Commanders To Sign TE Chig Okonkwo
With Zach Ertz‘s NFL future in doubt after an ACL tear, the Commanders are landing one of the top tight ends on the market. Chig Okonkwo is headed to Washington, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo.
The former Titans starter is in agreement on a three-year deal worth up to $30MM, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. While GM Adam Peters said at the Combine the door remained open for Ertz to return on a third contract, this Okonkwo addition may remove that from the equation.
PFR’s No. 37-ranked free agent, Okonkwo brings intriguing upside as a receiving tight end. Paired with bottom-tier quarterback play for most of his Titans tenure, Okonkwo has two 500-yard receiving seasons on his resume. This will also mark a return to the mid-Atlantic region for Okonkwo, who played collegiately at Maryland.
Clocking a 4.52-second 40-yard dash time at the 2022 Combine, the former fourth-round pick started 42 games with Tennessee. He is coming off a career-best 560-yard season, helping No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward during a season in which the Titans were low on reliable weaponry. Despite Tennessee being flush with cap space and wanting to re-sign Okonkwo, he is heading out of town. Although the Titans reunited OC Brian Daboll with Daniel Bellinger on Monday, they will likely be hunting for a receiving TE to replace Okonkwo soon.
Isaiah Likely also defected to the NFC East, following John Harbaugh from Baltimore, and two of the market’s other top TEs — Dallas Goedert and David Njoku — are a few years older than Okonkwo. The first-time free agent is 26, giving Washington a promising option to pair with Jayden Daniels after Ertz played out an age-35 season in 2025.
This contract falls just short of the three-year, $30MM (base value) deal the Saints gave Juwan Johnson last year. It is not known what the base value of Okonkwo’s deal is, but it will be outside the top 12 at the tight end position. The Commanders will pair Okonkwo with high-level blocking tight end John Bates and 2024 second-round pick Ben Sinnott.
At nearly $10MM per year, though, Washington will expect quality production from Okonkwo. Ertz became a solid security blanket for Daniels. The two-time Kliff Kingsbury charge may be in free agency for a bit, as he is rehabbing a major injury. Ertz, however, is hoping to play an age-36 season.
Zach Ertz Plans To Play In 2026; TE Could Be Cleared By Week 1
Zach Ertz is on the list of the Commanders’ pending free agents. He may remain unsigned for a notable period, but the veteran tight end intends to continue playing in 2026. 
Ertz does not plan on retiring this year, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. That confirms a recent update on the matter, ensuring a 14th NFL season is in store. The 35-year-old has been in Washington since 2024.
Over the course of his two Commanders seasons, Ertz has operated as a full-time starter. The three-time Pro Bowler was a key factor in Washington’s offense during Jayden Daniels‘ rookie campaign, notching seven touchdowns on 66 catches. Last year, an ACL tear suffered in early December brought things to an immediate and unwanted halt. Ertz’s market will of course be greatly impacted by the status of his recovery.
On that note, Pelissero adds Ertz is expected to receive full medical clearance around Week 1 of next season. If that timeline holds, interested teams may be willing to move quicker with respect to a free agent deal than if a lengthy spell on the sidelines was expected during the 2026 campaign. Given his age, Ertz should not be expected to land a long-term pact from the Commanders or any other team. Still, he could be viewed as a low-cost veteran addition for any number of suitors.
Washington selected Ben Sinnott in the second round of the 2024 draft. He has managed only 16 catches to date in the regular season, but an uptick in usage could be coming if Ertz departs. Washington could also be in the market for another experienced tight end to pair with Sinnott while looking to rebound from last year’s underwhelming showing.
Ertz ranks fifth all time in receptions among NFL tight ends. His 8,592 yards are No. 8, but a move up the order could be in store provided he manages to play a full season upon returning to full health. It appears as though that will be possible given where his recovery stands, so it will be interesting to see how his market looks in the spring.
NFC East Rumors: Giants, Okereke, Goedert, Eagles, Ertz, Cowboys
As our Giants Offseason Outlook covered, the team will be making some cost-cutting moves. Three “obvious” cuts are coming, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan, who tabs Devin Singletary, Graham Gano and James Hudson as soon-to-be released veterans. The Giants can save $5.25MM by releasing Singletary, $4.5MM by cutting Gano and $5.38MM by axing Hudson. Signed on the same day Saquon Barkley defected to the Eagles, Singletary was unable to remain New York’s starter for long. He lost his job to Tyrone Tracy in 2024 and saw Cam Skattebo leapfrog him last year. Tracy’s rookie deal runs through 2027, while Skattebo is signed through 2028. Gano has missed a staggering 28 games since signing a three-year, $16.5MM extension in 2023. The Giants benched Hudson, their hopeful swing tackle, after a penalty-filled Week 2.
While Jon Runyan Jr. was listed as a likely Giants cut months ago, Duggan places Bobby Okereke on the borderline. The team can save $9.25MM by releasing Runyan, while Okereke can bring back $9MM. Okereke, 29, is due a $3MM roster bonus on March 13. With the Giants projected to hold less than $7MM in cap space and making wholesale changes under John Harbaugh, significant roster changes are likely.
Here is the latest from the NFC East:
- The Eagles gave Dallas Goedert a pay cut in 2025, and while the longtime starter caught a franchise tight end-record 11 touchdown passes last season, The Athletic’s Zach Berman expects the sides to part ways soon. Goedert, 31, will be a free agent next month. A glaring hole will exist at tight end if/once the Eagles move on, but Berman anticipates the team adding a younger option. As PFR’s Connor Byrne noted in his Eagles Offseason Outlook piece, Goedert not being re-signed will tag the team with a hefty dead money bill ($20.49MM) stemming from void years. No other Philly TE surpassed 80 receiving yards in 2025.
- Goedert’s predecessor, Zach Ertz, is also unsigned for 2026. Coming off an ACL tear, Ertz does not want to retire just yet, ESPN.com’s John Keim notes. Ertz, 35, bounced back with the Commanders by combining for 1,158 receiving yards in his two-season tenure. Jayden Daniels relied on the 13-year veteran in 2024, and he posted a better yards-per-game figure (38.8) in 2025. Still, Ertz being in his mid-30s coming off an ACL tear will limit his market. It is quite possible he remains in free agency until he returns to full strength.
- The Commanders already took care of one free agent, re-signing punter Tress Way. The veteran specialist’s one-year contract is worth $3.04MM; almost all of that figure is guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap.
- The Giants will need to make a decision on their right tackle soon. Jermaine Eluemunor profiles as a player the team may want to retain. He started 34 games over the past two seasons in New York and was a fifth-round Ravens draftee in 2017, playing two Baltimore seasons. Eluemunor, 31, could draw between $7-$10MM per year, according to SNY’s Connor Hughes. With Eluemunor already earning $7MM per year on his 2024 Giants deal, it should be expected the proven starter fetches more. He joins Braden Smith, Jack Conklin and Jonah Williams as experienced RTs set to hit the market.
- The Cowboys have made three new coaching hires. They are adding Kyle Fuller as assistant O-line coach and Scott Symons as inside linebackers coach, ESPN.com’s Todd Archer and CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer report. Fuller, who played for six teams in a seven-year O-line career, served as a Raiders quality control coach in 2025. Symons will make a cross-town move, being hired after three years as SMU’s DC. The Mustangs finished as a top-35 defense nationally in each of the past three seasons, winning 31 games in that span. Dallas is also hiring Demeitre Brim as assistant D-line coach, per Zenitz. Brim comes over after one season with the Golden Knights, previously coaching at Nebraska and Lehigh.
- Wrapping this coaching roundup, the Commanders are hiring LSU’s Jake Olsen to their defensive staff, Zenitz adds. Olsen spent the past two seasons as the Tigers’ safeties coach. Olsen was at Mizzou from 2022-23 but coached under new Commanders DC Daronte Jones at LSU in 2021.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/10/25
Here are today’s midweek minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed from practice squad: CB Tre Avery
- Signed off Cardinals’ practice squad: T Jeremiah Byers
- Waived: S Chris Edmonds
Houston Texans
- Designated for return from IR: TE Harrison Bryant, WR Justin Watson
New York Giants
- Designated for return from IR: WR Beaux Collins
- Practice window opened: OL Joshua Ezeudu
New York Jets
- Signed from practice squad: DE Eric Watts
- Placed on IR: DE Tyler Baron
Philadelphia Eagles
- Designated for return from IR: LS Charley Hughlett
- Reverted to season-ending IR: T Myles Hinton
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed from practice squad: T Dylan Cook
- Placed on IR: T Calvin Anderson
Seattle Seahawks
- Designated for return: TE Eric Saubert
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: DT C.J. Brewer, WR Ryan Miller
Washington Commanders
- Signed from practice squad: RB Chase Edmonds
- Placed on IR: TE Zach Ertz (story)
The Texans’ offense is getting healthy at just the right time. Despite not making much of an impact in the passing game, Bryant started three of eight game appearances earlier this year for the Texans and returns to a thin position group. Watson is coming back from a 13-week absence and will hope to continue working his way into a new offense.
The Eagles waived replacement long snapper Cal Adomitis yesterday, so it stands to reason that Hughlett will find himself back on the 53-man roster soon. Hinton’s 21-day practice window closed today, so he’ll add insult to injury in Philadelphia as he reverts to injured reserve without the ability to be activated while still using up one of the team’s eight allotted activations, since they designated him to return before final roster cuts.
Commanders TE Zach Ertz Suffers ACL Tear
DECEMBER 8: Quinn confirmed on Monday (via ESPN’s John Keim) Ertz did indeed tear his ACL yesterday. Ertz will move to season-ending IR as a result while he begins a lengthy rehab process ahead of free agency.
DECEMBER 7: The Commanders dealt with a number of new injuries on offense during their Sunday game. Among the players who exited was tight end Zach Ertz.
Ertz was carted off the field after injuring his knee. Shortly thereafter, the three-time Pro Bowler was ruled out for the remainder of the contest. When speaking to the media after the game, head coach Dan Quinn said (via Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic) there is concern about an ACL tear. Concerningly, he added “the early signs aren’t good.”
Further testing, including an MRI, will no doubt take place in the near future. Provided the team’s fears wind up being confirmed, however, Ertz’s season will be over. The 35-year-old was emotional as he made his way off the field, a further indication he will be in store for a lengthy recovery process.
Ertz joined the Commanders on a one-year deal in 2024. The former Eagle and Cardinal played a key role in quarterback Jayden Daniels‘ stellar rookie campaign, scoring seven touchdowns and totaling 654 yards. To little surprise, another pact was worked out in March to ensure Ertz remained in Washington. He posted 493 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games entering today’s action.
The Commanders lost 31-0 against the Vikings on Sunday during a game in which Daniels suffered a new injury. The second-year passer had just returned from an elbow ailment, but Quinn indicated he will be able to play again this season. It remains to be seen if the same will also be true for Ertz, who has been in the NFL since 2013.
The Stanford product has not been linked to a retirement decision in the past, but a major injury such as an ACL tear could of course change his thinking on that front. Ertz is a pending free agent, so his outlook from a health standpoint will be critical in determining his future. The Commanders are now 3-10 on the year, and their attention will turn to preparing for 2026. In Ertz’s case, testing will determine if is able to play again this season.
Commanders To Re-Sign TE Zach Ertz
Another 2024 Commanders addition is staying put ahead of free agency. Tight end Zach Ertz has a new deal in place.
This will be a one-year agreement, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The pact has a base value of $6.25MM with upside of $9MM thanks to incentives. After a strong debut campaign in Washington, Ertz will remain a key contributor on offense.
The veteran had a strong run with the Eagles but he faced questions about his remaining productivity upon being traded to the Cardinals in 2021. Ertz nevertheless remained a full-time starter upon arrival in Arizona while playing under Kliff Kingsbury. The latter’s decision to return to the NFL coaching ranks as Washington’s offensive coordinator was followed by Ertz taking a one-year Commanders pact.
Both of those moves proved to be fruitful. Led by Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels, Washington advanced to the NFC title game, notably raising expectations for 2025 in the process. Ertz put up a 66-654-7 statline during his debut Commanders season, and last month he made it clear he had no intentions of hanging up his cleats. Now, prior to free agency, the 34-year-old’s immediate future has been assured.
Ertz’s pact last year was worth $3MM and included just $1.96MM in guarantees. Especially if the three-time Pro Bowler reaches his incentives, he will fare much better in 2025 from a financial perspective. The Commanders could look to add a tight end successor in the draft this spring, but Ertz will be counted on to remain a productive member of the team’s skill-position group for at least one more year.
Adding a proven receiver to complement Terry McLaurin was seen as a clear priority for this offseason, and the Commanders addressed it with the Deebo Samuel trade. Bringing back Ertz will ensure continuity elsewhere on offense as the team looks to duplicate its success while Daniels remains attached to his rookie contract. Washington’s efforts to keep free agent pickups from last year in place include the recent re-signing of linebacker Bobby Wagner.
He and Ertz will look to again provide value to a Commanders organization which has been substantially reshaped under owner Josh Harris, general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn. Washington entered Saturday with nearly $80MM in cap space, so even once this pact becomes official the team will have plenty of spending power in free agency to add to its existing corps.
Zach Ertz Will Play In 2025; Noah Brown Hopes To Re-Sign With Commanders
Zach Ertz enjoyed a strong 2024 campaign upon reuniting with Kliff Kingsbury and playing for the Commanders. The veteran tight end demonstrated the production he is still capable of, and as a result he has no intention of hanging up his cleats.
“I don’t know what the future holds,” the three-time Pro Bowler said (video link via Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post). “I still want to play football next year. I just want to make that clear that I’m not retiring.”
Ertz’s best years came during his tenure with the Eagles, which began in 2013 and lasted midway through the 2021 campaign. He made a notable first impression for Kingsbury and Co. in Arizona, but in the following two seasons he was limited to a total of 17 contests and saw his production drop off. In 2024, however, a resurgence took place, resulting in a 66-654-7 statline.
Approaching his age-35 season, Ertz is a pending free agent. He is clearly looking for a new deal to continue his career, and it would come as no surprise if the Commanders looked to give him another short-term deal this spring (especially since Kingsbury turned aside head coaching interest to remain in the nation’s capital for 2025). Failing that, any number of teams in need of a pass-catching addition at the TE spot could look to add him for next season.
Ertz played on a $3MM pact in 2024, one which featured $1.96MM in up-front guarantees. The Stanford product will no doubt look to increase the latter figure on his next contract, but with the third-most projected cap space in the league this offseason, the Commanders should be able to comfortably afford a raise. It will be interesting to see if the sides can work out a deal before free agency starts next month.
In other Commanders news, wideout Noah Brown said (via Jhabvala) he wants to remain in Washington for 2025. The former Cowboys draftee was among the familiar faces who followed head coach Dan Quinn to the nation’s capital this past offseason (having spent 2023 in Houston). His debut Commanders campaign was of course highlighted by the Week 8 win which featured a Hail Mary pass he was on the receiving end of; overall, Brown averaged 12.9 yards per catch as a complementary receiving option before suffering a season-ending injury in December.
Adding a high-end producer to their pass-catching core (one which is lacking in star power outside of Terry McLaurin) is a goal for the Commanders this offseason. At least some new faces will no doubt be brought in at the tight end and receiver spots as a result, but Ertz and Brown are candidates to be retained on new deals.
Commanders To Sign TE Zach Ertz
Zach Ertz will join a third team since November. After landing with the Lions late last season, the veteran tight end came up earlier today as a Commanders target. The NFC East team will follow through on a deal.
Washington has an agreement in place with Ertz, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, who adds the one-year contract is worth up to $5MM. This move will reunite Ertz with former Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury, who will debut as the Commanders’ play-caller.
Ertz finishing last season on the Lions’ practice squad allows him to sign before the market opens next week. This will position the longtime Eagles pass catcher to be a potential starter again. The Commanders released Logan Thomas late last week. NFL.com’s Peter Schrager reported earlier Ertz was in talks with the Commanders.
A number of teams — the Eagles, Chiefs, Bills and Ravens — were interested in Ertz following his in-season Cardinals exit. Ertz and the Cards reached a financial compromise following the trade deadline, and the team removed Ertz from its IR list. No one claimed the 11-year veteran, and Ertz did not end up playing in a game for another team following that transaction. The Lions did not activate him ahead of the NFC championship game.
Two tight ends are now off the board ahead of free agency, with this Ertz deal coming a day after the Texans re-signed Dalton Schultz. Teams will still have options like Hunter Henry and Noah Fant, but the market is thinner after these two agreements. Ertz will be looking to bounce back after a down season on a rebuilding team. The Stanford alum caught just 27 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown in seven Arizona games last season. A quad injury led Ertz to IR, which ended up wrapping his Cardinals tenure. He requested to be cut soon after, and the Cardinals then turned second-year TE Trey McBride loose.
Ertz, 33, spent around a year as a healthy option in Kingsbury’s offense. The Cardinals acquired him via trade from the Eagles during the 2021 season, as the Eagles opted to pay Dallas Goedert over a second Ertz extension, and the NFC West team received promising returns. Ertz totaled 56 catches for 574 yards and three touchdowns in 11 Cardinals games that year. At the time, that doubled as single-season TE yardage record during the Cards’ Arizona years; McBride has since surpassed it. The showing led the Cardinals to re-sign Ertz on a three-year, $31.65MM deal in 2022. That preceded a season-ending knee injury midway through Kingsbury’s woeful Arizona finale.
Ertz’s best years are probably behind him, and it will be interesting to see if the Commanders make a bigger TE splash this offseason. But the former Eagles third-rounder has six seasons with at least 750 receiving yards. Ertz ranks second in Eagles history with 709 receptions. Post-Thomas, Washington rosters John Bates, Armani Rogers and 2022 fifth-rounder Cole Turner. Thomas’ 496 receiving yards led Commanders tight ends by more than 300 last season.
Lions To Sign TE Zach Ertz
Zach Ertz‘s free agent period is set to come to an end. The Pro Bowl tight end has agreed to a deal with the Lions, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Ertz was let go by the Cardinals November 30, a move which placed him on the waiver wire. No team claimed him, but a number of potential suitors emerged shortly after he became a free agent. The Lions were not named amongst the contending teams believed to have shown interest, but they have now secured veteran insurance at the TE spot in advance of the NFC title game.
A reunion with the Eagles seemed to be on the table for Ertz, but no deal materialized. Other playoff-bound teams like the Chiefs, Bills, Ravens and 49ers were also floated as possible landing spots. In all, Ertz is believed to have spoken with six teams seriously interested in adding him. Detroit appears to have been a member of that group given today’s move.
Pelissero notes Ertz will join Detroit’s practice squad, something which has become commonplace in the NFL with respect to in-season additions. The Lions lost backup tight end Brock Wright to a forearm injury on Sunday, but Ertz will be able to step in if needed next week against the 49ers. The latter worked with Detroit’s tight ends coach (Steve Heiden) in Arizona, so familiarizing himself in the Lions’ offense should not be difficult even on short notice.
Of course, standout rookie Sam LaPorta will be counted on to lead the way at the TE position as Detroit’s playoff run continues. The second-rounder entered the postseason with injury concerns, but he has combined for 12 receptions, 79 yards and a touchdown across the Lions’ wins against the Rams and Buccaneers. LaPorta will be a critical member of the team’s passing game against San Francisco, but Ertz could provide a complementary option if needed.
The latter showed an ability to remain productive after his midseason trade from the Eagles to the Cardinals in 2021. His first full season with Arizona was cut short by an ACL tear, and upon returning to health this season, the 33-year-old received five or fewer targets on four occasions. With Trey McBride in place as the Cardinals’ top option now and in the future, Ertz asked to be let go in an effort to find a new home. He has finally secured an opportunity for at least one game as he looks to rebuild his free agent stock.
Latest On TE Zach Ertz
Zach Ertz remains an intriguing mid-season free agent. The veteran tight end has yet to find a new home since he was let go by the Cardinals, but a number of suitors remain interested in a deal. 
Ertz has had ” serious conversations” with a total of six teams, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. To no surprise, Pelissero notes the potential destinations are comprised of postseason contenders as the three-time Pro Bowler seeks another Super Bowl title. Ertz is still weighing his options, per the report, so the Week 14 slate of Sunday games will likely take place without his future being decided.
The Eagles quickly emerged as a team to watch with respect to an Ertz reunion. The 33-year-old spent the first eight-plus years of his career in Philadelphia, a team which appears poised to make another deep playoff run. Other teams have also been mentioned as suitors to land Ertz as a depth addition, however, including the Chiefs, Bills and Ravens.
The latter is set to be without Mark Andrews for the rest of the season, which would make Baltimore a logical landing spot or Ertz. In spite of that, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh recently expressed confidence in the team’s incumbent TE options. The 49ers have recently become a suitor, with backup Ross Dwelley set to miss signficant time due to an ankle sprain. San Francisco is obviously set atop the tight end depth chart with George Kittle, but Ertz would represent a luxury add to arguably the league’s best array of skill-position players.
Ertz was attached to a lucrative Cardinals pact before his request to be waived was granted. Arizona appears to have a long-term answer at the position in the form of 2022 second-rounder Trey McBride, leaving Ertz free to boost his free agent stock by joining a playoff-bound team. His 27-187-1 statline for 2023 leaves plenty to be desired relative to his past production, but Ertz could still be a valuable addition for a contending team. The five aforementioned squads could each find themselves in the postseason, giving them plenty of reason to favor a low-cost Ertz deal.
Assuming the Eagles, Chiefs, Bills, Ravens and 49ers are amongst the team’s Ertz has spoken with, it will be interesting to learn the identity of the sixth squad. In any case, Ertz’s free agent period will remain a notable storyline through the stretch run of the regular season.