This UDFA Could Make Cardinals Roster
The Arizona Cardinals begin rookie minicamp today, and there are indeed some notable names participating. The Cardinals recently signed five of their nine draft picks from the 2023 NFL Draft with others expected to follow suit soon.
Among those draftees are also the pool of UDFA's - players who didn't get drafted but signed contracts with the team afterwards. There's also a handful of try-out players in camp with the Cardinals, too.
The undrafted free agents always bring one or two surprises each season, and each team tries to uncover whatever potential diamonds were sitting in the dirt.
The Athletic pegged Wake Forest's Blake Whiteheart as Arizona's UDFA to watch over the summer:
"Whiteheart is a 6-foot-3, 247-pound potential H-back/flex tight end with 32 1/8-inch arms. He also can hang around the line of scrimmage as a U tight end and block with athleticism on the edge. There’s not a ton of experience here — just 13 starts in college (50 appearances) — but he was rock solid for Dave Clawson last season. If he’s a willing blocker, he’ll have a shot."
With Zach Ertz and Trey McBride already occupying the top spots on the roster, it will be hard for a tight end to impress and ultimately make the team. Whiteheart is currently one of seven tight ends on the roster right now.
With Ertz and McBride acting as prominent pass catchers, the best way for a third tight end to make the team would indeed be blocking like The Athletic's Nick Baumgardner suggested.
