Washington Commanders' tight end Zach Ertz is coming to the end of his storied NFL career, so he likely doesn't need artificial motivation as he enters Year 14.
But if he was, he just got it. ... in a double-barreled way.
After three so-so seasons with the Cardinals from 2021 to 2023, Ertz had a career resurgence of sorts with the Commanders last year, posting 654 yards and seven touchdowns from 66 receptions.
Not to mention his 18 catches for 155 yards and a touchdown in Washington's three playoff games either.
But apparently, Pro Football Focus doesn't value that as much as we do.
In their latest tight end rankings ... out of 32 tight ends ranked, PFF has Ertz at No. 30, below Tyler Warren (24), and Colston Loveland (23), both just-drafted rookies.
"While Ertz isn’t the same player we saw from 2013 to 2019, he enjoyed a resurgence while catching passes from Jayden Daniels in 2024," Pro Football Focus writes. "He hauled in 84 passes for 809 yards and eight touchdowns last season, and his 72.5 PFF receiving grade was his best mark since 2019, showing he still has good play left in the tank."
So, we aren't sure exactly how PFF determined this ranking and where players landed, but it can't be due to on-field production.
Same with the rumors that pop up regularly about "how Washington needs a tight end.'' The Jayden Daniels-led offense demonstrated last year alone how "star-studded'' is enough with this group just as it is - especially considering the trade for receiver Deebo Samuel.
Looking at Ertz's regular-season stats from last season, among all tight ends, he finished 11th in yards, sixth in receptions, eighth in targets, and joint-fourth in touchdowns.
So, based on production alone, Ertz likely deserves to be roughly around the middle of the pack, if not a little higher. Perhaps PFF has ranked the tight ends based on what it thinks the players will produce in 2025. Still, based on his production last season, 30th feels like a joke.
And based on everything, the idea of tight end as a desperate need here seems shockingly ignorant to us.
And we bet Ertz feels the same way ... if he even bothers to notice the naysayers.