Should the Eagles bring Zach Ertz back to Philadelphia?

Zach Ertz learned he would be traded to the Arizona Cardinals before his last game with the team. In an uncustomary move, he still played that night. He wanted one last chance to wear an Eagles uniform in front of the home crowd.

Ertz scored a touchdown. It provided closure — to an extent. Because even though he was traded, it did not end his affection for the city or even the organziation. In fact, it irked Ertz when he was congratulated for moving closer to his childhood home and to his wife’s home. 

“This is home,” Ertz countered. “Philadelphia is home.”

Fast forward two years. The Cardinals have slipped from a franchise in postseason contention to one undergoing a major rebuild. The Eagles went from postseason hopeful to a bona fide heavyweight that reached the Super Bowl last year and could return again in two months. Ertz requested his release from the Cardinals and is expected to join a contender if he clears waivers.

A toddler could connect those dots. Ertz-to-Philadelphia is an intriguing possibility, although the key  in any discussion is to separate the art from the artist. 

Sentimentality is a dangerous emotion in evaluation or negotiation. There have been second acts in Philadelphia that made for better stories than harmonious reunions. The problem can come when the expectation is that the player who left is the player who returns.

So here’s what to do: Eliminate those expectations. 

The Eagles should pursue Ertz because they could use productive depth at tight end and Ertz would fill a specific role. It would be comparable to the Julio Jones addition — you know you’re not signing the player from 2018, but what can the player in 2023 provide?

Dallas Goedert will soon return to the lineup from a fractured forearm. There’s a reason the Eagles did not place him on injured reserve. When Goedert is back, he plays nearly 90 percent of the offensive snaps. That should not change. And that won’t change. He’s one of their top three skill players and he does not need to relinquish playing time, just as he has not come off the field for Jack Stoll, Grant Calcaterra, or Albert Okwuegbunam.

But mentioning those three reserve tight ends is why the Eagles should look into Ertz. Stoll is a capable blocker who has two catches on four targets in the past two games when he’s played the majority of the offensive snaps. Calcaterra is sidelined with an ankle injury. He’s out of a walking boot, although it’s an injury that has kept him from becoming a pass-catching option during Goedert’s absence. Okwuegbunam was an intriguing low-cost addition when the Eagles acquired him, but he hasn’t factored into the offense and is a free agent after this season.

Ertz would provide the Eagles pass-catching depth behind Goedert and could be used situationally, similar to the ideal role for Jones — in certain packages or moments in the game. 

Ertz averaged a career-low 6.7 yards per target in Arizona, which is a steep decline from 10.8 yards per target during nine seasons in Philadelphia. And his receiving success rate dropped to 41.8 percent, his worst mark since the unforgettable 2020 season. He’s down to 1.7 yards after a catch and had an ADOT (average depth of target) of 7.7 yards. So yes, this is not the 2018 Ertz. He would probably tell you the same thing. But if he’s running 7-10 routes a game, his understanding of leverage and his situational awareness can be critical. Look at last season as a guide: Four of his eight catches in the red zone resulted in touchdown. He had a 68.8 percent catch rate on third downs. Ertz speaks often about playing his best on third down and red zone. That’s where he could provide help. This is not acquiring Cliff Lee at the deadline. It’s acquiring Matt Stairs for a pinch hit home run.

Also, don’t discount the intangible benefits. Lane Johnson posted on social media about a reunion. He was not the only one who had that sentiment. Ertz can be value added in the locker room. And despite a messy final year with the team, Ertz genuinely enjoyed playing for Nick Sirianni. He called the summer of 2021 under Sirianni  “the most fun I’ve had coming to work in a long time” even though he expected to be traded.

Ertz first must clear waivers. This is assuming the Eagles don’t make a claim. At their spot on the waiver wire, it makes more sense to allow him to become a free agent than take on his Arizona salary. This would also allow them to bring him in for a visit, similar to Shaq Leonard, and even start him on practice squad if needed to preserve a roster spot. 

There’s likely going to be competition on the market. The Baltimore Ravens need help at tight end after Mark Andrews’ injury and could theoretically offer more opportunity. 

But Ertz has been adamant that Philadelphia is where he wants to retire. It could come during a one-day ceremony like DeSean Jackson will do on Friday. Or it could come during two-plus months, when the player who scored the game-winning touchdown in the Eagles’ lone Super Bowl could go on another potential Super Bowl run with the franchise — and in the city he considers home.

James Bradberry passes on adding fuel to 49ers rivalry

James Bradberry heard 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel call him “trash.” Bradberry, who will see Samuel on Sunday, stood by his locker with a sly smile this week unwilling to engage in a war of words.

“Of course, I don’t necessarily like what he said,” Bradberry said. “Wish he would have used a better word to describe my play. But it is what it is. At the end of the day, all I can control is my work ethic, what I do every day.”

Bradberry is coming off his best game of the season, with one interception and five pass breakups. When he was asked why Samuel would say that about him, he considered that a better question for Samuel.

“From the clips I saw, they felt like they had a good game plan against us,” Bradberry said. “They felt like they had some open routes against us. You’d have to ask him.”

The 49ers had 97 passing yards in the NFC Championship Game while two quarterbacks were injured. Samuel had three catches for 33 yards.

The Eagles have sought to put aside the baggage associated with the postseason game. Jordan Mailata said it “irks” him to hear what the 49ers are saying, but his lesson (and a team talking point) is to let last season go even though the 49ers have seemingly taken a different approach.

“It’s the 2023 Eagles versus the 2023 Niners,” Sirianni said. “So, all we talk about is there is no greater motivation than not wanting to let each other down. That’s our connect piece, right? There is always going to be outside motivations. I say this all the time: Whether you’re going to play against your hometown team in Buffalo, going back to playing a team that beat you in the Super Bowl, whether it’s a rematch of the NFC — like there is that each and every week. You’re playing against a former teammate of yours. But again, at the end of the day, we want to put in the work that we need to put into the week just because we don’t want to let each other down. Because we know it’s the best teams that win, not the best groups of individuals.”

Why Jalen Hurts went to the Sixers game

Jalen Hurts sat courtside for the Sixers-Lakers game with his father on Monday, 24 hours after he led the Eagles on a dramatic comeback win over the Bills.

This was not simply a night out for Hurts. Like most of what Hurts does, there was intentionality involved. 

He wanted to see LeBron James.

“I rarely go, but I’ve never been able to see LeBron play, never met him,” Hurts said. “Great player. He’s so transcendent in terms of the things he’s been able to do — on the court, off the court. He’s changed the game in so many different ways. Just thought it would be cool to go to see him. Obviously had the chance to meet him. And I wanted him to shake my dad’s hand, too. That’s someone my dad has watched, being an older guy, watched him grow into the monumental figure he is now. …So it’s just all love and respect for him.”