The Arizona Cardinals received some concerning news in their second injury report leading up to their Week 17 game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Punter Michael Palardy, who had missed Tuesday’s practice due to illness, returned today, but the situation remains challenging as Palardy is stepping in for the injured Blake Gillikin for the rest of the season.
Joey Blount (ribs) and Elijah Jones (ankle), who were also absent from practice yesterday, were still not present today. Both players will likely need to participate fully in tomorrow’s practice if they have any chance of playing on Saturday.
The Cardinals also faced concerns with several key players. James Conner (knee), Kelvin Beachum (rest), Trey Benson (ankle), Evan Brown (neck), Baron Browning (neck), Matt Prater (knee), Darius Robinson (calf), and Mack Wilson Sr. (concussion) were all seen at practice, but Wilson’s concussion recovery has raised concerns. He was practicing in a regular jersey instead of a non-contact one, though his progress remains uncertain.
Meanwhile, the Rams had no players listed on their injury report yesterday, and only Rob Havenstein (shoulder) was limited today.
Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon acknowledged the Rams’ strong performance and the challenge of facing a team that is playing well. Despite being out of playoff contention, the Cardinals can still spoil the Rams’ bid to clinch the NFC West.
Both teams will practice again Thursday, with injury designations set for Saturday’s game at SoFi Stadium.
