At 35 years old and coming off a significant injury, it wasn’t clear if Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz would continue playing.
Ertz, who is also a pending free agent, showed he’s got some gas left in the tank after two solid seasons with the Commanders that saw him tally 654 receiving yards in 2024 and then 504 receiving yards in 2025 (13 games).
As Ertz continues to work his way back from a torn ACL, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the veteran is indeed going to play in 2026.
Pelissero also notes that Ertz is expected to be ready around the time the 2026 campaign begins, although he isn’t certain to be ready by Week 1.
“Three-time Pro Bowl TE Zach Ertz plans to play a 14th NFL season and is expected to be cleared right around Week 1, per sources. Ertz is 2 months into rehab from a torn ACL. He ranks 5th in catches and 8th in yards among TE in NFL history, including 50-504-4 in 13 games in 2025,” Pelissero wrote.
Now the question is: where will Ertz end up in free agency?
We suspect the Commanders have interest in bringing him back. After all, he has been a huge asset for Jayden Daniels and Washington has a need at the position.
However, general manager Adam Peters has stressed getting younger and faster this offseason, so re-signing a 35-year-old tight end might not be in the cards.
“You’re always trying to get younger and faster. That’ll be a big emphasis for us this offseason,” Peters said last month.
What we can say for sure is that Ertz is going to draw interest on the open market, but teams could very well wait to sign him until closer to the season when he receives a clean bill of health.
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