Following Zach Ertz’s injury, commanders sign a former Giants tight end: report.
Following the injury to veteran tight end Zach Ertz, the Washington Commanders were not going to sit still. They promptly signed Tyree Jackson, a converted quarterback and former member of the New York Giants, an NFC East rival, to fill the position.
On Tuesday, December 17, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirmed that he would be joining the practice squad.
Jackson is a fascinating physical specimen who is naturally versatile in his position. These qualities might enable the 27-year-old to establish himself on a senior depth chart that is still supported by reliable rookie Ben Sinnott and blocker John Bates.
Jackson is a fascinating physical specimen who is naturally versatile in his position. These qualities might enable the 27-year-old to establish himself on a senior depth chart that is still supported by reliable rookie Ben Sinnott and blocker John Bates.
Tyree Jackson an Intriguing Addition
He’s had trouble making a dent as a pass-catcher and also struggled to stay healthy, but Jackson is an interesting signing for the Commanders. Partly because he played quarterback in college and began his career in the pros as a signal-caller after entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent for the Buffalo Bills back in 2019.
Jackson has the right athletic profile to make it as a tight end. The 6-foot-7, 249-pounder’s chances have been hurt by a slew of major injuries.
Those ailments included fracturing a bone in his back as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021. He even tore his ACL in early 2022. Jackson was also waived with an injury settlement from the Giants in August this year.
His release by Big Blue came even after Jackson had “intrigued” observers, including Dan Schneier of CBS Sports. He credited Jackson with “4.59 speed and near-90th percentile arm length, wingspan and hands. And he moves pretty damn smooth in space. I’d prefer developing him and keeping him on the roster for red zone packages.”
The Commanders should coax more of this from Jackson. His perspective as a quarterback, along with his size and speed, can make Jackson a useful target over the middle for rookie QB1 Jayden Daniels.
Zach Ertz Has Played Key Role
His numbers aren’t overly impressive, but Ertz has still snagged 54 receptions for 526 yards and four touchdowns. That’s above-average production for a 34-year-old playing in his 12th pro season.
More important than his output, Ertz has been somebody Daniels has trusted in clutch moments. The third-overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft has looked No. 86’s way 77 times. Only marquee wide receiver Terry McLaurin has been targeted more often, 92 times, among Daniels’ supporting cast.
