The Arizona Cardinals just finalized their 53-player roster on Sunday, and honestly, the biggest bombshell dropped right out of the gate: veteran running back James Conner is heading to injured reserve with a designation to return.
Early Season Knockout: Conner Sidelined for a Month
This is a brutal blow for Arizona, straight out of the gate. Conner, a key part of their offense, is officially out for at least the first four games. He’s been working his way back from that ankle injury he picked up last season, but clearly, it’s not good enough for Week 1. Think about that: a major piece of your backfield gone before the season even really kicks off! It means their depth is getting tested immediately, and opponents will be licking their chops, knowing he’s not a threat for the opening stretch. What a way to start the year for a division rival.
Shocking Cuts and a Crowded QB Room
But Conner’s IR trip isn’t the only head-scratcher. The Cardinals also made some truly wild moves to get down to 53. Get this: they *released* linebacker BJ Ojulari, a 2023 second-round pick! A second-round pick from just last year, cut this quickly? That screams trouble. The report says he hasn’t been the same since a serious training camp knee injury way back in 2024. That’s a huge draft swing and a miss if he’s already out of the picture, especially when Eku Leota made the team over him.
And it gets crazier. Veteran cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting also got the axe. This signals that slot starter Garrett Williams, who’s been battling back from an Achilles injury and was recently removed from the active/PUP list, must be nearing his return. That’s a high-stakes bet right there. Are they really confident in Williams being game-ready after such a tough injury?
Then there’s the quarterback situation: they’re rolling into the season with *three* signal-callers. Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew II, and Carson Beck all made the cut. The Cardinals haven’t kept three quarterbacks in a long, long time. What does that tell you? Maybe they don’t have full faith in any single guy to truly lead the charge. It’s a real three-ring circus, if you ask me. Many other players like Eugene Asante and Devyn Bobby were also released or waived in the flurry of moves.
NFC West Chaos Brewing
So, with Conner out for a month, a recent high draft pick already jettisoned, and a carousel of QBs, the Arizona Cardinals are kicking off the regular season with some serious question marks. It’s a turbulent start for our NFC West rivals, and it definitely adds a layer of intrigue to the early division matchups. This kind of upheaval is exactly why you gotta watch every single game, especially when it involves teams in our own backyard. Speaking of our backyard, how about our own Seahawks owner Khosla reportedly being a Steelers fan? Talk about a curveball! But hey, that’s just more fuel for the fire of a new NFL season, right? Can’t wait to see how this all shakes out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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