Cards re-sign Zach Ertz

Chopper0080

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Problem is that we keep putting ourselves in a position where we have to pay big contracts to old players as we do not have younger players in place to fill in.

Ertz isn't a bad player but he is on the downhill and he is not cheap. We also do not have anyone in the pipeline other than an international special roster spot player.

JUstin Pugh isn't bad but again, we have nothing behind him being developed.

Chandler Jones will go and it is probably the right move except for a pretty bare depth chart.

So, it is the same tune we have heard before. We will be better next year with Ertz but the best case scenario is that we get production equal to his contract. The alternative is another JJ Watt situation. Remind me how many games we got our of our Jones/Watt dynamic duo?
 

Redsz

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Looks to be an over pay but haven't seen the contract structure. Otherwise happy to have him back. He has good chemistry with Kyler.
 

BritCard

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Me too
But do u expect him doing the same next season coming from the injury he suffered?

It was never officially reported what the injury was but just digging into it it seems like it was a grade 3 LCL tear. The LCL is opposite of the MCL and Grade 3 is the worst meaning complete tear but it's still only a 12 week injury. He will be easily back for the start of the season.
 

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Problem is that we keep putting ourselves in a position where we have to pay big contracts to old players as we do not have younger players in place to fill in.

Ertz isn't a bad player but he is on the downhill and he is not cheap. We also do not have anyone in the pipeline other than an international special roster spot player.

JUstin Pugh isn't bad but again, we have nothing behind him being developed.

Chandler Jones will go and it is probably the right move except for a pretty bare depth chart.

So, it is the same tune we have heard before. We will be better next year with Ertz but the best case scenario is that we get production equal to his contract. The alternative is another JJ Watt situation. Remind me how many games we got our of our Jones/Watt dynamic duo?

Two things.

This isn't really a big contract.

He's tied 10th with Austin Hooper (who he is better than) and he's below Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, Gesicki, Njoku and Schulz. He's better than a bunch of them.

Logan Thomas is getting paid 8m a year. So it's a perfectly reasonable contract. It's more than I hoped we would pay because I believed he didn't want to move again and he likes it here and he's with his wife. So I was hoping for a friendly discount, but it's a reasonable deal.

2nd thing. Drafting TE's is tough. Teams that use TE's the right way in college are rare. They need so much work normally.

Looking at recent drafts Cole Kmet has been meh. TJ Hockenson is fine but nowhere near worth the #8 pick he cost. Fant same, he's good, but not great so far. Irv Smith meh. That 2019 class was supposed to be golden for TE and Dawson Knox might be the best value of the bunch and a whole lots of nobodies.

I certainly don't trust Keim to use a high pick on one.

So this move if pretty smart. And it's really only a 2 year deal. If Keim had any sense he'd use one of his 6th's and punt on Grant Calcaterra. Who would have been a 2nd round pick before he retired and came back. And obvs knows Kyler.
 
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Stout

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Problem is that we keep putting ourselves in a position where we have to pay big contracts to old players as we do not have younger players in place to fill in.

Ertz isn't a bad player but he is on the downhill and he is not cheap. We also do not have anyone in the pipeline other than an international special roster spot player.

JUstin Pugh isn't bad but again, we have nothing behind him being developed.

Chandler Jones will go and it is probably the right move except for a pretty bare depth chart.

So, it is the same tune we have heard before. We will be better next year with Ertz but the best case scenario is that we get production equal to his contract. The alternative is another JJ Watt situation. Remind me how many games we got our of our Jones/Watt dynamic duo?
Very well stated.
 

Jetstream Green

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I like the move of keeping Ertz just from the perspective that he's still a good player and really cannot complain about paying him what we did and the new contract, but with this franchise he's not the only free agent pickup signing we tend to compensate the roster with because we do not draft well enough. Look, free agency for the most part is always going to be a overpay, so this contract is normal but we seem to build through free agency and not the draft. This is not an outrageous signing price and makes perfect sense... if we were not being forced to this with about 7 to 8 other guys to maintain talent
 

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I expected this signing and warned on the board preciously that cost estimates were low. Part of this comes back to Murray. Murray seems to have a trust issue which makes adjustments to new receivers difficult. It took several games before Murray seemed to accept Ertz. Ertz provides an important possession retention function. He has never been a deep threat but has sure hands and is skilled at creating some receiving space in crowded areas. He is not a great blocker but gives a decent effort. If they can re-sign a hopefully healthy Williams, they’ll have 2 decent short range, third down targets. Add Hopkins in a deeper range and the Cards won’t look explosive, but should have ball control handled. Hopefully they can add some variety in FA or the draft. I do expect it will take several games before Murray full uses them. Since it’s a virtual certainty that Murray won‘t play in exhibition games, he’ll have an elongated period of adjustment to receiver changes. I thought they might re-sign Kirk for this reason but it seems likely his price tag has risen out of reach.
 

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With both Ertz and Wesley returning, the Cardinals still need an outside receiver. But the skilled group looks much more complete than in years prior: Hopkins Moore Wesley Ertz
Personally, I don’t see the love for Wesley. We need a legit 2, someone even closer to a 1b type receiver. But, I could be wrong about Wesley. Maybe he’s better than I’m giving him credit for. I just don’t want to go into the season having to depend on him for anything but WR4 or WR5 status.
 

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Two things.

This isn't really a big contract.

He's tied 10th with Austin Hooper (who he is better than) and he's below Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, Gesicki, Njoku and Schulz. He's better than a bunch of them.

Logan Thomas is getting paid 8m a year. So it's a perfectly reasonable contract. It's more than I hoped we would pay because I believed he didn't want to move again and he likes it here and he's with his wife. So I was hoping for a friendly discount, but it's a reasonable deal.

2nd thing. Drafting TE's is tough. Teams that use TE's the right way in college are rare. They need so much work normally.

Looking at recent drafts Cole Kmet has been meh. TJ Hockenson is fine but nowhere near worth the #8 pick he cost. Fant same, he's good, but not great so far. Irv Smith meh. That 2019 class was supposed to be golden for TE and Dawson Knox might be the best value of the bunch and a whole lots of nobodies.

I certainly don't trust Keim to use a high pick on one.

So this move if pretty smart. And it's really only a 2 year deal. If Keim had any sense he'd use one of his 6th's and punt on Grant Calcaterra. Who would have been a 2nd round pick before he retired and came back. And obvs knows Kyler.
This is a very good post that perfectly sums up the value of this signing.
 

Cbus cardsfan

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Didn't some people want the Cards to get Gronk? He's older, slower, and more injured. Gronk is better too. Just sayin'. Don't judge TE's by speed alone. The ability to catch tight passes, make themselves available, and run routes is more important.
 

TheCardFan

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If they can re-sign a hopefully healthy Williams, they’ll have 2 decent short range, third down targets.

Agreed on Ertz. We HAVE to throw more to him on 3rd short vs those very low percentage 20-40 yard sideline throws to AJ Green (those are drive killers).

Run the ball more and use Ertz more - takes a ton of pressure off of K1 and keeps drives going.
 

BritCard

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Personally, I don’t see the love for Wesley. We need a legit 2, someone even closer to a 1b type receiver. But, I could be wrong about Wesley. Maybe he’s better than I’m giving him credit for. I just don’t want to go into the season having to depend on him for anything but WR4 or WR5 status.

Wesley won't be starting. They definitely will bring someone in. They should also bring in better outside depth than Wesley.
 
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