When the Washington Commanders signed Zach Ertz in March, no one believed he’d be the starting tight end in 2024. Ertz was 33 and coming off a pair of injury-shortened seasons that left his future in question.
Washington believed Ertz had plenty left in the tank. It helped that his former head coach in Arizona, Kliff Kingsbury, was the Commanders’ new offensive coordinator. After the Philadelphia Eagles traded Ertz to the Arizona Cardinals in 2021, he enjoyed plenty of success in Kingsbury’s offense.
Washington entered this offseason understanding it needed to rebuild the tight end position. After releasing veteran Logan Thomas, the Commanders signed Ertz to lead a room with younger players like John Bates (4th season), Armani Rogers (3rd season), Cole Turner (3rd season) and rookie second-round pick Ben Sinnott.
This is where Ertz would be counted upon. Yes, Washington believes he can still play, but head coach Dan Quinn has praised Ertz for his leadership throughout this offseason.
In an appearance on “The Sports Junkies” of 106.7 The Fan in Washington, D.C., this week, Turner spoke of Ertz’s influence.
“Zach and (Kingsbury) have been together for years before,” Turner said via Logan Mullen of Audacy.
“That’s the first thing about Zach that he’s seen what Kliff expects from the offense, and he’s not a selfish guy, he wants to help everyone out. It’s been really fun to play with him. Me and Zach have become friends in just a few months of knowing each other; he’s a very personable guy and a guy that goes out of his way and wants to see the team win.”
What Turner would say next is music to Quinn and general manager Adam Peters’s ears as they look to build the team and rebuild the culture.
“It’s been great having him around – not just for the tight ends, but for everyone. He’s one of the leaders on the team, for sure.”
Coaches and players have sung the praises of Ertz and linebacker Bobby Wagner throughout the offseason. While the Commanders are counting on Ertz to start this season, his most significant role could be his impact in the locker room.