Zach Ertz Not Convinced The Philadelphia Eagles Want Him Beyond 2020

Zach Ertz would like to finish his playing career with the Philadelphia Eagles. However, Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk wrote on Thursday that Ertz isn’t convinced the team wants him around beyond this season. The Pro-Bowl tight end talked about his feelings to Zach Berman of The Athletic. Berman posted some of their conversation on Twitter, which can be seen here.

Ertz said that he understands he can be an emotional guy when it comes to football. He added that it’s been frustrating at times. At other times, he said its been very difficult.

He then said that he has been consistent in telling anyone who would listen that he’d like to be with the Eagles for the “long run.”

He then said that he doesn’t feel like Philadelphia is returning the feeling. He said that when he plays in 2020, he’ll play as though it’s his last year with the organization.

Alper said Ertz’s comments about the team not really wanting him came about a week after rumors that talks about a new deal fell apart. One big reason why they supposedly ended is that the franchise put less guaranteed money on the table than in another negotiation last November.

However, the two sides were talking as recently as last week. Analysts around the league have said the Eagles do want to keep Ertz if they can. At the moment, they’re just not reportedly willing to offer him the kind of money he’s looking for.

Berman added that Ertz told him he didn’t think reaching an accord on a new contract seemed all that difficult. The tight end added he didn’t want to get into details about why he was so bothered by what had happened during negotiations, but he had been bothered.

Ertz has suffered multiple injuries over the course of his career. He doesn’t think that’s the reason Philadelphia reportedly backed off when it came to money. He’s said that he feels better heading into 2020 than he ever has going into a season opener.

While he has struggled with injuries at times throughout his career, Ertz has missed just one game in the last two years. In 2019, he hauled down 88 passes for 916 yards and four touchdowns. That performance was a followup to his career-best season in 2018. That year he caught 116 passes for 1,163 yards and eight TDs.

He’s made the Pro Bowl for three straight years as well. All of those numbers have analysts calling Ertz one of the best players in the league at his position.