Father Time catches up to everyone in the end. But for one of the Washington Commanders' unsung heroes, he managed to fight it off just when all hope was starting to fade.
However, this might be his final season in Washington when it's all said and done.
The Commanders took a chance on Zach Ertz. They believed there was still some good football left in the tight end's tank. They believe his previous connection to offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury from their time together on the Arizona Cardinals could reap rewards. Even so, his previous two seasons didn't suggest it was possible.
Commanders will adopt a wait-and-see approach with Zach Ertz in his 13th season
Ertz turned the tide quickly. He embraced Washington's culture shift under head coach Dan Quinn, taking on a leadership role and emerging as a solid contributor in the passing game for good measure.
After gaining just 593 receiving yards and five touchdowns in the two campaigns prior, Ertz racked up 66 catches for 654 yards and seven scores. He became a trusted target of quarterback Jayden Daniels and deservedly got a new deal as a result of his efforts.
The former second-round pick out of Stanford even finished 17th in the NFL Comeback Player of the Year voting. Ertz will once again lead the charge in Year 13 of his professional career. But this could very well be his final one.
In an ideal world, the Commanders would like to get 2024 second-round pick Ben Sinnott more involved in his second season. John Bates is the long-term blocking option, but the Kansas State product needs to step up and prove capable of filling Ertz's shoes as a pass-catcher.
A situation could emerge where Ertz plays well enough to get another one-year deal in Washington, but it's a wait-and-see scenario. And the fact that Adam Peters gave him such a hefty pay increase this spring suggests that it could potentially be one final hurrah.
Ertz was among the league's most prolific tight ends once upon a time. He proved vital to the Commanders' incredible rise from obscurity to legitimate playoff contention. He silenced his doubters and more, but what comes next is always the most important thing.
The Commanders have a shot to go deep into the postseason again. If they accomplish this feat and Ertz shows no signs of slowing down, the underrated standout will be rewarded once again.
But if Father Time meets him, the Commanders won't hesitate to go in a different direction.
