Deatrick Nichols

Cardinals Release WR Kendall Wright

By Zachary Links | at October 18, 2018 4:38 pm

The Cardinals released wide receiver Kendall Wright on Thursday, per a team announcement. In his place, the club promoted cornerback Deatrick Nichols from the practice squad.

Wright was signed just ten days ago, with Nichols being waived to create room on the roster. It’s not uncommon for teams to juggle veterans each week depending on needs, so it’s possible that Wright could be back soon with Nichols back on the waiver wire.

Wright, ostensibly, was signed as insurance in the slot for Larry Fitzgerald. But, Fitzgerald is a go for Thursday night despite his hamstring and back issues, so Wright was no longer needed in Arizona.

The Cardinals, with Nichols on the roster, will face the Broncos in a Thursday night matchup that could have serious implications for the losing team.

Cardinals To Sign WR Kendall Wright

By Sam Robinson | at October 8, 2018 4:23 pm

Kendall Wright spent the preseason with the Vikings but didn’t make the team. He’ll now join the team that’s playing the Vikings on Sunday.

The Cardinals announced they’ve signed the veteran wide receiver. It’s a one-year deal for Wright, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Arizona waived cornerback Deatrick Nichols to make room on the roster.

Having gone from leading the Bears in receiving last season, to being a Vikings preseason cut, to traversing the workout circuit, Wright will begin his seventh NFL season with the campaign more than a quarter complete. His latest such workout came with Arizona in mid-September. The 28-year-old wideout also auditioned for the Patriots, Redskins and Jaguars.

Since Wright is primarily a slot receiver, this is an interesting fit. The Cardinals typically use one of the greatest wideouts in NFL history in the slot, but Larry Fitzgerald has been battling a hamstring issue.

Fitzgerald’s been playing through it but hasn’t contributed his usual stellar work for the Cards just yet (17 receptions, 176 yards, no touchdowns). However, Arizona’s offense struggling as a whole is also contributing to Fitz’s stat lines. Josh Rosen completed just 10 passes on Sunday in the Cardinals’ first 2018 win.

Should he play in a regular-season game with the Cards, this will be Wright’s third team. The Titans used a first-round pick on the former Baylor pass-catcher in 2012 and employed him for five years, the last two with Wright being a marginal contributor. He signed with the Bears last season and caught 59 passes for 614 yards and a touchdown last season. Wright’s best work came back in 2013, when he hauled in 94 passes for 1,079 yards. He scored a career-high six touchdowns in 2014.