In the past months, rumors have been continuously swirling around veteran tight end Zach Ertz and his future with the Philadephia Eagles. Since failing to reach a deal regarding a contract extension with the Eagles, there are speculations that Ertz is trying to find his way out of the City of Brotherly Love.
The 30-year-old tight end may have decided to show up at the start of the Eagles’ training camp, but Mike Garofolo of NFL Network said on Twitter that it doesn’t mean that everything between him and Philadelphia is "copacetic."
Zach Ertz To Jaguars
Despite attending the Eagles’ training camp, Garofolo revealed that Ertz remains unhappy with the team, and nothing has changed about his desire to be traded away from Philadelphia. In a recent article, Field Yates of ESPN came up with a list of interesting trade ideas that could happen in the NFL preseason. These include a hypothetical deal that would send Ertz to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In the proposed trade scenario by Yates, the Jaguars would be acquiring Ertz from the Eagles by sending them a conditional fifth-round pick in 2022.
Why The Trade Make Sense For The Jaguars
With their need for improvement in their tight end depth, Yates believes that trading a conditional fifth-rounder for Ertz would make a lot of sense for the Jaguars.
"Jacksonville’s group of pass-catching tight ends is about as slim as you’ll find in the league, making any potential upgrade a worthwhile exploration," Yates wrote. "Thirty-year-old Ertz is coming off a disappointing season in which he posted career lows in yards, yards per catch and touchdowns, but it’s impossible to dismiss the context surrounding the dreadful 2020 Philly offense that played some part in that. He’s an exceptional pro and would help the Jacksonville culture as it begins the Trevor Lawrence era."
Eagles Get Rid Of Distraction & Open Opportunity For Young Players
The proposed trade deal would also be worth exploring for the Eagles, especially if they don’t really have any plan of giving Ertz a contract extension. Instead of losing him in the summer of 2022 without getting anything in return, the suggested trade would allow the Eagles to turn his expiring contract into a conditional 2022 fifth-round pick that could become a third- or fourth-round pick if he plays well in the 2021 NFL season.
Also, Geoffrey Knox of Fansided’s Inside The Iggles believes that Ertz’ departure could give an opportunity to young players such as Jason Croom and Hakeem Butler.
Jaguars Should First Get Zach Ertz’ Commitment Beyond 2021 NFL Season Before Making The Trade
Though his potential arrival in Jacksonville is expected to bring a positive impact on their offense, trading for Ertz also comes with a risk for the Jaguars. Per Spotrac, the 30-year-old tight end is currently entering the final year of his contract and set to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2021 NFL season. Before making a deal with the Eagles, the Jaguars should first get an assurance from Ertz that he intends to stay long-term with the team.
Otherwise, they would be losing a future draft asset for a potential one-year rental.
