Getty Zach Ertz is trying to convince a former Eagles teammate to join him with the Cardinals.
Zach Ertz only recently re-signed with the Arizona Cardinals, but the veteran tight end is already on a recruiting mission for the team he decided to stay with for another three years.
Ertz has set his sights on a former teammate from his days with the Philadelphia Eagles. This dominant defensive tackle became a casualty of the salary cap on Thursday, March 17.
Seeing the news, Ertz wasted no time taking to social media to let this one-time All-Pro know there’s a place for him in the NFC West. If Ertz gets his way, the signing would be a game-changer for the Cardinals’ defense.
Ertz Wasting No Time Recruiting Eagles’ Pro Bowler
Thursday saw the Eagles decide to part company with a true franchise great. Fletcher Cox will be released at the opportune moment to save the most money, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo:
Fletcher Cox was released by the #Eagles with a post-June 1 designation, sources say. At 4p, $18 million would have become fully guaranteed. Cox is now a free agent but the team and his representatives continue to have discussions about a possible return.
Ertz doesn’t want to see Cox return to Philadelphia. He’s already trying to encourage his former teammate to seek pastures new:
It’s a commendable sign of commitment to the Cardinals’ cause from Ertz, who signed his new terms on Sunday, March 13. Ertz’s deal is for three years and puts him among the highest-paid players at his position, per NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero.
Ertz warrants the investment because of his enduring talent, something he acknowledges in Cox’s game. The two helped the Eagles win Super Bowl LII at the expense of the New England Patriots to culminate the 2017 season.
Theirs is a connection the Cardinals should hope is strong enough, because Cox would be transformative for a suspect defensive front. The group has already lost key players during this free-agency cycle.
Cardinals Need Replacements Up Front
The biggest loss was Chandler Jones joining the Las Vegas Raiders, a move reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Jones was the prolific edge-rusher in the Cards’ ranks other teams feared.
Replacing him won’t be easy, nor will offsetting the loss of defensive tackle Jordan Phillips. The latter was released on Wednesday to save money against the cap, according to Darren Urban of the team’s official website. It wasn’t long before Phillips rejoined the Buffalo Bills, per team insider Chris Brown.
Phillips rarely played up to expectations in Arizona, but he was still a big body who could be tough to shift in the middle. A defense generous enough to allow opposing runners to gain 4.6 yards per carry in 2021, will surely miss Phillips’ 6’6″, 341-pound frame at the heart of the trenches.
Cox could help the Cardinals cope without both Phillips and Jones. He’s always been a force against the run, while the 31-year-old can still move the pass pocket, even if his numbers in this area are declining, per Raiders Wire Managing Editor Marcus Mosher:
The Cardinals shouldn’t care too much about the dip in production. General manager Steve Keim hasn’t been afraid to take a chance on veterans who may be on the wane.
He did it when he signed ageing defensive end J.J. Watt to a two-year contract last offseason. Pairing a healthy again Watt with Cox would give the Cardinals a formidable one-two punch along the line capable of wrecking any offense.