Cardinals CB Garrett Williams Suffered Torn Achilles
DECEMBER 24: Gannon confirmed on Wednesday that Williams tore his Achilles. The 2023 third-rounder will likely see his rehab stretch into the Cardinals’ offseason program next May and June. Achilles recovery rates have accelerated appreciably over the last few years, so Williams should have a shot at playing in Week 1 in 2026, provided he doesn’t suffer any setbacks.
DECEMBER 22: The list of major injuries appears to have grown for the Cardinals yesterday. Cornerback Garrett Williams was carted off the field after suffering a non-contact injury. 
Williams was ruled out shortly thereafter, and he is unlikely to return in 2025. The team fears an Achilles tear occurred, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network report. An MRI will take place to confirm the presumed diagnosis.
Provided follow-up tests produce the expected result, Williams will be in store for a lengthy recovery period. The Syracuse product made nine appearances as a rookie upon recovering from the ACL tear which ended his college career. Afterwards, Williams became even more of a first-team regular and logged a defensive snap share of 76% in 2024.
Through 10 appearances this season, Williams remained a key figure in the secondary. The 24-year-old started each of those contests, handling a snap share of 81%. His absence will be acutely felt as a result, although the timing of the injury could allow for Williams to return to action in time for the start of next season. 2026 will be critical considering it marks the final year of his rookie contract.
Arizona has been ravaged by injuries on both sides of the ball this season. With a record of 3-12, questions have been raised about changes being imminent on the sidelines or in the front office. The latest update on head coach Jonathan Gannon indicated he will be safe, but losing another contributor for the closing stages of the campaign will of course be an unwanted development.
Williams struggled in coverage this season compared to 2024, allowing five touchdowns as the nearest defender. Still, he posted 56 tackles, one interception, five pass deflections and one forced fumble prior to being injured. An extension could be worked out in this case as early as the coming offseason, but a major injury such as an Achilles tear would no doubt lead to caution on the team’s part regarding a long-term commitment.
Cardinals QB Kyler Murray Unlikely To Generate Large Trade Market
Kyler Murray has been sidelined since Week 5, and he will not play again this season. Naturally, speculation continues to swirl about the former No. 1 pick’s future in Arizona. 
Murray’s contract runs through 2028; more importantly, it includes $36.8MM in guarantees for next season. Suitors will of course not be enthused about taking on that figure in the event of a trade, and it would come as no surprise if the Cardinals were to retain salary to facilitate a swap. Even so, a large market may not exist in this case.
Multiple executives informed Jeff Howe of The Athletic (subscription required) Murray is viewed as having little or no trade value at this point. The two-time Pro Bowler underperformed when on the field in 2025, his seventh season as a Cardinal. Murray has largely avoided lengthy absences in his career, aside from his 2023 ACL tear and the current ailment which will keep him sidelined until the offseason. His latest injury will no doubt hinder Arizona’s ability to receive any substantial value in a trade.
The Cardinals beat the Dolphins to the punch here, with momentum toward a separation from Murray emerging weeks before the Tua Tagovailoa benching. It would surprise if Murray did not land somewhere with at least a chance to start next year, but he has struggled to reprise his early-career form.
Murray, 28, was also not playing especially well in Kliff Kingsbury‘s system before suffering an ACL tear in December 2022. A two-time original-ballot Pro Bowler (2020, 2021), Murray ranked 19th in QBR before his tear that season. He ranked 22nd in 2023 and saw his QBR and yards-per-attempt numbers (46.6, 6.0) drop to career-low figures in his five-game 2025. That said, Murray did place ninth in QBR last season. And the Cardinals’ 8-9 record in 2024 has suddenly aged pretty well.
That said, Murray has also missed 30 games due to injury. He came up as a shutdown candidate well before it was determined the Cards were sticking with journeyman Jacoby Brissett. While it is worth wondering if Murray would be ready to go now had the Cardinals not taken the direction they have, he has missed 10 contests this season.
The diminutive dual-threat performer has made 87 starts since the Cards became the rare team to draft first-round QBs in back-to-back years. He commanded a five-year, $230.5MM extension — a deal framed around the Browns’ Deshaun Watson re-up (albeit without guarantees rivaling the embattled Cleveland arm) — in summer 2022. The extension featuring the early guarantee triggers has proven beneficial to the former top-10 MLB draftee. The Cardinals will need to move on before the fifth day of the 2026 league year, a date that brings another $19.5MM guarantee — this one covering 2027 money.
A handful of teams, per usual, will be looking for a quarterback soon. That should give Murray a chance. The Vikings and Jets surfaced as potentially interested parties weeks ago. If the Cardinals truly do not have a buyer, they would eat $53.26MM in dead money, a figure which would surely be halved via a post-June 1 designation. Tagovailoa’s dead cap hit ($99.2MM) dwarfs this, and both the Jets and Saints took on this much in parting with Aaron Rodgers and Derek Carr this year.
A free agent market would certainly emerge if Murray were jettisoned via release, but even considering the seven-year veteran’s inconsistency and injury issues, the QB supply-and-demand cycle will undoubtedly lead to teams showing some trade interest. With the mid-March vesting date, we still have a ways to go before finality on this topic surfaces.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Cardinals Sign K Joshua Karty
The Cardinals have turned to a division rival for some extra depth at kicker. The team announced that they’ve signed Joshua Karty to the 53-man roster.
Karty was previously on the Rams practice squad, where he’s been lingering since getting replaced by Harrison Mevis in late November. The 2024 sixth-round lived up to his draft billing as a rookie, converting on 85.3 percent of his field goal tries. However, he struggled as a sophomore, converting 10 of his 15 FG tries before getting benched.
Now in Arizona, Karty will provide some competition for Chad Ryland. The former Patriots draft pick has served as the Cardinals’ full-time kicker for the better part of the past two years. He had a standout performance in 2024 but has similarly struggled in 2025, missing eight field goals. That includes a showing from this past weekend when Ryland miss two of his six field goal attempts.
“It’s disappointing when it doesn’t happen for whatever reason – operation, protection, kicker, whatever,” special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers said of Ryland’s performance (via the team’s website). “[The Falcons game] did start off well … there were positives and negatives. I try to not focus too much on results and being consistent on technique, process, reps. I thought last Thursday was one of [Chad’s] better days striking the ball. On game day, we’ve got to be able to make those kicks, and we have to be good around him as well.”
With two games remaining, it seems likely that Karty will get the majority of the looks at kicker over Ryland. However, considering the incumbent’s restricted free agent status after this season, there’s a good chance he sticks around the roster for the remainder of the 2025 campaign.
The Cardinals weren’t done making moves today. The team officially placed defensive lineman Walter Nolen III and cornerback Garrett Williams on injured reserve, moves that were anticipated. The team also signed cornerback Kalen King from the Panthers practice squad. The former seventh-round pick got into one game for Carolina this season.
Jonathan Gannon’s Cardinals Seat Hotter Than GM Monti Ossenfort’s?
While the Cardinals being unable to sustain momentum is not exactly new, given the franchise’s history of slim contention windows, this year’s step backward has been rather alarming. Arizona sits 3-11 after a 2-0 start, inviting obvious questions about the current regime’s future.
Last year’s Cards finished 8-9, representing a substantial improvement from the 2022 and ’23 campaigns — both featuring 4-13 records — as a rebuild commenced. But this move down the standings will keep Gannon’s seat hot until season’s end. A Sunday report indicated Jonathan Gannon is more likely than not to stay, but the Cardinals lost yet again — a 26-19 home blemish to the struggling Falcons.
[RELATED: Kyler Murray Likely To Bring Limited Trade Market]
Monti Ossenfort certainly bears some responsibility for this season, but as it stands, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer views Gannon as being in a bit more trouble than the GM. Front office bosses typically receive longer leashes than coaches, as second-chance GMs have become a rare commodity in today’s game. This season has featured 32 first-time GMs/de facto GMs.
The Cardinals have operated this way as well. Steve Keim received the chance to work with three HCs — Bruce Arians, Steve Wilks, Kliff Kingsbury — while predecessor Rod Graves was on staff with three as well (Dave McGinnis, Dennis Green, Ken Whisenhunt). Both GMs were in-house promotions, and both lasted 10 years. Ossenfort was tasked with launching a rebuild in 2023, and the Cards’ history points to him being retained even if Gannon is fired.
Gannon, however, has overseen a seven-game losing streak during a stretch featuring 11 losses in 12 games. Eight of those losses have come by one score, but Arizona’s defense has regressed despite notable offseason investments. A defense-oriented coach, Gannon has seen he and Nick Rallis‘ unit sink to 26th in scoring and 29th in yardage. A 2024 group lacking the front-seven talent this year’s team possesses finished 15th and 21st in those categories, respectively.
This Cards regime also has not had the opportunity to acquire its own starting quarterback. Though, Gannon and Ossenfort praised Kyler Murray at nearly every turn between being hired and Week 1 of this season. Murray has since been shut down and is widely expected to be elsewhere in 2026.
Ossenfort’s first-round picks have been a mixed bag as well. Paris Johnson Jr. has performed well, playing both tackle spots during his career, but Marvin Harrison Jr. has not taken off as a No. 1-level wideout yet (though, 2023 third-rounder Michael Wilson has flashed brightly during this season’s second half). Pro Football Focus ranks Darius Robinson 128th out of 128 qualified interior D-linemen. Fellow first-round D-tackle Walter Nolen did not debut until November this season due to injury.
Michael Bidwill has given three of his past four HCs at least four seasons, but Whisenhunt, Arians and Kingsbury produced playoff trips by Year 3. The exception was Wilks, whom the team canned after a 3-13 season. This Cards edition has not been as bad as that 2018 squad, which was outscored by 200 points (it is at minus-93 presently), but this group’s struggles leave Gannon’s future up in the air.
Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
Several dominoes have fallen so far in Week 16 with respect to the NFL’s playoff picture. The Cowboys have been eliminated while the Patriots, Seahawks, Bears, Eagles and 49ers have locked in a postseason berth.
The final two weeks of the campaign will determine the remaining playoff spots, but they will also sort out the top of the draft order. Six teams remain within striking distance of the No. 1 pick, although the Titans’ win on Sunday greatly weakened their chances of landing the top selection for the second year in a row. One contest in particular will be worth monitoring next week with respect to draft positioning.
The Giants and Raiders each sport a record of 2-13. They will play each other in Week 17, meaning the loser of that contest will have the inside track for the No. 1 pick. New York already has a head coaching vacancy while Pete Carroll is in danger of going one-and-done in Vegas. Plenty of incentive for winning will exist for Carroll in particular, but the outcome of that game will have major implications on the draft order.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2025 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.
Here is an updated look at the first-round order:
- New York Giants (2-13)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-13)
- Cleveland Browns (3-12)
- New York Jets (3-12)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-12)
- Tennessee Titans (3-12)
- Washington Commanders (4-11)
- New Orleans Saints (5-10)
- Cincinnati Bengals (5-10)
- Miami Dolphins (6-9)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-9)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-8-1)
- Baltimore Ravens (7-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (7-8)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8)
- Detroit Lions (8-7)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Carolina Panthers (8-7)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6)
- Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
- Philadelphia Eagles (10-5)
- Houston Texans (10-5)
- Buffalo Bills (11-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (11-4)
- San Francisco 49ers (11-4)
- Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
- Los Angeles Rams (11-4)
- Chicago Bears (11-4)
- New England Patriots (12-3)
- Denver Broncos (12-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (12-3)
Cardinals To Place DT Walter Nolen, CB Garrett Williams On Injured Reserve
The Cardinals are placing defensive tackle Walter Nolen and cornerback Garrett Williams on injured reserve, head coach Jonathan Gannon (via team reporter Darren Urban).
Both defenders went down in Arizona’s loss to the Falcons in Sunday. Nolen suffered a non-contact injury to his left knee, while Williams is believed to have suffered an Achilles tear. Gannon only confirmed the areas that were injured for each player but did not elaborate on the specifics.
Nolen, 22, was drafted in the first round of April’s draft (No. 16 overall), but spent the first eight weeks of the season on the PUP list with an calf issue. He debuted in In Week 12, Nolen went down with a knee injury early in the game and missed the next two contests. It is unknown if he injured the same knee on Sunday afternoon.
Nolen has only played 169 snaps this year, so the Cardinals defense is used to playing without him. They have five other defensive tackles on the roster who could fill the rotation for the rest of the year, thought they could call on Zachary Carter or Wyatt Bowles from their practice squad.
Williams, 24, took over the Cardinals’ slot cornerback job midway through his 2023 rookie season. He carried that role into 2024 and allowed completions on just 56.5% of his targets. He also finished as the league’s 10th-ranked cornerback with 5.3 yards per target.
That performance built hype for his third-year effort, but he landed on injured reserve after just two games with a knee injury. Williams missed five games and returned to the field in November, but he has not been able to replicate last season’s results. He has allowed a 79.3% completion rate and 8.3 yards per target as part of a Cardinals defense that has generally struggled to stop opposing offenses this year.
Arizona moved safety Jalen Thompson into the slot during Williams’ absence earlier this year and brought Dadrion Taylor-Demerson in to fill Thompson’s snaps. The Cardinals could use the same approach or reconfigure their secondary to give younger defensive backs some playing time at the end of the season.
Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon Expected To Keep Job In 2026
Despite the Cardinals’ substantial regression this season, head coach Jonathan Gannon seems poised to keep his job in 2026.
Gannon’s 27-49 record and lack of defensive success in Arizona has stirred speculation about the Cardinals making a change this offseason. However, such a move seems unlikely at this time, per Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
A primary factor in Gannon’s job security is the continued support of Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill, who appreciates the strong culture Gannon has built. Despite the appearance of a shaky start in Arizona based on bhis portrayal on “Hard Knocks” during the 2022 season, Gannon is respected by his players, which has persisted despite the team’s struggles this year.
Bidwill may also have a more generous assessment of Gannon given the Cardinals’ inconsistency at quarterback in his tenure. Kyler Murray tore his ACL in 2022, the year before Gannon was hired, and only played eight games in Gannon’s debut year. Like most players recovering from such an injury, Murray was not quite himself upon his return to the field. He was fully healthy in 2024 and showed some improvement, but regressed in his five years this year before suffering a knee injury that ultimately ended his season.
As a result, it seems more likely that the Cardinals move on from Murray than Gannon this offseason. That would allow Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort to pick their own quarterback, as Murray was drafted and signed an extension before either arrived in Arizona.
One figure that will certainly be leaving is defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere, who will take up the same position at Michigan State, per 247 Sports’ Justin Thind. He will reunite with new Spartans head coach Joe Rossi, who he played under and coach with at the University of Minnesota.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/20/25
Here are Saturday’s minor moves around the NFL, including gameday elevations for tomorrow’s Week 16 slate:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: CB Jaden Davis, WR Steven Sims
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed from practice squad: CB C.J. Henderson
- Waived: WR/KR Jamal Agnew
- Elevated: WR Chris Blair, OLB Khalid Kareem
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: DT Josh Tupou, LB William Kwenkeu
- Placed on IR: LB Teddye Buchanan (story)
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from IR: WR Mecole Hardman
- Elevated: K Michael Badgley, DE Andre Jones Jr.
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: LB Isaiah Simmons, OL Saahdiq Charles
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: DT Howard Cross, CB Bralyn Lux
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: CB Corey Ballentine
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: QB Sam Ehlinger, S Delarrin Turner-Yell
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: OL Kingsley Eguakun, TE Giovanni Ricci
Houston Texans
- Elevated: DT Marlon Davidson, CB Alijah Huzzie
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: S Marcus Williams, G Branson Taylor
Miami Dolphins
- Signed from practice squad: CB Ethan Robinson
- Placed on IR: DB Elijah Campbell
- Elevated: OL Kion Smith, WR Theo Wease
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed from practice squad: CB Dwight McGlothern
- Elevated: LB Sione Takitaki
New York Giants
- DT Elijah Chatman, K Ben Sauls
New York Jets
- Elevated: DB Tre Brown
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: T Easton Kilty, TE Moliki Matavao
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: CB Daryl Porter Jr., T Jack Driscoll
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: LB Nick Martin
Tennessee Titans
- Signed from practice squad: DT Cam Horsley
- Waived: DT Shy Tuttle
- Elevated: CB Kamon Hall
Agnew’s time in Atlanta has come to an end after 11 appearances with his third career team. The veteran did not see any usage on offense, but he handled 45 total returns between kickoffs and punts this season. Agnew totaled 855 yards in that capacity, but he will now hit the waiver wire. Provided he clears, the 30-year-old will become a free agent.
The same is true of Tuttle. A veteran of 105 games, he has made just one start so far this season. Tuttle has only handled a 25% snap share on defense, so he is unlikely to generate much interest as a free agent. Nevertheless, a depth role could await him on a contender down the stretch.
Cardinals Waive DT Justin Jones From IR
The Cardinals waived defensive tackle Justin Jones from injured reserve on Wednesday, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. The move came without an injury settlement, according to Howard Balzer of CardsWire.
Jones, 29, was placed on injured reserve before the regular season due to a knee injury suffered in training camp. He will now go on waivers and can be claimed by any team except the Cardinals, though his interest will depend on the state of his knee. Even if he is healthy, Jones has barely played in the last two seasons, so he may be a better fit on a practice squad as he gets up to speed.
Despite an injury to first-round pick Walter Nolen, the Cardinals’ defensive line has largely remained healthy this year otherwise. Dante Stills, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Calais Campbell have all played more than 400 snaps, while Darius Robinson has chipped in 382 of his own. That rotation has not thrived, though, as Campbell leads the group with 5.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss. The other three have combined for just one sack and five tackles for loss.
Jones began his career as a Chargers third-round pick in 2018 and emerged as a starter in his second year, though he did not play a full season on his rookie contract. He signed a two-year deal with the Bears in 2022 and played in every game over the next two seasons with the best statistics of his career. That earned him plenty of interest in free agency last offseason, culminating in a three-year deal from the Cardinals worth just over $30MM.
The seven-year veteran was only three games into his Cardinals tenure when he suffered a season-ending torn triceps. A parting of ways between player and team was expected in the offseason, but the team decided to make the move before the end of the 2025 season. He will leave Arizona after playing just 100 snaps after earning just over $20MM.
By waiving Jones, the Cardinals freed up $8.8MM in 2026 cap space with $3.25MM in dead money, per OverTheCap.
2025 NFL Dead Money, By Team
As we head toward the playoffs, three NFL teams are carrying more than $100MM in dead money. That represents more than a third of the salary cap. The 49ers are also on track to make the playoffs with more than $100MM allocated to players no longer on their 53-man roster. Here is where the 32 teams stand for dead money (via OverTheCap) with three weeks left in the regular season:
- New Orleans Saints: $107.83MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $103.77MM
- New York Jets: $102.1MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $87.79MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $87.27MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $86.1MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $85.49MM
- Cleveland Browns: $83.22MM
- Miami Dolphins: $72.45MM
- Houston Texans: $66.44MM
- Tennessee Titans: $59.42MM
- Green Bay Packers: $57.98MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $56.23MM
- New England Patriots: $50.56MM
- Denver Broncos: $42.78MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $41.34MM
- Detroit Lions: $40.71MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $40.39MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $38.78MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $38.38MM
- Buffalo Bills: $37.58MM
- Carolina Panthers: $36.55MM
- New York Giants: $33.74MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $33.7MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $30.6MM
- Washington Commanders: $27.29MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $27MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $20.99MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $20.33MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $17.37MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $16.51MM
- Chicago Bears: $8.6MM
The $100MM trio dwarfs last year’s leaders — the Broncos — in this unwanted area. The Saints began taking some overdue medicine for their cap-gymnastics past by trading Marshon Lattimore last year. That move coming after June 1 pushed $31.67MM onto New Orleans’ 2025 cap sheet. Derek Carr also counts $19.2MM on this year’s Saints cap, while Ryan Ramczyk‘s retirement covers more than $11MM.
The Carr punishment covers $55.88MM in total, meaning nearly $37MM from the QB’s retirement will land on New Orleans’ 2026 payroll. Mickey Loomis‘ spree of restructures on that contract created that inflated figure.
Deebo Samuel brought a receiver-record dead money total to the 49ers, who absorbed $34.12MM by trading the seventh-year veteran in March. The second leg of the post-June 1 Arik Armstead transaction from 2024 created a $15MM dead cap hit this year, with void years on Charvarius Ward‘s deal covering more than $12MM.
Gang Green took on barely $20MM combined from the Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams trades and will do the same next year, reflecting the low signing bonus figure on the Gardner extension. The Jets, though, have taken $56MM in total from the Aaron Rodgers release ($21MM this year, $35MM next). That is the second-highest total dead cap hit in NFL history.
The team that authorized the highest dead money sum in league annals — Denver, via the 2024 Russell Wilson release — is still carrying $32MM on that contract. It comes off the books next year, and the Broncos do not have any other player counting more than $3MM in dead cap on their 2025 payroll.
The Eagles and Seahawks are also moving toward the playoffs with higher dead money counts compared to the 2024 Broncos, though it should be noted the cap’s $24MM increase from last year plays into this. Philadelphia is still carrying a combined $26MM from the 2024 Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox retirements. Josh Sweat void years also comprise $16.44MM of this year’s cap. The Seahawks’ D.K. Metcalf trade brought $21MM in dead cap, while Geno Smith, Tyler Lockett and Dre’Mont Jones combine to cover more than $41MM in dead money.
Amari Cooper and Za’Darius Smith‘s 2024 Cleveland exits via trade tagged the Browns with more than $36MM in dead money together, while the Dolphins are dealing with more than $30MM combined from the post-June 1 designations on Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey. The latter counts $15.7MM in dead money this year and $20.9MM in 2026. That eclipses Lattimore’s defender-record total for dead cap.