The tight end position has been one of the stronger areas on the field for the Philadelphia Eagles recently. Yet, problems have begun and there is no clear course of action that Philadelphia appears to be taking at the moment. As of now, the tight end room includes Zach Ertz, Dallas Goedert and Richard Rodgers, with Jason Croom, Josh Perkins and Caleb Wilson in support.
Ertz has been the focal point of this tight end squad, but his time in Philadelphia is in jeopardy. Ertz’s press conference at the end of their season led most fans to think that he would be leaving Philadelphia. While that may have been the overall feeling at the moment, nothing has happened regarding Ertz and the tight end situation in Philadelphia since. Regardless, the Eagles have found themselves in quite the predicament, and the decision will not be an easy one.
Hang on to Ertz
After Ertz and the Eagles’ franchise were not able to reach a new deal, Ertz’s future was in question. Ertz has been a massive part of the Eagles since being drafted, so simply letting him go is no easy decision. Although he had a rather disappointing 2020 season, that could play into Philadelphia’s favor for now. Prior to the season, Ertz was looking for a large long-term deal that would come at a hefty price for the Eagles. Now that he had such a tough year, that asking price has definitely decreased by a large number. Ertz still has one year left on his contract until he becomes a free agent in 2022, but deciding to keep him is a likely scenario.
As a result of his rough 2020 season, Ertz could be preserved for his final year on his contract. The demand from other teams to acquire Ertz has likely gone down. Therefore, keeping him could be easier to accomplish because of the lack of demand and impact on his contract. Keeping Ertz on the team for at least next season is a very possible situation as Ertz’s demands have become much more debatable. If he were to stay, he would form a new relationship with Nick Sirianni. Additionally, Ertz would play a major role in helping Carson Wentz‘s rebirth. While these are only hypothetical scenarios, there is a strong possibility that Ertz could stay on the team in 2021.
Move on to Goedert
The Ertz situation is very controversial because either way that the decision leans, it is a win-lose scenario. Ertz is one of the most consistent players in the league, but his price and demand may still be too much for the Eagles to handle. Letting go of Ertz is a difficult decision to make for Philadelphia and their fans. Nevertheless, Dallas Goedert is a solid and reliable option to pass the torch off to. The 26-year old Goedert may be closer to becoming the No. 1 tight end than he thinks. Goedert has seen a solid increase in production from his rookie season, proving that he can be the go-to guy. Injury hindered his statistic production in 2020, but with Ertz out he saw much more time and was on pace to have his best season. Goedert is definitely ready to see his playing time increase.
If a Wentz trade is going to happen during this offseason, the Jalen Hurts to Dallas Goedert connection would be the new normal. Hurts can be a big improviser type of quarterback and that is what Goedert would need to prepare for. Ertz and Goedert are very different players out on the field. Where Ertz is more of a route-running tight end, Goedert displays a much more all-around tight end style. If Hurts is the new quarterback, Goedert needs to improve his route running and ability to get away from defenders. The issue is that the depth behind Goedert is not strong. Unless Philadelphia signs or drafts another reliable tight end backup, Goedert should expect a heavy load of work. If Ertz leaves Philadelphia, Goedert will need to do all that he can to prepare himself for a larger role.
Featured image courtesy of DraftKings Nation
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