The Philadelphia Eagles made a surprising move ahead of their Week 1 game against the Washington Commanders by sending Eli Stowers to the injured reserve.
As the weekend approached, Stowers told reporters that he planned to play after spending the week of practice as a limited participant due to an injury.
Just as his hamstring got better, Stowers suffered a quad injury, which changed his status completely. Now, the inevitable Zach Ertz reunion rumors are getting hotter for Philadelphia.
Eagles’ Zach Ertz Reunion Rumors Reignited After Latest Roster Move
“Stowers was questionable with a hamstring injury. There had been optimism that he would be eligible to play,” The Athletic’s Zach Berman wrote on X on Saturday. “The quadriceps injury is a new one. He underwent imaging after reporting discomfort. And it was determined he had a strain that will require a weeks-long absence.”
The Eagles insider then went on to add Ertz’s name in a follow-up.
“This also will heighten the speculation about Zach Ertz, who remains a free agent. Ertz is 10 catches behind Harold Carmichael on the franchise’s all-time receptions list. There’s long been interest in a return to Philly,” Berman said.
He was far from the only insider to link Ertz to the Eagles once again. As Zach Ertz remains available on the free agency market as one of the top tight ends searching for a landing spot, he seems like the obvious acquisition for the Eagles.
There isn’t enough time for the Eagles to get Ertz suited up for the Commanders game, but they could spend their Week 2 practices getting the ex-Eagle back up to speed with the team and working with Jalen Hurts.
Zach Ertz’s Eagles Career
For the first nine seasons of his 13-year career, Ertz appeared in 123 games for the Eagles. He caught 579 passes for 6,267 yards and 38 touchdowns.
The veteran tight end was a key contributor to the Eagles’ first Super Bowl-winning team during the 2017 NFL season. Amid the 2021 NFL season, the Eagles traded Ertz to the Arizona Cardinals.
After spending three seasons with the Cardinals, Ertz joined the Commanders for a two-year run. In 17 games during the 2024 NFL season, Ertz racked up 654 yards and seven touchdowns.
Although he produced over 500 yards in 2025, Ertz’s season ended prematurely after he suffered a torn ACL. At this stage, he is fully recovered and ready to return to the field. The Eagles have kept in contact with Ertz, and it could only be a matter of time before they get a reunion deal done.