Philadelphia Eagles' Zach Ertz To Have Career Year in 2015

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Hardly ever is a player able to replicate his entire career statistics in one season. After their rookie year it is almost an impossible feat to accomplish. Zach Ertz is an exception to the norm. The third year man out of Stanford has a chance to replicate his career statistics with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015. Expectations are sky high for Ertz this season, but with a couple breaks going his way, it is all well within grasp.

Ertz has established himself as the receiving tight end in Philadelphia, passing long time veteran Brent Celek. Celek will most likely see a dip in production this season as he could be featured as a blocking tight end more than a receiving tight end. What has limited Ertz in his first two years has been his blocking skills. As a receiving tight end at Stanford, he wasn’t asked to put his hand in the dirt and serve in the pass protection, thus hurting him as he transitioned to the NFL. His inexperience in this area resulted in limited playing time for him in each of his first two seasons with the Eagles.

According to Pro Football Focus, Ertz only playing in 50.3 percent of the Eagles’ offensive snaps in 2014. That number will surely rise as the Eagles try and replace leading receiver Jeremy Maclin, who departed for the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency. With Maclin gone and Celek in the shadows, there will be more targets and more opportunities for Ertz to excel than there have been in the past. With Ertz having another year of experience under his belt, as well as working to improve his blocking this offseason, he should see a more featured role in Chip Kelly’s offense in 2015.

The biggest key to Ertz having a career year falls on the shoulders of the starting quarterback. Ertz seemed to have a connection with Mark Sanchez last season when Sanchez took over for starter Nick Foles after he was lost for the season with a broken collarbone against the Houston Texans. Ertz caught 33 of his season’s 57 receptions in the last 8 games with Sanchez at quarterback. Their connection is obvious and if Sanchez wins the job, that connection should carry over to this upcoming season.

What makes things interesting is newcomer Sam Bradford. Bradford is coming off a torn ACL and it is unknown whether he will be healthy to start the season. When Bradford does take the field, it should bode well for Ertz. Bradford has always enjoyed dumping it off to his tight ends as Jared Cook and Lance Kendricks each enjoyed solid seasons with the St. Louis Rams with Bradford under center. One would assume that trend would continue with Bradford under center in Philadelphia. Regardless of whether Bradford or Sanchez is taking snaps for the Eagles in 2015, Ertz will be one of their main targets.

Heading into the 2015 season, expectations are high for Ertz and the Eagles. The third year pro will need to make strides this season to justify the Eagles selecting him 35th overall in 2013. If Ertz can continue to improve his blocking skills, he should see a significant rise in snaps during the 2015 season. With more snaps come more opportunities. It isn’t crazy to think that if Ertz can capitalize on those opportunities, he could finish his third season with over 1000 yards and seven plus touchdowns, passing his career numbers. For him to replicate his career stat line in just one season may seem like an impossible feat, but for Ertz it is part of what could be a historic season.

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