Zach Ertz was a force to be reckoned with Sunday.
Ertz is going to turn age 34 on November 10. He, of course, knows his NFL days are numbered. The Commanders certainly realize it, having drafted Ben Sinnott with the 53rd overall selection in April’s NFL draft.
In his ninth season with the Eagles in 2021, the Eagles traded Ertz to the Cardinals. He was only 31 when the Eagles gave up on Ertz.
Then, last season, having just turned 33, the Cardinals released Ertz on November 30. The Lions then signed Ertz to their practice squad, only to release him two weeks later.
A 33-year-old free agent, he signed with the Commanders in March. Only two watched them draft Sinnott in the second round.
They might be grooming Ertz’s replacement, but Ertz has caught seven passes in the first two weeks of this 2024 season. He is not quite ready to hang up the cleats just yet.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has certainly noticed Ertz’s performance thus far. “I was really impressed with Zach’s performance yesterday,” Quinn said Monday.
Ertz received four targets Sunday and made the most of his opportunity, catching all four for 62 yards, which averages 15.5 yards per reception.
On the very first snap of the second quarter, Washington had the ball on their own 36, facing a 3rd & 4. Quarterback Jayden Daniels, looking right, sent a pass toward Ertz, that looked on the verge of being intercepted by Giants safety Jason Pinnock. But Ertz leaped up and wrestled the ball from Pinnock for the first down.
“We call those 50/50 balls, and he made certain it was not going to be that.”
“Even on the very first third down there was a called penalty against him. I just felt his presence, Nicki, in this game more than others.”
Ertz could be a major factor for the Commanders this season, putting on hold Sinnott’s ascendancy until next season.
“He’ll always be a factor in two minute in the red zone and the things that make him, him,” said Dan Quinn. I just felt his presence really strongly in this game. He was really dialed in, really ready to go. The catches, the movement that he did I thought they were really on point.”