Geoff Swaim arrives to provide tight end insurance for the Arizona Cardinals
By Jim Koch
The Arizona Cardinals announced on Wednesday that tight end Zach Ertz has been placed on the physically unable to perform list. The 32-year-old is still recovering from the torn ACL he suffered last November.
Just one day earlier, the Cards secured some insurance for the tight end position. Geoff Swaim, a veteran free agent, has made the Redbirds his fourth professional squad. With the uncertainty surrounding Ertz's knee, the experienced Swain is a welcome addition to the Arizona roster.
Swaim came into the league back in 2015 as a seventh-round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys. During his four campaigns with "America's Team", the former University of Texas product hauled in just 35 passes for 336 yards and a touchdown.
The Arizona Cardinals are the fourth NFL franchise that Geoff Swaim has been employed by
Things didn't improve much the next season after Swaim inked a free-agent contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 6 foot 4, 260 pounder eventually landed on the injured-reserve list after suffering an ankle injury and a concussion. Swaim ended up appearing in just six matchups (two starts) for the Jags, finishing the year with 13 catches and 65 receiving yards.
After his stint with Jacksonville ended in March of 2020, Swaim agreed to a deal with the Tennessee Titans five months later. Following a mostly uneventful first season (nine receptions, 83 yards, one touchdown) with the team, Swaim's numbers improved during his second year with Tennessee.
In 2021, Swaim totaled 31 catches, 210 receiving yards and three scores during his 16 starts for the Titans. Last fall, however, the California native struggled to produce again. Swaim appeared in 17 contests (13 starts) for Tennessee, totaling just 12 receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown in 2022.
With Ertz temporarily out of action, the organization needed someone they could pair with second-year tight end Trey McBride. General manager Monti Ossenfort has chosen the 29-year-old Swaim to fill that role for the Cardinals scoring attack.
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(Statistics provided by Pro Football Reference)