Zach Ertz

The Philadelphia Eagles are open to trading Zach Ertz, but they'll be selective when exploring a deal. 

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said a trade of Ertz has to "make sense for both sides" before it can happen.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Eagles gave Ertz's camp permission to seek a trade earlier this week, and "several teams have been engaged."   

Ertz's future with the Eagles has been a popular topic since he made it clear before Week 1 last year that he was unhappy with how offseason negotiations on a new deal went.   

Rapoport noted in September that talks between Ertz and the Eagles "came to an abrupt halt" because the team made a proposal with less guaranteed money than what it offered in November 2019. 

The market for tight ends was reset last offseason, starting with Austin Hooper's four-year, $42 million deal with the Cleveland Browns that included $23 million guaranteed. George Kittle broke that threshold when he signed a five-year, $75 million extension with the San Francisco 49ers that has $40 million in guaranteed money.   

The same day Kittle received his extension, Travis Kelce got a four-year deal from the Kansas City Chiefs with $22.75 million guaranteed. 

Ertz has one season remaining on the five-year extension he signed in January 2016. 

A three-time Pro Bowler, Ertz has spent his entire eight-year career in Philadelphia. The 30-year-old ranks second in franchise history with 561 receptions and fifth with 6,078 receiving yards.  

A high-ankle sprain limited Ertz to 11 games last season. He set career lows with 335 yards and one touchdown and tied his career low with 36 receptions. 

The Philadelphia Eagles have granted tight end Zach Ertz permission to seek a trade, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, who also noted that "several teams have been engaged."

Ertz, 30, has played eight NFL seasons, making three Pro Bowls. He led the Eagles with 74 catches and 824 receiving yards during the team's 2017 Super Bowl-winning campaign while adding eight touchdowns.

Injuries slowed down Ertz in 2020. A high ankle sprain kept him out for five games, and he finished with just 36 catches for 335 yards and one score in 11 contests overall.

The Eagles would be set at the position sans Ertz, who was largely excellent during his Philadelphia tenure.

Philadelphia still has Dallas Goedert, who had 46 catches for 524 yards and three scores last year, under contract for one more season. Ertz also has one year left on his deal after the 2022 and 2023 seasons were voided in his contract, per Over the Cap.

The Eagles can also opt to add a high-end prospect in Florida's Kyle Pitts at the position with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft.

As for Ertz, interest should be there, as Rapoport said. Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN tweeted that he expected the Buffalo Bills to be in the mix. Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94 WIP posited that the Los Angeles Chargers could be an option, throwing out the idea of L.A. sending wideout Mike Williams in return.

Nate Taylor of The Athletic reported that the defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs have shown interest too.

The interest is clearly there, but Mike Garafolo of NFL Network noted that the Eagles still need to be on the same page with Ertz's representation about trade compensation in return for the tight end.

"Still comes down to the Eagles agreeing on trade compensation but this step means Zach Ertz's agent can massage the entire deal," Garafolo tweeted. "Ertz wants it done. Team wants proper comp. Let's see where it goes."

Ultimately, it appears Ertz's days in Philadelphia are numbered and that the tight end could be on the move soon.

The Philadelphia Eagles reportedly "aren't in a rush" in trade talks for star tight end Zach Ertz in an effort to get better draft compensation than they're currently being offered, according to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. 

As for Ertz, the veteran is reportedly willing to play out the last year of his deal rather than immediately seeking a contract extension with a new team:

Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network added that the Eagles are allowing Ertz to seek out a trade:

Ertz, 30, had a down year for the Birds in 2020, catching just 36 passes for 335 yards and a touchdown in 11 games. It was the first year since 2014 he posted fewer than 70 receptions, and the first time since his rookie campaign in 2013 that he had less than 700 receiving yards. 

The three-time Pro Bowler's down year was a combination of injury issues and a poor showing from former Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, as the 4-11-1 Birds missed the postseason for the first time since 2016. 

With the Eagles attempting to clear cap space as they rebuild around Jalen Hurts and a promising young tight end in Dallas Goedert (46 catches for 524 yards and three scores last year) already on the roster, Ertz is expendable. Adding more draft compensation, and in turn more young talent on both sides of the ball, makes sense for Philly. 

Still, Ertz has been a popular player during his tenure in Philly and one of the team's most consistent weapons. His departure will sting, even if the divorce feels inevitable at this point. Even Ertz acknowledged his uncertain future at the end of the season. 

"I don't know. I want to be here, even if for some reason something were to happen, maybe I come back at the end," he told reporters in January. "I don't know what's going to happen next year."

Zach Ertz is ready to move on from the Philadelphia Eagles, and he's ready to do so right now.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Sunday that the three-time Pro Bowler is growing "increasingly impatient" with the team amid trade interest from multiple organizations. The Eagles refuse to release him, Pelissero said.

Mike Silver of NFL Network reported last Sunday that "multiple teams have called" about the availability of the star. 

The Eagles are reportedly looking for a third- or fourth-round pick in exchange for Ertz, Pelissero said. 

Ertz is set to enter the final year of his contract, fresh off of a career-worst season amid an ankle injury that limited him to just 11 games, the lowest total throughout his career. Finishing his season with 335 yards on 36 receptions, Ertz never found the end zone after one touchdown in the first game of the season. 

It was a noticeable decrease from his past three seasons, when he earned his Pro Bowl selections and averaged 967.7 yards and 7.3 touchdowns per year. 

Philadelphia is entering a rebuild following their four-win campaign, and the departure of Ertz would be the second major domino to fall following the trade that sent quarterback Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts. In exchange, the Eagles nabbed a third-round pick in the 2021 draft and a conditional second-round pick for the year that follows. 

Moving Ertz would be a major financial victory for the Eagles. Over the Cap projects the team to be above the salary cap for 2021, and Ertz counts for $12.5 million against that. 

Without him, Dallas Goedert would step into a bigger role after three seasons splitting time with Ertz. The South Dakota State product, a second-round pick by the team in 2018, averaged 524 yards and three touchdowns through 11 games in 2020. 

Zach Ertz's days as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles may be numbered.

According to Michael Silver of NFL Network, "multiple teams have called the Eagles" about a trade for the three-time Pro Bowl tight end, "and a deal could happen in the coming days." 

As quarterback Carson Wentz looked for an out following the Eagles' 4-11-1 season, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported in mid-February that Ertz was "bracing for a change of scenery." 

With Wentz reportedly headed to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a package of draft picks, that leaves Ertz, who missed five games in 2020 with a high ankle sprain. The Stanford product had a largely productive career throughout his eight seasons in Philadelphia, where he has played since he was drafted in the second round in 2013. 

The 30-year-old completed this season with 335 receiving yards and one touchdown, a year after recording 916 yards and six touchdowns in 15 games. In 2018, he posted a career-high 1,163 yards and tied a career high with eight touchdowns.

Without him this past season, the Eagles looked to fellow tight end Dallas Goedert, who posted 524 yards and three touchdowns, while backup Richard Rodgers tacked on 345 yards with two scores. Goedert will return in the final year of his contract, while Rodgers is a restricted free agent this offseason. 

Ertz's contract carries a $12.5 million cap hit, and if the Eagles elect to move on from him, they'll eat $7.8 million in dead money, per Spotrac. 

If Ertz exits, the Eagles may be tasked with finding more than a quarterback this offseason. Goedert is capable of assuming the TE1 role, but the team will likely need some reinforcements.

The Philadelphia Eagles may not be in a rush to move tight end Zach Ertz after having completed a deal to send quarterback Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday.

Ertz, who reportedly was made available in trade packages with Wentz, is likely to stay put until the NFL salary cap is confirmed for the 2021 season, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. The 30-year-old has one year remaining on his contract and is scheduled to reach free agency in 2022. 

Given the current state of the tight end market, Ertz's availability may lead to a bidding war from teams seeking an upgrade. 

This year's top free agents at the position include Hunter Henry, Jared Cook and Rob Gronkowski—the latter of whom has already signaled a desire to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Tom Brady. After those three unrestricted free agents, the list significantly drops off. Tyler Kroft, Tyler Eifert, Trey Burton and Jonnu Smith make up the second tier of available tight ends.

However it's unclear what the asking price for Ertz looks like outside of a package with Wentz.

Ertz has started at least 11 games per season dating back to 2016 and tallied 36 catches for 335 yards and one touchdown in 2020. The prior season he was elected to the Pro Bowl for the third straight year during a stretch that saw him catch 278 passed for 2,903 yards and 22 touchdowns. 

In the meantime, the Eagles will wait until the cap is set before attempting to move Ertz's $12.5 million salary.