Commanders Coach 'Impressed' by Veteran TE

Zach Ertz earned some praise from Washington Commanders coach Dan Quinn.

Jeremy Brener | Sep 17, 2024

Sep 8, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz (86) warms up before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

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Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders added a number of veterans to the team this offseason to help steer the ship in a new direction.

One of those players was tight end Zach Ertz, who played in just seven games with the Arizona Cardinals last season.

Despite limited playing time last year, Ertz has been strong during his first two games with the Commanders, especially in Week 2 against the New York Giants. Ertz led the team with 62 yards on four catches, which earned him some praise from coach Dan Quinn.

"I was really impressed with Zach's performance yesterday," Quinn said. "We call those 50-50 balls and he made certain it was not gonna be that. But I just thought even on the very first third down, there was a called penalty against him. I just felt his presence in this game more than others. He'll always be a factor in two-minute, in the red zone and the things that make him, him. But I just felt his presence really strongly in this game. He was really dialed in, really ready to go and the catches, the movements that he did, I thought they were really on point."

Ertz's penalties called against him are statistics that don't usually show up in box scores, and that's a skill that only established veterans would have. Having Ertz in the middle of the field is a safety blanket for rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and it gives him a reliable player to turn to when he needs it.

The Commanders have been longing for a tight end who could perform these skills, and they may have finally found that in Ertz.

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.

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Published Sep 17, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.