The Green Bay Packers are headed into a somewhat uncertain 2023 season. All of the major changes to their roster this off-season via trade and free agency, has all of a sudden made the Packers one of the youngest teams in the NFL. Led by Jordan Love, the Green Bay Packers offense hopes to get off to a good start with their hopeful franchise quarterback. One “hole” that could still exist on the Packers’ offense is a veteran tight end. Could free agency help the Packers fix that?
Arizona Cardinals Tight End Zach Ertz Emerges At Cut Candidate
According to Donnie Druin of Fansided:
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.
Could The Green Bay Packers Target Zach Ertz If He Gets Cut?
The Green Bay Packers overhauled their tight end room in 2023. Robert Tonyan has already signed with the Chicago Bears and Marcedes Lewis will not be brought back. There are even rumors that Josiah Deguara could find himself released before the season. In an effort to restock their tight end room, the Packers took Luke Musgrave from Oregon State in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Later, in round three, they took Tucker Kraft, another tight end, from South Dakota State.
Even with all two young additions, adding a proven veteran could help bridge the gap for the rookies and this offense. Ertz, when healthy, is still one of the better tight ends in the NFL. Having him as a veteran presence would go a long way.
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