Cardinals TE Zach Ertz cleared to return

Garafolo adds, crucially, that Ertz is “on track” to suit up for Week 1. That will be a welcomed development for team and player, given Ertz’s continued production in the desert and Arizona’s need for a healthy offense with quarterback Kyler Murray expected to miss regular season time. The latter will be the only Cardinal on the PUP list once Ertz is officially activated.

Arizona initially believed the worst-case scenario had been avoided when Ertz suffered a knee injury. Further testing revealed ACL and MCL tears, however, setting him up for a lengthy recovery. It came as little surprise that he began training camp on the PUP list, but being cleared now leaves him some time for reps in practice and/or the team’s remaining preseason games to ensure he will be able to take the field when the regular season begins.

The 32-year-old saw his Eagles tenure come to an end when he was dealt to the Cardinals (after a trade agreement with the Bills fall through), and 2022 was Ertz’s first full season in the desert. He posted a 47-406-4 statline in 10 contests, proving he can still be a reliable producer in the passing game. With Arizona set to begin the post-DeAndre Hopkins era at the receiver position, Ertz should be a key contributor as he enters the second year of his $31.65M Cardinals pact.

The team has a few other options at the TE spot should Ertz not be able to return to the field in time for Week 1. That includes 2022 second-rounder Trey McBride, who assumed a larger role once Ertz went down last year. McBride recorded 265 yards and one touchdown on 29 catches as a rookie, totals he will look to improve on in 2023. With Ertz set to be back in the fold, however, the Cardinals will be at full strength at the position soon.