Cardinals Place Will Hernandez On IR, Activate Hayden Conner
The Cardinals made a pair of changes to their offensive line on Saturday, per Darren Urban of the team’s website. Right guard Will Hernandez is headed to IR with hip and knee injuries. Rookie O-lineman Hayden Conner is coming off IR to take Hernandez’s roster spot.
Hernandez was a durable starter for the Giants and Cardinals from 2018-23. The former second-round pick missed just seven regular-season games out of a possible 99 during that six-year span.
Hernandez’s career was thrown off course when he tore his ACL in October 2024, limiting him to five contests. Shortly after receiving medical clearance, Hernandez re-upped with Arizona on a one-year contract in August. He played in seven games this season before going on IR.
Hernandez won’t be eligible for activation until Week 17. With the Cardinals sitting at 3-8 and all but guaranteed to miss the playoffs, it’s possible he won’t return in 2025. Regardless, the Cardinals will have to decide whether to re-sign Hernandez in the offseason. For now, Isaiah Adams is likely to take over again as the Cardinals’ starting right guard. The 2024 third-rounder started five games earlier this season when Hernandez was working back from last year’s knee injury.
The Cardinals spent a sixth-rounder in last spring’s draft on Conner, who is finally in position to debut after suffering a knee injury in the preseason. Conner started in 43 of 51 games with the Longhorns.
In other moves on Saturday, Arizona elevated two practice squad players – tight end Pharaoh Brown and linebacker Channing Tindall – for Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers. It’s the third standard gameday elevation of the year for Brown. That’s the limit, which means the Cardinals will have to sign Brown to their active roster if they want to use him again.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/13/25
Here are the latest minor moves from around the NFL…
Arizona Cardinals
- Practice window opened: OL Hayden Conner
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed to active roster: OLB Khalid Kareem
- Placed on IR: LB DeAngelo Malone
Denver Broncos
- Signed off Giants’ practice squad: WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey (story)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed to active roster: LB Branson Combs
New England Patriots
- Elevated: RB D’Ernest Johnson, LB Darius Harris
New York Giants
- Signed off Steelers’ practice squad: WR Isaiah Hodgins (story)
Conner, a sixth-round pick from Texas, has yet to debut as a rookie after suffering a knee injury in the preseason. The Cardinals placed Conner on IR with a return designation when they trimmed their roster to 53 players on Aug. 26. Now that Conner’s back at practice, the Cardinals will have 21 days to activate him.
Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson will miss Thursday’s game against the Jets with a toe injury, leading the Pats to elevate Johnson. He’ll work behind TreVeyon Henderson and Terrell Jennings, though the latter is playing through a knee issue. It’s the third and final standard elevation of the year for Johnson, meaning the Patriots will have to sign him to their active roster if they want to promote him again. The 29-year-old has totaled just 15 snaps (nine on special teams, six on offense) this season.
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.
Cardinals Trim Roster To 53
The Cardinals announced the following roster moves to get down to their initial 53-man roster:
Released:
- LS Aaron Brewer
- RB Michael Carter
- T Jake Curhan
- RB DeeJay Dallas
- TE Josiah Deguara
- WR Simi Fehoko
- CB Darren Hall
- G Nick Leverett
- G Royce Newman
- LB Mykal Walker
Waived:
- DT Kyon Barrs
- LB Elliott Brown
- T Jeremiah Byers
- DE Anthony Goodlow
- WR Bryson Green
- C Sincere Haynesworth
- CB Jaylon Jones
- WR Tejhaun Palmer
- S Jammie Robinson
- DT Elijah Simmons
Placed on IR (designated to return):
- DT Walter Nolen (story)
- LB BJ Ojulari
- DT Bilal Nichols
First-round defensive tackle Nolen will miss at least the first four weeks of his rookie year. The Ole Miss product is dealing with a calf injury that forced him to miss most of training camp. Another d-lineman, Barrs will hit waivers but stands a good chance at landing on the practice squad if he clears.
The Cards made some surprise decisions in the running backs rooms, disposing of veterans like Carter and Dallas in favor of Zonovan Knight, who hasn’t appeared in a game since 2023. One of the veterans could end up back on the practice squad, as could wide receiver/special teamer Fehoko.
Russell suffered a concussion in training and will now miss the entire 2025 season on injured reserve. Jones and Conner, though, will be eligible to return after, at least, a four-week absence. The two linemen are dealing with knee injuries but may be able to bolster the line later in the year.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/9/25
We saw a busy day of 2025 NFL Draft pick signings today. Here are the mid- to late-round picks who inked their four-year rookie deals:
Arizona Cardinals
- OLB Jordan Burch (third round, Oregon)
- CB Denzel Burke (fifth round, Ohio State)
- G Hayden Conner (sixth round, Texas)
- S Kitan Crawford (seventh round, Nevada)
Buffalo Bills
- DE Landon Jackson (third round, Arkansas)
- CB Jordan Hancock (fifth round, Ohio State)
- TE Jackson Hawes (fifth round, Georgia Tech)
- CB Dorian Strong (sixth round, Virginia Tech)
- T Chase Lundt (sixth round, Connecticut)
- WR Kaden Prather (seventh round, Maryland)
Cincinnati Bengals
- G Dylan Fairchild (third round, Georgia)
- LB Barrett Carter (fourth round, Clemson)
- T Jalen Rivers (fifth round, Miami)
- RB Tahj Brooks (sixth round, Texas Tech)
Detroit Lions
- G Miles Frazier (fifth round, LSU)
- DE Ahmed Hassanein (sixth round, Boise State)
- S Dan Jackson (seventh round, Georgia)
- WR Dominic Lovett (seventh round, Georgia)
Houston Texans
- S Jaylen Reed (sixth round, Penn State)
- QB Graham Mertz (sixth round, Florida)
- DT Kyonte Hamilton (seventh round, Rutgers)
- TE Luke Lachey (seventh round, Iowa)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- CB Caleb Ransaw (third round, Tulane)
- G Wyatt Milum (third round (West Virginia)
- LB Jalen McLeod (sixth round, Auburn)
- S Rayuan Lane III (sixth round, Navy)
- C Jonah Monheim (seventh round, USC)
- RB LeQuint Allen (seventh round, Syracuse)
Las Vegas Raiders
- WR Dont’e Thornton Jr. (fourth round, Tennessee)
Los Angeles Chargers
- DT Jamaree Caldwell (third round, Oregon)
- OLB Kyle Kennard (fourth round, South Carolina)
- WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith (fifth round, Auburn)
- TE Oronde Gadsden II (fifth round, Syracuse)
- G Branson Taylor (sixth round, Pittsburgh)
- S RJ Mickens (sixth round, Clemson)
- S Trikweze Bridges (seventh round, Florida)
Minnesota Vikings
- WR Tai Felton (third round, Maryland)
- DE Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (fifth round, Georgia)
- LB Kobe King (sixth round, Penn State)
- TE Gavin Bartholomew (sixth round, Pittsburgh)
New England Patriots
- WR Kyle Williams (third round, Washington State)
- C Jared Wilson (third round, Georgia)
- DT Joshua Farmer (fourth round, Florida State)
- OLB Bradyn Swinson (fifth round, LSU)
- K Andy Borregales (sixth round, Miami)
- T Marcus Bryant (seventh round, Missouri)
- LS Julian Ashby (seventh round, Vanderbilt)
- CB Kobee Minor (seventh round, Memphis)
New York Giants
- G Marcus Mbow (fifth round, Purdue)
- TE Thomas Fidone II (seventh round, Nebraska)
New York Jets
- CB Korie Black (seventh round, Oklahoma State)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- RB Kaleb Johnson (third round, Iowa)
- OLB Jack Sawyer (fourth round, Ohio State)
- DT Yahya Black (fifth round, Iowa)
- QB Will Howard (sixth round, Ohio State)
- LB Carson Bruener (seventh round, Washington)
- CB Donte Kent (seventh round, Central Michigan)
San Francisco 49ers
- LB Nick Martin (third round, Oklahoma State)
- CB Upton Stout (third round, Western Kentucky)
- WR Jordan Watkins (fourth round, Ole Miss)
- RB Jordan James (fifth round, Oregon)
- S Marques Sigle (fifth round, Kansas State)
- G Connor Colby (seventh round, Iowa)
- WR Junior Bergen (seventh round, Montana)
Tennessee Titans
- S Kevin Winston Jr. (third round, Penn State)
- WR Elic Ayomanor (fourth round, Stanford)
- G Jackson Slater (fifth round, Sacramento State)
- CB Marcus Harris (sixth round, California)
- RB Kalel Mullings (sixth round, Michigan)
Washington Commanders
- WR Jaylin Lane (fourth round, Virginia Tech)
- LB Kain Medrano (sixth round, UCLA)
- RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt (seventh round, Arizona)