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Category: Eagles/NFL

  • With tight ends hurt and blockers struggling, the Eagles need Zach Ertz to be more than a good story

    With tight ends hurt and blockers struggling, the Eagles need Zach Ertz to be more than a good story

    It’s simultaneously hard to believe that Zach Ertz has been gone for five years and easy to forget that his Eagles tenure overlapped with Jalen Hurts’. Time is funny like that, I guess. The question is whether Ertz can still play football. It’s a crucial one for the Eagles.

    It’s a decent bet that Ertz can still run and catch. He sure could before he tore his ACL last December. Even at 35 years old, in a subpar Commanders offense, Ertz was on pace for 70 catches and 700 yards before injuring his knee against the Vikings in Week 14. In his year-plus with the Commanders, he was averaging nearly four catches and 40 yards per game. Travis Kelce and Tony Gonzalez are the only tight ends in NFL history to average those numbers at age 36+. But, then, Ertz was one of only six to do it at age 35+.

    The bigger unknown is whether Ertz can help replace all of the other things Dallas Goedert did before spraining his MCL in the Eagles’ 24-20 win over the Titans on Sunday. Goedert has played a central role in offensive coordinator Sean Mannion’s scheme through two weeks, with Mannion moving his 31-year-old tight end all over the field to take advantage of his abilities as both a receiver and as a blocker in the run and short-passing game.

    Goedert’s absence is a particular concern given the blocking struggles that have plagued them as a team. The Eagles rank among the NFL leaders in zero and negative yardage plays. Through two weeks, they’ve seen 18 runs and passes go for zero or negative yards. That’s 14.6% of their touches from scrimmage, more than all but three teams (Raiders, Patriots, Colts).

    Ertz was never regarded as a great blocker, even in his prime. The Eagles don’t need him to be great. But it would sure help if Ertz could be good enough to expand Mannion’s options for replacing Goedert while also fixing the overall run/short-passing game. It’d also be a great story.

    If Zach Ertz can reclaim his old Eagles magic, he’ll have a chance to ascend to the top of the franchise’s receptions list. DAVID MAIALETTI / Staff Photographer

    When the Eagles traded Ertz in 2021, midway through Hurts’ first full season as a starter, he was 11 catches shy of becoming the franchise’s all-time leader in receptions. His 579 catches are 10 behind Hall of Fame receiver Harold Carmichael and 127 more than Hall of Fame tight end Pete Retzlaff. Ertz might only keep the record for a year, given DeVonta Smith’s rapidly rising career total (398 at the moment). Still, it would tie a nice bow on a career that began in Chip Kelly’s first season as coach.

    Most of the heavy lifting will need to be done by Mannion and general manager Howie Roseman. The Eagles have leaned heavily on veteran blocking tight end Johnny Mundt thus far. His current 52.7% snap share is dramatically higher than the rate he logged in any of his first nine NFL seasons. One option is to make heavier use of Mundt in “11″ personnel paired with Darius Cooper, the Eagles’ best blocker at wide receiver. But, again, Mundt has never been a full-time player. His career-high single-season receiving totals are 19 catches and 172 yards.

    Zach Ertz’s best Eagles moments on and off the field, from a Super Bowl TD to the blond era to an emotional goodbye

    However Mannion decides to handle his personnel groupings, there will be tradeoffs. There is a reason why a legitimate two-way tight end has become one of the NFL’s more valuable commodities. There might not be another position in sports where the paradigm has shifted as dramatically as it has since Ertz entered the league. When the Eagles selected him at No. 35 overall in 2013, the previous four drafts had seen just seven tight ends go in the first or second rounds. That’s less than half the number of tight ends that went in the first and second rounds in the most recent four-year window (18, including Eagles rookie Eli Stowers).

    The renewed emphasis on the position has been evident through the first two weeks of the NFL season. Of the 14 players with 12+ receptions, five are tight ends. Buffalo’s Dalton Kincaid, Houston’s Dalton Schultz and Kelce all rank among the top 12 in receiving yards. Last season, the Rams had four tight ends rank among their top seven target-earners for a team that led the league in scoring.

    With teams increasingly relying on nickel and three-safety defensive packages, and with defensive coordinators prioritizing versatility, tight end is a position that can decide which team has the matchup advantage on any given play. The question isn’t how close Ertz is to the player he was. It’s how close can he be to the players the Eagles suddenly need.

  • Jaxson Dart injures his knee as several Giants stars get banged up in loss to Rams

    Jaxson Dart injures his knee as several Giants stars get banged up in loss to Rams

    INGLEWOOD, Calif. — If there were a list of most important New York Giants, seemingly all those key players got hurt at some point during a 28-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night, starting with quarterback Jaxson Dart injuring his left knee during his team’s first series.

    Coach John Harbaugh would not confirm reports that Dart sprained his MCL, choosing to wait for further testing.

    “That’s in the neighborhood of it, I would say,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll get an MRI (on Tuesday) and have a real good feel for it, and give you more information from there.”

    Bears coach Ben Johnson not ruling out QB Caleb Williams against Eagles

    The Giants also saw top pass rusher Brian Burns sprain his left ankle and left tackle Andrew Thomas sustain an apparent lower-body injury in the fourth quarter. Wide receiver Malik Nabers had to pop his right shoulder back into place after dislocating it on the second-to-last play of the first quarter.

    “But that’s just part of football,” Burns said. “Guys go down every day, and it’s always next guy up. That’s why you try to develop a culture where you don’t slack off in production with the guys that’s behind.”

    Even with that mentality, the Giants were never able to get back on track after Dart was hurt less than four minutes into the game while being pressured on third and 8. Rams linebacker Byron Young hit Dart from the quarterback’s right side, sending him into linebacker Josaiah Stewart, who undercut Dart’s legs, resulting in a hard fall. Dart was eventually able to walk gingerly to the sideline under his own power, and he went into the medical tent for further evaluation before walking to the locker room.

    Gameday Central: Is it time for the Eagles to start Willie Lampkin?
    Video: Gameday Central: Is it time for the Eagles to start Willie Lampkin?

    Jameis Winston replaced Dart on the ensuing Giants drive.

    Dart, who was 3-of-5 passing for 20 yards, spent the second half on the sideline in street clothes.

    “Any time your quarterback goes down, obviously that’s a gut punch to the team, right?” said Winston, who was 11 of 27 for 111 yards with one interception.

    The body blows kept on coming.

    Nabers was injured jockeying with Rams cornerback Trent McDuffie when he was targeted on a first-down pass. Nabers immediately grabbed his right shoulder and ran to the sideline, where he was clearly in pain. He was able to return on the next series, finishing with one reception for 1 yard on four targets, while clearly laboring at times.

    NFL Week 2: A.J. who? Feed DeVonta Smith; Eagles’ opponents having horrible injury luck

    “Nah, I ain’t gonna make no excuse for anything that happened in the game,” said Nabers, who indicated he would undergo X-rays on Tuesday. “Yeah, I’m battling through injuries, but it doesn’t make a difference on how the performance was.”

    Burns got stepped on by Rams center Coleman Shelton but shook off a cart ride back to the locker room when the game ended. He would not speculate on his chances of playing against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

    “I’ve dealt with this,” Burns said. “It just depends on how fast you can get the swelling and inflammation out. So I’m just going to do everything possible to get it as tamed as I can.”

    The Giants had to navigate the absences of many of these same players last season. Dart sustained a concussion in Week 10 against the Bears during his rookie campaign, and Nabers missed most of the year with a torn ACL in his right knee.

    But the enthusiasm of Harbaugh’s victorious debut against the Cowboys now gives way to the likelihood Winston will be running New York’s offense for the near future. An 11-year veteran who was drafted first overall in 2015, Winston started two games and appeared in three for the Giants in 2025, throwing for 567 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

    Harbaugh said the Giants can’t get discouraged by their change in fortune.

    “All around the league, everybody deals with it,” he said. “This is football. This is the NFL. This is what you do. So our task is not to lament it.”

  • unCovering the Birds: A Jalen Hurts We’ve Never Seen

    unCovering the Birds: A Jalen Hurts We’ve Never Seen

    The Eagles survived – again. This time, instead of holding on for dear life as they did in their opener against Washington, the Eagles came from behind in the final minutes to pull out a gutsy win at Tennessee, with their quarterback leading the way. With the Eagles 2-0, The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Mike Sielski examine Jalen Hurts’ promising performance through two games, and dig into the uneven play of the defense.

    00:00 A version of Jalen Hurts “we’ve never seen”

    16:05 Giving offensive coordinator Sean Mannion the benefit of the doubt

    21:50 The Eagles’ defense hasn’t delivered as advertised

    30:35 Revisionist history: Nakobe Dean

    unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season.

  • Bears coach Ben Johnson not ruling out QB Caleb Williams against Eagles

    Bears coach Ben Johnson not ruling out QB Caleb Williams against Eagles

    CHICAGO — Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson called Caleb Williams’ right hamstring injury a “week-to-week” situation while offering a largely positive update a day after the quarterback was helped off the field and carted to the locker room.

    Williams left Sunday’s 9-3 loss to Minnesota after he got hurt on a scramble deep in Vikings territory with about 7½ minutes left. The No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft was replaced by Tyson Bagent.

    Johnson said he doesn’t think Williams will practice this week, but he isn’t ruling him out for Chicago’s matchup with the Eagles on Monday night.

    Eagles open as road favorites against the Bears; updated Super Bowl odds

    “He’s right now working through every avenue that he’s got available to get back on track here,” Johnson said. “We’ll see what that looks like. Here’s what I know: This guy’s a little bit different than the average human being. … He gets back, he has in the past, a lot faster than what people can anticipate. I’m not putting a timeline on this. We’re going to say week to week.”

    After the home game against the Eagles, the Bears (1-1) take on the New York Jets on Oct. 4 before visiting the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 11.

    Playing in a steady rain at Soldier Field, Williams was 15 for 26 for 138 yards with an interception. He also had five carries for 42 yards against Minnesota.

    Gameday Central: Is it time for the Eagles to start Willie Lampkin?
    Video: Gameday Central: Is it time for the Eagles to start Willie Lampkin?

    The 24-year-old Williams had a towel over his head after he first got on the cart for the trip to the locker room. He took the towel off as the cart moved along the sideline and pumped his right arm to rev up the sullen crowd of 58,914.

    “We’ll see where he’s at as the week progresses and how long that means, but it was somewhat encouraging the report that we got,” Johnson said Monday.

    If Williams is unable to go, Bagent would step in vs. the Eagles. The Bears also have Case Keenum on their roster.

    NFL Week 2: A.J. who? Feed DeVonta Smith; Eagles’ opponents having horrible injury luck

    Bagent was 5 for 9 for 54 yards against the Vikings. He had a record-setting career at Division II Shepherd University before signing with the Bears in May 2023 as an undrafted free agent.

    “He’s got full confidence in himself. We have full confidence in him,” offensive lineman Jonah Jackson said, “and we know he can dink and dump the ball around and sling it and also get active with his feet.”

    Bagent, 26, made four starts while appearing in five games as rookie, passing for 859 yards and three touchdowns with six interceptions. He signed a two-year contract extension in August 2025.

    “If it goes that route, I feel strongly about what he’s capable of and our team does, too,” Johnson said. “They know he’s a darn good football player.”

  • What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 3 vs. the Bears

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 3 vs. the Bears

    The Eagles are 2-0, and not for the reasons one might have anticipated going into the season.

    The offense under Sean Mannion is supposed to be rooted in a sound running game. It hasn’t clicked yet, as evidenced by the Eagles’ minus-.09 expected points added per rush, which ranks in the middle of the pack as of Monday afternoon, according to Next Gen Stats.

    The defense under Vic Fangio in his third year as coordinator is supposed to set the floor for the team’s overall success this season. But through two weeks, the Eagles defense ranks below the median in EPA per play allowed at +.01.

    The Eagles asked a lot of their offensive line this week, but they vow to improve after win over Titans

    There’s plenty of time for the Eagles to improve in both facets. Still, arguably the biggest reason for the team’s 2-0 record through two weeks rests on the arm of Jalen Hurts and the plays he has pulled off in the passing game.

    Despite tossing two interceptions in the 24-20 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Hurts orchestrated his eighth fourth-quarter comeback since 2023, which is tied for the second-most in the NFL in that span, according to Next Gen Stats. For the last two weeks, Hurts has showcased his clutch gene and his ability to generate explosive passing and rushing plays, two encouraging traits from the franchise quarterback as the Eagles continue to acclimate to their new offense.

    Here’s what we know (and what we don’t) about the Eagles going into their Week 3 matchup against the 1-1 Chicago Bears:

    Defense loading

    The Eagles entered the season with high expectations on defense, given their talented personnel at every level and their coordinator continuity. But so far, the overall group is off to a relatively quiet start.

    To their credit, they have held their first two opponents, the Titans and the Washington Commanders, to less than 300 yards of offense, a feat only six other teams have accomplished heading into Monday night.

    But Nick Sirianni typically harps on winning the turnover battle. While the offense has given the ball away twice (on Hurts’ pair of interceptions against the Titans), the defense has yet to force a takeaway. Jalen Carter and Jihaad Campbell have forced fumbles, but the opposition ultimately recovered.

    Through two games, Vic Fangio’s much-heralded defense has yet to force a turnover.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Through two weeks, the Eagles are one of three teams that have not generated a takeaway, along with the Commanders and the Houston Texans. Last year, the Eagles finished tied for 10th in takeaways with 21.

    The Eagles are also coming off of a poor tackling day in their win over the Titans. The team missed 12 tackles, according to Pro Football Focus, led by starting safety tandem Andrew Mukuba and Marcus Epps with three apiece. That issue was on display during the Titans’ go-ahead field-goal drive late in the fourth quarter, especially on running back Tyjae Spears’ 27-yard carry when he forced missed tackles from Moro Ojomo and Epps.

    The Eagles need Jalen Hurts 2.0 now more than ever. His evolution and clutch gene are carrying a rough offense.

    The pass rush is a work in progress. According to Next Gen Stats, the Eagles are tied with the Titans for the highest average time to pressure (3.12 seconds) in the NFL.

    Two of these three issues — the lack of takeaways and the poor tackling — could be anomalies. The Eagles have fared well in turnover differential over the last couple of seasons, and they have been sound tacklers on the whole under Fangio.

    The lack of a prolific pass rush was an issue last year, too, leading to the acquisition of Jaelan Phillips at the trade deadline. Their output could improve when Jonathan Greenard, who has been ramping up in practice after sitting out of training camp with a pectoral injury, returns to action. Regardless, the Eagles have much to improve defensively going into Week 3.

    Bears down?

    Could the Eagles defense catch a break against the Bears?

    Third-year starting quarterback Caleb Williams went down with a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter of the Bears’ 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Bears head coach Ben Johnson said Monday on Chicago radio station ESPN1000 that Williams is considered “week to week.”

    Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams looks to be a long shot to play Monday after injuring his hamstring in Week 2.Nam Y. Huh

    Last season, Williams and the Bears handed the Eagles a 24-15 loss, gashing them on the ground thanks to a combined 255 rushing yards from running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai. Williams was less than stellar in that game, going 17 of 36 (47.2%) for 154 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

    Still, the windy elements played a role in the passing game that day, and Williams was otherwise solid in his first year under Johnson.

    If Williams can’t go on Monday night, the Bears may not be able to turn to backup Tyson Bagent to start at quarterback. According to ESPN report from Tuesday, the 2023 undrafted free agent out of Division II Shepherd University is in the concussion protocol.

    Bagent entered Sunday’s game down 6-3 against a talented Vikings defense with 7 minutes, 15 seconds left in the game. He had the opportunity to win it with a minute remaining, but he was sacked on the final play at the Vikings’ 12 on fourth down. With his status in question, the Bears could turn to third-stringer Case Keenum, the 38-year-old NFL veteran who last saw game action in 2023 as a member of the Houston Texans.

    Keenum is 0-2 against the Eagles, including his 2017 NFC championship game loss as a member of the Minnesota Vikings and his 2019 regular-season loss with Washington. Both games were in Philadelphia. He has been with the Bears since the start of the 2025 season, coinciding with the beginning of Johnson’s tenure as head coach.

    But if Williams can play against the Eagles, how would his hamstring injury limit him, especially on the ground?

    Williams is adept at extending plays with his legs and scrambling, traits he showcased in the loss to the Vikings, as he picked up 27 scramble yards, according to PFF. He threw an interception, though, while fleeing the pocket prematurely in the first quarter on Sunday.

    Ertz in action

    With Dallas Goedert out of commission for the next few weeks due to a sprained medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his knee sustained against the Titans, the Eagles are signing a familiar face in Zach Ertz to infuse pass-catching prowess into the tight ends room.

    Ertz, who turns 36 in November, is set to join the practice squad. But he could be a candidate to be elevated to the game day roster against the Bears, as he was cleared for football activity in July, seven months after he tore his ACL in Week 14 last season as a member of the Commanders.

    With tight end Dallas Goedert set to miss time, the Eagles are reuniting with franchise legend Zach Ertz (86). Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    The Eagles could use his receiving ability, stat. Aside from the injured Goedert, they currently have two tight ends on the active roster in Johnny Mundt and EJ Jenkins. Mundt, 31, has been heralded for his blocking ability throughout his 10-year NFL career. Jenkins has grown as a blocker, as Howie Roseman acknowledged after training camp, and while he converted from wide receiver to tight end in the NFL, he has just one reception for 7 yards in his pro career.

    With the addition of Ertz, the Eagles could take advantage of a Bears defense that has been challenged to cover tight ends through two games.

    Source: Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert will miss time with a knee injury

    The Bears defense has conceded 115 yards on 10 receptions to tight ends, the 10th-most yardage in the league. The Vikings’ T.J. Hockenson had the most success of any tight end to face the Bears on Sunday, totaling 29 yards on three receptions.

    Hockenson’s best play came on a second-and-10 under-center play-action fake in the fourth quarter in which he blocked at the line of scrimmage to sell the run. He then made the Bears defenders pay for biting on the fake by leaking downfield and hauling in a 19-yard pass from Carson Wentz.

    Ertz might not be known for his blocking ability, but he has made similar plays on play-action passes, including his 20-yard touchdown reception last season against the Green Bay Packers.

    He stands to make the biggest impact in the red zone, as all 16 of his touchdown catches over his last four seasons since he departed Philadelphia in 2021 have come inside the 20.

  • Zach Ertz’s best Eagles moments on and off the field, from a Super Bowl TD to the blond era to an emotional goodbye

    Zach Ertz’s best Eagles moments on and off the field, from a Super Bowl TD to the blond era to an emotional goodbye

    Dust off your No. 86 jersey.

    The Eagles are signing Zach Ertz, NFL sources told The Inquirer, confirming an initial ESPN report. The move comes after tests revealed that Dallas Goedert will miss multiple weeks with a sprained medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his knee after suffering the injury in Sunday’s win. Ertz, 35, will join the practice squad and is expected to be available to play Monday in Chicago.

    Former Eagles tight end Zach Ertz talks grisly knee injury, rehab, 2026 plans: ‘I don’t want it to be the last play that I have’

    Ertz, who last played for the Eagles in 2021, could eclipse Harold Carmichael as the franchise’s all-time leader in receptions with just 11 more catches.

    To welcome him back to the city, The Inquirer put together a list including some of Ertz’s most memorable moments — both on and off the field — in Philadelphia.

    Eagles tight end Zach Ertz dives over New England Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty to score the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LII, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Feb. 4, 2018.TIM TAI / Staff Photographer

    Super Bowl LII

    How else could you start this list?

    Ertz’s game-winning touchdown grab in Super Bowl LII etched his name into Eagles history. On third-and-7, Ertz found the end zone on an in-route to take the lead over the Patriots with just over 2 minutes to go. He bobbled Nick Foles’ pass , but a review confirmed that the Eagles tight end had possession.

    “I want to get the ball whenever the situation calls for it,” Ertz, who finished with seven catches for 67 yards, said after the game. “We have a lot of talented guys on this football team. They’ve done an amazing job building this roster. When the situation calls for it, they trusted me. That’s all I can ask.”

    Record-breaking 2018

    Ertz did not show any signs of a Super Bowl hangover the following season.

    In 2018, the tight end had his best statistical season. In 16 starts, Ertz caught 116 passes for 1,163 yards and eight touchdowns. With the performance, Ertz set the NFL record for most receptions by a tight end in a single season. Last season, the Cardinals’ Trey McBride broke Ertz’s record with 126 passes hauled in — but he had 17 games to do it.

    Zach Ertz shows off his blond hair during Eagles training camp in 2021.JOSE F. MORENO / Staff Photographer

    Going blond … and regretting it

    A short-lived, but memorable, period of Ertz’s tenure in Philadelphia was when he went blonder than usual.

    In 2021, it was evident that Ertz’s tenure in Philadelphia was near the end. The Eagles were going through a period of change following the firing of coach Doug Pederson, and Goedert had emerged as the team’s No. 1 tight end. Ertz expected to be traded by the start of preseason, so he looked to have some fun in the meantime.

    His idea of fun? Showing up to training camp with platinum-blond hair.

    “I probably wouldn’t have dyed my hair,” Ertz told The Inquirer in a wide-ranging piece in April.

    Jason Kelce decided to join. The Eagles center promised Ertz that if he was not traded by the time the season began, he would also bleach his hair. Ertz was not traded to the Cardinals until Week 7, so the two sported bleach-blond hair for the majority of the 2021 season.

    “I just wanted Zach to have something to look forward to if he was still on the team, like, ‘At least Jason dyed his hair to match,’” Kelce said on his podcast, New Heights.

    Zach Ertz and his wife, Julie, pose for photos while entering the Eagles’ Super Bowl championship ring ceremony at 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia on June 14, 2018. Players received their Super Bowl rings at the private ceremony.TIM TAI / Staff Photographer

    Power couple

    Before Jason and Kylie Kelce were Philly’s “it” couple, Zach and Julie Ertz ran the city.

    While Zach Ertz excelled on the gridiron, Julie Ertz helped lead the U.S. women’s national soccer team to two World Cup titles. In 2015, Julie Ertz (then Johnson) starred for the U.S. at center back. Four years later, she won gold again playing defensive midfield. Julie, who retired in 2023, is widely seen as an all-time great in the sport.

    A viral moment for the couple came in 2018 after the Eagles defeated the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship. While confetti rained down at Lincoln Financial Field, Julie was playing a game for the U.S. in San Diego. She received the news after her match that her husband was going to the Super Bowl. She broke down in tears.

    Zach traveled to watch many of his wife’s U.S. games.

    “As an athlete, I feel like I have a little bit of control — or a lot of control — of the situation,” Ertz told the Inquirer in 2019. “When you’re in the stands, you have no control of the situation. You’re just praying (a) she’s healthy, (b) she’s having fun and successful. It’s definitely more nerve-wracking watching than playing.”

    Zach Ertz’s connection with the city and the fan base was evident throughout his time in Philly. DAVID MAIALETTI / Staff Photographer

    Saying ‘thank you’

    After he was traded to the Cardinals, Ertz bought a full-page advertisement in The Inquirer to thank the city and the Eagles organization.

    “Running through that tunnel every Sunday at the Linc truly changed my life,” Ertz wrote. “You have inspired me to push my limits each and every day to make sure I left no stone unturned in my pursuit to represent you the way you deserved. It was because of your love and commitment that I knew I needed to reciprocate that back every single day as a member of this team and community.”

    Later in the message, Ertz wrote “Now comes the toughest part for me, saying goodbye, for now, to the city that I love.” Five years later, Ertz’s use of “for now” hits a bit different.

  • Sources: Zach Ertz is reuniting with the Eagles as tight end depth grows thin

    Sources: Zach Ertz is reuniting with the Eagles as tight end depth grows thin

    The Eagles are reuniting with Zach Ertz, NFL sources said, confirming an initial ESPN report.

    On the day tests revealed Dallas Goedert sprained the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his knee in Sunday’s win over the Titans and will miss multiple weeks, the Eagles are signing Ertz, 35, to their practice squad. He is expected to be ready to play Monday night in Chicago — and could outright be signed to the open 53-man roster spot the Eagles currently have open — just over nine months removed from the gruesome knee injury that ended his 2025 season.

    Ertz tore both the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and lateral collateral ligament (LCL) in his right knee, as well as his hamstring in December but did not want the last moment of his NFL career to be him being carted off the field with tears streaming down his face.

    The tight end was cleared for football activity in July, seven months removed from his injury. He passed the pivotal nine-month post-operation milestone a few weeks ago.

    Zach Ertz (right) has spent the last two years with the Commanders.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    He joins an Eagles team in need of pass-catching talent at tight end with Goedert sidelined. Before agreeing to sign Ertz, the Eagles were left with two blocking specialists — Johnny Mundt and EJ Jenkins — on the depth chart. There may not have been a need for Ertz if rookie second-round pick Eli Stowers was ready to play. Stowers had a slow start to training camp and is on injured reserve while he recovers from a hamstring injury. Grant Calcaterra (back) also is on injured reserve.

    It remains to be seen how impactful Ertz will be after a major surgery and recovery, but he was still an effective and dangerous receiver in recent seasons, especially in the red zone, where all 11 of his touchdowns with the Commanders happened over the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

    Former Eagles tight end Zach Ertz talks grisly knee injury, rehab, 2026 plans: ‘I don’t want it to be the last play that I have’

    Ertz caught 71% (116) of his 163 targets with Washington over the last two seasons, a rate that is higher than his career average of 67%. One game before suffering his injury last season, Ertz caught 10 of 13 targets for 106 yards in an overtime loss to the Denver Broncos.

    Ertz, a 2013 second-round pick by the Eagles, was last with the team in 2021. The Eagles traded him in Week 7 that season to the Arizona Cardinals for cornerback Tay Gowan and a 2022 fifth-round draft pick. He spent parts of three seasons in Arizona before joining Washington in free agency in 2024, a decision he called “an opportunity for me to just fall back in love with the game again.”

    Earlier this year, Ertz told The Inquirer that any bitter feelings he had about the divorce with the Eagles have subsided and he looked back on his tenure with affection. But his stint in Washington did feature a postgame dustup with Eagles coach Nick Sirianni following a 2024 game.

    “That was two competitive guys that hate losing,” Ertz said in April. “We have a great relationship still.”

    Even though Nick Sirianni (left) and Zach Ertz had a dust up after a 2024 matchup between the Eagles and Commanders, the tight end says the pair “have a great relationship still.”David Maialetti / Staff Photographer

    Ertz has played in 181 career regular season games and has 825 catches for 8,592 yards and 57 touchdowns. Only four tight ends in NFL history have more receptions.

    He needs just 11 more catches with the Eagles to break Harold Carmichael’s franchise record of 589 to become the club’s all-time receptions leader.

    Asked in April about Ertz getting that chance in Philadelphia, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said: “I would love him to get it, but not at the expense of what we need to do.”

    NFL Week 2: A.J. who? Feed DeVonta Smith; Eagles’ opponents having horrible injury luck

    Circumstances have changed. The Eagles are hoping Ertz can still be a chain-moving target in the passing game and a reliable over-the-middle and red zone option for Jalen Hurts.

    Ertz never ruled out a return to the city where his family’s foundation still does much of its community service.

    “I think everyone knows how I feel about that place, that city, in particular,” Ertz said earlier this year. “I loved it, loved it. And I wouldn’t close that door either by any means.

    “I still want to play. And I think the time to reflect is when it’s officially done. But I don’t think that is right now.”

    Five months later, Ertz is back with the Eagles.

  • Source: Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert will miss time with a knee injury

    Source: Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert will miss time with a knee injury

    The Eagles will be without Dallas Goedert for the time being.

    A league source confirmed an NFL Network/ESPN report that Goedert suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his knee during the team’s 24-20 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Goedert is expected to miss a few weeks with the injury.

    The Eagles’ top tight end appeared to suffer his injury while run blocking in the second quarter. He did not return to the game.

    Goedert’s absence left the Eagles in an interesting situation at the position, and general manager Howie Roseman responded quickly by signing longtime Eagle Zach Ertz.

    NFL Week 2: A.J. who? Feed DeVonta Smith; Eagles’ opponents having horrible injury luck

    The healthy tight ends behind Goedert on the depth chart prior to signing Ertz were blocking specialists in Johnny Mundt and EJ Jenkins. Goedert starred in Week 1 with four catches for 77 yards and two scores. Mundt, meanwhile, has been targeted three times on 69 snaps through two games. The Eagles have been in 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) on 22.4% of their offensive plays this season, according to Sumer Sports. Without Goedert on the field, the Eagles don’t have a real pass-catching threat in those sets.

    They aimed to fill their pass-catching depth issue behind Goedert when they drafted Eli Stowers in the second round, but the rookie had a slow start to training camp and is on injured reserve while he recovers from a hamstring injury. Grant Calcaterra (back) also is on injured reserve. The Eagles have one tight end on the practice squad, veteran Josiah Deguara, who has 14 catches over the last three seasons.

    Dallas Goedert was Jalen Hurts’ favorite target in Week 1.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Ertz, 35, needs just 11 more receptions to break Harold Carmichael’s franchise record of 589 to become the Eagles’ all-time receptions leader. He is only nine months removed from a major knee injury, but he gives the Eagles a veteran pass-catching option.

    “I know [Roseman] will do everything he can do if we are without Dallas,” Nick Sirianni said when asked about the position group on Monday. “We’ll see where we are.”

    A few hours later, it all became clearer.

    The Eagles asked a lot of their offensive line this week, but they vow to improve after win over Titans

    Goedert wasn’t the only key offensive player getting further testing after Sunday.

    Saquon Barkley left Sunday’s game after suffering a stinger and was set to get an MRI on Monday. He was injured on the Eagles’ first offensive play. He returned in the second half but only briefly before being forced to miss the rest of the game.

    If Barkley misses game action, it would be a big blow to a running game that hasn’t really gotten off the ground through two games.

    The Eagles have capable backups behind Barkley in Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley, and an experienced running back on the practice squad in Dameon Pierce — as well as preseason darling Carson Steele.

    The Eagles need Jalen Hurts 2.0 now more than ever. His evolution and clutch gene are carrying a rough offense.

    Sirianni remains confident in the running game

    With or without Barkley, the Eagles need to start running the ball with more efficiency and consistency.

    It is the key to their offense, considering the new scheme under coordinator Sean Mannion relies on marrying the run and pass games and utilizing under-center play action. Those things aren’t possible when you’re not moving the ball on the ground. Four Eagles — including Barkley, not including Jalen Hurts, and not counting a behind-the-line swing pass to Makai Lemon — combined for 78 yards on 27 carries Sunday. They had better per-carry success in Week 1, but take Barkley’s 42-yard burst out of the equation and the stat line from the running backs was 48 yards on 17 carries.

    Saquon Barkley rushed for just 9 yards on four carries vs. the Titans.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    The new-look offense has the Eagles running more wide zone blocking schemes, and so far the execution up front hasn’t been consistent enough.

    Sirianni called it a “full-team effort” that includes coaching better.

    “We have to be better as a whole there, and we’re going to continue to work like crazy to get to that portion,” Sirianni said. “We’ve found ways to win the first two games, but we know we’re capable of being better in the run game. And I think there’s elements of it being close, too.

    “They’re going to junk it up enough that when you get the looks that are really good looks, you got to make them pay when they’re in that, and we’re close. We are close.”

  • NFL Week 2: A.J. who? Feed DeVonta Smith; Eagles’ opponents having horrible injury luck

    NFL Week 2: A.J. who? Feed DeVonta Smith; Eagles’ opponents having horrible injury luck

    Since 2021, the year he was drafted just ahead of DeVonta Smith, Ja’Marr Chase has been targeted at least 10 times in 38 games. Justin Jefferson has been targeted at least 10 times in 39 games. CeeDee Lamb, 37.

    Smith: 16.

    The most recent: a 13-target, 10-catch explosion Sunday in Tennessee for 117 yards and a touchdown. Four of those targets came during the game-winning, fourth-quarter drive, when everyone in Nissan Stadium knew that Hurts would be looking for Smith on virtually every snap, the way Joe Burrow looks for Chase, Dak Prescott looks for Lamb, and whoever is Minnesota’s flavor of the moment looks for Jefferson, which only underscores Jefferson’s unmatched ability.

    But I digress.

    A number of reasons factor into Smith’s lower frequency of high targets. Among them: the presence of tandem receiver A.J. Brown from 2022-25; the presence of high-volume running back Saquon Barkley from 2024-26; and the presence of Jalen Hurts, a reluctant and limited passer whose 2,307 pass attempts and 1,505 completions since 2021 lag far behind the other nine quarterbacks who have played in at least 75 games.

    The point?

    The Eagles must feed Smith the way the Bengals feed Chase, the way the Vikings feed Jefferson, and the way the Cowboys feed Lamb.

    There no longer is any reason not to.

    There was much hand-wringing after Brown forced a trade to New England, reaction that now seems to have been overwrought. At any rate, he’s gone.

    Barkley clearly lacks the explosion and elusiveness that earned him the Offensive Player of the Year award in 2024.

    Which leaves Smith as the clear and constant No. 1 option.

    Smith beats man-to-man coverage, finds space against zones, makes contested catches and low catches and throws that lag behind him, and he has toe-tap sideline feet like Cris Carter. He has superb speed and is eager to catch in middle-of-the-field traffic.

    NFL rules were rewritten several times over the past three decades to make Smith and his ilk essentially unstoppable. Use him as such.

    Locking on Smith might occasionally lead to ruin, as was the case with Hurts’ first interception Sunday. But Hurts misdiagnosed a zone coverage as man-to-man, so that’s on Hurts. The better throw was probably to the other side, where Dontayvion Wicks was open in the corner. But again, I digress.

    I’m not jumping on a bandwagon here. I campaigned for the Eagles to draft Smith out of Alabama during the first half of the 2021 College Football Playoff title game.

    Before the season began, I predicted that Smith would rewrite the Eagles’ record books in 2026. It still could happen.

    We’ve seen other passers lock onto elite pass-catchers with negative outcomes: Prescott to Lamb, Josh Allen to Stefon Diggs when they were paired in Buffalo, Patrick Mahomes to Tyreek Hill when they were paired in Kansas City. It’s going to happen.

    Hurts’ second interception also was intended for Smith, who was wide open for at least a 30-yard gain, if not a touchdown. However, Cam Jurgens, who’d switched from center to left guard to replace injured Landon Dickerson, got beat cleanly by defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, the Titans’ best player. Hurts failed to step up in the pocket, which continues to be one of his deficiencies, and, like most other quarterbacks, he lacks the arm strength to throw flat-footed through contact.

    If this seems like a lot of Hurts criticism, understand that, for years, I have presented Hurts as a franchise quarterback, full stop. But all except the best of franchise QBs have weaknesses, and Hurts has never been the best player on any Eagles roster.

    Considering the continued regression of offensive tackles Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata, the stalled production of Barkley, and the inconsistency of defensive tackle Jalen Carter, the best candidates for that designation are linebacker Zack Baun, who makes the basic play; cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, who doesn’t intercept passes; and Smith.

    In this moment, Smith wins in a landslide.

    Feed him.

    The Bears’ Caleb Williams was carted off with a hamstring injury Sunday, eight days ahead of a meeting with the Eagles. Nam Y. Huh

    Injury attrition

    Nothing guarantees wins in the NFL, even when the other teams’ best players suffer injuries. But some of the most accomplished players the Eagles were scheduled to face have been beset by a series of misfortunes.

    In August, the Commanders lost five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil to a torn triceps. He was their best player. The Eagles beat the Commanders in Week 1.

    On Sunday, the Bears lost star quarterback Caleb Williams to a hamstring injury. Even if Williams’ injury is minor, there’s a good chance he will not be allowed to start, and if he does start, he certainly won’t be as dynamic a threat as he usually is. The Eagles play in Chicago on Monday night.

    Last Thursday in Australia, Myles Garrett, the best defender on the planet, limped through the Rams’ opening loss, then underwent knee surgery. The Eagles host the Rams in two weeks. Also, Pro Bowl receiver Puka Nacua was questionable for the Rams’ Monday night game with leg injuries that could linger.

    The Rams’ Myles Garrett underwent surgery after his debut with the team. Doug Benc

    On Sunday, the Commanders lost Pro Bowl quarterback Jayden Daniels to a dislocated left elbow. He was their most important player. The Eagles face the Commanders again Nov. 1, in six weeks. He injured the elbow twice last season. He missed three games after the first injury, but aggravated it a few weeks later and was lost for the rest of the year. He’s the No. 2 overall pick from the 2024 draft, and the Commanders might choose to sit him longer to protect him. Will he be back by Nov. 1?

    None of this is cause for celebration, of course, and the same fate could befall the Eagles at any point. There’s a case to be made that it already has, since left guard Landon Dickerson is on IR with a knee injury. But then, Dickerson, for all his accomplishments, isn’t quite as big a loss as Garrett, Williams, Daniels, or Tunsil.

    It was a vintage Patrick Mahomes performance on Monday night. Colin E. Braley

    Extra points

    Prescott broke Tony Romo’s franchise record for TD passes with his 249th in Dallas’ win over Washington. They remain tied in playoff wins, at two. … Patrick Mahomes’ 382-yard passing performance in the Chiefs’ overtime win against the visiting Colts on Sunday Night Football should erase any doubt that Mahomes again is the NFL’s best player. … Don’t sleep on the Jags: Jacksonville had won nine straight regular-season games before losing at Denver on Sunday. … The Raiders, who lost their last nine meaningful games last season and had a trade of pass rusher Maxx Crosby in March nullified after the Ravens gave him a physical, are 2-0 after a road win over the 0-2 Chargers. New starter Kirk Cousins threw for three TDs. Crosby has 1½ sacks. … Controversial QB Deshaun Watson will remain the starter in Cleveland after his two TD passes led to a weird win over the Buccaneers. With 2 minutes to play, the game was stopped due to weather for more than two hours. The Bucs faced second-and-four at the Browns’ 28-yard line when the game stopped, picked up the first down when it resumed, but the drive then fizzled.

  • Jalen Hurts is an ‘absolute dawg,’ and what else they’re saying about the Eagles after Week 2

    Jalen Hurts is an ‘absolute dawg,’ and what else they’re saying about the Eagles after Week 2

    For the second week in a row, the Eagles managed to scrape out a win — improving to 2-0 after a 24-20 comeback victory over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday in Nashville. Most of the discourse has centered around Jalen Hurts’ clutch gene and the Eagles offense.

    Here’s what the national media is saying about the Birds following their Week 2 win …

    Eagles open as road favorites against the Bears; updated Super Bowl odds

    ‘They stole this win’

    It wasn’t looking great for the Eagles early. Saquon Barkley was injured on the first play and didn’t return until the second half. Hurts threw an interception in the end zone, and Dallas Goedert exited the game in the second quarter and never returned because of a knee injury.

    Despite it all, the Eagles left Music City with a win. Former 49ers quarterback and current ESPN analyst Alex Smith praised the Eagles for their comeback.

    “They stole this win,” Smith said on ESPN’s Get Up. “You had no Saquon, no Dallas Goedert. Jalen Hurts, two terrible interceptions, and then they put this final drive together where they looked unbelievable. … Now, the question is, they need to make some improvements across the board. They didn’t play good. There was some glaring errors on both sides of the ball but to get a W on the road when you shouldn’t have, this goes a long way from an energy standpoint.”

    ‘A win’s a win’

    The Eagles were down 20-17 with less than two minutes left to play in the fourth quarter. After throwing two interceptions, Hurts led a nine-play, 65-yard scoring drive to give the Eagles a 24-20 lead with just nine seconds remaining.

    “Say what you want to say, a win’s a win,” said former Eagles running back LeSean McCoy on The Speakeasy podcast. “There’s some times in football where you play so great, and then you find a way to lose. There’s some times you play bad, but you find a way to win. All this conversation this week about Jalen Hurts this, Jalen Hurts that, make him be a quarterback — it ain’t how you start, it’s how you finish.

    “The way that Jalen Hurts carried this offense today, it wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t perfect. But when we need him most, in clutch moments, you pay quarterbacks to win games late. Check this out. No A.J. Brown, no Saquon Barkley, no Dallas Goedert, no more timeouts. Jalen Hurts, no problem. That’s how you win games.”

    Hurts an ‘absolute dawg’

    Hurts threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns on 26-of-37 passing. Ten-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson was impressed.

    “I think the big thing was, Jalen kept responding throughout that game,” Wilson said on CBS Sports. “He had a turnover, had another turnover. He stayed calm in the midst of it all and he found a way to win the game. That’s the key about winning in the NFL. Can you win the games late? And he was able to do that.”

    And after sealing the win in the last minute, Hurts received praise on social media.

    “The Eagles would be 0-2 with about 20 other quarterbacks,” Emmanuel Acho wrote. “They’d be 1-1 with about 7 other quarterbacks. They’re 2-0 with Jalen Hurts.”

    “Be an absolute dawg then Jalen Hurts,” Ryan Clark wrote.

    “You mess with Jalen Hurts, you mess with all of us,” Dawn Staley wrote. “How about QB1 on his game winning drive? Now apologize. And DeVonta Smith WR1 you are unreal.”

    “Wow. Wow. Wow,” Nick Foles wrote. “Unbelievable drive by Jalen Hurts and the Eagles. Impressive.”

    ‘I don’t like what I’m seeing’

    Despite the win, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith needs to see more from the Eagles offense.

    “I don’t like what I’m seeing with the Eagles offense,” Smith said on First Take. “I’m not sitting here saying they’re going to miss the playoffs. I’m not sitting here saying they’re scrubs. I’m saying the championship team we saw from a couple years ago, there has been a precipitous dropoff” compared to other NFC teams.