The Arizona Cardinals just went full throttle on roster adjustments Wednesday, making a flurry of moves ahead of their massive Week 6 clash with the Los Angeles Rams. The biggest news dropping from the Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center in Tempe? Safety Kitan Crawford is officially designated to return from injured reserve, meaning he can hit the practice field again and potentially rejoin the 53-man roster within the next three weeks. This is a huge shift in their secondary outlook, and it could not come at a more crucial time.
A Safety Returns, A Tight End Elevates
Having Crawford back on the field, even just for practice, is a significant boost. The team has a 21-day window to activate him to the main roster, or he’ll automatically be added at the conclusion of that period. Imaging what he can bring to that defense as they prepare to face the Rams? That’s the kind of spark you need mid-season. Meanwhile, the Cardinals didn’t stop there. They also officially signed tight end Shawn Bowman to the active roster, pulling him up from the practice squad. It’s clear the front office is looking to make an immediate impact and shore up any holes before a critical division game.
Fresh Blood For The Practice Squad
Beyond the active roster moves, the Cardinals were busy stocking up their practice squad, bringing in three new faces. Running back Jerome Ford, wide receiver Shedrick Jackson, and linebacker Riley Wilson all joined the squad. Ford, a former fifth-round pick in 2022 out of Cincinnati, brings some legit NFL experience, having played 57 games and started 18 for Cleveland from 2022-25. The dude can run, with 340 carries for 1,463 yards and seven touchdowns, plus he’s a threat in the passing game, adding 107 receptions for 647 yards and five more scores. He spent last season playing 13 games with the Browns and was with the Commanders and Vikings practice squad earlier this season.
Jackson, at 26, is another intriguing addition, appearing in eight career games for the Raiders (2025) and Bengals (2023), with four receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown. He was an undrafted rookie in 2023 out of Auburn and also saw time on the Ravens practice squad this season. Then there’s Riley Wilson, a linebacker who finished his college career at the University of Arizona in 2025. He’s got some serious college stats from his time at Hawaii, Montana, and Arizona, racking up 193 tackles, 16.0 sacks, and 34.5 tackles for loss in 53 games. These guys might be practice squad additions, but they’ve got the kind of resumes that make you think they could be called up when injuries hit. To make room, the team released linebacker Eugene Asante and defensive lineman Jay Toia from the practice squad. It’s a revolving door, but these new guys are hungry.
So, what’s next? The Cardinals are heading into their Week 6 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams with a new tight end on the active roster, and their safety Crawford eyeing a return to the field. All eyes will be on whether Crawford can get activated in time to make an impact, and how these fresh faces might contribute down the line. It’s a high-stakes divisional battle coming up, and these roster moves show the Cardinals aren’t messing around.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Revenge of the Birds.
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