James Conner Wants To Stay With Cardinals
James Conner seems to have found a home with the Cardinals. As he plays out his one-year contract in the desert, the running back says he has little reason to leave. 
“Man, I want to win a Super Bowl here,” Conner said (via Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic). “I love the weather and everything this team has going and my teammates out here and the coaching staff. I don’t see why not, why I wouldn’t want to be here. We have all the resources and everything we need to be successful. We’re going to take it one week at a time first. We’ve got a big game against Chicago coming up. But after the season, I’ve got a lot of love for the Cardinals, so we’ll see what happens.”
Conner, 27 in May, has found paydirt eight times over the last five games, giving him a total of 13 touchdowns on the year. Through eleven games, that’s already enough to match his previous single-season best. Now, he has a chance to leapfrog Chris Johnson‘s all-time franchise record of 20 TDs.
Conner admitted that his “options were limited” when he agreed to join the Cardinals in the spring. Now, his one-year, $1.75MM contract stands as one of the best values in the NFL. There’s no doubt that Conner will get a big pay bump in 2022 — ideally, he says he’d like to make it happen in Arizona:
“I just came, and I wanted to play my best football. My options were limited. This is the plan. It’s the Cardinals. And I wouldn’t want to be nowhere else right now.”
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/30/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: LS Kyle Nelson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DE Joe Jackson, G Hjalte Froholdt
- Released: RB Brian Hill
Denver Broncos
- Signed: OT Adrian Ealy, RB Kerrith Whyte
- Released: LB Curtis Robinson
Detroit Lions
- Released: OL Darrin Paulo
Houston Texans
- Signed: RB Darius Jackson
New England Patriots
- Signed: CB Thakarius Keyes, RB Devine Ozigbo
- Released: NT Niles Scott
New York Jets
- Signed: TE Dan Brown
- Released: QB James Morgan
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on injured list: WR Devin Funchess
Tennessee Titans
- Released: WR Austin Mack
Cardinals Kliff Kingsbury On Oklahoma Rumors
With Lincoln Riley’s departure from the University of Oklahoma to become the head coach at the University of Southern California, Oklahoma has expressed interest in Cardinals’ head coach Kliff Kingsbury.
In a Monday afternoon press conference, Kingsbury emphasized his focus on the Cardinals’ upcoming game against the Bears, as Darren Urban of the team website tweets.
“[I] don’t get into those things,” Kingsbury said. “We’re in-season, we’re 9-and-2, just not a topic I want to touch right now.”
Kingsbury does have experience as a head coach at the college level, having spending six years with the Texas Tech University Red Raiders. His combined of 35-40 wasn’t stellar, but he did groom several current NFL players in Lubbock, including Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield, DeAndre Washington, and Jakeem Grant.
It does seem a bit unusual that an NFL coach in the midst of an NFC-leading season would even be thinking about moving back to the college ranks. Kingsbury’s lack of a denial is curious, but, in reality, it’s probably a play for extra leverage. With one more year to go on his contract, Kingsbury use OU’s interest to drive his next deal even higher.
Oklahoma Eyeing Cardinals’ Kliff Kingsbury
University of Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley has agreed to become the next head coach of the USC Trojans, according to sources who spoke with Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports. In turn, the Sooners’ own search is underway, and they’re targeting Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). 
Kingsbury still has one full year remaining on his deal and it’s not clear if he’d consider a return to the college ranks. Given his recent success, it’d be nothing short of shocking. At 9-2, the Cardinals are bonafide contenders for the first time in a long time.
Kingsbury made his name at Texas Tech, even though his teams went just 35-40 during his time there. In an era where new bowls continue to spawn, the Red Raiders only qualified for bowl games in three of those six seasons. There was also a noticeable drop from the final Patrick Mahomes season (fifth in scoring) to the post-Mahomes teams — 23rd in points in 2017, 100th in 2018 — for the Red Raiders’ offense.
Despite the hiccups, Kingsbury’s quarterback-whispering skills scored him the Cardinals’ job, ahead of several big-name candidates with pro experience. Now, in Year 3, there’s no questioning that the Cardinals made the right pick. Even with Kyler Murray sidelined and Colt McCoy under center, Kingsbury’s Cardinals have managed to go 2-1 in their last three games.
The Cardinals will look to pad their NFC lead next Sunday when they face the Bears in Chicago.
Cardinals OL Justin Murray Reverts To IR
After returning to practice earlier this month, Justin Murray could not move back onto the Cardinals’ active roster. The veteran offensive lineman’s season is now over.
Murray’s 21-day activation window closed on Thanksgiving, with SI.com’s Howard Balzer noting he suffered a setback upon returning to practice. Because the Cardinals did not move Murray back to their 53-man roster by Thursday, he reverts to IR and cannot play again until 2022.
Although Arizona has played without Murray since Week 3, when he suffered a back injury during the team’s win in Jacksonville, this hurts the NFC West leaders’ depth up front. Murray started at right guard in that Week 3 game and worked as a starter 19 times from 2019-20.
A former waiver claim from the Raiders in 2019, Murray signed a two-year deal worth $5.5MM. Murray, 28, is signed through the 2022 season. Marcus Gilbert‘s season-ending injury in 2019 thrust Murray into the Cards’ starting lineup at right tackle that year. Last season, the ex-Cincinnati Bearcat worked more at guard.
Kelvin Beachum and Josh Jones serve as the Cardinals’ right-side starters, but Murray would have certainly represented a serviceable swing man down the stretch.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/23/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: QB Chris Streveler
Buffalo Bills
- Designated for return: WR Marquez Stevenson
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: DL Margus Hunt
- Placed on IR: DB Duke Shelley
Denver Broncos
- Waived: CB Mac McCain
Houston Texans
- Released: RB Phillip Lindsay (story)
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Dalvin Tomlinson
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Joe Flacco, QB Mike White
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Ray-Ray McCloud
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: LS Carson Tinker
Tennessee Titans
- Signed to active roster: RB Dontrell Hilliard, DB Buster Skrine, LB John Simon
- Placed on IR: CB Chris Jackson
- Designated for return: FB Khari Blasingame
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/22/21
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed (off Ravens practice squad: QB Trace McSorley
- Waived: LS Beau Brinkley, RB Tavien Feaster
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: G/DT Kahlil McKenzie
Cleveland Browns
- Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: C Nick Harris
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Robert Foster, WR T.J. Vasher
Green Bay Packers
- Waived from IR: S Will Redmond
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: P Dustin Colquitt
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Jordan Brown
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Linval Joseph
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR Pharoh Cooper, LB Trent Harris, TE Chris Myarick, DB Steven Parker
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: WR Breshad Perriman
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/20/21
We’ll keep track of today’s stream of minor moves right here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on IR: LB Tanner Vallejo
- Promoted: LS Beau Brinkley, RB Tavien Feaster, LB Joe Walker, LB Tahir Whitehead
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on IR: OLB Pernell McPhee
- Activated from IR: G Ben Cleveland
- Promoted: G/DT Khalil McKenzie, QB Trace McSorley, LB Joe Thomas
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: G John Miller
- Placed on IR: CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: S Deon Bush
- Promoted: WR Isaiah Coulter, OLB Ledarius Mack
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: TE Mason Schreck
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: WR Lawrence Cager, DE Porter Gustin, CB Herb Miller
- Waived: RB John Kelly
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: CB Kyron Brown, CB Deante Burton
Denver Broncos
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Drew Lock
- Activated from IR: CB Michael Ojemudia, LB Justin Strnad
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: WR Tom Kennedy, OL Tommy Kraemer, K Aldrick Rosas
- Waived: DL Kevin Strong
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: La’Darius Hamilton, WR Juwann Winfree
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: DB Terrence Brooks
- Placed on IR: LB Hardy Nickerson
- Promoted: DL Derek Rivers
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: S Jahleel Addae
- Waived: CB Anthony Chesley
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: WR John Brown
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: TE Daniel Brown
- Promoted: WR Daurice Fountain
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from IR: S Roderic Teamer
- Placed on IR: FB Alec Ingold (story)
- Promoted: FB Sutton Smith
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: DL Andrew Brown, DL Forrest Merrill, CB Kiondre Thomas
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: RB Duke Johnson
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: DB Myles Dorn
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from IR: RB Tony Jones Jr.
- Waived: CB Ken Crawley, WR Kevin White
- Promoted: T Caleb Benenoch, DT Josiah Bronson, OL Will Clapp, CB KeiVarae Russell
- Placed on IR: DT Malcolm Roach
New York Jets
- Promoted: FB Nick Bawden, DE Ronald Blair
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: OL Jack Anderson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: DL Daniel Archibong, LB Delontae Scott
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: CB Gavin Heslop
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: TE Tommy Hudson
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/17/21
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: RB Tavien Feaster
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: OL Rick Leonard
- Released: K Elliott Fry
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: NT Isaiah Mack
Cleveland Browns
- Released: DB Bryan Mills
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Geronimo Allison
Houston Texans
- Signed: OL Carson Green
- Released: LB Connor Strachan
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: CB Michael Jacquet
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: DL P.J. Johnson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: DT Caraun Reid
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: LB Kobe Jones, QB Jake Luton
- Released: QB Jake Dolegala
New York Giants
- Signed: RB Jonathan Williams
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DL Amani Bledsoe, OL Bobby Hart
Chiefs To Promote Shane Buechele
The Chiefs are promoting quarterback Shane Buechele from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, according to Adam Caplan of SiriusXM (on Twitter). The move is being made to prevent the Cardinals from poaching him this week (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com).
The Cardinals could use the extra insurance under center as Kyler Murray and Colt McCoy are both dealing with injuries. Murray’s status for this week is in doubt, thanks to his lingering ankle issue. Meanwhile, McCoy is still working through the pectoral injury he suffered on Sunday. If neither player is ready in time, QB3 Chris Streveler will likely start against the Seahawks.
Murray’s injury doesn’t seem all that serious, but the Cardinals are taking a cautious approach. They don’t want a repeat of last year, when the QB tried to fight through his shoulder trouble.
“That was a nagging situation last year,” Kingsbury said (via the team website). “(Kyler) played through it and kind of toughed it out. But he probably wasn’t able to be 100 percent the back of the season. So, this year we want to make sure he can feel as good as possible. We have the bye coming up, and hopefully, that gives him more time to recover and hit that home stretch. If he can play Sunday, he will play, but we want to be smart with him.”
Now, the Cardinals will have to look elsewhere for help. The Chiefs, for now, will have two backups behind Patrick Mahomes in Buechele and Chad Henne.