Why the LA Chargers make the most sense for a Zach Ertz trade
By Jason Reed
![PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 22: Zach Ertz #86 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs onto the field prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field on December 22, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 22: Zach Ertz #86 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs onto the field prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field on December 22, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2Fboltbeat-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fgetty-images-2F2021-2F03-2F1196237664-850x560-be975487dc0b3e3c516b52a65d018ebd.jpg)
2. The LA Chargers have more than enough money for Zach Ertz
Whoever trades for Zach Ertz is going to have to pay him a decent amount in 2021. Ertz has a $12.7 million cap hit in 2021. Personally, I was not a huge fan of not paying Hunter Henry and then paying Zach Ertz, but that number can be moved down with signing bonus manipulation and other contract savviness.
It is still a relatively large number and while the team can get out of it past 2021 it is going to take some cap space, even with the contract savviness, to take Ertz in. The Chargers have the space to bring Ertz in, other teams do not.
According to Over The Cap, the Chargers still have $27.2 million in cap space, more than enough to bring in Ertz, the draft class and another small signing or two. Of the teams mentioned in this article, the Indianapolis Colts are the only other team with as much cap space as the Chargers, although they already have draft picks going to LA.
The Bills currently have $5.3 million and the Seahawks have $13.1 million. The teams that do have the cap space that the Chargers have aren’t as great of a fit for Ertz as well.
Teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets and Carolina Panthers would benefit more from bringing in either a younger tight end in free agency or drafting a tight end to build around. Ertz is for a team that wants to replace a hole now and wants to be a winning football team.
Next. The pros and cons of each new signing
For those two reasons, the LA Chargers make the most sense for the Philadelphia Eagles to do business with. However, the absolute best-case scenario for the Bolts would be Ertz getting released and the team could sign him for far cheaper.