The first Week 2 injury report for the Cardinals and Seahawks came with a little bit of everything: rest days for key Arizona players, a major quarterback update in Seattle, and a handful of names still working through injuries as both teams prepare for Sunday at State Farm Stadium.
Seattle’s biggest headline is already set. The Seahawks ruled out Sam Darnold (glute) for this week, which means Drew Lock will start in Arizona. That shift drew a pointed response from Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur on Wednesday.
"In my opinion, they are the best coached team in football. I think they have the best defense in football, and now, in my opinion, they have a really, really good quarterback with it,"
"Yeah, he [Darnold] is down this week. But again, like I just said with Drew, the moment's not too big for him. I think he's a good quarterback who's played a lot of good football."
The Seahawks listed Anthony Bradford (knee), Nick Emmanwori (ankle/hip), Josh Jones (knee), and Cooper Kupp (back) as limited. The team also appears to be tracking the possible return of Emmanwori, Horton and Okada, which would give Seattle a boost as it tries to move to 2-0 and stretch its winning streak over Arizona to ten straight.
On the Cardinals’ side, the DNP list was headlined by Josh Sweat (rest), Isaac Seumalo (shoulder), Budda Baker (rest), and Trey McBride (rest). Arizona got limited work from Isaiah Adams (knee), Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (ribs), Garrett Williams (Achilles), Cody Simon (shoulder), Max Melton (ankle), Roy Lopez groin), and Jack Gibbens (shoulder).
The rest designation for Sweat, Baker and McBride was the encouraging part for Arizona. McBride was seen during the open portion of practice, while Sweat and Baker were not.
The Cardinals also placed safety Kitan Crawford on injured reserve.
Arizona was happy to have Isaiah Adams back on the field after the starting right guard missed Week 1. LaFleur said the team will take things day by day before making a Sunday decision, but he liked what he saw from Adams before the setback.
"He did some really good things, and then unfortunately in practice, kind of got rolled up on a little bit. But he's feeling good, and we'll see what he looks like on the grass today,"
The next checkpoints come Thursday and Friday, when both teams will practice again before issuing game designations such as out, doubtful or questionable. Saturday will be another key date, with each team able to make up to two practice squad elevations. And then on game day, final inactives are due 90 minutes before kickoff, set for 1:25 PM MST, at State Farm Stadium.
In Other News...
Cardinals Suddenly Have A Safety Depth Problem They Cant Ignore
Kitan Crawfords Week 1 injury quickly turned into more than a one-game setback for Arizona. The Cardinals safety was carted off the field with a mid-ankle sprain and has now been placed on injured reserve with a designation to return, which means he has to sit out at least four weeks while the team waits for him to work his way back.
For a defense already dealing with injury issues in the safety room, the timing is the real problem. Arizona had been counting on depth at the position to hold up early in the season, but Crawfords absence narrows the margin even further, and his expected return by Week 6 only underscores how long the Cardinals may need to manage without much help back there. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks QB Decision Just Changed Everything For Cardinals Week
Sam Darnold is officially out for Seattles upcoming game against the Cardinals after suffering a soft-tissue glute tendon injury, and the absence changes the tone of a divisional matchup that already carried plenty of weight. The Seahawks are not planning to place him on injured reserve, but his status leaves Drew Lock in line to start when Seattle meets Arizona.
For the Cardinals, the quarterback switch adds a different kind of prep this week, even if the opponent remains the same on the schedule. Arizona now has to account for a Seattle offense with a different trigger man under center, and those kinds of adjustments can matter in a division game where every edge is magnified. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Secondary Shakeup Starts With Another Injury Move
The Cardinals secondary adjustments started in Tempe with another roster shuffle tied to injury, as Arizona placed a safety and special teams contributor on injured reserve and moved cornerback Kalen King up from the practice squad to the active roster. The move comes at a time when the back end of the defense has been under steady pressure to stay together, and every transaction seems to carry a little more weight than the last.
Arizona also added some depth behind the scenes, signing cornerback Art Green and safety Jerrick Reed II to the practice squad while releasing wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette. For a team trying to keep its defensive backfield functional and its special teams options flexible, the latest round of moves suggests the Cardinals are still piecing things together as they sort through the latest injury hit. [Read more 🡒]