Zach Ertz.
Since Zach Ertz was released by the Arizona Cardinals at the end of November, three of the final four teams in this winter’s NFL playoffs have been rumored as potential fits for the tight end.
Six years after helping lead the Philadelphia Eagles to their first Super Bowl title, the three-time Pro Bowler is now joining the only one of the remaining conference finalists who have never won the big game.
Backup tight end Brock Wright suffered a broken forearm during the Detroit Lions’ NFC divisional round win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, giving a chance for Ertz to make an immediate contribution behind Pro Bowl rookie Sam LaPorta. The first-year player has also been playing through a hyperextended knee in the postseason.
The 33-year-old Ertz was selected by the Eagles in the second round of the 2013 draft and spent the first eight-plus seasons of his career in Philadelphia. Ertz made all of his Pro Bowls during his time with the franchise in three consecutive seasons from 2017-19, was the team’s leading receiver in four straight campaigns and was crucial in getting the Eagles a Lombardi Trophy.
During Philadelphia’s Super Bowl LII victory over the New England Patriots, Ertz finished with a team-best seven catches for 67 yards and caught the game-winning touchdown with 2:21 left in the fourth quarter.
Lions quarterback Jared Goff is one of the only other Detroit players with Super Bowl experience. One year after Ertz and the Eagles defeated Tom Brady and the Patriots, Goff’s Los Angeles Rams fell to New England, 13-3.
Goff went 19-for-38 for 229 passing yards with no touchdowns and one interception in the loss.
LaPorta has been one of Goff’s favorite aerial weapons this season, finishing tied for first on the team in touchdown grabs (10) and second in targets (120), catches (86) and receiving yards (889), while adding 12 receptions for 79 yards and one score on 14 targets across two playoff contests. Ertz posted 27 catches for 187 receiving yards and one touchdown on 43 targets in seven games with the Cardinals before being released.
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