Cardinals Place RB Zonovan Knight On IR
The Cardinals placed running back Zonovan Knight on injured reserve on Tuesday, per a team announcement.
Knight, 24, suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Sunday’s loss to the Texans. He emerged as a key part of Arizona’s backfield this season after injuries to James Conner and Trey Benson in September. The Cardinals initially tapped Michael Carter and Emari Demercado as the next running backs up, but Knight quickly established his own footing in the committee. With just 3.3 yards per carry, he has not been particularly efficient on the ground, but he has been one of the team’s few players to consistently reach the end zone. He leads the Cardinals with four rushing touchdowns – no other player has more than one – and ranks second on the offense with five total scores.
With Knight out for the year, Carter and Demarcado will likely get more playing time and touches. Demarcado has been significantly more efficient with 7.6 yards per carry, but he missed almost a month with a high ankle sprain. Carter has only 221 rushing yards on 67 carries for a career-low 3.3 yards per attempt, but he has been more effective through the air with 28 catches for 232 yards. The Cardinals also signed Corey Kiner off the Vikings’ practice squad at the beginning of December and can give him some more work on game day.
Arizona also placed wide receiver Andre Baccellia on injured reserve due to a neck injury, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, which will also end his season. Baccellia had a peripheral role in the Cardinals offense in 2022 and 2023 and played more in 2024 after injuries in the team’s wide receiver room. To fill his spot on the 53-man roster, third-year wideout Jalen Cooks was signed from the practice squad.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/14/24
Saturday’s minor moves and standard gameday elevations:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: P Michael Palardy
- Placed on IR: RB Emari Demercado, P Blake Gillikin
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from IR: DT Michael Pierce
- Elevated: CB Desmond King, LB William Kwenkeu
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: S Kareem Jackson, QB Mike White
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: RB Mike Boone, LB Jacoby Windmon
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed to active roster: QB Logan Woodside
- Elevated: T Andrew Coker, K Cade York
- Placed on IR: LB Joe Bachie
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: CB Andrew Booth, T Dakoda Shepley
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: G Nick Gargiulo, CB Reese Taylor
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: S Jamal Adams, LB Abraham Beauplan
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: DE DJ Coleman
- Placed on IR: TE Evan Engram (story)
Houston Texans
- Elevated: TE Irv Smith Jr.
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: LB Swayze Bozeman, TE Anthony Firkser
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: WR Laviska Shenault, TE Eric Tomlinson
- Placed on IR: WR Jalen Reagor
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from IR: WR Grant DuBose
- Signed to active roster: DT Matt Dickerson
- Elevated: T Ryan Hayes, LS Zach Triner
- Waived: QB Skylar Thompson
New England Patriots
- Elevated: TE Jack Westover
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from reserve/PUP: DE Tanoh Kpassagnon
- Placed on IR: LB D’Marco Jackson
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: QB Tim Boyle
- Placed on IR: G Jon Runyan (story)
- Elevated: DB Raheem Layne
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: CB Kendall Sheffield
- Elevated: TE Zack Kuntz, WR Brandon Smith
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: FB Khari Blasingame
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from IR: DT Montravius Adams
- Placed on IR: T Calvin Anderson
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from IR: CB Artie Burns
- Elevated: QB Jaren Hall, RB George Holani
- Placed on IR: S Jerrick Reed II
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: P Jack Browning, S Ryan Neal
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: G Arlington Hambright, TE Thomas Odukoya
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: DT Carl Davis
Demercado has taken a backseat to Florida State third-round rookie Trey Benson, but he has averaged 9.3 yards per carry on 24 carries this year. Palardy will take over punting duties with Gillikin landing on injured reserve.
Jackson signed with Bills in late July, and although he was among the team’s final roster cuts he was immediately retained via a practice squad deal. This elevation means Week 15 will mark his first time spent on the active roster this season. The 36-year-old has started all but 10 of his 203 NFL games, but last season was marred by suspensions which led to his Broncos release. Jackson could suit up for Buffalo down the stretch as a gameday elevation in a bid to rebuild his stock to a degree.
With the playoffs nearly out of reach and quarterback Joe Burrow dealing with a few ailments (wrist and knee), the Bengals don’t seem to be taking any chances. Jake Browning will continue serving as the primary backup, while Woodside’s promotion will allow him to act as the emergency backup.
Adams has seen his biggest NFL roles during his time in Pittsburgh. Though he hasn’t gotten the same number of starts as he had in 2022 and 2023, he’s continued the same level of production. After missing the last four games, he’ll be looking to return to the field as early as tomorrow.
Cardinals Add 10 UDFAs
The team that did the most wheeling and dealing on Day 1 of the draft picked up a few extra picks for 2024. Some of the Cardinals’ most recent UDFA class could be factors by that point. Here is Arizona’s post-draft contingent:
- WR Daniel Arias (Colorado)
- S Kendell Brooks (Michigan State)
- RB Emari Demercado (TCU)
- LS Matt Hembrough (Oklahoma State)
- TE Joel Honigford (Michigan)
- LB Marvin Pierre (Kent State)
- DL Jacob Slade (Michigan State)
- LB Kyle Soelle (Arizona State)
- CB Quavian White (Georgia State)
- TE Blake Whiteheart (Wake Forest)
One member of the Spartan duo will have a decent chance to crack the Cardinals’ 53-man roster. They are guaranteeing $200K of Slade’s salary, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. As GOPHNX.com’s Howard Balzer notes, that guarantee tops six of the veterans the Cards signed this offseason. Slade missed four games due to injury last season, but the former Michigan State defensive tackle earned second-team All-Big Ten accolades in 2021. Like Slade and numerous other UDFAs this year, Brooks used the extra eligibility year enabled after the COVID-19 pandemic. The Division II transfer forced three fumbles last season. Slade’s teammate, Brooks, received $80K to sign, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets.
The elder of the NFL’s two Aaron Brewers — Arizona’s long snapper of the past seven seasons — is not under contract. The Cardinals have Joe Fortunato, who has played one career game, set to compete with Hembrough for the position. While another Cardinals-Brewer contract should not be ruled out, Hembrough was one of three finalists for the Patrick Mannelly award given to the top Division I-FBS long snapper. He spent six years at Oklahoma State.
Demercado played five seasons with the Horned Frogs but only totaled 338 carries. Ranking inside Scouts Inc.’s top 300 prospects, Demercado enjoyed his best season during the Big 12 program’s surprising run to the national championship game. He finished with 681 yards (5.6 per carry) and six rushing touchdowns as a senior. The Cardinals did not draft a running back but have 2022 sixth-rounder Keaontay Ingram and veteran Corey Clement behind starter James Conner.