ESPN’s Field Yates is a fan of an idea many in Buffalo are into as well.
The NFL insider at the former world-wide leader pegged one thing he thinks all 32 teams in the league should still try and do this offseason. For the Bills, Yates thinks Buffalo trading for Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz makes since.
Here’s why:
We’ll start with a move that has been speculated about extensively this offseason. While Buffalo’s offense is already loaded, an opportunistic add of Ertz would be the icing on the cake. He is due $8.5 million in base salary for 2021, the final year of a five-year extension. Buffalo might view this number as a bit steep after Ertz’s quiet 2020 season, but if a world exists in which that number can be reduced via an extension, Buffalo could make the deal more palatable.
It won’t be easy, as Buffalo must maintain an eye on the future with a looming Josh Allen megadeal, but it’s a stone worth turning over.
The Bills have a roster that’s very deep. But if there’s one position where it’s not, it’s at tight end.
Starter Dawson Knox hasn’t preformed well so far in his career. His hands have let him down and if the Bills don’t acquire Ertz, it could only be a matter of time before Knox is replaced if he doesn’t improve in 2021.
Still, even with Knox, the Bills could stand to add Ertz. Buffalo spends less on the tight end position than any other team in the league, so there’s certainly room for growth there.
While Yates and Buffalo have hoped for Ertz being sent to the Bills this offseason, there has mostly been little noise regarding such a move. Most recently, the Bills restructured Stefon Diggs’ contract which helped create $7.8 million in cap space. Some pointed to that being the first step in Ertz coming to Buffalo.
But even that’s stretching it a bit as the Bills could just want some added flexibility in general. Time will tell if Ertz to the Bills truly does hold any weight.
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