Nick Sirianni Zach Ertz
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SI on Eagles' Ed Kracz proposed Nick Sirianni and the Philadelphia Eagles reunite with veteran tight end Zach Ertz.
With so many great players over recent years, the Philadelphia Eagles haven’t been able to keep them all. But this offseason, the Eagles could have the opportunity to bring back a former fan favorite or two in NFL free agency.
This week, SI on Eagles’ Ed Kracz named five former Eagles the team might entertain re-signing on a one-year contract. The No. 1 former player on the list was tight end Zach Ertz.
“The Eagles need tight ends. Ertz was one of the best in franchise history as a second-round pick in 2013 and spent eight years with the Eagles. There was always a thought – or a hope – that day in 2021 when the Eagles traded him to Arizona that he would return at some point. Maybe now, at age 35, is that time. He needs 11 more catches to move past Pro Football Hall of Famer Harold Carmichael for most career catches in team history with 590,” wrote Kracz.
“Ertz told NFL Media last week that he expects to be healthy and ready to go for the start of the season after tearing an ACL in Week 14 with the Commanders. He had 50 catches for 504 yards and four touchdowns before getting hurt.”
Ertz last played for the Eagles during the 2021 campaign. At the 2021 trade deadline, Philadelphia dealt him to the Arizona Cardinals, where he spent parts of three seasons.
The past two years, Ertz played for the NFC East rival Washington Commanders. In 2025, he averaged 10.1 yards per reception with 50 catches and 504 yards in 13 games before his ACL injury.
According to Spotrac, Ertz has made $80.96 million over his 13-year NFL career.
Why the Eagles Should Re-Sign Zach Ertz
Signing a 35-year-old tight end coming off a serious knee injury isn’t usually the best idea. But the Eagles signing Ertz could be an exception.
At the very least, bringing back Ertz would be popular in the fan base. But he could also potentially fill a sizable need for Philadelphia.
Veteran tight end Dallas Goedert, who essentially replaced Ertz in 2021, is an unrestricted free agent. On Monday, NFL insider Matthew Berry reported Goedert will “definitely be moving on” from the Eagles this offseason.
Such a departure will leave the Eagles without much tight end depth.
At 35 years old, Ertz obviously isn’t the player he once was. But when healthy, he can clearly still contribute. Once fully recovered in his knee, he should help replace Goedert, who had a career-high 11 touchdowns in 2025, in the short term.
Eagles TE Depth Entering 2026 NFL Free Agency
This offseason is a rough one at tight end for Philadelphia.
In addition to Goedert, 27-year-olds Grant Calcaterra and Kylen Granson will both be unrestricted free agents in March.
Unless the Eagles re-sign one of those three tight ends, every tight end who caught a pass for the team in 2025 will be gone.
Entering March, the only tight ends on the Eagles roster were Jaheim Bell, Cameron Latu and E.J. Jenkins. Not only did those three tight ends not have a reception for Philadelphia in 2025, but they have just three catches in all of their careers combined.
In a perfect world, the Eagles will add a more suitable long-term solution at tight end this offseason. A lot of NFL mock draft pundits have linked Philadelphia to Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq.
But Sadiq performed very well at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, so now experts are unsure if he will remain on the board for Philadelphia’s first pick.
If the Eagles can’t find a younger, higher upside option, trying Ertz for one more season could make a lot of sense.