Cardinals Adding Insults to Injuries

By Walter Mitchell

The 2025 Arizona Cardinals are hurting. 

And no one knows that better than the Cardinals' players.

Physical Injuries in 2025

QB: 

* Kyler Murray (5 games) --- it's been reported as some type of Lis Franc foot injury, purportedly incurred in the Titan's home loss fiasco when a seemingly premature snap bonked him on the helmet. Yet, the coaches had him practicing on the foot for 4 weeks before placing him on the IR. Some of us have been wondering whether Kyler's designation to the IR was so that he would not have to suffer the humiliation of having to be a backup to Jacoby Brissett. Over the course of seven years has any NFL QB been as coddled and bubble wrapped as Kyler Murray?

RB:

* James Conner (3 games) --- IR --- severe right foot injury that required season-ending surgery.

* Trey Benson (4 games) --- IR --- knee injury, last week the team opened his 21-day return window, yet it appears that Benson is not healthy enough to be re-activated.

* Emari Demercado (8 games) --- ankle injury --- which has once again ruled him inactive for today's game.

WR:

* Marvin Harrison Jr. (9 games) --- concussion, appendicitis --- reports are that he will play today despite him acknowledging some things done feel right.

* Zay Jones (8 games) --- IR ---season-ending torn Achilles

* Simi Fehoko (5 games) --- IR --- wrist injury --- could return Week 15

TE:

* Tip Reiman (4 games) --- IR --- season-ending severe right ankle injury

OL:

* Jonah Williams (9 games) --- IR ---season-ending shoulder injury, following two years of knee injuries

* Will Hernandez (7 games) --- IR --- was rushed back too quickly from his ACL rehab, now has been placed on the IR with hip and knee injuries and most likely will not play again this year.

* Christian Jones (0 games) --- IR --- knee injury --- his 21-day return window was opened this week, but he will not be active for today's game.

* Hayden Conner (0 games) --- IR --- knee injury --- his 21-day window opened last week, and he will be activated for today's game.

DI:

* Justin Jones (0 games)--- IR --- tore a tricep in 2024 and this year has a knee injury.

* Bilal Nichols (2 games) --- was activated from the IR (neck injury which coast him 11 games in 2024 several weeks ago but has only appeared in two games this season.

* L.J. Collier (2 games) --- IR --- knee injury and may not return this season.

* Walter Nolen (4 games) --- IR --- pre-season calf injury and now will not be activated for today's game due to a knee injury which he likely suffered on his TD return early in the game last week.

ILB:

* Mack Wilson Sr. (8 games) --- IR --- rib injury

OLB:

* Baron Browning (9 games) --- missed last two games while in concussion protocols, but should be activated for today's game.

* B.J. Ojulari (2 games) --- IR --- knee injury in pre-season of 2024 that he (not his HC) had to explain to the media as being far more damaging than anyone has expected. Should be playing his 3rd game of the season today.

CB:

* Sean Murphy-Bunting (0 games) --- PUP --- suffered season-ending due to a non-football injury.

* Starling Thomas V (0 games) --- IR --- season-ending ACL injury suffered in training camp.

* Will Johnson (6 games) --- lingering back injury but looks like he will be activated today.

* Garrett Williams (6 games) --- IR --- knee injury which he has now returned from after missing 5 games.

* Max Melton (9 games) --- hamstring, concussion and currently a heel injury that will keep him sidelined for today's game.

S:

* Joey Blount (1 game) --- IR --- season-ending neck injury.

* Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (9 games) --- ankle injury and has been ruled out for the third straight game.

* Kitan Crawford (7 games) --- hamstring and ankle injuries have limited him thus far to 7 games but should be activated today.

STs:

* Blake Gillikin (5 games) --- IR --- back injury which has caused him to miss the last 6 games. Not word yet as to whether he is close to returning.

Adding Insults to Injuries:

The various ways the Cardinals are being managed:

2025 NFLPA Report Card:

Overall Ranking

Select an option from the menu below to see a breakdown of this team’s grade sorted by topic.

32ndout of 32 teams

* Treatment of the Facilities: D+ (28th)

* Food/Cafeteria: D (30th)

* Nutrition/Dietician: B (27th)

* Locker Room: F- (32nd)

* Training Room: D- (31st)

* Training Staff: C (31th)

* Weight Room: F (31st)

* Strength Coaches: C+ (31st)

Other Potential Contributing Factors:

* Soft Training Camps (you may have heard on Friday how the Bears players have been lauding Ben Johnson's highly physical approach to training camp)

* No live practicing of fundamental tackling

* Practices run at slow, half and full speeds

* Bubble wrapping of players

* Drafting and signing a number of players with injury histories

* Sometimes slippery field conditions at State Farm Stadium

* Lack of transparency from Bidwill, the GM and HC about the nature of the injuries --- which so often indicates to the players how bs the front office is.

Conclusion:

Yes, injuries are an inevitable part of the game of football. But what the Cardinals have been going through, injury-wise, for the past three years under Monti Ossenfort and Jonathan Gannon is beyond the pale. 

If the Cardinals keep rolling with the currently incompetent GM, HC, coaching and training staff, one can expect more of the same. The patterns are as alarming as the GM's and HC's resistance to change.

What the Cardinals need most is for Michael Bidwill to clean the slate and hire a VP Director of Football Operation to take full control of the 2026 team and staff decisions. 

* (huge credit goes to Red Rain Sam who was the first to propose the VP/DOFO plan for the Cardinals)