Eagles trade Zach Ertz

The Philadelphia Eagles have traded tight end Zach Ertz to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for cornerback Tay Gowan and a fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

The move was expected to happen sometime this season after he requested a trade during the offseason.

Ertz was a second-round draft pick by the Eagles in 2013. After a slow start to his career, he came on strong in 2015 and quickly became a focal point of the Eagles' offense. His best season was in 2018. when he eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on 116 catches and made his first of three consecutive Pro Bowls.

However, the emergence of Dallas Goedert had cut into Ertz's opportunities on the field and made him expendable.

The addition for Arizona gives the Cardinals' offense the one piece it has been missing: an elite tight end that can stretch the field and be a threat in the redzone. The Cardinals' scheme loves to throw the ball downfield and Ertz excels at making that possible between the hashes--adding potency to an already powerful passing attack.

As many have now pointed out, since Ertz played for the Eagles last night, he will not be eligible to play for Arizona on Sunday against Cleveland, per league rules. So, he will have to wait to make his team debut on October 24 against Houston.

After nine-plus seasons in Philadelphia, Ertz leaves with 579 receptions, 6267 yards, 38 touchdowns, three Pro Bowls, and a Super Bowl title. He has 18 catches for 189 yards and two touchdowns so far this season and will be targeted much more in Arizona.

Gowan was a 6th round pick in last April's draft out of Central Florida.