The Arizona Cardinals could afford to get younger now that we’ve seen several fresh faces in the desert enjoying a good preseason - even if the final result vs. the Kansas City Chiefs didn’t show it. But we have seen solid play from more than a few tight ends, while the Cards also have a decent rotation of offensive linemen at tackle and guard.
Because of this, they can afford to give up a couple of older players and one young underachiever in exchange for draft picks, or even potential-laden talent who may not earn a spot on another team’s 53-man roster thanks to lack of space. So who should the Cards consider trading away before the season begins? Here are three players.
3 players the Arizona Cardinals should trade
1 - Zach Ertz, TE
It’s not that the Zach Ertz experiment hasn’t worked out, given his solid numbers with the Arizona Cardinals. But he will turn 33 this season, and this is a young football team with plenty of young talent at the position.
Last season, we saw Trey McBride put up solid numbers during the second half of 2022, and so far in the preseason, Blake Whiteheart looked good. Noah Togiai made plays earlier in camp, and Geoff Swaim was also brought in to be a blocker.
Zach Ertz is no odd man out, considering his incredible skill, but his age doesn’t mesh with what the Cardinals are trying to do. There is still plenty of reason for him to be here in a red and white uniform, thanks to his productivity and leadership, but there are several players on this team who can still claim the latter role.
If the Cardinals trade Ertz, he still holds enough value for them to snag a pair of mid-to-late-rounders, perhaps even something as high as a third round pick if a team is in dire need of a tight end. Realistically, a fourth and a fifth could be what the team gets at this stage in his career.