Is Zach Ertz out for the season? Exploring what happened to former Cardinals TE

During the Arizona Cardinals' 22-10 Week 7 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks, tight end Zach Ertz sustained a quad injury and was placed on injured reserve. He has now missed the team's last five games.

There were concerns regarding Ertz's availability for the remainder of the season. Despite having served his minimal waiting period, he was still unavailable for Arizona's Week 12 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.

According to reports on Thursday, though, Ertz is being released by the Cardinals. In order to have the opportunity to compete for a contender for the remainder of the season, the player apparently requested his release. CBS reported that the request has already been granted.

Although we might not see him in Arizona's colors for the rest of the season, he might still play for another NFL team once he has been taken off the waivers.

In seven games this season, Ertz has received 27 passes for 187 yards and one score on 43 targets. He has been a reliable player for Arizona, receiving at least two passes every game, despite not having eye-catching numbers.

Trey McBride, an emerging tight end, will likely be relieved to hear that Zach Ertz has been released. Since the 33-year-old's injury, McBride's workload has increased significantly.

McBride was chosen by the Cardinals from Colorado State in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. During his period of full-time involvement, which resulted from Ertz's quad injury, he has shown progress.

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Zach Ertz's NFL timeline

In the 2013 NFL Draft, Zach Ertz was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round, winning Super Bowl LII with the team. He remained with the Eagles until the 2021 season, before being dealt to the Arizona Cardinals for CB Tay Gowan and a fifth-round pick in 2022.

Over the course of his 11-year career, Ertz has gained 7,434 yards, the third-highest among players who are active in the league.

Ertz, who began this week on the Arizona Cardinals' injured reserve, will now see his three-year stint with the team come to an end. All eyes will be on his next destination and his ability to rapidly adjust to a new scheme in the latter stages of the season.