Zach Ertz about to be traded? [Edit: or Not]

[RichRiderBills]

I'd make the move for a later round pick, yes. Competion may push the price up to a 3rd or 4th, id still likely do it. Not sure who folks think is going to be an answer at TE for the Bills but Ertz really could help be a piece.

 

Buff is a team ready to make the move to the SB. Guys need to stop revisiting our rebuild mindset. Our window is open....I like less bringing in some kid in the draft, that may not ripen for 2-3 years, when a guy like Ertz could be have at that 8.2 million figure, which is a no brainer

 

Ertz is still a good/elite player in a mess in Philly. The OL was in shambles, QB situation crazy, an this was not Ertzs fault. 

 

BTW still have high hopes for Knox. Think he'll take a step this year.

 

Edited March 8, 2021 by RichRiderBills

[John from Riverside]

12 minutes ago, RichRiderBills said:

I'd make the move for a later round pick, yes. Competion may push the price up to a 3rd or 4th, id still likely do it. Not sure who folks think is going to be an answer at TE for the Bills but Ertz really could help be a piece.

 

Buff is a team ready to make the move to the SB. Guys need to stop revisiting our rebuild mindset. Our window is open....I like less bringing in some kid in the draft, that may not ripen for 2-3 years, when a guy like Ertz could be have at that 8.2 million figure, which is a no brainer

 

Ertz is still a good player in a mess in Philly. The OL was in shambles, QB situation crazy, an this was not Ertzs fault. 

 

BTW still have high hopes for Knox. Think he'll take a step this year.

 

These draft pics are going to start becoming very precious as the tight meaning of the belt giving out the big contracts like for Josh Allen we need our draft picks and cannot be given them up for players that are probably going to get released anyway or similar talent

[RichRiderBills]

6 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

These draft pics are going to start becoming very precious as the tight meaning of the belt giving out the big contracts like for Josh Allen we need our draft picks and cannot be given them up for players that are probably going to get released anyway or similar talent

 

You have to keep an eye on this for sure, but the Bills play their cards right they can be there. We're not talking Herchescel Walker deals here. 

[Orlando Buffalo]

I am surprised how many people are willing to pay a pass catching tight end good money when our needs are in most other ways. We have pass catchers, we need RB and OL on that side of the ball.

[IgotBILLStopay]

9 hours ago, Rubes said:

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/03/07/report-multiple-teams-have-interest-in-zach-ertz-with-trade-possible-in-coming-days/

 

 

30-year old 3-time Pro Bowler coming off a down year. Set to make a base salary of $8.25 million next year.

 

No mention of specific teams. Not sure if Beane would trade away picks for Ertz, but it's possible...

 

8+ mill a bit too rich with Ertz’s declining skills and  this market

[Southern_Bills]

Eagles are in salary cap trouble, this equates to a salary dump so unless a bid war starts the compensation will be low.

 

If you could get him for a late round pick on the understanding he takes a pay cut sure.

 

But that's alot to ask of a player, only thing I will say is the Bills are a good team so more likely to happen for us than a team that hasn't proven they can win.

[YoloinOhio]

Colts 

[BillsFan130]

9 hours ago, HappyDays said:

 

Because he's 30. He might prefer an extra year or two on his contract with more total guaranteed. I don't typically like trading for players on the last year of their contract but if you do it with an extension built in it makes a ton of sense. Ertz and Knox would be a very good tight end room for 2-3 years.

Bills are a heavy 11 personnel offence though.

 

You add Ertz and you have to go 12 personnel if you want ertz and knox on the field at the same time which really doesn't fit the bills offensive identity. 

[SoCal Deek]

6 minutes ago, BillsFan130 said:

Bills are a heavy 11 personnel offence though.

 

You add Ertz and you have to go 12 personnel if you want ertz and knox on the field at the same time which really doesn't fit the bills offensive identity. 

True...but doesn’t their personnel dictate a lot of that? Bring in another pass catching TE and I’m guessing you’d see a shift in their offensive scheme. In fact, it makes you wonder if this one move wouldn’t be way cheaper then trying to fix RB and OL all in one offseason. I’m not necessarily voting for it but it’s a thought.

[Alphadawg7]

7 hours ago, Aussie Joe said:

I just think he is likely to be let go ..

 

I don’t like the situation of giving up a pick ( even a day 3 one) ... paying him $8M in 2021 and then trying to negotiate an extension...what are you going to pay him in 2022 and beyond?

 

I have outlined other options I prefer to do in the thread if interested ...

 

 

He’s not going to be cut because someone will trade for him.  He is in demand, so trading for him insures you get him vs him being a FA.  And his cost is going to be cheap in terms of trade value, so someone will more than likely pull the trigger instead of just waiting for him to be cut and hoping you can recruit him over other options.

 

And where our roster is at right now,  very hard for later round picks to make this roster, so I can see Beane trading day 3 pick for him IF he wants Ertz.

 

And honestly I do think it makes a lot of sense.  He’s a guy who can help us win now while also helping Knox continue to develop by learning from one of the best TE’s over the last decade.

 

That being said, there are a lot of options available in FA and a few more like Ertz, Njoku, and OJ Howard that are probably available cheap in trade this offseason.  So Ertz isn’t a “must” get either and we dont yet know Beanes preferred targets at TE.  

[Hapless Bills Fan]

10 hours ago, Aussie Joe said:

Why would he want to restructure if a team trades for him and they have to pay his $8.25M salary and he hits Free agency next year?

I would be furious if the Bills gave up a pick and did that..

 

This.  Well, I wouldn't be furious, but given the fact that we'd have to pay him $8M with a tight cap and we'd essentially be giving up a draft pick for a year rental, I don't see it as a good move.  It's what you do if you're getting an impact player, and Ertz was NOT an impact player last season.  In fact, in the glimpses I saw, he looked like he pretty much sucked.  I grant you he was playing for a QB who looked like he flat out sucked, but it just looked as though he was making "career decisions" and phoning it in.

 

The problem with making career decisions and phoning it in, is that it's a harder habit to break than I think guys realize.  Marcel Dareus was all "phone it in" under Rex then when things changed his handset was still off the hook.  Ditto Mario Williams, Kelvin Benjamin, Zay Jones etc.

 

58 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

Colts 

 

Because Ertz played so hard for, and had such a good time playing with, Wentz last season?

[Dont Stop Billeiving]

9 hours ago, HappyDays said:

For those that don't think Ertz is worth a pick, we're talking about a day 3 pick. If the Bills drafted a TE on day 3 no one would bat an eye. The cap hit really isn't that bad and with Ertz here we could cut John Brown (Ertz would contribute more in the passing game this year, book it). Draft another WR on day 1 or 2, add some speed at RB, and our offense is set in 2021.

This. I wasn't opposed but also wasn't that eager to trade a pick for Ertz, but well put. I like your plan for the offense (with the addition of shoring up the offensive line in both FA and the draft).

 

We really need to add a speed element to our rushing attack or defenses will never fear getting beaten to the corners. With our passing-heavy offense, we should be drafting a WR every year (again more speed!) and I'd love to draft Teven Jenkins at #30 if he's there or Quinn Meinerz on Day 2. An injection of power and nastiness on cheap contracts with either guy. Get er done Beane!

[BillsFan130]

58 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

True...but doesn’t their personnel dictate a lot of that? Bring in another pass catching TE and I’m guessing you’d see a shift in their offensive scheme. In fact, it makes you wonder if this one move wouldn’t be way cheaper then trying to fix RB and OL all in one offseason. I’m not necessarily voting for it but it’s a thought.

Ya I see what you’re saying.

 

I just don’t think the bills are going to switch up what they do best though , which is 11 personnel.

 

Will they use 12 some times or some games?

 

Sure I think they will as daboll is a very matchup based coach.

 

But Allen is most comfortable in 11, that’s what they do best in, and I can’t see them bringing in a veteran TE who is going to cost a lot when they are already pressed up against the cap.

 

Just my opinion sir, I could be wrong.

[BuffaloRebound]

Assuming Lee Smith retires, you’d still need an in-Line Tight End.  A Gronk-type fits much better with Knox if we’re not giving up on him and not sure why we would.  

[Fan in Chicago]

27 minutes ago, BuffaloRebound said:

Assuming Lee Smith retires, you’d still need an in-Line Tight End.  A Gronk-type fits much better with Knox if we’re not giving up on him and not sure why we would.  

We shouldn't give up on Knox for perhaps another season but he should be a #2 TE until he proves otherwise. For now, the returns aren't great so Bills should definitely be looking for a more reliable TE even as a 2 year rental. 

I am not advocating Ertz at $8 mm/year given the past seasons stats. But also saying that the team doesn't have the luxury of waiting for yet another year for Knox to make an impact. And I really hope Kroft is kicked out last year 

[NewEra]

3 hours ago, Buffalo Timmy said:

I am surprised how many people are willing to pay a pass catching tight end good money when our needs are in most other ways. We have pass catchers, we need RB and OL on that side of the ball.

Did you watch our offense in either game vs KC last year?  If you did, I’m sure you realized that our offense also needs to improve and become less one dimensional. How did our pass catchers do playing against a dime D all game?  They couldn’t get open.  Having the ability to run some 2 TE sets and add a TE that our QB has confidence in would really help in that regard.

[Dkollidas]

2 hours ago, BillsFan130 said:

Bills are a heavy 11 personnel offence though.

 

You add Ertz and you have to go 12 personnel if you want ertz and knox on the field at the same time which really doesn't fit the bills offensive identity. 

I think it opens up the ability to be more multiple. With the  

Erhardt-Perkins offense Daboll runs, they can do a lot of the same concepts from multiple formations. Especially when you have two tight ends like Ertz & Knox, plus receivers like Beasley/Diggs/Davis. 
 

More 12 personnel would also likely make it easier to run more gap/man blocking than we were in 2020 with the amount of shot gun/empty back field/11 personnel we ran. 
 

I also believe if they got Ertz they would have an agreement lined up to do something with his contract to make 2021 an easier cap hit to swallow

[Boxcar]

10 hours ago, NewEra said:

I don’t disagree.  I’m not sure if Ertz can change the dynamics of our offense.  If they think he can, than they would pull the trigger for a late rd pick imo. 
 

I don’t agree that “anyone can catch a check down”.  After watching the bills play in detail this year, one conclusion that I came to: Josh allen doesn’t trust Dawson knox....especially on check  

 

I agree knox is a better athlete and can be a problem for the D when he catches the ball.   It’s not about ertz being better than knox or replacing him. It’s about having both of them and using their skill sets in 1 and 2TE sets.  I hope we don’t plan on Sweeney or Gilliam being our #2TE.  We should be trying to acquire another TE

I really don't think this was true at the end of the year. Josh was going to Knox quite a bit and he made some crazy catches.

 

Knox is frustrating when he drops those fairly easy passes, but I don't know why we'd think he will continue that way when he's shown he can make tough catches regularly. Knox had an obvious progression last season, and if he didn't go to Knox as much, it probably has more to do with having two of the top 5? route runners at WR who can gain seperation whenever they want.

[BillsFan130]

9 minutes ago, Dkollidas said:

I think it opens up the ability to be more multiple. With the  

Erhardt-Perkins offense Daboll runs, they can do a lot of the same concepts from multiple formations. Especially when you have two tight ends like Ertz & Knox, plus receivers like Beasley/Diggs/Davis. 
 

More 12 personnel would also likely make it easier to run more gap/man blocking than we were in 2020 with the amount of shot gun/empty back field/11 personnel we ran. 
 

I also believe if they got Ertz they would have an agreement lined up to do something with his contract to make 2021 an easier cap hit to swallow

Do you really want to spend 8-11 million on a player who would basically be a luxury and not a "need" though?

 

I get it, they would be better with Ertz.

 

How much better is the real question. Especially when they Bills do employ a lot of 10-11 personnel, and keeping in mind they are tight against the cap as is with much bigger holes to fill. (Darryl williams or replacement, Felciano or replacement, pass rusher, potential CB2, potential milano replacement)

[NewEra]

6 minutes ago, Boxcar said:

I really don't think this was true at the end of the year. Josh was going to Knox quite a bit and he made some crazy catches.

 

Knox is frustrating when he drops those fairly easy passes, but I don't know why we'd think he will continue that way when he's shown he can make tough catches regularly. Knox had an obvious progression last season, and if he didn't go to Knox as much, it probably has more to do with having two of the top 5? route runners at WR who can gain seperation whenever they want.

We think this will continue because it continues.  He caught 54% of his targets, worst in the team iirc.  His blocking ability is among the worst in the league.  He has a lot of trouble sustaining his blocks once he makes contact. As a lead blocker, he’s pretty terrible and led to a bunch of blown runs because....he couldn’t sustain his blocks.  
 

I don’t hate knox.  I like him.  Defense don’t care about him and that has an affect on our offense.  Adding ertz or another TE isn’t about getting rid of knox imo, it’s about adding a dangerous 2 TE set to our arsenal.