Now is the time for the Washington Commanders to swing big. Quarterback Jayden Daniels will only be on his rookie contract once. There's plenty of cap space, plenty of needs, and a realistic reason for Washington to be all-in on the next few seasons.
Daniels showed he's capable of taking down the league's elite teams. With several quality targets available, the trigger was already pulled on a big trade for Deebo Samuel.
And late Saturday night?
Three-time Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz is staying put.
Ertz is re-signing with the Commanders on a one-year, $6.25 million deal worth up to $9 million with incentives, per a report from NFL Network.
The Commanders aren't looking to overhaul a roster that just went to the NFC Championship Game, and part of that cap surplus will be spent on retaining a portion of its significant class of veteran free agents. Washington will have to balance continuity and complacency, sustainability and aggression in the coming months.
But the Commanders were not going to lose Ertz in free agency.
Ertz had stated publicly that he would like to stay in place working with coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and in Washington for the rest of his career.
Ertz is very much a security blanket in terms of his usage, although he did drop five of his 91 targets in 2024.
Helping Daniels emerge as a superstar, he turned those targets into 66 catches for 654 yards and seven scores – at times crucial – production.
At some point. Washington may choose to use young tight end Ben Sinnott to take on a larger role in the offense. But Ertz still matters … as this deal clearly establishes.
Related: 'Popular' Commanders Predicted Landing Spot For Pro Bowl WR
In the end. Thus as an option is good news for a Commanders team that feels close to perennial contention.
Related: Commanders Signing Tee Higgins Dream Hits Tag Snag
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This story was originally published March 8, 2025 at 10:34 PM.
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