Zach Ertz was reborn on the Washington Commanders in 2024. And he doesn't want the journey to end just yet.
Things were on a downward spiral for Ertz before the Commanders took a chance on the veteran tight end in free agency. Those in power still believed he had something to offer. Reuniting with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury provided some intrigue, but fans adopted a wait-and-see approach regarding this transaction.
Ertz established himself immediately. The three-time Pro Bowler developed encouraging chemistry with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and became a leadership presence within the locker room. This was encouraging, which transitioned into the regular season to silence his doubters.
The Commanders made significant strides throughout a campaign to remember. Ertz brought in 66 receptions for 654 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 17 games. He continued this trend over the playoffs, catching 18 balls for 155 yards through the air and one score.
He was one of the very few bright spots to emerge from Washington's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship game. It was a disappointing end to the campaign for Ertz and the team, but the former second-round pick out of Stanford made his intentions next time around abundantly clear.
Zach Ertz wants to stay with the Commanders in 2025
Ertz wasted no time in telling reporters that he was not going to retire. That decision became an easy one after galvanizing his career in Washington. He also wants to be part of this exciting project for as long as the Commanders will have him.
"I'm not retiring just because I had so much fun this year. I feel rejuvenated. I feel young. I played good football this year, so for me it's figuring out everything going forward, and they know how I feel about this place."Zach Ertz via SI
Much will depend on the money involved. But from a production standpoint and overall influence on or off the field, Ertz did more than enough for an extended stay.
He did an incredible job of solidifying the remarkable culture shift. Ertz took on the mentorship role with Colson Yankoff, Ben Sinnott, and John Bates. The veteran is a dependable outlet for Daniels — his second-most dependable pass-catcher behind Terry McLaurin. Another one-year deal seems feasible from a continuity standpoint if nothing else.
The Commanders shouldn't settle. They'll examine potential upgrades and the coaching staff will expect improvements from Sinnott in the coming months entering his NFL sophomore campaign. But there's no accounting for experience and proven production — two traits that Ertz boasts in no uncertain terms.
It'll be interesting to see how the Commanders approach things. This is a business and general manager Adam Peters is not running his roster construction with any sentiment attached. At the same time, having leaders like Ertz around during a critical Year 2 for this project could be worth its weight in gold.
Peters will asses every situation. He'll have a price in mind and is unlikely to overpay. However, in Ertz's case, the rewards far outweigh the risks regarding an extension.
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