Zach Ertz on Eagles Trade, Contract Rumors: 'I Want to Be Here' in 2021

After wrapping up a difficult season, tight end Zach Ertz hopes to remain with the Philadelphia Eagles next year.

Speaking to reporters Monday, Ertz admitted he wasn't sure if he had played his last game with the Eagles.

"I don't know," the three-time Pro Bowler said. "I want to be here. Maybe I come back. This was a tough year."

Ertz added he didn't receive assurances from the Eagles prior to the season that he would be released instead of traded this offseason if the team makes changes. The 30-year-old said his relationship with general manager Howie Roseman is "good" and they haven't discussed his contract since the beginning of the season.

NFL Network analyst Mike Silver reported in March (h/t Sports Illustrated's Ed Kracz) that Ertz turned down an extension during the 2019 season that would have paid him more than the four years and $44 million Austin Hooper later received as a free agent from the Cleveland Browns.

Ertz told reporters in September that "it's been frustrating at times" when talking about a deal with the Eagles because he wasn't sure if they wanted him anymore.

"I've said all along I want to be here for the long run. I don't know for sure if that feeling is mutual," he said. "But I know I'm going to play this year like it is my last year and I'm going to leave everything I possibly have in the tank for this team and this city, because that's what this city deserves, nothing less."

That same month, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Ertz and Roseman had a "heated discussion" after an Eagles practice.

The tight end has been a staple of Philadelphia's offense since the organization drafted him in the second round in 2013. He had six straight seasons with at least 700 yards receiving from 2014 to 2019, and he led the team in receptions for four consecutive years (2016-19).

This season was a mess for Ertz. He missed five games because of injuries, amassed a career-low 335 yards receiving and tied his career low with 36 receptions.

The Eagles have Ertz under contract for one more season with a $12.5 million cap hit. His dead-cap number for 2021 is $7.8 million, per Spotrac.