Cardinals Placing TE Zach Ertz on Injured Reserve

The Arizona Cardinals will be without Zach Ertz for the next four games.

ARIZONA -- As the Arizona Cardinals prepare for the Baltimore Ravens in Week 8, they'll do so without one of the biggest names at the tight end position.

According to NFL Media's Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo, the Cardinals are placing tight end Zach Ertz on injured reserve. Ertz reportedly suffered a quad strain during Week 7's loss to the Seattle Seahawks. 

The Cardinals do plan for him to return this season. 

The #Cardinals are placing three-time Pro Bowl TE Zach Ertz on injured reserve with a quad strain suffered during the game Sunday, sources tell me and @MikeGarafolo.

Ertz is out at least four games, but the plan is for him to return this season. Ertz has 27 catches this season.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 24, 2023

Ertz will miss games against the Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons and Houston Texans - a stretch that could see the return of Kyler Murray. 

Ertz got off to a hot start in 2023 after the Cardinals acquired Josh Dobbs to fill the void at quarterback while Murray recovers from a torn ACL. However, Ertz has shown obvious signs of slowing down over the course of the season, missing several passes that many were accustomed to the Pro Bowl tight end making over the years. 

The last two weeks, Trey McBride - the second-year tight end out of Colorado State - has emerged as the team's top tight end. Injury or not, Ertz was on pace to lose more snaps if his play continued to drop. 

With the NFL's trade deadline approaching next week, this could potentially impact Arizona's market for him - if there is any. The Dallas Cowboys reportedly called Arizona and had conversations regarding Ertz's availability, though it's unclear exactly what the Cardinals would want back in return for the 32-year-old.