Arizona Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz has opened the 2023 training camp on the physically unable to perform list. Given the fact that he tore his ACL in Week 10 of the 2022 season, it isn’t shocking that he won’t be taking the field in the early portion of training camp.

That type of injury can take anywhere from eight-12 months to heal, which makes it tough to pinpoint an exact return date for the veteran tight end. However, he has a clear goal in mind, as he would like to be back in the lineup for Week 1.

However, a specific timeline is something he won’t be putting on his return. While he remains hopeful that he will be able to get back on the field in time to play on September 10th, he knows there is a lot of work to be done.

“The goal is to be activated [to practice] in the next couple of weeks,” Ertz said Wednesday, via Darren Urban of the team website. “I don’t think it’s unrealistic to be ready for Week 1, but at the same time there is a lot of work to be done.”

Ertz added that he has a “big test” in the coming weeks that he is hopeful will lead to him being able to practice. The Cardinals would certainly like to have him back out there as soon as possible as things are going to be hard enough on offense with quarterback Kyler Murray recovering from an ACL tear of his own.

Cardinals’ head coach Jonathan Gannon offered his take on the situation. He said that Ertz was actually the one who approached the team with a plan of action to return, not the other way around, and he is improving constantly.

“He’s making improvements, and he’s got a good plan, too,” Gannon said. “Normally you give a guy a plan. He gave us his plan. You can tell [because] it’s so thought-out, and he’s such a pro.”

In 10 games last season, Ertz caught 47 passes for 406 yards and four touchdowns. He came to the Cardinals via trade from the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021 and provided the passing offense with a nice boost at a position of need.