Eagles can’t put off paying Zach Ertz any longer
The Eagles may now be forced to give Zach Ertz a new deal
NFL contract extensions continue to be handed out left and right this offseason. The tight end market saw an infusion of cash Thursday when George Kittle received a new five-year deal worth $75 million. While that news was still being reported the Kansas City Chiefs gave Travis Kelce his own new extension for four years and $57 million.
Now the Philadelphia Eagles are on the clock to give Zach Ertz a new contract. He is under contract through 2021 and has a dead cap figure of $7.7 million in that final season. The tight end is still only 29 years old and may not want to enter 2021 without a long-term deal in place.
Top 10 TE deals in new money per-year average:
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 13, 2020
-> 1) Kittle: $15M
-> 2) Kelce: $14.3M
3) Hunter Henry: $10.6M (tag)
4) Austin Hooper: $10.5M
5) Kyle Rudolph: $9.025M
6) Rob Gronkowski: $9M
7) Zach Ertz: $8.5M
8) Jimmy Graham: $8M
9) Jared Cook: $7.5M
10) Darren Waller: $7.4M
Zach Ertz needs to get paid
Ertz’s last extension was a five-year deal worth $42.5 million and he signed that back in 2016. That was still good money at the time. Hunter Henry’s mark of $10.6 million for a year was the new best at the position until these latest deals for Kittle and Kelce.
Ertz has been an elite and reliable target for the Eagles since making his debut in 2013. He has been to three straight Pro Bowls and has had at least 800 yards and six touchdowns in all three seasons.
The Eagles would have been a disaster on offense in 2019 if not for the tight end. He led the team with 916 receiving yards. Next on the list was fellow tight end Dallas Goedert with 607 yards. A true wide receiver doesn’t show up on the list until the fourth spot, where Alshon Jeffery finished with 490 yards in only 10 games.
Ertz is a focal point on offense and has worked great with Carson Wentz. His 135 targets in 2019 came after he had a whopping total of 156 in 2018. There is no need to wait any longer on an extension. Based on the new market, the tight end is an absolute bargain.
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The Eagles are projected to be well over the cap in 2021 and there is uncertainty over what the financials will be given lost revenue in 2020. However, the team can easily backload a new deal and keep Ertz happy in the process. He and his agent have plenty of leverage now and can thank Kittle and Kelce for that.