The Arizona Cardinals are ready to make some waves in 2024. Arizona got off to a rough start in 2023, only winning one of their first nine games. Now they have reloaded the roster with young talent like rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. and are ready to compete in the competitive NFC West. That might prove difficult as one of their young defensive talents is now on the injury report.
Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon reports that rookie defensive lineman Darius Robinson suffered an injury at practice, per PHNX Cardinals on social media. Robinson has a calf injury and he will receive imaging to give the team more information on the severity of the injury.
Gannon also noted that some reports came out about this injury during the closed portion of practice. That apparently goes against the team’s policies around reporting injuries. Gannon made it clear that he was not pleased about this mishap.
Robinson was slated to start the season as a backup defensive end behind Dante Stills. However, as a first-round talent, Robinson could eventually overtake Stills for that starting spot.
Unfortunately, this injury could slow Robinson’s transition into the NFL.
Clayton Tune and Desmond Ridder are locked in a tight competition behind starter Kyler Murray for the QB2 job in the desert.
Tune will start in the team’s final preseason game against the Broncos this weekend. Ridder will play the rest of the game after Tune leaves. Despite this announcement, Arizona’s coaching staff wants to make it clear that they haven’t picked a winner yet.
“I know people are going to make a big deal of who starts the game, but I don’t see it that way,” offensive coordinator Drew Petzing said. “Competition at every position is going to come down to final cuts. That’s the reality of training camp. I expect to see those guys play at a high level regardless of who is in there first.”
One reason why the Cardinals view this battle as important is because of the fear of the unknown. Injuries are a scary reality in the NFL and there is no guarantee that even two QBs can hold down the job for a whole season. Arizona wants to be prepared for everything.
“The reality of the NFL game is that guys get hurt,” Petzing said. “It’s unfortunate but it’s real. The quarterback position had what, 60-plus starters last year? You want everyone on that roster, if they have a jersey, to be ready to go, ready to give us the best chance to win.”
Hopefully the Cardinals never need to resort to playing a backup QB in the regular season.
