49ers Could Land Super Bowl Champion Tight End Before Eagles Game: Analysis
he San Francisco 49ers could strike gold amid the recent waiver of Arizona Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz at a perfect time.
Arizona waived Ertz on Thursday after he requested his release according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Ertz, a three-time Pro Bowler could add to the 49ers offense as a compliment to tight end George Kittle.
In addition, the 49ers could field Ertz against his original former team, the Philadelphia Eagles. Ertz played for the Eagles from 2013 to 2020 where he helped the team win a Super Bowl in 2018.
San Francisco (8-3) will get a chance sooner on the waiver wire sooner than the Eagles (10-1) due to records. That’s if Ertz falls that far through the waiver wire, but he did ask for a release from a 2-10 squad.
The 49ers need a quality second tight end to pair with Kittle. While Kittle has been solid as ever with 46 receptions for 667 yards and five touchdowns, quarterback Brock Purdy doesn’t have a second go-to tight end.
Niners tight end Ross Dwelley has a catch for 12 yards this season. Fellow tight end Charlie Woerner has one reception for nine yards.
Ertz still has much left to offer amid 27 catches for 187 yards and a touchdown this season for the Cardinals. He played 64% of the team’s offensive snaps, but he has been hampered by injuries since 2022 with an ACL tear last year and a quad injury this year.
A California native, Ertz also has ties to the great Bay Area from playing college football at Stanford before the Eagles drafted him in 2013.
Zach Ertz Gives 49ers Affordable Option on Offense
Purdy would have another effective red zone target with Ertz. In addition, Ertz can effectively pick up yardage on short routes, and he’s effective at catching the ball downfield with his 6-foot-5 frame.
Ertz has a 10.5 yards per reception career average amid 709 catches for 7,434 yards and 46 touchdowns. He also has ample playoff experience with 36 catches for 381 yards and two touchdowns in eight career postseason games.
