Very few people expected the Green Bay Packers to be in contention for a NFL Playoffs spot this season. After all, they traded Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets in favor of their 2020 first round NFL Draft pick Jordan Love. They also allowed multiple veterans to depart via free agency and filled out their roster, especially on offense, with rookies and other young players.
While Green Bay has not had a winning record since Week Three, their 5-6 record has them just a half game out of the final NFC wild card spot. Should they beat the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night, they will overtake the Seattle Seahawks for that spot.
In other words, despite all that has been said about them before and during the season, the Packers are in contention for a playoff spot. This is an important factor to keep in mind, not just because of how thrilling it is for the team, but also because it makes them theoretical players in late-season free agent signings.
The Arizona Cardinals Recently Waived 3-Time Pro Bowl Tight End Zach Ertz
When the Cardinals first traded for Zach Ertz in 2021, they did so taking a chance on a player that had struggled to stay healthy in 2020. After making three straight Pro Bowls between 2017 and 2019, Ertz had a hard time staying on the field. As a result, the Philadelphia Eagles decided to trade him midway through the 2021 season.
Ertz thrived in first half-season with the Cardinals, hauling in 56 receptions for 574 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games that year. Unfortunately, his injury woes returned in 2022, and he only played in 10 games. This year, he has been limited to just seven games and Arizona has been awful. In the games he has played, Ertz has 27 receptions for 187 yards and a single touchdown.
The Cardinals waived Ertz earlier this week. No NFL team claimed him, so he is now a free agent.
NFL Insider Jordan Schultz Reports the Green Bay Packers May Show Interest in Zach Ertz
The Packers started the season with three rookie tight ends: Luke Musgrave, Tucker Kraft, and Ben Sims. They also have Josiah Deguara on their roster. However, Deguara has been injured and Musgrave went on injured reserve with a lacerated kidney.
The injuries have made the Packers thin at the tight end position, and since they are a possible wild card team, NFL insider Jordan Schultz has reported that they have shown some interest in recent days about signing the now-free agent:
“I think Green Bay could potentially make sense. I mean, you now have the injury to Luke Musgrave.
“The Packers are a team that I have asked around on, and some folks around the league have said, ‘I think Green Bay makes sense.’
“I am not reporting that the Packers have shown interest. What I am saying is that there are people around the league that have told me, ‘Green Bay makes sense.’
“They’re starting to heat up. They’ve won three out of their last four. Jordan Love has thrown eight touchdowns to just two picks. They’re playing really well.
“They like Tucker Kraft as well, but Luke Musgrave is hurt.”
Schultz did say, though, that there are four teams that have shown definite interest in Ertz, and each of them has a stronger playoff position than Green Bay: the Eagles, the Chiefs, the Baltimore Ravens, and the Buffalo Bills.
He also named the San Francisco 49ers as a potential sleeper team.
Would the Green Bay Packers Really Be Interested in Zach Ertz?
Like Schultz said, the Packers have not, themselves, shown interest in signing Ertz. Instead, other people around the NFL feel like they should have interest and that they are a team that makes sense for him.
There is really only one reason why the Packers being linked to Ertz makes sense, and that’s the Musgrave injury. Other than that, there is not really any other reason for them to sign him. As Schultz stated, Green Bay really likes Tucker Kraft. As long as Kraft and Sims remain healthy, that may be all they feel they need for now.
Indeed, there are three reasons why Ertz to Green Bay would make no sense at all. The first is that he is an injury-prone veteran that would be joining a team of young players that has enough injury troubles. If the Packers look to the free agent market for a tight end, they almost certainly won’t take one that has not been able to stay on the field.
Secondly, the Packers are not going to spend as much money as other teams will. This is why and how they lost out on Odell Beckham Jr. in 2021. They were interested, they did talk to him, But they offered him the league minimum because that is what they could afford. Beckham, instead, signed with the Los Angeles Rams for $4 million and won a Super Bowl.
Finally, Ertz is not in the prime of his career. Now that he can sign with any team that will show interest, he is going to sign with the one that gives him the most and money AND the best chance to win another Super Bowl. While Green Bay is on the precipice of entering the playoff bracket, they are far from a sure-thing when it comes to playoff teams. They more easily could miss the postseason than make it at this point.
And if they do make the NFL Playoffs, they want to do so on the strength of their young roster.
It’s a fun thought, but it is highly doubtful that Green Bay would want Ertz, and it’s just as doubtful he would want to sign with them.
Dive deeper into the world of the Green Bay Packers with our comprehensive coverage on the latest developments, including the potential interest in 3-time Pro Bowler Zach Ertz. Stay ahead of the game with exclusive insights and analysis. Explore more in our Green Bay Packers News section.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How good is Zach Ertz?
Zach Ertz remains a dependable tight end, exhibiting consistent performance with receptions in every game this season. By securing 27 catches for 187 yards and scoring a touchdown, Ertz has proven his reliability, especially with three games of six catches each, an indicator of his skill and value to the team.
Why did Zach Ertz leave Eagles?
Zach Ertz left the Philadelphia Eagles mainly due to contract negotiations that didn't align with the team's financial plans. With Dallas Goedert rising as a leading tight end, the Eagles were not prepared to offer Ertz the new contract he sought, paving the way for an amicable departure.
