Getty Eagles tight ends Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert have been the subject of trade talks dating back to the offseason.
The Philadelphia Eagles only have a few days to get ready for Tom Brady. It’s a game the team might have to play with one of their key playmakers out of the lineup after Dallas Goedert hit the Reserve/COVID-19 list.
Goedert was vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, but the tight end still tested positive. He’ll need to turn in two negative tests 24 hours apart, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. The Eagles play in two days on Thursday Night Football (October 14) versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Zach Ertz would be in line to start if Goedert isn’t cleared to play. Undrafted rookie Jack Stoll would serve as the primary backup at tight end. The Eagles recently added second-year player Noah Togiai to the practice squad. He could be elevated and protected in a pinch. Goedert is the squad’s third-leading receiver through five weeks, with 15 receptions for 216 yards and two touchdowns.
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Zach Ertz Trade Talks Heating Up Again?
Goedert’s status could impact whether how hot the stove gets on Ertz. The Eagles were close to dealing him “at least twice” in the offseason, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, and those talks could be heating up again.
I don’t think the #Bills are going to trade for Zach Ertz.
Fowler mentioned the Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts as potential landing spots for Ertz, adding that the Minnesota Vikings had inquired about Goedert. Ertz would prefer to go to a contender so that could whittle the list down. Or if the Eagles pieced together a winning streak over the next couple of weeks, maybe he’d be inclined to stay.
Also, Buffalo doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense right now considering the emergence of Dawson Knox. He has 261 receiving yards this season, including five touchdowns in the last four weeks.
One other name to keep an eye on is Marlon Mack. The Colts running back requested a trade and produced his lone 1,000-yard rushing season in 2019 when Nick Sirianni was his offensive coordinator. With Miles Sanders struggling and Kenneth Gainwell fighting for carries, Mack could add a boost to the Eagles’ backfield.
Tom Brady Sore, Expects to Play
Tom Brady expects to play in Week 6 despite a thumb injury. The seven-time Super Bowl champion had his throwing hand heavily wrapped prior to practice on October 12 and admitted it felt a “little sore.” However, no small bump or bruise is going to keep him from suiting up against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“It’s a little sore but I expected it to be,” Brady told reporters, via The Associated Press. “We signed up for a contact sport. You get different bumps and bruises throughout the year and we’ll just deal with it the best we can. This bump and bruise happens to be on my hand.”
Brady added that if the injury was on his left (non-throwing) hand, then it wouldn’t even be an issue. The 44-year-old leads the NFL in passing yards (1,767) and ranks second in touchdown tosses (15) to Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs.