It’s no secret that the Eagles and Zach Ertz are looking to part ways. Even though Eagles GM Howie Roseman indicated that Ertz could be back with the team, the anticipation is that the team still would like to move him and gain some more cap flexibility.

"This isn't a guy in the twilight of his career," Roseman said back on May 1. "He's a guy still in his prime. A year ago at this time everyone was talking about where he ranked with the top tight ends in the league."

"So we feel really good about the kind of player he is and we have to do what's best for our team as well and again we have a lot of respect for him and continue to remain a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, if something changes, we'll update you guys."

So far there has been no update on Ertz.

 

Preferably, the Eagles would like to move him, and ESPN’s Bill Barnwell thinks the Buffalo Bills might be the right trade partner.

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Barnwell thinks that the Bills would be a good fit for Ertz, suggesting that the Eagles send Ertz to Buffalo in exchange for a seventh-round pick and reserve tight end Tommy Sweeney.

Bills general manager Brandon Beane proclaimed at the beginning of the offseason that his team needed to upgrade on Dawson Knox at tight end, but the only move Buffalo has made at the position is signing Jacob Hollister to a one-year deal.

Sweeney did not play in the 2020 season due to myocarditis, a heart condition related to COVID-19.  He was a 2019 seventh-round pick out of Boston College, and had eight catches for 114 yards as a rookie in 2019, who is known more for his blocking than pass catching ability.

On the surface this seems like disappointing compensation for Ertz, especially after the Eagles had been seeking a third-round pick for the tight end.  However the team would save $8.5 million on their 2021 cap by moving on.

While Ertz has been the Eagles all-time best tight end, he had a rough 2020 season, which was limited by injury, catching 36 passes for 336 yards and scored just once.

It has become clear that Ertz's future isn't in Philadelphia. The Eagles didn't offer the tight end an extension last season, owing to their cap woes, the presence of Dallas Goedert and what ended up as a disastrous campaign for the veteran. Ertz set career lows across the board in virtually every measure of any kind, a scary sign for a player who just turned 30. On top of all that, Ertz's $12.7 million cap hit is the largest at his position in 2021.

If Philadelphia does trade Ertz, they would lean on Dallas Goedert as their top tight end target. Goedert had a solid 2020 season, finishing second on the team with 46 catches and 524 yards and three scores.

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