One of the Arizona Cardinals’ many unrestricted free agents this offseason is tight end Seth DeValve. Will he be back in 2021?
DeValve was part of the revolving doors of back-of-the-roster tight ends in 2020 for the Cardinals. With Maxx Williams dealing with an ankle injury almost the entire season, they used the practice squad to elevate tight ends almost weekly. First it was Jordan Thomas, then it was Evan Baylis and then it was DeValve in the month of December.
He appeared in four games for Arizona and played sparingly. He had 48 snaps on offense and 52 on special teams. He was targeted once in the passing game but did not have a catch.
He was a fourth-round draft pick in 2016 by the Cleveland Browns and actually caught 33 passes for 395 yards and a score in 2017, but has bounced around since 2019. He has spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers and Cardinals.
Had the Cardinals been healthy at the position, DeValve likely never is signed. Now he is a free agent and he will likely garner, at best, a one-year minimum deal from some team. Considering he was not on a roster in 2020 until the Cardinals elevated him from the practice squad, he likely will not be a priority.
The Cardinals will need bodies at tight end so it is possible he is brought back, but he shouldn’t be expected to make the team.
DeValve’s 2021 return: possible but not likely
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