Zach Ertz to be cut?

[EzraTank]

Any interest? He will turn 30 this year but would instantly give us a legit TE.

Of course it would have to be the right $$$

[86WARD]

Not sure his production is still there or whether he was a victim of a crappy team.

[Shoes]

No thanks.

[86WARD]

No thanks.

The official answer is in.

[teegre]

Didn’t he have a history of injuries???

Or, was that Tyler Eifert?

[FrancoLambert]

The official answer is in.

:toofunny:

[Shoes]

Didn’t he have a history of injuries???

Or, was that Tyler Eifert?

2020 he went on IR for a ankle injury in week 6

Here is his history before 2020



Dec 22, 2019
NFL
Chest Rib Fracture
Ertz sustained a fractured rib in Week 16's win against the Cowboys. He missed the next game


Dec 22, 2019
NFL
Abdomen Kidney Lacerated
Ertz suffered a lacerated kidney in the Week 16 win over the Cowboys. He was ruled out for the next game


Dec 3, 2017
NFL
Head Cranial Concussion Grade 1
Ertz took a heavy hit and suffered a concussion in the 3rd quarter vs. Seattle. He sat out 1 game.


Nov 2, 2017
NFL
Thigh Hamstring Sprain/Pull Unspecified Grade 1
Ertz missed 1 game after pulling his hamstring at a Thursday practice.


Sep 11, 2016
NFL
Chest Rib Separation
Ertz took a hard hit and suffered displaced ribs, sidelining him for the next two weeks.


Nov 22, 2015
NFL
Head Cranial Concussion Grade 1
Ertz missed 1 game after getting concussed against Tampa Bay.


Aug 11, 2015
NFL
Inguinal Groin Tear Grade 3
Ertz underwent surgery but returned for Week 1.


Oct 29, 2011
Non-NFL
Knee Patella Sprain
In college, Ertz injured his knee against USC and missed the next 3 games.

[Mojouw]

So the third beat TE behind some combo of Kelce and Kittle @ Least by receiving #s? If they’re not interested they should be fired.

[86WARD]

Didn’t he have a history of injuries???

Or, was that Tyler Eifert?

Ertz had some but I believe Eifert is the one you think of.

[Shoes]

Ertz had some but I believe Eifert is the one you think of.


poor guy would have been a great TE if he wasn't injured so much.

[Born2Steel]

Tell me the difference between Ertz and Ebron. Then I will answer yes or no.

[Mojouw]

Tell me the difference between Ertz and Ebron. Then I will answer yes or no.

While Ertz has his own struggles as a blocker, he is better than the “not at all” rating Ebron gets.

Of course the biggest thing is determining why Ertz fell off a cliff in 2020.

Eagles may determine Goedert is cheaper and just as good.

[Born2Steel]

While Ertz has his own struggles as a blocker, he is better than the “not at all” rating Ebron gets.

Of course the biggest thing is determining why Ertz fell off a cliff in 2020.

Eagles may determine Goedert is cheaper and just as good.

Then I would vote No. A thanks but no thanks approach. I don't see the value in "better than not at all" when it comes to the one thing we lack at the TE position.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

I thought the word is that the Eagles were trying to trade Ertz and Wentz together.

Even if he is cut, he is going to warrant a $5million salary like Steelers are paying Ebron, so dont even bother thinking about it. Steelers are in a salary cap bind, so cannot have champagne taste on a 7-up budget.

Expect the Steelers to draft a TE to be in depth behind Ebron and also roll with Rader, Gentry, Charles Jones or Dax Daymond as the #3 TE.

[Mojouw]

Then I would vote No. A thanks but no thanks approach. I don't see the value in "better than not at all" when it comes to the one thing we lack at the TE position.

Because, if he can return to even his 2019 form, Ertz is a legit NFL player at the TE position. Anyone the Steelers draft, almost certainly will take a year+ to come online. Even a highly touted prospect like Hockenson took a season plus to really stabilize as a viable NFL blocker and receiver. Darren Waller, now a scary TE, was not any good coming out of college. He took a position switch, beating substance abuse, and a team change to end up as a TE. You can go up and down the depth charts all over the NFL and you can see a repeated pattern. TEs take 1-3 years to develop outside of the "instant impact" 1st round guys.

So if the 2021 Steelers are "all in" with old man Ben on a SB run -- Ertz is a FAR better role of the dice than anyone on the roster now or that can be drafted. After 2021? Not so much...but for 2021? Absolutely.

As for the salary cap implications...they can find between $20-40 million of cap space for 2021, depending on where and who they want to cut and play cap math with their contracts.

Do I think Ertz is a fairly good idea? Not really. But if they are serious about loading up behind Ben Roethlisberger for one more roll of the dice on a deep playoff run, then the FO would be foolish to not sit around a table and at least talk it out.

Of course, Ertz isn't even on the market yet...so who really cares? Point is, if Ben plays in 2021 then the FO seriously needs to consider doing everything to load up the roster for 2021 and beyond that? That will be a future problem.

[hawaiiansteeler]

Didn’t he have a history of injuries???

Or, was that Tyler Eifert?

Keith Butler is game-planning for Tyler Eifert as we speak...

[Born2Steel]

Because, if he can return to even his 2019 form, Ertz is a legit NFL player at the TE position. Anyone the Steelers draft, almost certainly will take a year+ to come online. Even a highly touted prospect like Hockenson took a season plus to really stabilize as a viable NFL blocker and receiver. Darren Waller, now a scary TE, was not any good coming out of college. He took a position switch, beating substance abuse, and a team change to end up as a TE. You can go up and down the depth charts all over the NFL and you can see a repeated pattern. TEs take 1-3 years to develop outside of the "instant impact" 1st round guys.

So if the 2021 Steelers are "all in" with old man Ben on a SB run -- Ertz is a FAR better role of the dice than anyone on the roster now or that can be drafted. After 2021? Not so much...but for 2021? Absolutely.

As for the salary cap implications...they can find between $20-40 million of cap space for 2021, depending on where and who they want to cut and play cap math with their contracts.

Do I think Ertz is a fairly good idea? Not really. But if they are serious about loading up behind Ben Roethlisberger for one more roll of the dice on a deep playoff run, then the FO would be foolish to not sit around a table and at least talk it out.

Of course, Ertz isn't even on the market yet...so who really cares? Point is, if Ben plays in 2021 then the FO seriously needs to consider doing everything to load up the roster for 2021 and beyond that? That will be a future problem.

I think this post answers those points best:

- - - Updated - - -


I thought the word is that the Eagles were trying to trade Ertz and Wentz together.

Even if he is cut, he is going to warrant a $5million salary like Steelers are paying Ebron, so dont even bother thinking about it. Steelers are in a salary cap bind, so cannot have champagne taste on a 7-up budget.

Expect the Steelers to draft a TE to be in depth behind Ebron and also roll with Rader, Gentry, Charles Jones or Dax Daymond as the #3 TE.

This is how I too expect it to play out.

[86WARD]

While Ertz has his own struggles as a blocker, he is better than the “not at all” rating Ebron gets.

Of course the biggest thing is determining why Ertz fell off a cliff in 2020.

Eagles may determine Goedert is cheaper and just as good.

This past season, even with Ertz healthy, when Goedert was in there, he was the one getting the looks. Not really sure what that means exactly as far as their offense goes...

[Mojouw]

This past season, even with Ertz healthy, when Goedert was in there, he was the one getting the looks. Not really sure what that means exactly as far as their offense goes...

Very true. Something went horribly wrong in Philly last year and I don't think anyone really knows what. Goedert is clearly an ascending player, while Ertz is either declining or at least plateaued. If I was the Eagles, I would try and get something for Ertz or shed his salary and use those resources to patch the rest of the holes on my roster (unless they think Hurts functions better in a 2 TE base).

For the Steelers...it is about 2 distinct paths. The "all in" with Ben where there is zero consideration to the roster beyond 2021. Everything is only about surrounding the aged gunslinger with as many supporting elements as possible to have one last ride. Cap ramifications, draft strategy, and long-term roster construction be damned. Honestly, if he is playing in 2021 -- why fart around and do anything else?

The other path is "lay the foundation" for a retooled and reloaded team. If this is the case, Ben should retire. No point in keeping him around. Find out what you have in Rudolph and Haskins. Get your other pieces in place and your new offensive system installed. If you need a QB, then get it in the next off-season as the final piece after you get a center, a guard, a young TE, and whatever else this off-season. Multiple trade-backs in the upcoming draft should be explored.

But knowing the personalities of all involved in the Steelers...they are going to try and do both of the above and likely accomplish neither.

[Born2Steel]

Very true. Something went horribly wrong in Philly last year and I don't think anyone really knows what. Goedert is clearly an ascending player, while Ertz is either declining or at least plateaued. If I was the Eagles, I would try and get something for Ertz or shed his salary and use those resources to patch the rest of the holes on my roster (unless they think Hurts functions better in a 2 TE base).

For the Steelers...it is about 2 distinct paths. The "all in" with Ben where there is zero consideration to the roster beyond 2021. Everything is only about surrounding the aged gunslinger with as many supporting elements as possible to have one last ride. Cap ramifications, draft strategy, and long-term roster construction be damned. Honestly, if he is playing in 2021 -- why fart around and do anything else?

The other path is "lay the foundation" for a retooled and reloaded team. If this is the case, Ben should retire. No point in keeping him around. Find out what you have in Rudolph and Haskins. Get your other pieces in place and your new offensive system installed. If you need a QB, then get it in the next off-season as the final piece after you get a center, a guard, a young TE, and whatever else this off-season. Multiple trade-backs in the upcoming draft should be explored.

But knowing the personalities of all involved in the Steelers...they are going to try and do both of the above and likely accomplish neither.

Understand I completely respect your opinion. But this is only speculating a TE may be released and should the Steelers consider signing him if he is. I feel you may be going a bit deep with this.

[Mojouw]

Understand I completely respect your opinion. But this is only speculating a TE may be released and should the Steelers consider signing him if he is. I feel you may be going a bit deep with this.

Agreed. For me, it really isn't about Ertz specifically, but the entire off-season approach. A continued stream of players are going to be rumored to or actually come available between now, the start of the league year, and then the draft.

The answer is the same in every case. Does Player X or Transaction Y help drag Old Man Ben across the SB finish line? If so...then do it and figure out the long-term consequences later. If the Steelers don't want to take that approach...then why play Old Man Ben at QB in 2021?

So does that have anything to actually do with a rumored release of a veteran TE? Nope. But the idea of Watt and Ertz got me thinking of the 2021 season and what my approach would be if anyone asked...

[pczach]

Agreed. For me, it really isn't about Ertz specifically, but the entire off-season approach. A continued stream of players are going to be rumored to or actually come available between now, the start of the league year, and then the draft.

The answer is the same in every case. Does Player X or Transaction Y help drag Old Man Ben across the SB finish line? If so...then do it and figure out the long-term consequences later. If the Steelers don't want to take that approach...then why play Old Man Ben at QB in 2021?

So does that have anything to actually do with a rumored release of a veteran TE? Nope. But the idea of Watt and Ertz got me thinking of the 2021 season and what my approach would be if anyone asked...





There are so many unknowns right now.

Is Ben here or not? At what number?

What do they do with Haden?

What do they do with Dupree?

What do they do with Hilton?

What do they do with Sutton?

What do they do with JuJu?

Can the OL turn it around and who will be added?

Is Watt a real possibility?

Who is willing to restructure to make it all happen?

All these are unknowns....plus the team probably doesn't even know how it's all going to turn out because everything mentioned here is a factor in every decision going forward. It's like they are putting together a puzzle right now and aren't sure what pieces they are even going to have or know what the picture looks like.

There are a million variables right now. It's fun trying to figure out how it might go, but it's just impossible to figure out from where we all stand. We have to start seeing dominoes fall before we know what the final picture may look like.

It's going to be a wild ride.

I personally don't see Ertz coming here.

[hawaiiansteeler]

I personally don't see Ertz coming here.

Zach Ertz, Deshaun Watson, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan, Carson Wentz, Aaron Jones, Tyler Eifert and JJ Watt will all be joining this Steelers this year.

[pczach]

Zach Ertz, Deshaun Watson, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan, Carson Wentz, Aaron Jones, Tyler Eifert and JJ Watt will all be joining this Steelers this year.



OK.....So who's leaving???? :sofunny:


Can Matt Ryan play special teams?

[hawaiiansteeler]

OK.....So who's leaving???? :sofunny:


Can Matt Ryan play special teams?

he's gonna play center.

[86WARD]

Zach Ertz, Deshaun Watson, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan, Carson Wentz, Aaron Jones, Tyler Eifert and JJ Watt will all be joining this Steelers this year.

I don’t think they get Wentz. His contract is too high. I’d take it if he came with a 2021 and 2022 first round pick though. Would probably not sign Ryan then...

Then they could move up to #1 with three first round picks and draft Lawrence. A QB room of Watson, Rodgers, wentz, Lawrence, Rudolph AND Ben would be okay. Probably like to see them sign a veteran back up though.

[pczach]

I don’t think they get Wentz. His contract is too high. I’d take it if he came with a 2021 and 2022 first round pick though. Would probably not sign Ryan then...

Then they could move up to #1 with three first round picks and draft Lawrence. A QB room of Watson, Rodgers, wentz, Lawrence, Rudolph AND Ben would be okay. Probably like to see them sign a veteran back up though.



Just in case.....

[EzraTank]

I don’t think they get Wentz. His contract is too high. I’d take it if he came with a 2021 and 2022 first round pick though. Would probably not sign Ryan then...

Then they could move up to #1 with three first round picks and draft Lawrence. A QB room of Watson, Rodgers, wentz, Lawrence, Rudolph AND Ben would be okay. Probably like to see them sign a veteran back up though.

I was going to lecture you that he was kidding then I read your next sentence. :)

[NCSteeler]

Keith Butler is game-planning for Tyler Eifert as we speak...Peperidge Farms remembers. This post wins the day

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