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Tag: Zach Ertz

  • Eagles vs. Rams predictions: Our writers pick a winner for the Week 4 game vs. L.A.

    Eagles vs. Rams predictions: Our writers pick a winner for the Week 4 game vs. L.A.

    There is no rest for the weary.

    The Eagles’ ghastly meltdown in Chicago on Monday night raised more questions than it answered, but Nick Sirianni’s team won’t have much time to lick its wounds or implement fixes. The Los Angeles Rams come to town Sunday (1 p.m., Fox29) looking to reestablish some cachet of their own after the preseason Super Bowl favorites dropped to 1-2 with a Sunday night loss to the Broncos.

    The Inquirer’s Eagles reporting team took a long look at the matchup and assessed whether the Birds can get well as they return to the Linc for the first time since Week 1.

    Nick Sirianni (right) has owned Sean McVay in their personal head-to-head series. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Jeff Neiburg

    The Eagles only scored seven points Monday night in Chicago, but I came away from the game a little bit more concerned with the defense than the offense.

    The problems with Vic Fangio’s unit are persisting. The Eagles don’t tackle well enough. They haven’t forced a turnover. They are rotating safeties because they don’t have strong enough options. Their best defensive lineman is playing with a fracture in his wrist. Their linebackers have been inconsistent. Their pass rush isn’t getting home enough.

    It remains to be seen if linebacker Zack Baun gets through the concussion protocol in time to play on Sunday, but his absence would complicate things even further for a defense that needs a bounceback performance.

    Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion: Andy Dalton interception, lack of play action ‘starts with me’

    That won’t be easy against one of the best offenses in the NFL. Puka Nacua is on track to play, and the Rams are much better with him on the field, and much more capable of attacking the Eagles where they are weakest right now.

    The Eagles should be able to build off some of the run success they had in the first half vs. Chicago, but it’s hard for me right now to imagine the offense keeping pace with Matthew Stafford, Davante Adams, Nacua, and the Rams, especially if DeVonta Smith (hamstring) can’t go.

    Sirianni’s undefeated record against Sean McVay has to end at some point, right?

    Prediction: Rams 30, Eagles 20

    A hamstring injury could keep DeVonta Smith (6) off the field on Sunday. David Maialetti / Staff Photographer

    Ryan Novozinsky

    It’s difficult to be optimistic about the Eagles this week.

    Baun (concussion) probably won’t play. Smith’s (hamstring) status is up in the air now. The team struggled mightily against the Bears, even with those two at full health. The first two weeks weren’t pretty either, even in victories.

    Jeremiah Trotter Jr. will likely fill in for Baun, and while the 23-year-old had a nice preseason and training camp, facing the Rams is a different beast.

    Nick Sirianni talks Eagles backup QB battle, Makai Lemon’s progress

    The same goes for the wide receiver room. Dontayvion Wicks has been a decent No. 2 receiver option, but can he outplay a Rams secondary led by Trent McDuffie? How will Makai Lemon, who has a meager stat line so far, fare?

    Putting aside the Eagles’ woes for a second, the Rams enter this game as motivated as ever following their drama-filled Sunday Night Football loss to Denver, plus the sting of an opening night loss to San Francisco still fresh in their minds.

    The Rams also received positive injury updates this week, with Nacua returning to practice as a limited participant. Nacua — arguably the best wide receiver in the league — and Stafford facing an Eagles defense that got torched by Case Keenum last week seems like a recipe for disaster.

    All of this is to say: The Eagles need Jalen Hurts to play the game of his life, plus Sean Mannion/Fangio to bounce back after an ugly play calling performance in Chicago if they want a chance against L.A.

    Even then, this Rams team might simply be too talented to defeat.

    Prediction: Rams 35, Eagles 17

    Jalen Hurts might have to be Superman again for the Eagles on Sunday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Olivia Reiner

    I’m lower on the Eagles now than I was at the start of the week.

    If Baun (concussion) is out and Smith (hamstring) can’t go, both the Eagles defense and offense face potential setbacks. As Jeff wrote on Thursday, Hurts has targeted Smith on 32.9% of his pass attempts, which is the second-highest rate in the NFL behind the Seahawks’ Jaxon Smith-Njigba (37.9%).

    Who would step up in Smith’s place? Wicks has been promising, but he has averaged less than four targets per game over the course of his four-year career. Smith has been targeted nine times per game this season. Can Wicks handle the increased workload? Or can the Eagles lean more on Lemon, who has just seven receptions on nine targets for 38 yards in his young career?

    Jalen Hurts challenges Eagles to look inward following Monday’s loss to the Bears: ‘Who are we?’

    If elevated from the practice squad to the active roster again, Zach Ertz could have a bigger role in the passing game on Sunday after having one reception on two targets for nine yards against the Bears.

    Baun’s potential absence could make Nacua’s return all the more challenging for the Eagles defense to handle. Trotter has been solid in preseason action and the Week 18 outings he has started in over the last two years, but this could be the first meaningful start of his NFL career if Baun isn’t cleared to play.

    Perhaps the Eagles will rebound after a dismal loss to the Bears on Monday night. But the cards are stacked against them in this game.

    Prediction: Rams 30, Eagles 16

  • The Ertzes are back in Philly and back on our socials — now with the kids in tow

    The Ertzes are back in Philly and back on our socials — now with the kids in tow

    Zach Ertz has received plenty of introductions during his NFL career. His latest came from a slightly smaller announcer.

    Madden Ertz, the Ertzes’ oldest son, took center stage in a video posted by Julie Ertz, Zach’s wife, on Monday, introducing his dad ahead of his potential return to the Eagles against the Chicago Bears.

    “I believe I’d like to introduce my favorite person,” he said. “My dad, Zach Ertz.”

    He continued with his dad’s resumé — “Super Bowl champion” and “three-time Pro Bowler” — before turning from Ertz the football player to Ertz the father.

    “Our family can’t wait to cheer the team on,” he said. “He has been working really hard. … Don’t worry, I gave him a lot of hugs. My brothers help too. They’re little, but they’re funny.”

    The message carries a little more meaning after Ertz’s return to Philadelphia. Ertz said last week that his three sons, Madden and twins Kace and Kyren, helped motivate him through his recovery from the torn ACL in his right knee that ended his 2025 season with the Washington Commanders — he wanted them to see what it looked like to work through adversity.

    Zach and Julie, a former U.S. women’s national team star, left Philadelphia without children when the Eagles traded Zach to Arizona in 2021. Five years later, they returned to the organization as parents of three.

    Zach Ertz was ‘nervous’ for his first practice back with the Eagles

    Madden ended Monday’s video with one more message.

    “I’m so proud of you,” he told Zach.

    “What?” Zach responded.

    “I’m so proud of you.”

    “Thank you, boy.”

    Ertz could now get the chance to complete that comeback in front of his family Monday night after being activated ahead of the Eagles’ game against the Bears (8:15 p.m., 6abc, ESPN).

  • Jeff McLane’s keys to Eagles vs. Bears in Week 3 and a game prediction

    Jeff McLane’s keys to Eagles vs. Bears in Week 3 and a game prediction

    The Eagles travel to face the Chicago Bears at 8:15 p.m. on Monday at Soldier Field. Here’s what you need to know about the matchup:

    When the Eagles have the ball: Sean Mannion has another chance to get the ground game going against a run defense that ranks 20th in the NFL in expected points added per rush. It’s been a grind through the first two weeks. Landon Dickerson’s injury — or injuries — didn’t help matters in Week 1, and the shuffling of Cam Jurgens and Drew Kendall at left guard and center didn’t help in Week 2. But the play-calling hasn’t been great, either, with runs on obvious downs and condensed sets that have invited stacked boxes and made it difficult for blockers.

    Bears coach Ben Johnson is bold, brash, and would love to go bare-chested after beating the Eagles (again).

    There likely would be a learning curve with the new wide-zone blocking scheme. Mannion has had to lean on some of the Eagles’ past staple runs — with mid-zone and duo blocking — to offset the struggles on outside zone runs. But one of the main reasons for hiring the offensive coordinator was to bring elements of the Shanahan scheme here — primarily the under-center, play-action game — and that’s yet to really happen. The Eagles rank 28th in under-center usage and play-action passes. It’s tough to commit to the latter when you’ve done virtually squat on first down (1.8 yards per rush). We’re still talking about a small sample of games. Still, we would like to see progress from the unit helmed by run game coordinator Ryan Mahaffey and offensive line coach Chris Kuper in the coming weeks.

    Montez Sweat (right) is the pass rusher the Eagles will most have to account for. Matt Ludtke

    Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen employs a traditional 4-3 front. Veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett once was one of the better run-stuffers in the league, but he’s fallen off. Edge Montez Sweat is his best pass rusher. Jurgens and Kendall should have an easier task than they had last week against Jeffery Simmons. Still, Allen probably learned a thing or two from how Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores kept the Bears’ similar run offense in check last week. I would expect aggressive five-man fronts to force the Eagles into one-on-one blocking. Mannion may need to spread his formations to keep tight ends Johnny Mundt and EJ Jenkins from having to win at the point of attack. It hasn’t been pretty thus far.

    Saquon Barkley says he’s ‘good to go’ for Monday’s game in Chicago after suffering stinger in Week 2

    All three of the Eagles’ running backs — Saquon Barkley (stinger), Tank Bigsby (abdomen) and Will Shipley (foot) — were on the injury list this week. But they’re cleared to play. If the blocking can get any of the three to the second level against linebackers Devin Bush and T.J. Edwards, I think there could be potential for a house call if Allen is going to sell out against the run. That aggressiveness extends to how he calls it vs. the pass. The Bears have the fourth-highest blitz rate in the NFL at 43.3%. They play Cover-1 (36.2%) at more than double the league rate (18%) and Cover-3 31% of the time. So there should be opportunities for quarterback Jalen Hurts and receivers DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks to exploit single-high safety coverages with the susceptible Tyrique Stevenson and Jaylon Johnson at outside cornerback. Stevenson has a hamstring injury. If he can’t go, the Bears may move rookie slot Malik Muhammad to the outside.

    Allen has another rookie in the secondary — safety Dillon Thieneman — but Chicago’s first-round safety looks legit. He may be tasked with covering the recently acquired Zach Ertz in man situations. Thieneman was the Bears’ primary defender over tight ends in the first two games. Ertz is expected to suit up. What’s unknown is how much he’ll play and how effective he’ll be just nine months removed from major knee surgery. But if he’s close to the player he was before the injury, he could be a valuable option for Hurts over the middle on third down and in the red zone.

    When the Bears have the ball: This is the more intriguing matchup, with two of the best play-callers on their respective sides of the ball facing off. Ben Johnson got the better of Vic Fangio last season, especially on the ground in Chicago’s win. The Bears rushed for 281 yards and made a good Eagles defense look like it couldn’t get off blocks or tackle in space. How did they do it, and why are they likely to present the same challenge again? Well, for one, they have two good running backs in D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai. They also have an above-average offensive line led by road-grader right tackle Darnell Wright. But it’s Johnson’s scheme and play-calling that often is the star of the show. It’s a heavy under-center, play-action offense that runs the outside zone as much as any team.

    Ben Johnson got the better of the Eagles on Black Friday last season. Scott Kinser

    Johnson doesn’t have to dress it up much because of the talent he has up front and the cutback lanes his blockers create. The Bears rushed for 291 yards in the shootout win over the Panthers in the opener, with Swift and Monangai each eclipsing 100 yards. But Minnesota held the running backs to just 3.5 yards per carry in Week 2 behind Flores’ ultra-aggressive defense. Fangio may be the polar opposite of Flores. He likes to win with the lightest boxes in the NFL. But he may have to situationally devote an extra body to force the Bears to the air.

    Chicago likely is down to its third quarterback with starter Caleb Williams (hamstring, ruled out for Monday) and backup Tyson Bagent (concussion) dealing with injuries. Case Keenum is expected to be under center. The 38-year-old hasn’t had a start in nearly three seasons. Johnson likely will call a fair amount of quasi-run passes to help his quarterback, especially if the Eagles keep the run game in check. But the Eagles have allowed 127 yards per game on the ground and are ranked 25th in expected points added per rush. They had nine missed run tackles vs. the Titans last week.

    From hangouts with former Eagles players to ‘The Bean,’ here’s a guide to Chicago for Birds fans

    They had eight missed tackles last season vs. the Bears. That was the game that forced Jalen Carter to address his shoulders with minor surgery. He’s now playing with a wrist injury, and Fangio said he was surprised the defensive tackle played as well as he did last week, considering the soft cast he’s had to wear. The wrist and how it impacts Carter bear monitoring. The same could be said of the play of the Eagles’ safeties. Marcus Epps struggled in Tennessee. Howie Roseman signed slot cornerback Kenny Moore II to the practice squad on Tuesday, but Fangio doesn’t seem intent on moving any pieces. He did concede that Michael Carter II could play more safety.

    Johnson likely will try to attack the middle of the field. His play designs attempt to stretch defenses to give his quarterbacks throwing lanes on intermediate routes. Receivers Rome Odunze and Luther Burden are young and promising. Veteran slot guy Kalif Raymond is small and shifty and could give Cooper DeJean fits. Tight ends Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet have only a combined three catches through two games, but both can be a handful. The Eagles’ pass rush has been underwhelming, considering the O-lines they’ve faced thus far. The Bears have a stronger unit, although center Garrett Bradbury has been a liability in pass protection. Left tackle Ozzy Trapilo could return after missing the first two games.

    Kicker Jake Elliott has been quietly solid for the Eagles thus far. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Extra point: The Eagles have yet to force a turnover. Fangio’s unit has been among the best in taking the ball away over the previous two seasons, so it may be just a coincidence. But it’s tough to win in the NFL if you’re net-negative in turnover differential. The Bears have three takeaways and giveaways apiece. It looks like weather conditions will be relatively benign, especially for Chicago. Kicker Jake Elliott has gotten off to a solid start this season and should have some confidence after connecting from 58 yards out in Nashville. Bears kicker Cairo Santos has a right hip injury. The Bears didn’t add an emergency replacement, but will Santos be 100%?

    Shawn Hochuli is the head referee, which could be good news for the Eagles, who are 6-0 in games officiated by him in the last five seasons. Maybe that’ll have little impact on the outcome, but there seem to be several factors in the Birds’ favor entering this matchup. I don’t think we yet know the defining characteristics of this team. It had to scrape by opponents with low outside expectations. But we’ve seen this version of the Eagles before: stack imperfect wins early until finding an identity.

    I probably would have picked the Bears if Williams was healthy. I wouldn’t underestimate Keenum with Johnson at the controls. But I can’t see Fangio getting fooled in the rematch. And I think that a confident Hurts is a dangerous Hurts, especially with the advantages the Eagles receivers have against the Chicago secondary. So I like the Eagles in a relative squeaker, maybe with Elliott kicking the game-winner.

    Prediction: Eagles, 27-24.

  • Zach Ertz was ‘nervous’ for his first practice back with the Eagles. The next stage of his football life is underway.

    Zach Ertz was ‘nervous’ for his first practice back with the Eagles. The next stage of his football life is underway.

    Zach Ertz has played 181 career regular season NFL games and another 11 in the playoffs. He has made three Pro Bowl teams and has 57 career touchdowns. He is 35 years old and 13 years removed from being a rookie second-round pick with the Eagles.

    But he experienced something a little bit different on Thursday.

    “I don’t know if I’ve ever been more nervous for a walkthrough than today,” Ertz said after his first practice back with the Eagles, who signed him to their practice squad earlier this week. “Obviously the past nine-and-a-half months have been tough. A lot of emotions going through today, a lot of prayers going through today, just to try to center myself.”

    The knee injury that ended his 2025 season could have ended his career. There were times he thought it would. Call Thursday, then, the first day of what could be the last stage of his NFL career.

    There was a full-circle feel to it. Ertz said it was “special” to be back on a practice field with Lane Johnson, whom the Eagles selected a round earlier than Ertz in 2013. He’s probably a little envious of Johnson, who still is with the Eagles without any detours to Arizona and Washington. Ertz reiterated Thursday that he never wanted to leave.

    “This is a place that I’ve always called home,” he said. “This is a place that when everyone asks where my favorite place to play is, everyone knows it’s here. There are so many memories when you’re in a place for nine years so it’s special to be back.”

    Eagles tight end Zach Ertz holds up the Lombardi Trophy during the Eagles’ Super Bowl celebration on Feb. 8, 2018.DAVID MAIALETTI / Staff Photographer

    He reconnected with Jeffrey Lurie and Howie Roseman. He liked the expanded locker room and the bigger training room. He also caught up with cafeteria staff and others in the building.

    Ertz and his wife, Julie, left here five years ago childless. He returns now as the father of three boys and armed with new perspective. His football future was up unknown after his injury, but he told himself he wanted to give himself every chance he could to play football again, in part because he wanted to show his sons a tangible example of overcoming adversity.

    “I couldn’t live with the fact that I just gave up and there was a what-if hanging over my life for the rest of my life,” Ertz said.

    Does Zach Ertz still have the juice to contribute to the Eagles? Here’s what the film — and history — says

    The Eagles need all of this to be more than ceremonial, as Inquirer columnist David Murphy wrote earlier this week. More than about him reeling in 11 more catches to become the franchise leader in receptions. The team will be without top tight end Dallas Goedert likely for a few weeks with a sprained MCL. Behind Ertz are a few blocking specialists. Ertz, for now, is on the practice squad, but he could be elevated or signed to the active roster and make his debut Monday.

    “It’s up to the coaches,” Ertz said. “I’m not even on the active roster right now. For me it’s about going out there and proving that I can make a difference in the game. If I can’t make a difference in the game then I shouldn’t be out there.”

    His knee, he said, “feels great,” but he will see how it feels Friday morning. He’s been “cramming,” he said, trying to learn a new offense that he’s never played in. Ertz said there were two or three pass plays left over from when Nick Sirianni installed his first offense in 2021. Routes are routes, but there is a lot of new terminology to learn.

    “We’ll see where he is,” Sirianni said Thursday before practice. “It’s too early to say in my mind where he is, but we will quiz him and figure out where he is on different things.”

    Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni (pictured in 2021) reunited with tight end Zach Ertz on the practice field for the first time since the two parted ways five years ago. HEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer

    Ertz was having another productive season before he suffered his injury in December. He had 11 touchdowns in 30 games over his last two seasons in Washington, where he fell “back in love with the game again” and helped a young quarterback, Jayden Daniels, find his way.

    Ertz admitted Thursday that he wasn’t always good with young players earlier in his career, but now he sees working with them as part of his duties. His locker stall at the Jefferson Health Training Complex tells a story. When he first got here a few days ago, it was in a different spot, but as the practice week got underway, Ertz’s stall was next to that of rookie second-round pick Eli Stowers, who is on injured reserve with a hamstring injury after a training camp where he didn’t really stand out.

    “I don’t think it’s an accident that they put me here,” Ertz said. “I’m excited to work with him. We have the same agent so I’ve heard a lot about his story, a lot about the talent that he has. Not many tight ends can jump 44 inches and run a 4.5. Everyone has a superpower in this league and he’s got to play to his superpower. I’m looking forward to helping him kind of unlock that mentally, physically, to be at his best.

    “I really embrace that role in my later stages of life … football life I should say.”

    It was a good correction. As of Thursday, Zach Ertz’s football life was officially revived.

    Eagles vs. Bears in Week 3: Here are the numbers that matter

    Injury report

    The Eagles had a lengthy first practice report of the week ahead of their Monday night game in Chicago.

    Most notably, Saquon Barkley (stinger) practiced in a limited fashion. But the other two running backs on the active roster did not.

    The following players did not practice: Tank Bigsby (abdomen), Goedert (knee), Will Shipley (foot), and wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring).

    The Eagles listed Barkley, Jalen Carter (wrist), Jonathan Greenard (pectoral), and Andrew Mukuba (knee) as limited participants.

    Tyler Steen (shoulder) was a full participant.

  • Philly sports summer? It’s Philly sports fall with a deluge of big events for each of the city’s pro teams

    Philly sports summer? It’s Philly sports fall with a deluge of big events for each of the city’s pro teams

    Whatever plans you have this weekend, cancel them. There are more important things going on.

    Starting this weekend, all five major pro sports in Philly will have major things going on that carry into the week ahead.

    From sitting on the brink of another Red October to welcoming Philly’s newest superstar, here is what all five Philly teams have on the horizon:

    Phillies

    There is no phrase more indicative of the Phillies’ season than “the ebbs and flows of baseball.” This season, which started with a 9-19 record for the club’s worst 28-game start with Rob Thomson at the helm, has evolved into an 87-71 season under interim manager Don Mattingly.

    Just like when Thomson took over for Girardi in 2022 and led the Phillies to the postseason for the first time in 11 years, Mattingly is on the cusp of leading the Phillies to the postseason after taking over for Thomson, who was fired on April 28.

    With a magic number of two going into Thursday’s games, the most direct path to a postseason berth is a Phillies win and Diamondbacks or Padres loss. Sitting in the third and final NL wild card spot at the beginning of the day Thursday, the Phillies can lock in their fifth consecutive postseason.

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    Eagles

    After starting the season 2-0 with two- and four-point wins over the Washington Commanders and Tennessee Titans, respectively, the Eagles are gearing up for Monday Night Football in Week 3.

    As the Birds head to Chicago to take on the Bears (8:15 p.m., 6abc, ESPN), many questions surround the game, including the status of Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, who is listed as doubtful with a hamstring injury.

    Eagles fans calling to ‘save Philadelphia tailgating’ after new guidelines proposed for sports complex

    While Williams is week to week for the Bears (1-1), Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert is expected to be out for multiple weeks with an MCL injury. Enter Zach Ertz, who played eight-plus seasons with the Eagles and was signed to the practice squad on Monday.

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

    Ertz, 35, was a free agent recovering from a torn ACL, LCL, and hamstring suffered in December 2025. Now back in green, Ertz is just 11 catches from breaking Harold Carmichael’s franchise career catch record.

    76ers

    No king is official without a coronation, and LeBron James is getting his Monday when he’s expected to speak for the first time as a 76er.

    After a long-awaited decision, “King James” signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Sixers on July 24, but he hasn’t had any public appearances with the team yet. However, the team will have its media day Monday, marking James’ anticipated first appearance and first time speaking as a part of the Sixers organization.

    The media day also will be the first in Philly for Jaylen Brown, who held his introductory news conference with the Sixers on Aug. 6.

    Jaylen Brown on Philly fans: 'The fan base here is incredible'
    Video: Jaylen Brown on Philly fans: ‘The fan base here is incredible’

    Flyers

    Last season, what many expected to be another year of rebuilding for the Flyers ended in the second round of the playoffs after being swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes.

    Now, the hype around the Orange and Black has been established and is carrying into the team’s season opener Wednesday at Xfinity Mobile Arena when they take on the cross-state rival Pittsburgh Penguins after eliminating them in first round of last season’s playoffs, four games to two.

    Eyes are on goalie Dan Vladař, who played a big role in the Flyers’ success last season but left Tuesday’s preseason 5-1 loss to the Bruins with an upper-body injury. Porter Martone, the 19-year-old right winger who played nine regular-season games and all 10 playoff games, also brings his own level of fanfare to the team.

    Flyers goalie Joseph Woll says Dan Vladař’s injury doesn’t ‘change my process’ or ‘mindset’

    Union

    This summer was big for soccer in Philadelphia as it hosted six World Cup games. But even after the tourists retreated and Philadelphia Stadium became Lincoln Financial Field again, soccer has remained relevant in the city.

    The Union have gone 9-0-2 in Major League Soccer since the World Cup break after firing manager Bradley Carnell on May 27.

    Currently sixth in the Eastern Conference with 36 points and sitting in a playoff spot, Cavan Sullivan, the 16-year-old homegrown star, has brought even more attention to the team after being called up to the U.S. men’s national team alongside teammates Neil Pierre and Frankie Westfield.

    Sullivan, Pierre, and Westfield could make their USMNT debuts Saturday vs. Peru in Orlando (4:30 p.m., TNT). Meanwhile, the Union will look to improve to an unbeaten streak of 12 when they host Orlando City at Subaru Park on Saturday.

    Union star Cavan Sullivan (front) is in his first camp with the senior U.S. men’s national team.Jonathan Tannenwald
  • Offensive coordinator Sean Mannion talks Eagles’ early-down woes, potential Zach Ertz role

    Offensive coordinator Sean Mannion talks Eagles’ early-down woes, potential Zach Ertz role

    Sean Mannion knows his offense is still a work in progress.

    There have been positive signs, no doubt — like the team’s strong third-down conversion rate (53%) — but their track record in one particular area ranks near the bottom of the league:

    Early downs.

    According to Sportradar, the Eagles have an offensive success rate of 37% on first and second downs, which ranks last in the NFL. They’ve converted a first down on first down just one time and they’re tied for the most negative plays on offense through two weeks.

    Does Zach Ertz still have the juice to contribute to the Eagles? Here’s what the film — and history — says

    So, what gives? Mannion tried to explain this bizarre early- vs. late-down stat discrepancy during his Wednesday news conference.

    “There’s always going to be things to clean up each week,” the first-year offensive coordinator said. “We’re really close on a lot of our things on first and second down. Just some fundamental things to clean up, corrections to make. We’re always looking as a staff to put everyone in the best possible position to succeed. Not to make it coachspeak or anything like that, but I think we’re really close there.”

    Improvement in the run game would be a big first step. Eagles running backs averaged just 3.7 yards per carry in the first two weeks. They averaged 2.8 yards per carry in the last-minute win at Tennessee last Sunday.

    Coach Nick Sirianni didn’t offer much of an update Monday on Saquon Barkley, who missed the majority of the first half against the Titans, but he did finish the game so that could bode well for his Week 3 status. What does Mannion think of the current state of the run game?

    “We’re close,” he said. “A few little things fundamentally, just some of the smaller details that, if we attack those, it’ll really come to life for us. But the guys are bought in. I think what we’re doing, being able to stay on schedule on first and second down, allows you to call more runs. You never know when those are about to pop … I feel that, moving forward, those are going to start to break through.”

    Sean Mannion lauded Zach Ertz’s skills as a pass catcher. YONG KIM / Staff Photographer

    What will Ertz’s role be?

    The Eagles signed tight end Zach Ertz — who spent the first eight-plus years of his career in Philadelphia — to their practice squad Tuesday. The franchise legend will help fill the void left by Dallas Goedert, who is likely out several weeks due to a sprained MCL.

    The offense Mannion runs leans heavily on tight ends. So how, exactly, does he plan on using the 35-year-old Ertz?

    “He’s a very comfortable pass catcher,” Mannion said. “He’s had a really strong track record in that area. When you look at the tight end group, it’s really about the composite of everyone’s skill sets together. It’s what makes that position specifically unique — it’s about complementary skill sets and how they play off one another… We’ll use the week to evaluate and see what Zach’s role looks like.”

    Offensive coordinator Sean Mannion on how Zach Ertz will fit into the Eagles' offense
    Video: Offensive coordinator Sean Mannion on how Zach Ertz will fit into the Eagles’ offense

    With second-round pick Eli Stowers (quad/hamstring) and Grant Calcaterra (back) on injured reserve, Johnny Mundt and E.J. Jenkins are the only healthy tight ends on the Eagles roster. They’re both blocking tight ends. That could mean targets are coming Ertz’s way (he’s only 11 receptions shy of breaking Harold Carmichael’s franchise record of 589).

    “We’ll use this practice week and see what it looks like moving forward with us,” Mannion said. “Excited to add him. I know [we’re] a little dinged up at the position… But Zach has a lot of history with the organization. Excited to bring him in and use the week to see what his role may or may not look like.”

  • Does Zach Ertz still have the juice to contribute to the Eagles? Here’s what the film — and history — says

    Does Zach Ertz still have the juice to contribute to the Eagles? Here’s what the film — and history — says

    The Eagles’ depth at tight end was tested early when Eli Stowers and Grant Calcaterra both landed on the injured list before the season began. Two weeks in, the Eagles now are also down starting tight end Dallas Goedert, who suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee during Sunday’s win over the Titans.

    An old friend, Zach Ertz, reunited with the Eagles on Monday, signing with the team’s practice squad. Before suffering a season-ending injury last year, Ertz, in his age-35 season, finished with 50 catches for 504 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games for the Washington Commanders.

    Ertz has spent the last nine months rehabbing from tearing both the anterior cruciate ligament and lateral collateral ligament in his right knee, and with the Eagles in need of a receiving tight end, the reunion makes sense on paper.

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

    But does Ertz, who turns 36 in November, still have the skills to contribute in an offense that needs production from its tight ends? Here’s what his film over the last two years with the Commanders — and NFL history — says about Ertz, who is 11 receptions away from becoming the Eagles’ all-time leader.

    Manning the middle

    For the past 13 seasons, Ertz has thrived on targets over the middle of the field, including his last two seasons with the Commanders. According to Next Gen Stats, 90 of his 116 receptions and 919 of his 1,158 receiving yards over the last two years have come between the numbers.

    A route the Eagles are familiar with is his in-breaking route that is somewhere between a slant and dig route, and often mirrors a running back angle route out of the backfield. Ertz sets up the route by widening his route to the outside and sharply cutting upfield at an angle, allowing him to break open vs. both man and zone coverage.

    The route was especially effective in the red zone, where he scored all 11 of his receiving touchdowns with Washington. On this specific angle route, he scored five of those touchdowns, including against the Eagles in their Week 11 matchup in 2024.

    The big-bodied tight end (6-foot-5, 250 pounds) also thrived on traditional in-breaking routes, where he occupied the middle of the field, finding soft spots in zone coverage.

    About a third of his production in Washington came from in-breaking routes: According to Next Gen Stats, Ertz finished with 385 yards on 37 catches on those routes over the last two seasons, including eight of his 11 touchdowns.

    Though his speed to stretch the field vertically and athleticism to create after the catch are not what they were when he was last in an Eagles jersey in 2021, there is some route-running savvy he brings to his old team. Specifically, Ertz still showed the ability to break open on corner routes downfield, when matched up with safeties or linebackers.

    He uses his size to outmuscle smaller defenders and creates bigger target areas to throw the football. He takes his corner routes a few steps toward the middle of the field and breaks out toward the sideline at a sharp angle to allow the quarterback to throw him open. When he generated big gains over the last two years, they specifically came on those corner routes.

    While Ertz still can thrive as a receiver, he does not bring much as a blocker, an area where the Eagles have struggled through two weeks. Much of his time in Washington was spent as a detached slot receiver on run-pass option plays or as a lead blocker on the perimeter for zone-read runs with Jayden Daniels.

    He has not had an in-line blocking role for the majority of his career, and that is unlikely to change in this reunion. But with Goedert missing time, Ertz’s contributions as a pass catcher seemed to be what the Eagles are seeking in the franchise legend.

    Aging like fine wine?

    According to StatMuse, which has NFL data that goes back to 1932, only three tight ends eclipsed 500 yards in their aged-36 season: Tony Gonzalez (930), Travis Kelce (851), and Antonio Gates (548). Gonzalez repeated the feat at 37 and 38, Kelce appears on track to do so in 2026 at 37, and Gates failed to reach that marker again over his last two NFL seasons.

    If you widen the scope, two other players reached 500 receiving yards after their age-35 seasons, and one of those circumstances relates directly to Ertz. Jason Witten, who finished with more than 500 receiving yards in 2017 at 35 years old (560), retired in 2018, returned to Dallas in 2019 at 37, and finished with 529 yards in 2019. He did not reach 500 yards with Las Vegas in 2020.

    Benjamin Watson (82) had a late-career renaissance but like Zach Ertz, battled injuries in the twilight of his career. Patrick Semansky

    The other player in that category was Benjamin Watson, who had a career-best 825 yards at age 35 in 2015 with the Saints, but missed all of 2016. After returning at age 37, Watson finished 2017 with 522 yards on 61 catches, but he did not cross that threshold with the Saints in 2018 or Patriots in 2019.

    Injuries in 2022 and 2023 with the Cardinals prevented Ertz from reaching that marker, but Ertz played 17 and 13 games over his last two years, his most games in a two-year span since 2020 with the Eagles and 2021 split between Philly and Arizona.

    Gonzalez, Kelce, Gates, Witten, and Watson stayed remarkably healthy, though the latter faced injuries late in his career. With the exception of Kelce, they were two-way players as blockers and receivers. Ertz has missed time with injury in nine of his 13 seasons, suffering season-ending injuries in three of them, and does not offer much in the blocking department beyond doing so in space.

    Previous Goedert replacements

    When Goedert has been out of the lineup over the last four seasons, the Eagles have traditionally not relied on the backups for heavy receiving workloads. In 2022, when Goedert missed Weeks 10 through 14 with an injury, Jack Stoll caught seven passes for 74 yards in that time frame, while Calcaterra caught four passes for 41 yards.

    In 2023, when Goedert missed Weeks 10 through 12, Stoll had two receptions for 17 yards, and Calcaterra was inactive for two of those three games.

    In 2024, when Goedert missed Weeks 6 through 8, then 13 through 16 with injuries, Calcaterra had an increased role, catching 14 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown

    And last season, when Goedert missed only one meaningful game, Calcaterra had one catch for 6 yards in a Week 2 game in Kansas City.

    This offense under Sean Mannion requires more from tight ends than previous iterations of Eagles offenses, which made Ertz’s signing necessary, though learning the scheme could take time for the 13-year veteran to make a significant impact on the passing game.

    Expectations should be set low for Ertz, considering his age and return from a significant injury. But if the tight end can look somewhat like he did as a receiver last season, when he contributed a throwback performance against the Broncos one game before his injury (10 catches, 106 yards) the Eagles may get more than a feel-good story.

  • 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.