Eagles reportedly could trade tight end Zach Ertz; should Pats make a move?

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The Philadelphia Eagles player dominating trade rumors over the last few weeks has been quarterback Carson Wentz.

The Eagles need to figure out what to do with Wentz, the No. 2 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Wentz played poorly last season and the team could turn to 2020 second-round pick Jalen Hurts to lead the offense.

Another Eagles player to keep a close eye on during the offseason is tight end Zach Ertz -- an impact player who could be a significant upgrade for a Super Bowl contender's offense.

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What's the latest on Ertz's situation? ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported an update last Friday:

Ertz had a down year in 2020 and missed five games due to injury. He tallied 36 receptions for 335 yards and one touchdown. He posted 204 catches for 2,079 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2018 and 2019 combined.

Should the Patriots make a play for Ertz if he's available via trade?

Ertz obviously would be a massive upgrade for New England at tight end. The Patriots had the fewest receptions and yards among tight ends in 2020. Rookie tight ends Dalton Keene and Devin Asiasi failed to make an impact in the passing game. Ryan Izzo led Patriots tight ends with 13 receptions for 199 yards a year ago.

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The Patriots need a lot more production from their tight ends to have an offense good enough to make the playoffs next season. Ertz is a tremendous player, but if the Patriots are going to make an offseason trade to bolster the offensive weapons, is tight end the first position to address? Should the team's best trade assets instead be used to acquire a new starting quarterback or a No. 1 wide receiver? The Patriots also could draft another tight end -- the 2021 class has several intriguing options.

The Pats should do whatever is necessary to improve one of the league's worst passing attacks of 2020. Tight end should not be the priority in that pursuit, though. Ertz is a really good player, but the Patriots should save their most valuable assets to acquire better players.

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