The Arizona Cardinals came out of Sunday’s 17-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks with more than just a bad result on the scoreboard. Their quarterback situation may have taken a major hit, too.
Gardner Minshew injured his right arm during the game, with the problem happening late in the first half. Even so, he stayed in and played through the entire second half while trying to help Arizona rally.
Now the concern goes well beyond Week 10. Minshew’s availability for the Cardinals’ game against the Los Angeles Rams is up in the air, and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that he could be sidelined even longer - possibly for the rest of the season.
Rapoport’s report said the fear is that Minshew may have torn the UCL in his throwing elbow. If that’s the case, the recovery would take months and would end his season.
Mike LaFleur addressed the situation on Monday, telling reporters that Minshew is undergoing tests on his arm and may not be able to play this week, according to NBC Sports.
If Minshew can’t go against the Rams - or if the injury keeps him out beyond that - the Cardinals would turn to Carson Beck at quarterback. Arizona already dealt Jacoby Brissett to the Baltimore Ravens, leaving Beck in line for the job. He has not appeared in a game yet this season, so the move would be a significant leap for the young passer.
Monday brought even more injury trouble for Arizona. LaFleur also said wide receiver Michael Wilson is out for the year with a neck injury, while center Hjalte Froholdt is in the concussion protocol.
In Other News...
Cardinals Offense Faces Immediate Heat After First Post-Brissett Letdown
The first game after the Jacoby Brissett trade did not give the Cardinals much of a cushion, as Arizona fell 17-3 to Seattle and spent most of the afternoon searching for any kind of offensive rhythm. Gardner Minshew handled the quarterback duties and moved the ball in stretches, but the unit never turned those drives into points, leaving the defense to absorb too much of the pressure in a game that quickly tilted toward the Seahawks.
For a team trying to steady itself after a major roster move, the margin for error is already thin, and the postgame mood reflected that urgency. Mike LaFleur addressed the offenses underperformance afterward, and the next step is obvious enough: Arizona has to find a way to be sharper and more efficient before this one-game stumble starts to feel like a pattern. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Sweat Just Put Arizonas Trade Deadline Focus On One Decision
As the NFL trade deadline creeps closer, the buzz around Josh Sweat has become one of the more interesting subplots for the Cardinals. The edge rusher brushed off the speculation after a recent game, saying he is not worried and is staying focused on football, even as his name continues to circulate in conversations around the league.
For Arizona, the situation now sits at the intersection of roster planning and contract reality. Sweat is on a four-year deal with no guaranteed money left beyond this season, which only adds to the uncertainty around his future and makes the next move feel like more than a simple deadline rumor. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Defense Smothered Arizona In A Win Fans Will Debate
Seattles 17-3 win over Arizona at Lumen Field was the kind of game that left both sides with plenty to unpack, but the Seahawks defense set the tone from the start. Arizona never found much room to breathe, settling for a single field goal while Seattles pass rush kept coming with sacks from Byron Murphy, Demarcus Lawrence and Dante Fowler Jr., turning the afternoon into a grind for the Cardinals offense.
The bigger debate may linger over the officiating, which drew plenty of second-guessing along the way and added another layer to a game that never felt fully settled. For Arizona, the frustration was less about one missed opportunity than the larger picture of an offense that struggled to answer a physical Seattle front, leaving the Cardinals with more questions than comfort after a divisional loss that felt even more lopsided than the final score. [Read more 🡒]