On an otherwise star-studded Philadelphia Eagles offense, depth at tight end stands out as a potential concern. Considering the uncertainty behind Dallas Goedert, the Eagles should look into reuniting with franchise legend Zach Ertz.
Selected by the Eagles in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, Ertz spent nine seasons in Philadelphia, earning three Pro Bowl selections. His marquee campaign came in 2018, when he led the team with 116 receptions for 1,163 receiving yards, ranking second in the NFL in catches and in the top 20 in receiving yards overall. Ertz was a vital part of the Eagles winning Super Bowl LII.
Even late in his career, Ertz remains a highly productive receiver. Last season with the Washington Commanders, he recorded 50 catches for 504 yards (ranking second and third on the team, respectively) despite playing in just 13 games before a season-ending ACL tear against the Minnesota Vikings.
Ertz was cleared for football activities in early August and told Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he hopes to play this season.
“I don’t want it to be the last play that I have,” Ertz said. “Even talking to people now, and they do it out of the goodness of their heart, they say, ‘Man, that injury was tough.’ When people think of my career and that last play, I don’t want that to be the conversation starter. So, for me, it’s just about doing everything I can to get back to my best, because I felt like I was playing really good football before I got hurt.”
Thin depth behind Goedert
Signing Ertz for depth underscores the lack of pass-catching firepower in the rest of the tight end room. Johnny Mundt has consistently run as the TE2 when the Eagles operate out of 12 personnel this camp. While Mundt is a reliable blocker, he offers minimal threat as a receiver over his eight-year career, having never caught 20 passes in a single season.
The Eagles hoped they had found an immediate pass-catching threat in Eli Stowers, but Jimmy Kempski recently tempered those post-draft expectations.
“For now, Stowers is unplayable, and likely to be a gameday inactive.”
Stowers was selected in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft and viewed as the potential future franchise tight end, an eventual replacement for Goedert, just as Goedert was for Ertz. Stowers earned unanimous All-American honors and won the John Mackey Award after posting 62 receptions for 769 yards in his final college season at Vanderbilt.
Known primarily as a speedy athlete with wide receiver skills, Stowers’ skillset has not translated to the NFL. He has struggled to consistently create separation, and his blocking has left much to be desired.
Signing Ertz allows Stowers more time to develop while adding a reliable pass-catcher to the mix. It also gives Ertz the opportunity to break the Eagles’ franchise receptions record, which he is just 11 catches short of.
