Zach Ertz gave his absolute all to the Washington Commanders during his two years as the team's undisputed No. 1 tight end. He deserved a better send-off than cruelly tearing his ACL after a violent hit against the Minnesota Vikings.
Given how late in the campaign this occurred, coupled with Ertz being 35 years old now and facing a long road to recovery, his time in Washington is likely done. The three-time Pro Bowler leaves big shoes to fill both on and off the field, and the Commanders haven't seen enough from 2024 second-round pick Ben Sinnott to stand pat.
The Commanders may not have given up on Sinnott just yet, but trusting him to just instantly slot into Ertz's role is a massive gamble. Much will depend on what new offensive coordinator David Blough has to say in the matter. Even so, it wouldn't be the biggest shock in the world to see Washington identify a primary pass-catcher to help quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Commanders could replace Zach Ertz with Isaiah Likely in free agency
There are several intriguing candidates in free agency. And the Commanders have money to spend.
The Baltimore Ravens are moving into a new era after the AFC North club parted ways with head coach John Harbaugh. There is uncertainty where once there was nothing but stability. A new coach will have different ideas for advancing the offense. Any appointment will be lumbered with veteran tight end Mark Andrews' contract after he signed an extension during the campaign.
That means the writing could be on the wall for Isaiah Likely. He's a promising young player who's shown tremendous potential when given significant responsibilities. There is some work to do on the blocking side, but he's a smooth route runner with dependable hands and the ability to create yards after the catch.
This is precisely what the Commanders need. There needs to be more explosiveness and dynamism across this roster. Daniels is losing his most dependable security blanket in Ertz. Sinnott's flashes so far are not enough to take his place.
Not yet, anyway.
According to Spotrac, Likely is expected to generate an annual salary of $9.09 million on a four-year, $36.36 million deal. That's a lot for someone who has yet to go over 500 receiving yards in a season, but it's also worth remembering that he's never been a TE1 for long enough.
Peters could afford to make a splash for Likely if there is a genuine belief that he can help take the offense up a notch. And in this scenario, there would be nobody happier than Daniels.