The Eagles brought Zach Ertz back for a reason, and the first stretch of his reunion should tell the story pretty quickly. With Dallas Goedert reportedly sidelined for a few weeks because of a sprained MCL, Ertz is stepping into a useful spot right away, even if the early workload is expected to stay modest.
He’ll begin on the practice squad, but the expectation is that he’ll be elevated to the 53-man roster and suit up for Week 3 against the Chicago Bears. Philadelphia also has a little extra time to get him ready, since that game is on a Monday.
That matters here. Ertz doesn’t need to carry the offense from day one; he just needs to get enough of the playbook down to be trusted in the mix.
The initial role sounds pretty manageable. Against the Bears, it would not be a surprise to see Ertz log 20 to 30 offensive snaps and come away with two or three catches.
That kind of output would fit the moment, especially with Jalen Hurts liking to work his tight ends into the passing game. In the short term, that’s a win.
For the next few games, Ertz should settle in alongside Johnny Mundt and E.J. Jenkins while Goedert heals up.
Mundt’s job remains pretty clear as the blocking tight end, while Ertz is the receiving threat who can help Hurts when the downfield options aren’t there. Over that three- to four-game span, averaging two to three receptions per game would be right in the range of what the Eagles should expect, with a little more possible if the chemistry snaps back quickly.
Once Goedert returns, the picture gets more crowded. The Eagles could be looking at five tight ends on the active roster around the same time Eli Stowers comes back, too.
That likely leaves Jenkins on the outside looking in, with a cut and practice squad return the most likely outcome. Stowers, meanwhile, is expected to stay inactive for the rest of the season and be used in 2026 as a redshirt year unless injuries change that.
Ertz’s role would shrink again once Goedert is healthy, but he still could mix in with him. If the Eagles use 12 personnel in passing situations, Ertz and Goedert could share the field, while Mundt handles the blocking snaps.
That setup would naturally pull Ertz’s targets and numbers down, but that’s part of the deal. Goedert is the third option in this passing game, and Hurts wants him on the field as much as possible.
Even with the limited runway, the big milestone still looks reachable. The expectation is that Ertz should break Harold Carmichael's franchise record for career receptions, and he could even get there before Goedert is back if the target share stays where it should. This also looks like the final season of Ertz’s career, with the Eagles appearing to be the only team interested in him after his ACL injury with the Washington Commanders last year.
So the production may not be flashy, but the projection is clear. If things go the way they’re supposed to, Ertz is on track for about 20 catches, 276 yards and two touchdowns. That won’t blow anyone away, but for a backup tight end over 15 games, it would still count as a solid season.
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Jalen Hurts' Mom Said What Eagles Fans Already Believe
Jalen Hurts has spent the first two weeks of the season giving Eagles fans plenty of reasons to feel good about the quarterback spot, and his mother just added a little social-media fuel to the conversation. In a TikTok video using a face filter, she jokingly made the case that her son is more clutch than other quarterbacks, a playful bit of family pride that lands especially well when the on-field evidence is already trending in his favor.
Hurts has been effective in late-game, one-score situations, exactly the kind of moments Philadelphia leans on its quarterback to handle. The comparison cases around the league include names like Tyler Shough and Josh Allen, but the bigger point for the Eagles is simpler: Hurts has started this season with the kind of fourth-quarter composure that turns a lighthearted TikTok into a talking point. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles May Have Found A Cheap Answer At WR2
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Through the first two games, Wicks has caught seven passes for 147 yards and a touchdown, production that has already helped him earn Jalen Hurts trust. For a team always balancing star power with roster value, the appeal is obvious: if Wicks keeps this up, Philadelphia may have found a much cheaper answer than most teams get at wide receiver two. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Suddenly Have A Mekhi Becton Decision To Make
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Mekhi Becton suddenly sits in the middle of that conversation. He played a useful role for Philadelphia during its 2024 Super Bowl run before leaving for the Los Angeles Chargers, but his season since then has been marked by injuries and uneven play. Even so, the idea of a second chance is hard to dismiss when the Eagles are searching for answers up front and know exactly what Becton looked like when things were working here. [Read more 🡒]