With their sights set on the Baltimore Ravens ahead of Week 8, the Arizona Cardinals will be without one of their key contributors.
According to a report by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Cardinals will place star tight end Zach Ertz on the injured reserve (IR) list, thus making him miss the next four games at the very least.
The #AZCardinals are putting TE Zach Ertz on IR, sources tell me and @TomPelissero. The three-time Pro Bowler, who has 27 catches for 187 yards and a TD this season, suffered a quad strain on Sunday. The plan is for him to return later in the year.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 24, 2023
Ertz reportedly strained his quad during their loss to the Seattle Seahawks, but the team does intend to have him back on the field at some point this season.
The former Philadelphia Eagles star will miss their games against the Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, and Houston Texans.
Notably, the Cardinals could have QB Kyler Murray back on the field for the latter stretch of those games, although that could also depend on how they fare in the games leading to his return.
Ertz had developed strong chemistry with backup QB Josh Dobbs, logging 27 catches for 187 yards and a touchdown.
Nonetheless, his production had taken a dip over the past couple of weeks, including some unlikely drops.
Sophomore TE Trey McBride has now emerged as the team’s primary option at TE, meaning Ertz’s snaps were likely to go down regardless of the injury.
Also, this injury is a big blow to the Cardinals’ potential trade aspirations.
The trade deadline is just one week away, and the Dallas Cowboys have reportedly shown an interest in trading for Ertz.
Now, it seems unlikely that any team will want to part ways with assets to land the 32-year-old.
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