Zach Ertz

[Luvnit2]

(05-24-2021, 11:19 AM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: He was hurt last year.  He had a high ankle sprain early in the year.  And yeah, Wentz, and really the state of the entire team was holding everyone back.  At one point I think they had 4 or 5 starting OL hurt.  And even more importantly, they were missing almost all of their receiving threats (Alshon Jeffrey, Desean Jackson, Dallas Goedert, Jalen Raegor all missed a ton of time)

He's only 30, and take a look at his numbers from 2019 when he was healthy...

88 receptions, 916 yards, and 6 TD's.

Here's where those ranked in his 8 year career...

Receptions - 2nd most
Yards - 2nd most
TD's - 3rd most

Here's where those among TE's in 2019...

Receptions - 3rd
Yards - 4th
TD's - 4th

Maybe he just fell off a cliff last year, but I think it's more easily explainable by what I stated above (his injury, Wentz, other weapons being out, other injuries)

At 8 million bucks, with no guaranteed money and no commitment beyond 2021, and the fact our Tight Ends are one of our weakest position groups, I don't see why he wouldn't be worth a gamble.

PS As of right now the Bengals have 24 million dollars in cap space.

Ertz is a very Good TE and is not old by any stretch. Also as you stated, we have the money to sign Ertz and other FA's still as well and that is not counting cuts. I can't recall the last time we had a true 3 down TE other than Gresham and Gresham was never the player Ertz has been.