Former Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz will need the Detroit Lions to make the Super Bowl in order to make his debut in the blue and silver. Days before the NFC Championship, Ertz surprisingly signed with the Lions.
Yet, the team revealed that Ertz will not be activated as the team takes on the San Francisco 49ers. Ertz remains on the Lions practice squad and only players elevated to 53-man roster on gameday are active.
“The Lions are not activating Zach Ertz off the practice squad for Sunday’s NFC title game, per source,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler detailed in a January 27, 2024 message on X. “Ertz worked hard all week to get ready but team will hold him out.”
Given Ertz signed a practice squad deal with the Lions, a Detroit loss would once again make the tight end a free agent. If the Lions are unable to pull off an upset, it may mean that Ertz never plays a game for Detroit. Even in this scenario, there is a chance Ertz could re-sign with the Lions this offseason.
Ex-Philadelphia Eagles Star Zach Ertz Has Not Played Since October 22
Lions will not activate TE Zach Ertz for Sunday's NFC Championship Game vs. 49ers, per @TomPelissero https://t.co/dQ6ezXKqN9 pic.twitter.com/8adWbhcf0q
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) January 27, 2024
Detroit signed Ertz as backup tight end Brock Wright is dealing with a forearm injury. Lions starter Sam LaPorta is also playing through a knee injury but has been able to suit up in the team’s previous two postseason games.
Ertz has not played a snap since October 22, and it remains to be seen how much of an impact the tight end can make. It is more likely that Ertz is serving as an insurance policy in case LaPorta reaggravates his knee.
The Arizona Cardinals released Ertz on November 30, per his request. The former Pro Bowler remained unsigned until days before championship weekend with four NFL teams remaining ahead of the Super Bowl.
The San Francisco 49ers Were Also Interested in Signing Zach Ertz
3 years ago today Zach Ertz scored the only Super Bowl winning TD in #Eagles franchise history:
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) February 4, 2021
Ertz had been linked to several other teams including the San Francisco 49ers. The Atlhletic’s Matt Barrows believes that Ertz joined the Lions over the Niners because Detroit had more of a need.
“Yes, I think they were interested in Ertz throughout, but only if one of their key contributors went down with a long-term injury,” Barrows wrote in a January 27 mailbag article. “For example, I could see the team pulling the trigger on Ertz if Jennings had gotten hurt on Saturday and certainly if George Kittle had been injured. But they weren’t going to bring him in for the Ross Dwelley/Brayden Willis role, which is essentially a special teams role.
“Samuel’s shoulder injury was interesting. If that had been a long-term issue, Ertz might have been a strong possibility. But the 49ers knew early in the week that Samuel would have a good shot at playing Sunday while the Lions suffered an injury to tight end Brock Wright, which left them with just one tight end, Sam LaPorta, on the 53-man roster. Which is why Ertz might be playing against the 49ers on Sunday instead of for them.”
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported upon Ertz release that the Eagles were a potential landing spot. Yet, the Philly reunion never materialized with the team’s former star tight end. It will be interesting to see if the Eagles pursue Ertz in free agency.
