No Room for a Franchise Legend? Zach Ertz's Future With the Eagles Is Officially Cloudy

Eventually, a decision must be made.

Zach Ertz's outlook with the Eagles is officially up in the air now that he's out of game-day elevations from the practice squad. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

PHILADELPHIA, P.A. — Zach Ertz remains with the Eagles, but his path to game action is now unclear after exhausting his practice squad elevations.

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni addressed the veteran tight end’s status Thursday before practice, offering measured praise without committing to a potential 53-man roster spot.

“Zach’s obviously still here. He’s out of elevations at this particular time,” the head coach said. “I think Zach’s been having really good practices. There’s things that you can’t predict, but I love having Zach on this football team, and we’ll see as the season progresses.”

Ertz, a longtime Eagles staple who returned on a practice squad deal in late September amid injuries and ineffectiveness at the tight end position, quickly used up his three standard elevations. He caught three passes for 22 yards in the three games he was active for the Eagles. 

With no more elevations available, the only way Ertz suits up again is if Philadelphia signs him to the 53-man roster.

That decision is complicated by other tight ends getting healthier, injuries elsewhere and Lane Johnson’s in-season retirement (which has kept a roster spot occupied for salary-cap reasons).

Potential reinforcements could impact Zach Ertz's outlook

Openings on the 53 are scarce and getting cloudier now that the 21-day practice windows have been opened for TEs Grant Calcaterra and Eli Stowers, who both remain on injured reserve but should be ahead of Ertz in the pecking order, the former being valued as an immediate contributor by the coaching staff and the latter buoyed by his status of being the 54th overall pick in April's draft.

Grant Calcaterra's eventual return will bump Zach Ertz down the Eagles' TE pecking order. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Eagles’ current trio is Goedert, the one plus-level player at the position, blocker Johnny Mundt and No. 3 E.J. Jenkins, who makes a big contribution on special teams but is expected to be released on Thursday, per NFL insider Mike Garafolo. 

The options are straightforward enough: promote Ertz to the active roster, keep the franchise icon on the practice squad without the ability to elevate him for games, or eventually move on. 

The calculus could change as well with another tight end injury or a trade involving Goedert, who is on an expiring contract and could add value for a contender if things continue to go south for the Eagles. 

Ertz, a three-time Pro Bowl selection and Super Bowl LII hero during his first stint with the Eagles, which ran from 2013 through the midway point of the 2021 season, needs seven more receptions to match the franchise’s record of 589, held by Hall of Famer Harold Carmichael. 

“When he’s been in with the ones, he’s had great reps, and when he’s been in with the scout team, he’s given our defense great looks, phenomenal looks,” Sirianni said of Ertz.

Get Eagles On SI straight to your inbox: sign up for our free newsletter here.