The Green Bay Packers enter the later stages of training camp with an obvious need at tight end, a position that has been thinned by injuries and limited proven options.
Free agent Zach Ertz, a former Super Bowl champion who recently received medical clearance after tearing his ACL, has emerged as a logical candidate to help stabilize the group.
Bill Huber of Packers On SI ranked Ertz as the top available free agent the team should consider adding.
“The Packers have some explosive players in the passing game, including, of course, premier tight end Tucker Kraft,” Huber wrote. “However, Ertz would give quarterback Jordan Love a security-blanket type of player. As it stands, who is Green Bay’s go-to receiver on third-and-5? Is there one? Ertz could quickly become that player because of his feel for the game.”
That assessment aligns with the current roster picture. Kraft remains the clear starter, yet the Packers have managed his workload carefully as he continues his own recovery from an ACL injury.
Luke Musgrave is still on the physically unable to perform list with a neck injury and no clear timetable for return.
Josh Whyle returns after a limited role last season, while younger names such as Messaiah Swinson and Drake Dabney have drawn attention largely because so few healthy tight ends are available. Several additional undrafted or recently signed players have been added since camp opened, underscoring how thin the depth truly is.
Ertz, who turns 36 this year and is preparing for his 14th NFL season, would not be expected to reclaim a starting role. He finished the 2025 season with 504 receiving yards in 13 games, production that would still represent a meaningful contribution as a secondary option.
His résumé includes 11 playoff appearances across six postseason runs and a Super Bowl title with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017. Beyond the numbers, his experience and reliability in intermediate routes could give Love a dependable target in critical situations while offering leadership to a young tight end room still finding its footing.
Signing Ertz would not require a large financial commitment or complex roster gymnastics. He would enter camp as a veteran competing primarily with Whyle for the second tight end spot and would stand a strong chance of making the final roster.
For a Packers offense that already features explosive skill players, the addition of a polished, high-IQ tight end who understands how to win on third downs and in the red zone makes practical sense.
Whether Green Bay acts on the suggestion remains to be seen, but the fit is clear enough that the conversation is unlikely to fade quietly.
