While the San Francisco 49ers have to be thrilled with tight end George Kittle's chances to play in Week 1, it would be foolish to not bolster the position. After all, if this team has learned anything in recent years, it’s that there’s no such thing as too much depth.
If the Niners are interested in improving at tight end, they need to look no further than veteran Zach Ertz, who has been training at Stanford with his old quarterback Andrew Luck. The 13-year pro looks to bounce back from an ACL tear last year.
Here is video, with Andrew Luck throwing passes to Zach Ertz https://t.co/M50EYr2pub pic.twitter.com/cojRylcL0C
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 5, 2026
Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Ertz has been cleared for all football activities and wants to play this upcoming season. Why not give him a one-year deal similar to the heavily incentivized contract the Niners just gave wide receiver Deebo Samuel?
Ertz may be 35, but he had 504 receiving yards and four touchdowns with the Washington Commanders last season. He’s not the Pro Bowl player he was earlier in his career, but he’s a reliable veteran who can be worked into the rotation. He could serve as an insurance policy in case Kittle misses time, which wouldn’t be a shock given that he missed half of last season due to a hamstring issue.
Ertz signing makes sense given 49ers' current health and roster makeup
Ailments are already starting to pile up for the Niners. Their daily injury reports are riddled with names, and they’ve already lost Ricky Pearsall for the season. It seems like every year, the Niners get ravaged by injuries. They might as well take some precautionary measures now, as opposed to waiting around for the inevitable to happen.
Some might worry that signing Ertz would cut into the snaps of current backup Jake Tonges. Last season, Tonges stepped up in a big way and played well for the Kittle-less Niners. However, adding Ertz to the mix would not completely take Tonges out of the equation. His presence would allow Kyle Shanahan to rotate them both in and deploy two- or three-tight-end looks, giving the offense more versatility.
If the 49ers wanted to make room for Ertz on the roster, they have the means to do so. If he prefers to sign with a team that is prepared to reward him with a starting spot, then San Francisco is clearly not the right fit. Yet, if he wants to play for a good team in a familiar part of the country, then the red and gold is an obvious choice.
All general manager John Lynch has to do is hop in his car, make the short drive over to his alma mater from Santa Clara, and take a look for himself. It never hurts to have another Stanford guy around, and Ertz could gift the Niners numerous advantages if they were to pull the trigger.
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