Placed on injured reserve in early September after undergoing surgery for a dislocated wrist, Cardinals running back David Johnson admitted on Friday he isn’t sure when he’ll be able to return to the field, according to Mike Jurecki of 98.7 FM.
“I hope I do get back, but I really don’t know,” Johnson said. “The wrist is a complicated limb and it’s tough to say, just because I still have this cast on. I haven’t even started rehab so I don’t know yet.”
The wording of Johnson’s answer is somewhat alarming, given that the third-year back is seemingly unsure if he’ll be allowed to play again this season. The NFL’s injured reserve rules stipulate a minimum eight-week absence, but Arizona head coach Bruce Arians said a best-case scenario for Johnson entails a Thanksgiving return.
Regardless of Johnson’s health, the Cardinals could conceivably hold him out for the rest of the year, especially if the club isn’t in playoff contention. Football Outsiders gives the Cards just a 0.7% chance of earning a postseason berth, and a trip to the playoffs looks incredibly unlikely now that quarterback Carson Palmer has joined Johnson on IR.
Johnson, 25, was arguably the league’s best offensive player in 2016 as he posted more than 2,100 yards from scrimmage and scored 20 total touchdowns. With Johnson sidelined, the Cardinals first turned to a committee of Kerwynn Williams, Andre Ellington, and Chris Johnson, but have since acquired veteran running back Adrian Peterson from the Saints.
My fantasy team needs this guy
Leave him out to completely heal.