NFL Trade Rumors: Will the Saints trade for Eagles TE Zach Ertz? 

A mass clearout in the Big Easy is underway: tight ends Josh Hill and former Pro Bowler Jared Cook are among the casualties of the New Orleans Saints' sweeping changes. The franchise is trying to get itself back under the salary cap ahead of free agency, so it has parted ways with these two key contributors.

Following these departures, some fans and pundits are speculating that coach Sean Payton will look to add a new tight end to the roster. One of the key names that has been mentioned is Zach Ertz.

The Eagles' three-time Pro Bowler is set to hit free agency after the 2021 season, and the Eagles seem reluctant to offer him an extension.

Report: Multiple teams have interest in Zach Ertz, with trade possible in coming days https://t.co/iTSoMiiax9

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 8, 2021

But will the former Stanford star end up in New Orleans?

How did Zach Ertz perform in 2020?

Philadelphia Eagles v Dallas Cowboys

Even before he missed six weeks with an ankle injury, Zach Ertz showed notable signs of decline during the early portion of the Eagles' 2020 season. The 2018 Super Bowl-winning tight end recorded just 145 yards in the team's first five games.

Eagles head coach Doug Pederson opted to slowly reincorporate Ertz to the team during the player's comeback bid in December. Still, compared to his 2019 season, Ertz's production significantly dropped. Ertz recorded just 157 yards in the Eagles' final five games, giving him a season total of 335 yards in 11 outings.

Plus, Ertz's catches-per-target percentage drastically declined. In 2018, Ertz caught 116 of 156 targets (74% catch success rate). In 2019, he hauled in 88 catches on 135 targets (65% catch success rate.) Last season, those percentages dropped again to a measly 50%. For a player whose key attribute has always been his incredible handling skills, these numbers are quite distressing.

Zach Ertz called game.#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/50OvnlGtVf

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) December 10, 2019

At the moment, Eagles fans have been forced to ask themselves a tough question. Will we ever see the real Zach Ertz again?

Will the New Orleans Saints attempt to trade for Zach Ertz?

New Orleans Saints v Las Vegas Raiders

Despite losing Jared Cook and Josh Hill, it's highly unlikely that the Saints will look to bring in Zach Ertz.

Firstly, Ertz stands to make $4.2 million this year with the Eagles, and the Saints have very little room to maneuver their salary cap space. Even if coach Sean Payton wants him, the Saints probably can't afford Ertz right now.

Beyond these financial concerns, Ertz seems to be a player in decline. Tight end is a punishing position to play in the NFL, and it's not pessimistic to speculate that the best days of Ertz's career are behind him. He certainly wouldn't be the first tight end to fall off a statistical cliff.

The 31-year-old just put up a lackluster 2020 season, and he seems to have problems with his ankle. Bringing him in would be a risky move for the Saints, and they need to bring in players who are safe bets.

Saints' rookie Adam Trautman earned an 87.1 run-block grade in 2020.Highest among all TEs. pic.twitter.com/RAfF2LvkOx

— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) February 25, 2021

Finally, the Saints spent a third-round draft pick on the highly regarded University of Dayton tight end Adam Trautman in last year's NFL Draft. Considering his young age, the rookie performed exceptionally well in the blocking game in his rookie season.

Though Saints fans didn't get to see a lot of him in Sean Payton's passing attack, Trautman is expected to receive a bigger role in 2021. Rather than bringing in someone like Ertz, the Saints might be better off giving Trautman a chance to grow.

With all that said, Ertz could theoretically head to New Orleans, but this move appears to be quite unlikely.

What do you guys think? Is Zach Ertz the man to replace Jared Cook in the Bayou? Sound off in the comments below.