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The Philadelphia Eagles and Zach Ertz have been working on a graceful exit for at least nine months. The team finally traded the three-time Pro Bowler on Friday, October 15. Ertz was dealt to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for cornerback Tay Gowan and a 2022 fifth-round pick.
His wife, Julie Johnston-Ertz, is originally from Mesa, Arizona so it’s a good move for everyone. The Cardinals (5-0) remain undefeated and are legit contenders to win the Super Bowl this year. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie expressed appreciation for the star tight end in a statement.
Lurie said: “He will always be a member of the Eagles family, not only because of what he accomplished on the field, but also because of the wonderful person, dedicated leader, and exemplary role model that he was for nine seasons in Philadelphia.”
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Writing on the Wall for Ertz
The writing had been on the wall for quite some time for Ertz. With the NFL trade deadline quickly approaching on Tuesday, November 2, Ertz appeared to know he had played his final game in a midnight green jersey.
Ertz caught four balls for 29 yards in Week 6, including the team’s only receiving touchdown. He was forced to start after Dallas Goedert tested positive for COVID-19. After the game, Ertz was seen getting emotional on his walk to the locker room. He paused for a few minutes and hugged Eagles long-time security chief Dom DiSandro.
Philadelphia hits the road for two straight weeks and won’t play another home game until Sunday, November 7 when the Los Angeles Chargers come to town. Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reported that teams had been calling the Eagles about both Ertz and Goedert. The plugged-in reporter thought one of the tight ends would be traded this week.
Glazer said: “Several teams around the NFL have been calling the Eagles this week about trading for one of their tight ends, Zach Ertz or Dallas Goedert. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them got traded sometime this week.”
Nick Sirianni’s Play-Calling Under Fire
The run-to-pass ratio continues to be unbalanced in Philadelphia. That isn’t the only reason the Eagles are staring at a 2-4 record but it’s the one sports-talk radio wants to focus on. Head coach Nick Sirianni has preached patience as the team establishes their offensive identity. Jalen Hurts commented on how it’s been going after Thursday night’s 27-22 loss.
“I use the word identity. I’ve used it a few times,” Hurts told reporters. “Some people have asked about it and tried to dig into it. Identity. What is our identity as a football team? What is our identity as an offense? I think we have everything we need here in Philadelphia. We have everything.
“We’re going toe-to-toe with every team that we play, but we’re shooting ourselves in the foot. We have to take better advantage of our opportunities, and it starts with me. I have unwavering faith in everybody we have here. It’s a matter of putting it all together and making it flow.”
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