Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Commanders TE Zach Ertz plans to play a 14th season in the NFL in 2026.
Ertz is coming off a torn ACL that put his career in doubt, but Pelissero mentioned the veteran is expected to be cleared around Week 1. He will be a free agent when the new league year starts in March.
Ertz, 35, is a former second-round pick of the Eagles back in 2013. He was traded to the Cardinals during the 2021 season for CB Tay Gowan and a 2022 fifth-round pick.
Ertz played out the final year of his six-year, $43.64 million contract that included $20 million guaranteed and a base salary of $8.25 million for the 2021 season.
He was in line to be an unrestricted free agent when he agreed to a three-year, $31.65 million contract with $17.5 million guaranteed with the Cardinals.
Ertz was due $8.5 million in the final year of the deal in 2024 when the Cardinals released him. He caught on with the Lions for a brief stint before joining the Commanders.
In March of 2025, Ertz re-signed with Washington on a one-year, $6.25 million deal that is worth up to $9 million with incentives.
In 2025, Ertz appeared in 13 games for the Commanders and caught 50 passes on 72 targets for 504 yards receiving and four touchdowns.
arts next month after spending the last two seasons in Washington.
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