5 tight ends the Jaguars should target in free agency

No. 5 tight end the Jaguars should target in free agency – Zach Ertz.

NFL head coaches often bring in players they’ve previously worked with and it wouldn’t be shocking to see Doug Pederson do it in Jacksonville. Some of his former players are set to hit the open market this offseason and it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Jags target a few of them, including tight end Zach Ertz.

Two or three years seem like a long time in the NFL but it’s easy to forget that Ertz was one of the top tight ends in the league as recently as 2019. That year, he hauled in 88 receptions for 916 yards with six touchdowns. But injuries and inconsistency at quarterback hurt his production the following season, and he posted a paltry 335 yards on 36 receptions and 9.3 yards per grab, both career lows.

Ertz proved the 2020 season was an outlier when he was traded to the Arizona Cardinals in the middle of the 2021 season. The veteran tight end suited up for 11 games with the Cards and caught 56 catches for 574 yards and three touchdowns, showing he’s still got plenty of gas left in the tank at the ripe age of 31.

Back in 2018, Ertz set the current record for receptions by a tight end in a season with 116 and could once again reach the 100-reception mark with a better quarterback play. Coincidentally, the Jaguars have Trevor Lawrence in place and plenty of cap space to sign the 2013 second-round pick this offseason.

Spotrac expects Ertz to sign a two-year deal worth $15.2 million ($7.6 million average) this offseason. That could be a bargain if he can recreate the production he have a couple of years ago. There will be other tight ends in free agency but Ertz’s previous ties to Pederson make him a candidate to sign with the Jaguars this offseason.