Cardinals pull Zach Ertz off PUP list, sign Sean Chandler

Tight end Zach Ertz was formally activated by the Arizona Cardinals off the physically unable to perform list (PUP) on Tuesday.

Arizona also signed veteran safety Sean Chandler, who has 64 games of experience in the past five years between the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers.

Ertz was recovering from ACL and MCL tears. Coming off the PUP allows him to join practice immediately and leaves quarterback Kyler Murray as the only player on the list.

“We’ll get him out there. He’s excited,” head coach Jonathan Gannon said of Ertz on Monday.

“He had to go check in with his surgeon and did awesome on all the testing that goes on with that — had to go out of state for that. He immediately texted me when he was coming back from the airport. He’s fired up. He wants to play football.”

Last season, Ertz made 47 catches for 406 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games before tearing his ACL and MCL last season in Week 10.

The 32-year-old tight end, if healthy, would give a new-look Arizona offense a needed boost considering Murray likely will begin the regular season sidelined from his own ACL injury.

He is part of a revamped tight ends room that could be heavily utilized under Gannon and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing.

Second-year pro Trey McBride, a 2022 second-round pick, could see a bigger role in 2023 alongside Ertz and veteran free-agent signing Geoff Swaim.

Ertz is entering his second full season with the Cardinals after being acquired midseason in a 2021 trade. He played from 2013 through part of 2021 with the Philadelphia Eagles, making Pro Bowls from 2017-19.

Chandler, who mostly has played special teams, has seven starts under his belt from the 2021 season. That year was his most productive with 48 total tackles, a pass defensed and a forced fumble.

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