The Arizona Cardinals’ Week 7 prep for the Denver Broncos opened with a little bit of everything: injuries, illness and a weather problem that forced a change to the schedule.
Coach Mike LaFleur said Budda Baker and Jedrick Wills would be held out of practice because of illness, while Jeremiyah Love, Walter Nolen and Andrew Wingard will also sit out because of injuries. LaFleur laid it out plainly when he addressed the group’s status.
"Just get this out of the way for you guys. So Jeremiyah [Love], Walt [Nolen] and Dewey [Wingard] will all be not practicing today, and then [we] got a little bit of an illness going around from a player, coaches [perspective] too, but from a player perspective, Budda and Jedrick Wills will be out.
We'll know more a little bit as we go throughout the week. So, going to take it day by day with those guys," said LaFleur.
The Cardinals also had to adjust to storms and flood warnings across the Valley, moving practice up by an hour. LaFleur said the change didn’t throw the team off much.
"They're good. I mean, it wasn't a huge adjustment.
We got through all of our meetings. Nothing was rushed," LaFleur said of adjusting the practice schedule.
He also pointed to the way the team structures the day, saying the biggest tweak was simply getting players fed earlier than usual.
"The biggest thing is what I like about our schedule, not only from a meeting perspective, a lifting perspective, do all those things, is guys don't mind eating before walkthroughs. And then because obviously it's still just a walk-through, jog-through type deal, and then you give them that extra hour to let it digest a little bit more, if you will, and then you go practice. Well, we're going straight from walk-through to practice, so the biggest adjustment really was just making sure they got a little grub in them before their normal time I guess."
Arizona enters the week at 2-4 and is looking for back-to-back wins for the first time this season when Denver comes to State Farm Stadium.
As for how LaFleur plans to fight off the illness making its way through the building, he didn’t exactly pretend to have a cure.
"I guess I could cancel everything. I don't know.
I'm not a doctor. I drink some electrolytes and get some sleep," LaFleur joked.
"So I don't know. Yeah, but it's a good question.
I don't know."
The Cardinals’ first injury report of the week is due later today, which should give a clearer picture of who else is dealing with the current wave of issues.
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Cardinals Injury Report Raises A Real Week 7 Concern
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LaFleur said Love will not be back until he is fully recovered, which puts his status in real doubt for a second straight game. The Broncos, meanwhile, opened the week with key names in Surtain and Hufanga on the report, and LaFleur also had praise for Denver defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and what his defense has done so far. With both teams waiting on more clarity later in the week, the injury picture may end up being as important as anything on the field. [Read more 🡒]
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Love also missed Wednesdays practice to open the week, which only adds to the uncertainty heading into Sundays matchup with the Broncos. The injury came the week before, and Arizona now has to monitor his work over the next couple of days as it tries to get a better read on whether he can give it a go in Week 7. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Depth Chart Shows Where Roster Changes Could Matter Vs Broncos
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The changes matter because they hint at where the Cardinals are trying to shore up depth without yet spelling out every detail. Reese is now part of a tackle group that includes five players, but his exact place in the pecking order is still unclear, leaving one of the more interesting questions on the roster heading into game day. [Read more 🡒]