Cardinals place Ertz on IR

The Arizona Cardinals placed tight end Zach Ertz on injured reserve due to a quad strain he suffered in Sunday's loss to the Seattle Seahawks, the team announced Tuesday.

The three-time Pro Bowler will miss at least four games but is expected to return this season, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo.

The 32-year-old will miss the Cardinals' upcoming matchups against the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, and Houston Texans. Arizona will likely lean even more on second-year tight end Trey McBride in Ertz's absence. Geoff Swaim and Elijah Higgins could also see more snaps.

Ertz is coming off a 2022 campaign in which he only played 10 games due to a knee injury. The veteran pass-catcher is off to a slow start this season with 27 receptions for 167 yards and one touchdown through seven games.

The Stanford product's 26.7 yards per game and 6.9 yards per catch this season would mark the lowest averages of his career.

Ertz was a potential trade target for teams searching for a veteran tight end, and this setback will likely affect his market.

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