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Arizona Cardinals News & Rumors

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/25/23

October 25th, 2023 at 7:33pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Wednesday’s minor moves from around the league:

Baltimore Ravens

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Seattle Seahawks

  • Designated to return from IR: RB Kenny McIntosh
  • Designated to return from PUP: NT Austin Faoliu

Tennessee Titans

After being waived yesterday by the team who submitted a waiver claim for him at the start of the season, Wallace finds himself on the third NFL team of his career. While the trade that sent star Titans’ defender Kevin Byard to Philadelphia returned another safety in Terrell Edmunds, Wallace will come in and attempt to compete for some key playing time with Edmunds and Amani Hooker.

Humphrey has been promoted as a standard gameday elevation three times already, the limit for a practice squad contract, so in order to see any further game action, he needed to be on the active roster. If he is released and re-signs to the team’s practice squad, he’ll be able to be elevated three more times under a new practice squad deal.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/25/23

October 25th, 2023 at 7:11pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: LB Donavan Mutin

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

Philadelphia Eagles

Tennessee Titans

Cardinals Waive S K’Von Wallace

October 24th, 2023 at 9:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

For the second time this year, K’Von Wallace has landed on the waiver wire. Despite Wallace following Jonathan Gannon and Nick Rallis from Philadelphia to Arizona, the Cardinals cut the fourth-year defender Tuesday.

Wallace failed to make the Eagles’ 53-man roster in August, but the Cardinals offered him another opportunity via a waiver claim. Arizona also deployed Wallace as a full-time player from Weeks 2-6; the 2020 fourth-round pick played 100% of the Cardinals’ defensive snaps in that span. But Budda Baker‘s return affected Wallace’s standing in Arizona.

Baker missed the Cardinals’ Week 2 game and landed on IR soon after. The team activated Baker from IR ahead of Week 7, and while Wallace suited up, he did not play a defensive snap against the Seahawks. The Cardinals kept Wallace on the bench despite safety Jalen Thompson missing a second straight game. Tuesday’s transaction points to Cards confidence Thompson, who has missed time with a hamstring injury, returning soon. Arizona also activated rookie cornerback Garrett Williams from the reserve/NFI list last week, creating some secondary depth that was not present during Wallace’s starter run.

The Cardinals signed Qwuantrezz Knight off the 49ers’ practice squad upon placing Baker on IR; Knight remains with the team, joining Joey Blount as Arizona’s backup safeties.

“It was kind of a numbers issue,” Gannon said, via AZCardinals.com’s Darren Urban. “He played some meaningful snaps for us but some guys are getting healthy for us now and everyone is rolling in that room and we are honestly a little heavy there.”

This marked Wallace’s first extended run as a starter, though the Eagles did use him as a three-game starter in 2020 and ’21. He topped out at a 22% defensive snap share during that period, however. Wallace’s 393 defensive snaps this year are by far a career high. His 43 tackles are also second on the Cardinals. Pro Football Focus, though, ranks Wallace outside the top 65 among safeties. The fourth-year defender will hit free agency if unclaimed by the 3pm CT deadline Wednesday.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/24/23

October 24th, 2023 at 7:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Released: CB Quavian White

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/24/23

October 24th, 2023 at 6:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Promoted: TE Blake Whiteheart

Atlanta Falcons

Houston Texans

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Roster gymnastics at quarterback continues for the Patriots, who will again take the chance no one will claim Cunningham. New England waived the rookie UDFA in August and stashed him on its practice squad, and ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss notes that is likely to happen again — provided no team claims him. The Pats promoted the Louisville product earlier this month, but after playing him in Week 6, they sat him in Week 7. Although the Patriots designated Flowers for return from IR on Oct. 4, they will cut ties with their former starter rather than use a roster spot on his activation by Wednesday.

The Giants have now added two running backs this week, with Jackson following Jashaun Corbin‘s return from the Panthers’ practice squad. Injuries to Gray and Gary Brightwell led to these moves. Gray sustained a calf injury in Week 7, leading the Giants to insert veteran Sterling Shepard as their punt returner. Shepard muffed a punt that led to the Commanders’ only score. Peart had operated as a backup tackle. He joins Andrew Thomas‘ initial replacement, Joshua Ezeudu, on IR. Guard Shane Lemieux is also on IR.

The Texans initially released Littleton due to roster-reorganizing purposes, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, but the offseason pickup remains in the team’s plans. Houston cut Littleton to make room for waiver claim Myjai Sanders, but after waiving cornerback D’Angelo Ross on Monday, the team is re-signing the veteran linebacker. Littleton, 30, played sparingly in the Texans’ six games this season, logging only 17 defensive snaps.

Cardinals To Place TE Zach Ertz On IR

October 24th, 2023 at 12:34pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cardinals have seen their offense – and perhaps their outlook for the upcoming trade deadline – take an unwanted turn. Tight end Zach Ertz is headed to injured reserve, reports NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

Ertz suffered a quad injury in Week 7, and it will keep him sidelined for an extended stretch. Going on IR will guarantee at least a four-week absence, though Garafolo notes the three-time Pro Bowler is expected to be back at some point in the season. The news could have short- and long-term implications for Arizona.

The 32-year-old has remained a consistent presence in the Cardinals’ passing game, drawing double-digit targets twice this season. Ertz has recorded 187 yards and one touchdown on 27 catches, making him the team’s third-leading receiver (albeit on one of the league’s least-productive offenses). His absence will open the door for 2022 second-rounder Trey McBride to handle a larger workload.

The latter has already seen an uptick in receptions (29) and yards (265) compared to his rookie campaign, despite seeing a drop in snap share while splitting reps with Ertz. It will be interesting to see how McBride handles a starter’s workload as the Cardinals continue to work with Josh Dobbs at quarterback while Kyler Murray ramps up toward a return.

Ertz saw his 2022 campaign – his first full one in Arizona – come to an end in November with ACL and MCL tears. He recovered well in the offseason, but this latest ailment will put him on the shelf once again and hinder his trade value. The veteran has been floated as a potential trade chip given the rebuilding Cardinals’ 1-6 record. One week remains until the deadline, but an acquiring team would now be required to wait at least a few weeks until Ertz became available to suit up.

The longtime Eagles starter made it known this offseason that a trade which would have sent him to the Bills was nearly completed in 2021. Buffalo will likely be without tight end Dawson Knox for a stretch, but adding Ertz at this point would carry signficant financial implications. The latter has an $8.76MM salary this season (which would be prorated for an acquiring team), along with just over $10MM due next year, the final season of his current contract. Ertz’s cap hit for 2024 is $12.55MM, which always made a trade around this time a tricky proposition. Given his injury, it will be interesting to see if a market still exists for him in the coming days.

Latest On Kyler Murray’s Cardinals Return

October 22nd, 2023 at 4:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cardinals took a signficant step toward having Kyler Murray back in the lineup this past week by designating him for return. it may still be some time until the team’s franchise quarterback next sees the field, though.

[RELATED: Cardinals Not WR Shopping Marquise Brown]

By opening Murray’s practice window, the Cardinals started the three-week countdown for him to be activated from the PUP list. Failure to do so will prevent him from suiting up in 2023, but the team has expressed confidence he has made major progress from last season’s ACL tear from a physical standpoint in particular. An acclimation process within new OC Drew Petzing‘s scheme is, understandably, required.

Early or mid-November represents the expected return time for the former No. 1 pick, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Murray was quickly ruled out for today’s contest, but coming back at or past the end of his three-week practice window would have him line him to play either Nov. 5 or Nov. 12. For some time that has been the rough point in the schedule at which Murray’s expected return has realistically been placed at, and players are of course not required to play immediately upon being activated.

Given Murray’s contract status, his health situation through the second half of the season will be worth watching. The monster extension he signed last summer has him on the books through 2028, with plenty of rolling guarantees in place for much of the pact. That includes $29.9 million in 2025 compensation which will be come guaranteed in full if Murray is unable to pass a physical this coming March, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter details.

For that reason, some have speculated the Cardinals would elect to keep the 26-year-old sidelined for the entire campaign to ensure he will be healthy come the offseason. The team is confident in their commitment to him for the short- and long-term future, though, something head coach Jonathan Gannon has repeatedly commented on. Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer confirms Arizona – a team sitting at 1-5 heading into Week 7 – is not eyeing a strategy which would include moving on from Murray and drafting a successor in April (video link).

Rapoport’s report notes how the Murray pact could be relatively easy for an acquiring team to absorb, although previous pieces on that question have pointed to apathy on the part of other clubs with respect to its tradability. So long as the Cardinals stay the course with their current plan, though, that will be a moot while all eyes turn to his ongoing rehab in anticipation of his 2023 debut.

Cardinals Not Shopping WR Marquise Brown

October 21st, 2023 at 9:14pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cardinals sit at the bottom of the NFC West, and the team’s lack of success has naturally led to some trade rumblings. While Marquise Brown would seem to be a worthy trade candidate, Dianna Russini of The Athletic writes that the Cardinals aren’t looking to deal the wide receiver.

“Hollywood” hasn’t seen a significant drop-off in production this season despite going from Kyler Murray to Joshua Dobbs at quarterback. The receiver is pacing the Cardinals in receptions (29), receiving yards (334), and touchdowns (three). This follows a 2022 campaign in Arizona where Brown finished with 67 catches for 709 yards and three touchdowns. Brown missed a handful of games while recovering from a fractured foot.

The former Ravens first-round pick is playing out the 2023 campaign on his fifth-year option, and he’s set to hit unrestricted free agency following the season. Considering the Cardinals’ unlikely playoff chances and Brown’s uncertain future in Arizona, the receiver seemed like a logical trade candidate. However, Russini notes that the wideout “looks to be part of this team’s future,” a potential hint that the Cardinals will look to retain the receiver this offseason.

Further, the Cardinals aren’t in any rush to add draft capital. As Russini notes, the front office is currently armed with six picks in the first three rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft. The Cardinals would probably be hard pressed to recoup the first-round pick they gave to Baltimore for Brown, especially since most suitors would view the receiver as a rental. The front office would presumably rather take their chances with Brown’s free agency than take on another non-Day 1 pick.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/21/23

October 21st, 2023 at 8:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are the minor moves made around the league in advance of the Week 7 slate of Sunday games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos 

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Restored to active roster (from suspension exemption): DE Charles Omenihu

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Giants 

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Dulcich already had one IR stint this season due to an aggravation of last year’s hamstring injury. The 2022 third-rounder has appeared in only two contests so far this season, and in the most recent one he suffered yet another setback. As a result, he will once again be shut down for at least four weeks.

The Giants’ decision to again promote DeVito points to starter Daniel Jones missing another game. Indeed, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Jones is considered a “longshot” to play tomorrow against the Commanders. It will in all likelihood be Tyrod Taylor under center for New York in Week 7 while Jones continues to recover from his neck injury.

Cardinals Activate S Budda Baker

October 21st, 2023 at 2:24pm CST by Adam La Rose

Kyler Murray‘s 2023 debut will have to wait at least one more week, but the Cardinals will have another top player back in the fold tomorrow. Safety Budda Baker has been activated from injured reserve and is expected to play in Week 7, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The team has since confirmed the move.

Baker, like Murray, was designated for return earlier this week. That move opened up both players’ 21-day practice window during which activation is required to avoid season-ending IR. Murray’s ramp-up period will give backup quarterback Josh Dobbs at least one more game at the helm, but Arizona’s defense will welcome Baker’s return to game action.

The latter suffered a hamstring injury during practice in advance of Week 2, which led to his IR stint. That marked the longest injury absence of his career, and left Arizona without the two-time All-Pro on the backend. Baker will give a notable boost to an Arizona defense which ranks 22nd in the league in passing yards allowed per gam (243) and which has seen only two defensive backs record an interception so far.

The 27-year-old had an eventful offseason, with his desire for a market-leading contract leading to a trade request which eventually went public. In the end, team and player worked out a compromise which guaranteed his 2023 compensation (including a $13.1MM base salary), but he remains signed through 2024 at a non-guaranteed figure of $14.6MM. With the Cardinals sitting at 1-5, many expect the rebuilding team to adopt a sellers stance ahead of the upcoming deadline.

The play of Baker – who has earned Pro Bowl acclaim in each of the past four seasons and five overall – will no doubt go a long way in determining his potential trade market. He has eclipsed 100 tackles four times in his career along with multiple interceptions every year from 2020-22. It will be worth watching how much interest he generates upon return, as the Cardinals look to continue their trend of better-than-expected performances this season.

Bringing Baker back will use up one of Arizona’s seven remaining IR activations. Murray’s return (from the PUP list) will not count toward that total, but it will likewise be a notable development for the Cardinals as they look to get healthier in the coming weeks.

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