ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith is a big fan of the move the Arizona Cardinals made on Friday to acquire tight end Zach Ertz from the Philadelphia Eagles.
On Friday, the Arizona Cardinals sent a message to the rest of the NFL when they completed a blockbuster trade for longtime Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz.
With the acquisition of Ertz, the Cardinals and their 5-0 record are no longer just a fun story this season, they’re a team that needs to be taken seriously by the rest of the league.
Reactions to Friday’s trade have been mostly positive. Among them was a reaction from notable ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith.
Stephen A. Smith approves of the Arizona Cardinals acquiring Zach Ertz from the Philadelphia Eagles.
During an episode of ESPN’s “First Take” on Friday, Smith was presented with the news of Ertz heading to Arizona on live television. So viewers had a rare opportunity to get an unscripted reaction from Smith about the big transaction made by the Cardinals.
Here’s what he had to say about the trade.
.@stephenasmith LOVES Zach Ertz heading to the Cardinals.
— First Take (@FirstTake) October 15, 2021
"I think this elevates Arizona, and they're undefeated right now!" pic.twitter.com/2Rsk2kWsOf
Like most, Smith believes Arizona’s offense is even more dangerous and explosive now with the addition of Ertz.
To acquire the tight end from the Eagles, the Cardinals did have to give up rookie cornerback Tay Gowan and a fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. But that will seem like nothing if Ertz can help Arizona go on a deep run in the playoffs this season, and perhaps even help them get a shot at earning the franchise’s first-ever Super Bowl win.
It’s still very early in the 2021 campaign, of course, but Cardinals fans have every right to be incredibly excited about the team adding a player like Ertz to an offense that already features Kyler Murray, DeAndre Hopkins, Rondale Moore, A.J. Green, James Conner, Chase Edmonds, and Christian Kirk.