Arizona Cardinals cannot prioritize Zach Ertz over Trey McBride in 2023

Zach Ertz has enjoyed a remarkable NFL career, and his productivity has remained solid during his time with the Arizona Cardinals.

Zach Ertz is an older player who will make an excellent leader and mentor with the Arizona Cardinals along with the likes of Kelvin Beachum and Colt McCoy. But that doesn’t mean Ertz should be taking on a huge role in 2023. 

For one, no one knows if Ertz will return from his own knee injury in time for Week 1. And for another, if you’re going to be 33 years old for a team that is getting younger, you are not in their long-term plans. 

So while it makes sense for the young Cardinals to lean on Ertz for the veteran’s leadership, looking to the tight end as a potential go-to target following Hopkins’ release wouldn’t be Arizona’s brightest move. 

Arizona Cardinals must promote Trey McBride to the TE1 spot

Despite a slow start in 2022, Trey McBride showed us he’s more than capable of becoming a sound TE1 in the NFL. When Ertz went down with a torn MCL and a torn ACL, McBride stepped up and showed us that, for once, former general manager Steve Keim didn’t completely whiff on his top pick. 

Now, this doesn’t mean I would endorse keeping Ertz out of the lineup. He still has a place in the NFL as a leader and as a role player. But at this point, the Cardinals need to slowly phase out their aging players like Ertz, McCoy, and ultimately, Beachum, in favor of younger talent with potential to be part of this team long-term. 

Ertz still has value this season, but his days as a go-to pass catcher need to be in the rearview. Keep Trey McBride as your starter at the position, and give him a fair chance to make a big jump in 2023 while Ertz takes on responsibilities of a role player. 

Source: Fantasy Insider Report: Cardinals Will Rely More on Zach Ertz by Fantasy Staff, SI.com