Zach Ertz Not Sure The Eagles Want Him Long Term

Eagles tight end Zach Ertz took his frustration to the media when they asked him about a long-term future in Philadelphia. He insists the team's desire to keep him in town, is unclear.

"It's been frustrating at times. It's been difficult. I'm going to play like this is my last year. I'm going to leave it all out there," Ertz said to local reporters. " After saying he wants to stay in Philly: "I don't know for sure if that feeling is mutual."

Production wise, Zach Ertz had 88 catches, nearly 1,000 yards, and six touchdowns. Ertz might feel that the team is caught up comparing these numbers to his monster 116 catches, 1,163 yards, and eight TD's in 2018. That season makes any follow-up year for a tight end look average.

Ertz and Steve Caric, his agent, are likely looking at Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce's extension to make some noise of their own. Kelce agreed this offseason to a 4-year, $57 million deal with $28 million in guarantees.

Travis Kelce eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark four years running, while Ertz has done it just once. KC can use the their tight end's floor to predict the future, but Ertz and his agent can't make that same argument. 2018 looks like a outlier year for Ertz that relied on dominance elsewhere to open up the middle of the field.

San Francisco didn't hesitate getting a deal done through 2025 with their tight end, George Kittle. That contract landed him $75 million, $30 million in guarantees, and $18 million due at signing. Ertz and Philly are probably in a standstill over how comparable he is to the game's best at the position. A dominant tight end in today's game has proven to be a quarterback's best friend, so resigning a player like Ertz should be a priority.

That is of course if Philly sees Ertz in the same conversation as Kittle or Kelce. The frustration looks like it's heading into the season and this process usually gets ugly. Pissed off Zach Ertz should serve as a Fantasy Football steal for anyone that's looking to make a last second trade. Buckle up.