Cardinals acquire Ertz from Eagles for 5th-rounder, Gowan
The Philadelphia Eagles traded three-time Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz to the Arizona Cardinals for a 2022 fifth-round pick and cornerback Tay Gowan, the teams announced Friday.
Ertz is seeking a new contract but has yet to engage in talks with Arizona, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The Cardinals acquired Ertz reportedly with the idea of making him a featured part of the offense. The tight end has also told others in the past that Arizona appealed to him, according to Schefter.
It was reported Thursday the Eagles were receiving trade interest for Ertz and fellow tight end Dallas Goedert amid a disappointing start to the season.
Ertz requested an exit from Philadelphia during the offseason after eight seasons with the NFC East club, but the veteran reversed his decision before the season.
For everything you contributed on and off the field, thank you @ZERTZ_86. pic.twitter.com/fBJLnkCUQn
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) October 15, 2021
The Cardinals, the NFL's lone undefeated team, needed to bolster their tight end group after Maxx Williams suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Ertz won't be able to make his Arizona debut until Week 7 after playing in the Eagles' Thursday night loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 30-year-old had four catches for 29 yards and a touchdown in his final game for Philadelphia.
A second-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, Ertz quickly established himself as one of the game's top tight ends and the Eagles' most reliable weapon. He produced five straight seasons of over 70 catches from 2015-19, highlighted by a 116-catch, 1,163-yard campaign in 2018.
The Cardinals selected Gowan in the sixth round of the 2021 draft. The 21-year-old, who sat out his final season at UCF, didn't log any snaps over the first five weeks of the season.