The Zach Ertz trade has finally happened. The Eagles announced on Friday that they are sending veteran and three-time Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for CB Tay Gowan and a 2022 5th-round draft pick. Ertz has been the subject of trade rumors for nearly a year now, and the team reportedly had a high asking price early in the process. For his part, Ertz has been clear about his desire for a new contract. Ertz is currently in the final year of a 5 year, $42.5 million contract.
Tay Gowan was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the 6th-round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of UCF. He is 23 years old and is listed at 6’1″, 186 lbs. The Eagles reportedly liked him heading into the 2021 NFL Draft.
NFL insider Mike Garafolo reports that teams have also called the Eagles about tight end Dallas Goedert, who is also in the final year of his contract. However, it sounds like the Eagles were always more open to moving Ertz and hope to sign Goedert to a contract extension.
Eagles Tight End Depth Chart
The Eagles, of course, still have Dallas Goedert on the roster as the starting tight end. He missed Thursday’s game against the Buccaneers due to a positive COVID test, but he is vaccinated and is expected to be ok. After Goedert, the depth is a little lacking.
- Jack Stoll – Stoll was an undrafted free agent who made the team out of training camp and has played on special teams and sparingly on offense. The team likes him and hopes he continues to develop, but he is unlikely to play a significant role in the passing game.
- Noah Togiai – Former fan-favorite Noah Togiai made his miraculous return this week when the Eagles signed him to the practice squad and then promoted him to the active roster for Thursday. He was an undrafted free agent of the Eagles in 2020 but was lost on waivers when the team tried to sneak him onto the practice squad before the start of the season. He was with Nick Sirianni in Indianapolis and presumably already knows most of the offense. He projects as another depth tight end with a pretty clear ceiling.
- Tyree Jackson – Jackson may be the most intriguing name to watch here. He impressed everyone in training camp with his transition from quarterback to tight end, and the Eagles actually kept him on the initial 53-man roster even though he was injured so that they could place him on injured reserve and designate him to return this season. If they had placed him on IR before the final cutdown, he would have had to miss the entire season. The Eagles clearly have high hopes for the athletic converted tight end as a pass-catcher.
- Jason Croom – Croom has bounced around the league a bit the last few years, including multiple stints with the Eagles. He is on injured reserve and will miss the entire season after tearing his right patella tendon back in August.
The Eagles bid farewell to Ertz on social media, and Dave Spadaro penned a tribute to Ertz on the team’s official website. The Zach Ertz trade is the end of an era in Philadelphia, but they are hoping it is the beginning of a new one with Dallas Goedert.
Subscribe to our posts and bookmark these feeds:
* * *
Mike Maher is the editor and publisher of The Birds Blitz and Juiced Ball Era. Follow him on Twitter @mikeMaher and @TheBirdsBlitz and check out his Eagles news archive for all of his latest stories about the Eagles and the NFL.
Pingback: Did Howie Roseman just dare Dallas Goedert to earn a new contract?
Pingback: Zach Ertz doesn't rule out returning to Eagles one day
Pingback: Dallas Goedert agrees to four-year contract extension with Eagles