Zach Ertz, who caught the 2nd-most passes in Eagles history, is back in the NFC East.
Ertz has agreed to contract terms with the Washington Commanders, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Wednesday afternoon.
So assuming he’s healthy, the Eagles will see the three-time Pro Bowl tight end twice this year.
Pelissero said the deal could be worth up to $5 million, including incentives.
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Ertz, now 33, caught 579 passes for 6,267 yards and 38 touchdowns in 8 ½ seasons with the Eagles. Only Hall of Famer Harold Carmichael – with 589 – has more catches in franchise history.
Ertz made Pro Bowls after the 2017, 2018 and 2019 season and had two of the biggest catches of the game when the Eagles won the Super Bowl, a 4th-down catch from Nick Foles on a fourth down with 5 ½ minutes left that extended the go-ahead drive and then the game-winning touchdown with 2 ½ minutes left.
But by the 2020 season Ertz was disappointed in the lack of contract extension talks and he was finally traded to the Cards in October 2021 for cornerback Tai Gowan and a 5th-round pick.
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Ertz caught 56 passes for 574 yards and three TDs in 11 games with the Cards the rest of the 2021 season but dropped to 47-for-406 with four TDs in 10 games last year. Injuries marred his 2022 and 2023 seasons – he played only 17 games combined - and the Cards released him this past November.
The Lions added Ertz to their practice squad before the NFC Championship Game, but he was inactive for the game, the Lions lost to the 49ers and Ertz never did play for Detroit. Because he was on the practice squad and not the 53-man roster when the 2023 season ended, the Commanders were able to sign him before the start of free agency.
In Washington, Ertz is reunited with new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who was Cards head coach in 2022.
Ertz has the 3rd-most receptions against Washington of any player in history. He caught 93 passes for 888 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games vs. Washington. Only Jason Witten (137 catches in 32 games) and Michael Irvin (96 catches in 20 games) caught more passes.
Ertz’s 15 catches in a 27-24 loss to Washington in 2014 at FedEx Field are tied for the most receptions ever in a game vs. the team now known as the Commanders. Danny Amendola – a one-time Eagles practice squad member – had 15 for the Rams in a game in 2012 at the Edwards Jones Dome in St. Louis.
Ertz also had games with 10 catches vs. Washington in 2016 and 13 in 2015 at the Linc. Ertz and Hall of Famer Raymond Berry of the Baltimore Colts are the only players with three career 10-catch games vs. Washington.
Logan Thomas started 15 games at tight end for the Commanders last year and caught 55 passes for 496 yards and four touchdowns but was released last week.
Also on the roster are John Bates, Cole Turner, Armani Rogers and Brandon Dillon. Bates caught 19 passes for 151 yards last year and made four starts, Turner was 11-for-120 and started one game and Rogers missed the season with an Achilles and has five career receptions. Dillon has one catch in parts of five seasons with the Vikings and Commanders.
Ertz’s 709 career catches are 8th-most in NFL history by a tight end and he’s 10 behind Jimmy Graham, who is currently with the Saints but caught only six passes last year, and 33 behind Greg Olsen.
The only tight ends in history with more catches in their first 11 seasons are Travis Kelce (908), Witten (879), Tony Gonzalez (820) and Antonio Gates (719).
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