And he will no longer be a member of the Eagles by the conclusion of the 2021 NFL Draft. At least, that’s what Adam Caplan indicated in a recent podcast for Inside The Birds. Bold emphasis mine in the transcript below:

They’re going to trade Zach Ertz. And it’s going to be — the way that I’ve said this in the live stream, there are personnel people around the league who think that Ertz will be traded no later than early in the draft. Like, when I say early, it certainly could happen — the way I heard it — there’s a very realistic chance it actually happens on the lead-up. Because you don’t want to wait until teams on the board … and, I know it’s not a great tight end draft. But what if you’re taking to a team that likes [Pat] Freiermuth, you’re not going to know that. Let’s say you’re talking to a team, you’re Howie Roseman, the GM, and you’re talking to a team, you don’t know who they like at tight end. So, God forbid you wait, and the team fills a need, then you’re out of luck. He’s played it right in that he’s waited as far as he could. It’s going to happen and there are some teams I’ve talked to — I don’t know who they talked to with the Eagles, but they seem to think he’s going to go … it could be, very realistically, today’s Monday? It could happen Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday leading up. It could happen. But it’s going to happen by the end of the draft for sure.

That’s some definitive language there. Of course, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. We already have a timeline of evidence pointing to Ertz’s inevitable exit:

• January 3: Ertz stands on the sideline with Carson Wentz and Jason Kelce long after the team’s Week 17 loss to Washington.
• January 4: Ertz essentially says a tearful goodbye to Philadelphia in his post-season press conference.
• January 14: Ertz’s younger brother, Nic, appears on BGN Radio’s Babes On Board podcast and talks about how Zach won’t be back.
• January 28: Tony Pauline says he was "told unequivocally today that tight end Zach Ertz will not play for the Philadelphia Eagles next year.”
• February 14: The Eagles reportedly speak to the Seattle Seahawks and Indianapolis Colts about an Ertz trade. The Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams are also reportedly interested.
• March 3: NFL Network reports an Ertz trade "could happen in the coming days.”
• March 14: NFL Network reports Ertz has "grown increasingly impatient” with the Eagles. They also report that the Eagles insist they will not release Ertz.
• March 16: NFL Network reports the Eagles are "not in a rush” to trade Ertz and they’re "not just going to give him away.”
• March 16: NFL Network reports the Eagles have given Ertz permission to seek a trade.

The Eagles stand to clear $4.9 million in cap space ($7.8 million in dead money) by trading Ertz. Trading him also ensures they receive compensation, as opposed to just letting him walk in free agency after the 2021 season. 

Exactly what the Eagles can get back for Ertz remains to be seen. One can’t imagine it’ll be a very lucrative return. If there were truly great offers on the table, the Eagles already would’ve dealt him by now. Teams aren’t exactly eager to give up valuable assets for a guy who’s turning 31, coming off the worst season of his career, and wants a new contract. Not to mention Ertz’s desire to not play in Philly anymore further decreasing the Eagles’ leverage.

The realistic hope might involve the Eagles packaging Ertz along with a draft pick or two to move up in this year’s draft. Maybe the Birds can bundle No. 37, Ertz, and a late-round pick to move up to, say, the Buffalo Bills’ pick at No. 30? To get back up into the end of the first round? Just a guess. 

It goes without saying that it’ll be interesting to see what becomes of Ertz, who will go down as an all-time Eagle. Just a shame it had to come to this.

[UK_EaglesFan89]

If they can get a third this year for him then great. If they can use Ertz to trade up to the top of the first or move around then great. If not then just keep Ertz because he'll have more value to the team being on the roster. 

[ManchesterEagle]

More rubbish from BLG and Caplan. If you look at the actual sources, Caplan has spoken to people on other teams who "seem to think he's going to go" although he admits he doesn't know who they've talked to on the Eagles (if anyone). Somehow he has turned that into will be traded on or before draft for sure.

It's far from for sure and if he doesn't get traded, which is a real possibility-  I hope Caplan gets called out for this rubbish.

[time2rock]

Pick 70 + Ertz for Indy's pick 54.

Honestly I'd prefer a 2022 pick.  We have 11 picks this year already - that is more than enough (actually hoping we'll be able to trade some of those later picks for 2022 picks and end up with only 8 or 9 this year).  Ertz + pick 150 for a 2022 3rd (conditional).

[UK_EaglesFan89]

26 minutes ago, time2rock said:

Pick 70 + Ertz for Indy's pick 54.

Honestly I'd prefer a 2022 pick.  We have 11 picks this year already - that is more than enough (actually hoping we'll be able to trade some of those later picks for 2022 picks and end up with only 8 or 9 this year).  Ertz + pick 150 for a 2022 3rd (conditional).

I'd do #70 and Ertz for #54 definitely. Not sure they would though but I think that would be a good move.

But yeah we do have 11 picks right now and that is a lot. Mind you we know that Howie is going to be constantly making moves over the weekend so there is no way they pick 11 players.

[weko]

We would do really well to get a 4th round pick for him.  

[UK_EaglesFan89]

8 minutes ago, weko said:

We would do really well to get a 4th round pick for him.  

I agree. They wanted a third, they didn't get it and I don't think they'll get that on draft night either. And at that point I think they'd be better off just keeping him. 

[VaBeach_Eagle]

Without having thought about it too much, I can't think of a 'fan favorite' who has played his entire career for the Eagles since I've been a fan. 

Just once, I'd like to see that happen. Maybe Kelce will be the one...

No, wait... just as I was about to press "Submit" I remembered Celek. Can anyone think of any others who would be 'fan favorites' and played an entire career, only for the Eagles?

[Portyansky]

5 hours ago, VaBeach_Eagle said:

Without having thought about it too much, I can't think of a 'fan favorite' who has played his entire career for the Eagles since I've been a fan. 

Just once, I'd like to see that happen. Maybe Kelce will be the one...

No, wait... just as I was about to press "Submit" I remembered Celek. Can anyone think of any others who would be 'fan favorites' and played an entire career, only for the Eagles?

I think Lane will be next.

[UK_EaglesFan89]

2 hours ago, Portyansky said:

I think Lane will be next.

You think they move Mailata to RT and then draft a LT in the first?

[ManchesterEagle]

On 4/28/2021 at 12:17 PM, time2rock said:

Pick 70 + Ertz for Indy's pick 54.

Honestly I'd prefer a 2022 pick.  We have 11 picks this year already - that is more than enough (actually hoping we'll be able to trade some of those later picks for 2022 picks and end up with only 8 or 9 this year).  Ertz + pick 150 for a 2022 3rd (conditional).

 

On 4/29/2021 at 7:34 AM, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

You think they move Mailata to RT and then draft a LT in the first?

Caplan is a clown as is BLG. Ertz went nowhere.

[UK_EaglesFan89]

6 hours ago, ManchesterEagle said:

 

Caplan is a clown as is BLG. Ertz went nowhere.

But he was definitely going to be traded without doubt...

[pallidrone]

Is LeCharles Bentley an Eagle yet?

[Procus]

If Ertz is going to be traded, it won't be until after June 1.  When are these writers going to start doing their homework?

[UK_EaglesFan89]

To be fair I don't think they said by the end of the draft this year? 😄

[Infam]

On 4/29/2021 at 8:34 AM, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

You think they move Mailata to RT and then draft a LT in the first?

Call me crazy, but I think they still believe in Dillard. I haven't given up on him either.

Granted Mailata looked too good at LT to have anyone else do it. But I wonder if the future is Mailata right and Dillard left.

Or maybe with a full offseason training at RT, Dillard could just go there? Maybe he just looked poor at RT because he didn't have much time to prepare for it.

[ManchesterEagle]

1 minute ago, Infam said:

Call me crazy, but I think they still believe in Dillard. I haven't given up on him either.

Granted Mailata looked too good at LT to have anyone else do it. But I wonder if the future is Mailata right and Dillard left.

I think you start this year with Mailata and Johnson. Have Dillard back up Mailata. If Johnson gets hurt, slide Mailata to right.

[Infam]

Just now, ManchesterEagle said:

I think you start this year with Mailata and Johnson. Have Dillard back up Mailata. If Johnson gets hurt, slide Mailata to right.

Yes. Mailata as starter, Dillard as backup. And Johnson as starter and Driscoll as backup. Really good setup at tackle.

But in the future, after Lane? Could be Mailata at RT, or maybe they try to prepare Dillard to go there.

Either way, I still have hopes that both could be starters in the NFL, which would really help us given how hard it is to find good OTs.

[ManchesterEagle]

2 minutes ago, Infam said:

Yes. Mailata as starter, Dillard as backup. And Johnson as starter and Driscoll as backup. Really good setup at tackle.

But in the future, after Lane? Could be Mailata at RT, or maybe they try to prepare Dillard to go there.

Either way, I still have hopes that both could be starters in the NFL, which would really help us given how hard it is to find good OTs.

Agreed - the O-Line is in much better shape than a lot of people think.

We did need help inside but Herbig was pretty good, so in my view we could easily have added interior OL in the 3rd or 4th

[Infam]

1 minute ago, ManchesterEagle said:

Agreed - the O-Line is in much better shape than a lot of people think.

We did need help inside but Herbig was pretty good, so in my view we could easily have added interior OL in the 3rd or 4th

I wanted an C/G, and was looking at Creed Humphrey. But if Dickerson works out, he may be just what the doctor ordered for the OL.

[UK_EaglesFan89]

2 hours ago, Infam said:

Call me crazy, but I think they still believe in Dillard. I haven't given up on him either.

Granted Mailata looked too good at LT to have anyone else do it. But I wonder if the future is Mailata right and Dillard left.

Or maybe with a full offseason training at RT, Dillard could just go there? Maybe he just looked poor at RT because he didn't have much time to prepare for it.

I don't think they should give up on Dillard yet either. I mean look... When he started at LT in his rookie year he looked pretty good. Then last year he looked set to be the starter before tearing his bicep. 

Sure there have been concerning things that have been reported like he's soft etc... But he has talent so they shouldn't give up on him. Plus he probably has no real value on the trade market so he's worth more keeping him. 

[Infam]

1 minute ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

I don't think they should give up on Dillard yet either. I mean look... When he started at LT in his rookie year he looked pretty good. Then last year he looked set to be the starter before tearing his bicep. 

Sure there have been concerning things that have been reported like he's soft etc... But he has talent so they shouldn't give up on him. Plus he probably has no real value on the trade market so he's worth more keeping him. 

The bad-mouthing of him felt like total BS to me.

Look what this dude did with his body after one year. No lazy, soft person can do that. Not buying it for a second.

[UK_EaglesFan89]

Just now, Infam said:

The bad-mouthing of him felt like total BS to me.

Look what this dude did with his body after one year. No lazy, soft person can do that. Not buying it for a second.

I mean look we just don't know. There have been stories that he's meant to be soft. They may be true, they may not. I don't really care if he plays well on a Sunday. 

[Infam]

3 minutes ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

I mean look we just don't know. There have been stories that he's meant to be soft. They may be true, they may not. I don't really care if he plays well on a Sunday. 

Quote

One day after having Achilles surgery, Brandon Brooks appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Quick Slants on Friday and revealed that Dillard had bulked up to 335 pounds!

"None of that college body, that noodle body, none of that,” Brooks said. "He’s been hitting the weights, man, getting strong. I tried to push him every day. You know how it is playing O-line, there’s no excuses, you gotta get it done.”

That is like 20 pounds of muscle in one year. No wonder his biceps tore.. No, seriously: No way a soft, lazy dude gets that done. No way!

[UK_EaglesFan89]

2 minutes ago, Infam said:

That is like 20 pounds of muscle in one year. No wonder his biceps tore.. No, seriously: No way a soft, lazy dude gets that done. No way!

I think there's a difference between soft and lazy. I don't think he's been called lazy?