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After veteran tight end Zach Ertz parted ways with the Arizona Cardinals on Nov. 30, he has finally found a new home.
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network on Monday, Ertz will sign with the Detroit Lions. The 33-year-old will start on Detroit’s practice squad, but Pelissero noted there are “plans to potentially elevate him for the NFC Championship Game.”
Per ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss, Ertz’s departure from Arizona was a mutual decision by him and the team to give him the chance to finish the season elsewhere. Ertz’s friend and former teammate JJ Watt reported that the tight end requested his release because he “plans to sign with a contender and make a run at his [second] Super Bowl ring.”
A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Ertz won his first Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017. The 11-year veteran spent his first nine-plus seasons in Philadelphia before being traded to Arizona during the 2021 season. He signed a three-year, $31.65 million extension with the Cardinals prior to the 2022 campaign, but he suffered a season-ending knee injury that year.
Ertz has also been hampered by a quad injury this season and was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 24. He was eligible to return after four weeks, but the Cardinals didn’t open his practice window before waiving him. Before he went down, he appeared in seven games for Arizona and recorded 27 catches for 187 yards and one touchdown.
Adding Ertz gives the Lions a veteran with championship experience who can still be a reliable contributor on offense. His presence should benefit quarterback Jared Goff as Detroit chases a Super Bowl title.
