Star defender Trent McDuffie is officially active for the Rams’ Sunday game against the Arizona Cardinals. This is big, especially when you consider the stakes for both teams in the regular season grind.
McDuffie’s Road Back to the Field
This isn’t just any defender returning. McDuffie, a legit star for the Rams, was listed questionable all week with a back injury. He missed last week’s game entirely, which tells you how serious this was. He sat out practice completely on Wednesday and Thursday, only getting a limited session in on Friday. To get him back on the field, after that kind of week, shows how crucial he is for that Rams defense. They’ll need him, no doubt. The Rams are also getting safety Kam Curl back, who was also questionable with a toe issue. Their secondary is getting a much-needed boost.
Cardinals Face a Rookie QB Debut With Key Missing Pieces
Meanwhile, the Cardinals are in a totally different spot. Rookie quarterback Carson Beck is set to make his first career start, which is already a tough assignment in the NFL. And to make it even harder, they’re without left tackle Jayden Williams, who’s inactive for the game after being listed questionable with a knee injury. Losing your starting left tackle when you’ve got a rookie QB making his debut? That’s a brutal break.
They do have some key guys active on defense, though, which is a small silver lining for Arizona. Defensive back Andrew Wingard (groin), defensive back Max Melton (knee/hand), defensive lineman Roy Lopez (toe/ankle), and defensive lineman Darius Robinson (wrist) are all good to go.
The inactive lists for both sides show just how much depth gets tested during the regular season. For the Rams, Ty Simpson (QB), Maximus Pulley (S), Joe Cardona (LS), Darryl Peterson (OLB), Steve Avila (OL), Keagen Trost (OL), and Desjuan Johnson (OLB) are out. The Cardinals will be without Joey Aguilar (QB), Starling Thomas (CB), Eku Leota (LB), Jon Gaines (OL), and Hjalte Fro (OL).
Sunday’s game is set to be a real clash, with a star defender returning for the Rams, making things incredibly tough for Carson Beck’s first start. All eyes will be on how that rookie QB handles the pressure against a re-energized Los Angeles defense.
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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