The Carolina Panthers have understandably been mentioned whenever a tight end becomes available or potentially up for grabs. Why not throw Zach Ertz's name into the ring then?
Turning 36 and coming off a torn right ACL he suffered this past December, Ertz has the makings of a diminished asset. Bringing him in as a free agent may not sound additive for a Panthers squad looking to build on the momentum it's established heading into 2026. Make no mistake about it, though; the three-time Pro Bowler's track record speaks for itself, and more importantly, his recovery seems to be progressing well.
Ertz provided a personal health update during a recent appearance on the New Heights podcast. He's in a good place physically and mentally, with his sights set on returning for a 14th NFL campaign, giving Carolina another option worth considering.
"We're in a good spot," Ertz stated. "We're like five, almost six months now from surgery. Just training every day, doing everything I can to get back to where I was, obviously. It's a long process. There's some long days, there's some long weeks, some long months ... so it's tough, but at the end of the day, we're just trying to stack these days right now."
Zach Ertz quietly makes loud case for TE-needy Carolina Panthers
Even before his latest setback, Ertz wasn't going to make defenders miss in open space and turn short grabs into long gains. He's settled into a complementary role as a trustworthy security blanket in the middle of the field. There isn't much upside to signing him, yet the floor is higher than any of the current in-house choices at the Panthers' disposal.
An aging Ertz nearly single-handedly outproduced Carolina's entire tight end room last season despite only appearing in 13 games with the Washington Commanders. He posted 65 more yards (504) than incumbent starter Tommy Tremble and primary backup Ja’Tavion Sanders — combined — on only six fewer receptions (50).
Moreover, Ertz's 1.37 yards per route run ranked 25th among 54 TEs with 25-plus targets in 2025, including the playoffs, per Pro Football Focus ($). That's not a mind-blowing statistical feat by any stretch of the imagination, but it's honest work and better than anything the Panthers have right now.
Perhaps the most appealing part of Ertz's arrival in the Queen City would be the value he could provide as a mentor. The Super Bowl LII champion can provide much-needed leadership and function as an extension of the coaching staff, especially for his position group. A decade-plus of experience makes him an invaluable asset for the young trio of Tremble, Sanders, and second-year pro Mitchell Evans.
For what it's worth, too, this isn't the first major knee injury Ertz has had to work his way back from a major knee injury. He tore his left ACL and MCL in 2022.
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