Commanders GM hints at 'super heavy' solution to roster hole

ASHBURN, Va. – There was already a significant question as to whether or not tight end Zach Ertz would be able to play and return to the Washington Commanders in 2026.

Suffering a torn ACL near the end of the season at the age he is will do that. Now that the Commanders have parted ways with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, the coach Ertz came to the team to work with in the first place, the chances the veteran returns may have just gotten smaller.

While that future is being determined in real time, Washington also knows it has to find a way to replicate not just the production Ertz brought to the team, but also the confidence he brought to quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Nov 30, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz (86) reacts after a catch against the Denver Broncos in the second quarter of the game at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Ertz's injury creates a void

"Zach's a Hall of Fame caliber player who's really, really excellent in the pass game," general manager Adam Peters recently said of the tight end. "Think of a Zach Ertz type of skillset where Jayden knows where he is going to be when he is going to be, and trust that he's going to catch the ball and make the play, which he did really incredibly for the last two years, and that's sorely missed. For sure."

What Ertz lacked in top-end athleticism as an older player in the league, he made up for in intelligence and experience, allowing him to outsmart defenses and find openings where others might have relied on their physical ability to do the same.

As he aged, that became a calling card of his game and part of what made him so reliable, even as the abilities youth brings fade away.

To replace him, if that is the plan moving forward, Peters knows he needs to find someone just as good, if that’s possible.

"So, as you're looking at it right there, where can you find someone who's really, really good on third down? Could it be one of those guys (already on the roster)? Somebody [who] can always get open so the quarterback can always rely on. …Or are we going to go outside, whether the draft or free agency, and get that?"

Evaluating the internal options

Currently, John Bates, Ben Sinnott, Colson Yankoff, and Lawrence Cager (reserve/futures) are under contract for next year, and while each has proven worthy of bringing back for 2026, none has shown the type of reliable production Ertz has.

“You look to develop and really utilize those three guys' skillsets, and I think they're all really good players in their own right. Ben's developing a lot. He's got a lot better this year, and I think he's got another level to go to,” Peters said. "John’s one of the best blocking tight ends in the league, and Colson's kind of a jack of all trades, been an excellent special teams player for a tight end."

A 'super heavy' free agent class

"I don't anticipate him [Ertz] being ready at the beginning of the season,” Peters continued. “So, if you're going free agency, it's super heavy at one position, maybe you go there and then the draft you go elsewhere to fill that, fill those needs."

Whatever Peters does at tight end, even if Ertz does come back, it’s imperative the team takes a good, hard look at how much confidence they have in any of the current candidates to start in his place while healing. If that answer isn’t solid, then, whether through free agency or the draft, new talent will need to be brought in, and a competition that could be the talk of training camp will need to be had.

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2025 season.

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