The Philadelphia Eagles will officially part ways with quarterback Carson Wentz on Wednesday, when the team’s reported trade with the Indianapolis Colts can finally be processed. Wentz’s longtime friend and favorite target, Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz, might be right behind him. Although Ertz is under contract through 2021, the lifelong Eagle hinted at a departure immediately after the season, the least productive of his eight-year career, and has reportedly been available via trade for weeks.
As the Eagles look to accelerate their transition to a new era and give Ertz a fresh start, where exactly could the former Super Bowl champion wind up? Compensation might not great considering the 30-year-old is fresh off an injury-riddled season and is due $12.7 million this year, but the suitors should be aplenty.
Here are the six most logical landing spots for the veteran tight end:
Even after spending lots of dough on defense, where they’ve added Trey Hendrickson, Chidobe Awuzie and Mike Hilton, they’ve got needs on the other side of the ball, where second-year quarterback Joe Burrow deserves more help. With Tyler Boyd, Tee Higgins and Auden Tate giving them a solid long-term wide receiver corps, Ertz would make sense as more of a mid-range safety valve, not to mention a clear upgrade over the likes of C.J. Uzomah and Drew Sample.
If we’re taking bets, they might be the front-runners. They reportedly tried to sign Rob Gronkowski as a sidekick and/or upgrade of Dawson Knox. They’re in search of another weapon for QB Josh Allen with John Brown out the door. And Ertz would likely welcome the chance to play for such an up-and-coming contender and quarterback. They also just sent backup TE Lee Smith to the Falcons, clearing the way for an addition.
After spending big to add J.J. Watt on defense, the Cards could use at least another weapon or two on offense, where the pressure is on Kyler Murray and Kliff Kingsbury to deliver in 2021. No position begs for an upgrade more than TE, where Dan Arnold is slated to open the year atop the depth chart. Ertz would give Murray a reliable over-the-middle target and remain in the playoff hunt.
Outside of Buffalo, they probably make the most sense. Ertz is from California, where he starred at Stanford. He’d embrace sunny weather after eight years in Philly. More importantly, he’d give the Chargers a seamless replacement for Hunter Henry, who’s since cashed in with the Patriots, and be a reliable, if not No. 2, target for young phenom Justin Herbert under center.
Indianapolis Colts
Indy isn’t exactly in dire need of a TE, with Jack Doyle, Mo Alie-Cox and former Eagles teammate Trey Burton already in tow. But there wouldn’t be a more fitting pairing for Wentz, who never failed to look Ertz’s way in Philly. The Colts are flush with cap space, bent on winning sooner rather than later, and Ertz can be split out wide with success. He also has a history with coach Frank Reich.
This wouldn’t necessarily be Ertz’s preferred landing spot, seeing as the Jets are just entering a rebuild; in fact, he might request his release before signing off on a deal to such a team. But the connections are there: Ex-Eagles executive Joe Douglas is running the show and could use an upgrade of Chris Herndon, and New York has plenty of cap space and draft picks to make it work.
