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Zach Ertz has been the forgotten man for the Philadelphia Eagles. Drafted in the early second round, Ertz seemed like an immediate contributor in a tight end driven league. So far, that hasn’t been the case.
Brent Celek has seen the majority of snaps in head Coach Chip Kelly‘s offense. This is an interesting turn of events given Celek’s age, declining athleticism and the fact that he was a hold over the Andy Reid regime. Ertz is a prototypical new-age tight end. He has great size at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, and can also run routes like a wide receiver. He can be a major weapon in an offense like this that allows so much space for its athletes to run around and make plays.
The coaching staff needs to make a conscious effort to get Ertz more involved in the game plan. He is a complete mismatch in the passing game for opposing linebackers and safeties. Right now, the Eagles secondary weapons aside from DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy have not done a great job of getting open and making plays.
Giving Ertz more snaps seems like a no-brainer. He is a great intermediate and red zone weapon, something Quarterback Michael Vick is lacking right now. His presence could also take some pressure of Jackson and McCoy who have been carrying the offensive load so far this season. It is time for the Eagles secondary offensive threats to start making a difference and lessening the burden for the Eagles superstars.
Ertz given the opportunity could be the man to start making a difference.
