The Arizona Cardinals are shoring up their roster, signing punter Jack Browning and safety Josh Minkins after injuries hit their lineup hard in their third preseason game. These aren’t just minor tweaks; the team needed immediate reinforcements to get ready for the actual season, and they went out and grabbed some proven talent from the UFL.
Cardinals Faced Down Injuries, Grabbed UFL’s Best
Look, the Cards had a problem. Blake Gillikin, their punter, and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, a safety, both got dinged up during the team’s third preseason matchup. While the hope is these injuries won’t sideline them for the whole season, the team couldn’t wait around. They needed help, and they needed it yesterday. So, the front office, working from the Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center in Tempe, went out and signed two serious players.
First up is punter Jack Browning, a 5-foot-11, 190-pound specialist. This dude just wrapped up a solid run with the Orlando Storm in the UFL, playing in 11 games. He boomed 29 punts for 1,408 yards, averaging an impressive 48.5 yards per punt! And get this: he dropped 11 of those punts inside the 20-yard line. That’s precision right there. Browning isn’t totally new to the NFL scene either; he first entered the league in 2024 as an undrafted rookie out of San Diego State with Buffalo, and he spent time with the Bills and Ravens during the offseason before landing on Tampa Bay’s practice squad. He even appeared in five games with the Buccaneers in 2024, punting 10 times for 425 yards, averaging 42.5 yards. He’ll be rocking jersey #49 for Arizona.
Minkins Brings Collegiate Toughness and UFL Experience
Then there’s Josh Minkins, a 6-foot-1, 207-pound safety who is also coming straight from the Orlando Storm. In his seven games with the Storm, Minkins stacked up 32 tackles, with 22 of those being solo efforts. He also broke up three passes and recovered a fumble. This guy is a playmaker. He initially came into the NFL in 2025 with New England as an undrafted rookie out of Cincinnati, but his collegiate career is seriously stacked. Across five seasons split between Cincinnati in 2024 and Louisville from 2020-23, Minkins played in 51 games and started 28 of them. He racked up 144 tackles (96 solo), 3.5 tackles for loss, a sack, 18 passes defensed, four interceptions, a forced fumble, and another fumble recovery. Talk about a full stat sheet! Minkins is going to wear #38 for the Cardinals.
These aren’t just stop-gap guys; these are UFL veterans who know how to play professional football. With the final preseason game coming up, Browning and Minkins need to hit the ground running. The Cardinals clearly believe these two can step in immediately and make an impact as they gear up for the regular season. It’s a quick turnaround, but that’s the NFL. Can these two UFL standouts prove they belong when it counts? You know Arizona fans will be watching closely.
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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