Zach Ertz‘s 2025 season came to an abrupt end with a December ACL tear. He intends to continue playing for at least one more year, although with his recovery ongoing the veteran tight end remains unsigned at this time.
“I don’t want it to be the last play that I have,” Ertz said during an interview with Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “When people think of my career and that last play, I don’t want that to be the conversation starter. And so, for me, it’s just doing everything I can to get back to my best because I felt like I was playing really good football before I got hurt.”
Ertz is 35, something which figures to limit his market regardless of his injury status. The three-time Pro Bowler spent the past two seasons with Washington, a team which added Chig Okonkwo in free agency. The Commanders appear to be content with their tight end depth chart as things stand, meaning an Ertz re-signing is unlikely. That could lead the former Eagle back to his original team.
Ertz said he would welcome a Philadelphia reunion. The former second-round pick spent the first eight-plus years of his career with the Eagles before being dealt to the Cardinals. Ertz served as a starter in Arizona until he suffered an ACL tear in 2023. He noted the rehab process this time around is ahead of schedule compared to the first one. Nevertheless, Ertz conceded he may need to begin the 2026 season on the PUP list.
The Eagles worked out a one-year deal with Dallas Goedert, meaning he will remain atop the tight end depth chart for 2026. Goedert has spent most of his career serving as Ertz’s successor in terms of his role in the passing game, but a reunion between the two would give Philadelphia considerable experience at the TE spot. Signing Ertz would also put him in position to make at least 11 catches next season, which would be enough to break the franchise’s all-time reception record.
The Eagles – who continue to be the subject of speculation regarding A.J. Brown‘s future – currently have nearly $35MM in cap space. They could comfortably afford a low-cost Ertz deal as a result, but the draft looms as an opportunity for the team to add tight end depth. How that plays out will no doubt have a strong impact on Philadelphia’s interest in an Ertz reunion.
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