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Zach Ertz could be traded any minute.
The eight-year NFL veteran believes his chapter in Philadelphia has come to a close and has requested a trade away. The wantaway tight end has not been present at any of the Eagles' offseason activities, which include mandatory minicamp.
The Arizona Cardinals seem to be one of the suitors for Ertz. The Cardinals showed major improvement in 2020 as quarterback Kyler Murray really settled into the NFL.
This offseason, the Cardinals signed defensive end J.J. Watt and had a productive draft to fill some gaping holes. Ertz could fit into the Arizona Cardinals offense quite well if a trade were to happen.
3 reasons why the Cardinals should trade for Zach Ertz
#1 Upgrade at tight end
Right now, the Arizona Cardinals have Maxx Williams, Darrell Daniels and Ross Travis on the depth chart at tight end. Williams is the most experienced of the three and has been in the NFL for six seasons.
In five of the six seasons, he has had one touchdown each campaign. In comparison, Zach Ertz has over 8,000 receiving yards in his career so far, with a career-high eight touchdowns in 2017 and 2018.
Adding Ertz would be a significant upgrade at TE and Ertz's ability to catch and block makes him a versatile tight end.
#2 Offensive scheme fit
The Arizona Cardinals currently use a spread offense, which Zach Ertz would flourish in as he would be a reliable target for Kyler Murray. He would also have a better opportunity to get the ball and be a playmaker, something he's already proven to have a penchant for.
#3 Affordable trade
If the Cardinals were to trade for tight end Zach Ertz, it likely wouldn't cost much to make it happen. It is speculated that it would cost somewhere in the region of a third-round pick to make the trade for Ertz.
The Eagles aren't willing to release Ertz because they know they can get something in return for the tight end with a trade. There is only one year left on Zach Ertz's contract and with a down-year in production in 2020, it could definitely be affordable for the Cardinals.
If Ertz can get back to the numbers he was posting in 2017-2019, this could be a steal.
