Unknown tight ends eyeing golden opportunity with Cardinals

One player out of a little-known group could become the playmaking tight end that the Arizona Cardinals are currently lacking.

When examining the current Arizona Cardinals roster, one can’t help but notice the severe lack of a playmaker at the tight end spot.

Throughout the offseason, Cards general manager Steve Keim has shown very little urgency when it comes to the position. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury is fully aware of the dilemma and has stated that a veteran addition will be made in the coming weeks.

Arizona‘s top pass-catching tight end in 2020, Dan Arnold, signed a free-agent contract with the Carolina Panthers back in March. In 16 appearances last fall, the 26-year-old Arnold hauled in 31 passes for 438 yards and four touchdowns for the Redbirds scoring attack.

Maxx Williams and Darrell Daniels, the team’s top two tight end options at the moment, lack the playmaking ability that Arnold brought to the squad. The underwhelming duo combined for just 16 receptions,194 receiving yards, and two scores last season for the Cards.

Several unknown players fill out the Arizona Cardinals depth chart at tight end

Due to the limited abilities of Williams and Daniels, the Cardinals coaching staff could hope to stumble upon undiscovered gold when they assemble for training camp later this month.

One of the more intriguing tight ends that Kingsbury and company could take a long look at is Bernhard Seikovits, an individual who came to Arizona via the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program. The 6-foot-5, 262-pounder was born in Austria and has played for an organization called the Vienna Vikings since he was 10-years-old.

Cary Angeline signed with the Cards as an unrestricted free agent back in May. The 6-foot-6, 250-pounder played his college ball at North Carolina State, where he totaled 61 catches, 950 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns for the Wolfpack.

Also inked to a deal with the Cardinals back in May was Bruno LaBelle, a tight end out of the University of Cincinnati. The 24-year-old rookie, a native of Montreal, Canada, tallied 20 receptions, 150 yards, and two scores in his 46 games with the Bearcats.

Back in January, Arizona signed 6-foot-7, 256-pound Ian Bunting to a reserve/future contract. The 25-year old had a cup of coffee with the Indianapolis Colts two years ago, but he has not yet appeared in a professional contest.

One more tight end who’s currently on the Cards roster is Ross Travis, a journeyman who attended Penn State. The 28-year-old has 14 career catches and has also spent time with the Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, and New York Jets during his six NFL campaigns.

Will one of the aforementioned candidates step to the forefront and help strengthen what could become a serious deficiency for Kingsbury’s “Air Raid” offense? With a little luck, perhaps the Cardinals will unveil their version of “A Star Is Born” at the tight end position this coming fall.