Cardinals TE Zach Ertz Labeled Surprise Cut Candidate

The Arizona Cardinals could make a surprise move with tight end Zach Ertz.

TEMPE -- The Arizona Cardinals are mostly done settling their roster after a busy offseason that involved plenty of notable names that departed the team. 

Guys such as J.J. Watt and Rodney Hudson announced retirement while Byron Murphy and Zach Allen hit the open market as free agents and never returned. DeAndre Hopkins was recently released after a long few months of trade speculation and no resolution has been found with Budda Baker's situation, though he did say he'll be at mandatory minicamp and training camp. 

Yet there could be a new name entering the market in veteran tight end Zach Ertz. CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin says Arizona could move on from him:

"The veteran has spoken favorably of new Cardinals brass and just last offseason inked a three-year extension. But Arizona is headed for a slow-burn rebuild with QB Kyler Murray on track to miss part of 2023 due to injury, and the team recently embraced its fate by outright cutting No. 1 wideout DeAndre Hopkins," said Benjamin. 

"It's not illogical to assume Ertz, who's going on 33 and spent the majority of his career contending with the Eagles, would request a quiet exit to suit up elsewhere. His release would also save $600K."

Ertz (who turns 33-years-old later this year) has two years left on his contract. 

The Cardinals did draft Trey McBride in the second round of last year's draft, but is Arizona willing to roll the dice on McBride as a starter after a shaky rookie season? To eat $11 million in dead money while only saving $605k doesn't seem like superb business. 

When healthy, Ertz is one of the top tight ends in the league. He is still recovering from ACL surgery last season and his timetable for return is still unknown, though he has been training on the side while the Cardinals have started OTA's. 

If the Cardinals were going full tank mode - sure. But head coach Jonathan Gannon has made it very clear the team is trying to win as many games as possible next year, and without Hopkins on the roster, Arizona can't afford to lose another top target. 

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