James Conner

Cardinals place James Conner on IR among their moves to 53

The Cardinals reached 53 players on Sunday afternoon

Cardinals place James Conner on IR among their moves to 53

The Cardinals reached 53 players on Sunday afternoon. Their moves included placing running back James Conner on injured reserve with a designation to return. He will miss at least the first four games before returning to game action as he works his way back from last season’s ankle injury. The Cardinals also announced the release of 2023 second-round pick linebacker BJ Ojulari, who has not been the same since a serious training camp knee injury in 2024. Eku Leota made the team over Ojulari. Veteran cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting was also released, a sign that slot starter Garrett Williams is nearing his return. Williams was recently removed from the active/PUP list after coming back from an Achilles injury. The Cardinals kept three quarterbacks for the first time in a long time, with Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew II and Carson Beck making the roster. The Cardinals released or waived LB Eugene Asante, S Devyn Bobby, TE Shawn Bowman, LB Elliott Brown, P Jack Browning, S Hudson Clark, CB Elijah Culp, OL Ka’ena De Cambra, TE Rivaldo Fairweather, DL Cam Horsley, RB Evan Hull, OL Demontrey Jacobs, OL Christian Jones, CB Elijah Jones, CB Kalen King, DL Brodric Martin-Rhodes, CB Quinton Newsome, S Isaiah Oliver, LB Owen Pappoe, OL Matt Pryor, TE Teagan Quitoriano, LB Cam Robertson, OL Valentin Senn (expected international exemption), QB Kedon Slovis, WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette, DL Kevion’ta Spears, RB Tre Stewart, CB Starling Thomas V, OL Oli Udoh, WR Tre Wallace, DL Damonic Williams and DL Jonah Williams. Like Conner, defensive lineman Zach Carter (knee) was placed on IR with a designation to return. Tight end Tip Reiman will begin the season on reserve/PUP. Safety Josh Minkins was waived with an injury designation

Cardinals unsure if James Conner will be ready for Week 1

The Cardinals are uncertain if veteran running back James Conner will be ready for Week 1 against the Chargers as he continues to recover from a foot injury. Conner's practice participation has been limited this summer, and while he is making progress, his availability for the opener remains in doubt. If Conner and Jeremiyah Love (ankle injury) are unable to play, Tyler Allgeier would be the lead back

Trade: James Conner

Trey Benson clears waivers, returns to Cardinals

Trey Benson returns to Arizona's injured reserve list after clearing waivers

Cardinals waive former third-round RB Trey Benson after 2 injury-riddled seasons

The Cardinals waived RB Trey Benson after 2 injury-plagued seasons

Cardinals Waive Trey Benson

The Arizona Cardinals waived running back Trey Benson (knee) with an injured designation on Monday in order to make room on the roster for linebacker Josh Sweat, who was activated from the Physically Unable to Perform list, according to Darren Urban of the team's official website. Benson, a former third-rounder in 2024 from Florida State, only played in four games last year due to a season-ending left-knee injury, and he had recently missed time in training camp with more issues with the same knee. In two seasons in Arizona, Benson played in just 17 total games and racked up 451 yards on 92 carries, averaging 4.9 yards per attempt. Another NFL team will probably have interest in adding Benson to their RB room, but only if he can get over his left-knee issues. Going forward in Arizona, the Cardinals head into the 2026 season with Tyler Allgeier, rookie first-rounder Jeremiyah Love (ankle), and veteran James Conner (foot) as their top-three RBs

FA: James Conner dropped

Drops: James Conner

Jeremiyah Love injury update: Cardinals rookie has high ankle sprain, team hoping for Week 1 return

Jeremiyah Love looked as advertised and then some in his preseason debut. The only problem? He didn't emerge from it healthy. The No. 3 overall pick suffered a high ankle sprain on his final touch of the night and is unlikely to play again this preseason, leaving the Cardinals hopeful he can return for a Week 1 contest against the Chargers on Sept. 13, per ESPN's Adam Schefter . Here's a look at the injury, which came late in the second quarter: the more you watch the tackle, the worse it looks with Jeremiyah Love's feet getting pinned https://t.co/HL11rW87y5 pic.twitter.com/FiYepEXS6c After the game, first-year coach Mike LaFleur said Love "could have returned" and expected him to return in time to practice this week. But on Saturday, two days after the game, LaFleur said Love would not practice this week or play in Week 2 of the preseason against the Cowboys , per AZ Central's Theo Mackie . In fact, LaFleur did not commit to the former Notre Dame star even being available for Week 1 of the regular season, which is still nearly a month away. "He came in yesterday a little bit more sore than he left," LaFleur said . "He was in great spirits, even yesterday. ... We'll keep him out this week as we let it heal. So a little bit more than we were anticipating." When he was playing, Love looked terrific, amassing 72 yards from scrimmage on 14 touches. His explosiveness and agility jumped off the screen. Every Touch From Jeremiyah Love’s NFL Debut. 11 CAR, 3 REC, 73 Total YDS. https://t.co/ymmjgrZ4El pic.twitter.com/lSs48WuhFY The Cardinals signed Tyler Allgeier this offseason, and he has been the clear-cut top backup to Love. Arizona still has veteran James Conner and 2024 third-rounder Trey Benson, as well as journeyman Bam Knight and several others. Both Conner (returning from a severe foot/ankle injury) and Benson (knee "flare-up") have been dealing with injuries in the preseason. It's a fair question. Love started and played until there were just seconds left before halftime. Love's 14 touches were by far the most of any rookie drafted in the first four rounds. His 23 offensive snaps were second-most of any first-round rookie skill position player, only Browns wide receiver KC Concepcion (24). After the game, LaFleur said he had planned before the game to get Love double-digit touches and concluded with "I like where he was at with the touches." One day later, of course, LaFleur learned Love's prognosis wasn't as promising as it seemed and then explained why, in his mind, it was important for Love to explain so much. “It’s a rookie that hadn’t played.” Arizona Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur on why Jeremiyah Love played as much as he did in his preseason debut. pic.twitter.com/Xp3WfkKrwy This is a miss for LaFleur, especially considering every other offensive starter had already left the game. Jacoby Brissett , his top targets ( Trey McBride , Marvin Harrison Jr . and Michael Wilson ), and the entire starting offensive line all played only one series, a 10-play drive that resulted in an Arizona touchdown. Again, Love played 23 snaps. LaFleur is a first-year coach, and balancing preseason playing time with player safety is a difficult task. Yes, it was an unlucky way for this to turn out, but Love didn't need to be out there in the first place. This is a bit of a triple-whammy for Arizona's rookies. Second-round guard Chase Bisontis tore his MCL in Thursday's win and is out for the season. Carson Beck missed the game due to some rib discomfort, though LaFleur said there's "no concern level really." As for the running back rotation, things have taken a bit of a turn. Arizona appeared to be a potential seller ahead of roster cuts. Conner is yet to take 11-on-11 snaps in practice, but the two-time Pro Bowler is getting closer to a return. With Love and Allgeier ahead of him in the pecking order, though, and the Cardinals not yet ready to compete, he could be an enticing trade candidate when healthy. He had consecutive 1,0 [... truncated ...]

Jeremiyah Love has a high ankle sprain

Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love, the third pick in the 2026 draft, had 14 touches in his preseason debt on Thursday night. It could delay his regular-season debut. Love now has a high ankle sprain , per Adam Schefter of ESPN. The Cardinals hope he can return in four weeks, for a Week 1 game at the Chargers. Earlier in the day, Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur declined to say whether the ankle injury was a low sprain or a high sprain. The high ankle sprain typically takes longer to heal. On Saturday, the Cardinals worked out a trio of running backs — Montrell Stewart, Blake Watson, and Tre Stewart. They signed Stewart. The other tailbacks on the roster include veteran James Conner and free-agent acquisition Tyler Allegier

One takeaway from each NFL team's first depth chart: Browns show rookies love; starting over for Deebo Samuel

The first unofficial depth charts of the NFL preseason are out, offering initial insights into team standings. Key takeaways include the Arizona Cardinals' high draft pick Jeremiyah Love facing competition from veteran Tyler Allgeier and James Conner, and the Atlanta Falcons needing their pass rush to step up with Jalon Walker injured and James Pearce Jr. suspended, featuring Brandon Dorlus and Cameron Thomas as potential starters

FA: James Conner dropped

Drops: James Conner

Cardinals' depth chart lists Tyler Allgeier as No. 1 RB, Jeremiyah Love as No. 2

The Cardinals didn’t draft running back Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick so he could sit on the bench, but they’re not going to declare him the starter just yet. Currently, the Cardinals’ depth chart lists Tyler Allgeier as the first-string running back. Love is second string. Realistically, there’s almost no chance that Love, barring injury, isn’t the Cardinals’ top running back for the regular season. But NFL teams often wait until a rookie has earned a starting job before listing him as the starter on the team’s published depth chart. No. 3 on the running back depth chart in Arizona is James Conner, followed by Trey Benson, Bam Knight and Corey Kiner

Cardinals will not play Jeremiyah Love on Thursday

We’ll have to wait a little longer for our first chance to see Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love in action. Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur said at a Wednesday press conference that Love will not be playing against the Panthers in the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday night. The Cardinals will have three other preseason games to get Love some action ahead of their Week 1 game against the Chargers. Love was the third overall pick in April and is expected to be the lead back in Arizona during his rookie season. Tyler Allgeier, James Conner, Trey Benson, Bam Knight, Evan Hill, and Corey Kiner are the other backs on the Cardinals roster

Fantasy Football NFC West Snapshot: 1 key nugget from each team going into 2026

Scott Pianowski shares one thing that stands out for fantasy football for each NFC West team going into 2026

NFL training camp storylines: Aaron Donald watch, QB battles, rookie breakouts among NFC questions

All 32 teams will have reported to NFL training camp by the end of the week, and this marks step one of the six-month odyssey toward the Vince Lombardi trophy. That means the immediate return of position battles, off-field drama and injuries across the next 44 days between now and the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks kicking off the new season on Sept. 9. What are the biggest storylines to follow with training camp season upon us? Here's a look at one for each of the NFC's 16 teams. It seems obvious that the Arizona Cardinals need to hand all their first-team running back snaps to Jeremiyah Love, right? The Cardinals made him the highest-drafted running back since Saquon Barkley. The reason it's been that long is that taking Love third meant locking him into a rookie deal with $53 million guaranteed. That makes Love the owner of the most guaranteed money for a running back in the entire league before he even takes a snap in a game. He's a dynamic playmaker, leading college football in both rushing touchdowns (35) and touchdowns from scrimmage (40) across the last two seasons. Arizona's investment in Love should lead to immediate starting running back reps, but that won't necessarily be the case at the start of training camp, according to offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. "It's a great [running back] room. I'm really excited about it," Hackett told reporters on Saturday when asked if there's a starter at running back at the moment. "... I'm excited for James [Conner] to get out there and show what he's got. I mean, all the guys." As for Love, Hackett said, "I mean, he's definitely a rookie, as we've talked about, and he'll keep growing every single day." Conner, a two-time Pro Bowler who is 31-years-old and fresh off a gruesome ankle injury that limited his 2025 season to three games, appears to be in early pole position at the start of Cardinals camp. Free agency acquisition Tyler Allgeier, who signed a two-year, $12.25 million contract with $8 million guaranteed, will also be in the mix. How coach Mike LaFleur and Hackett dole out those reps will be a storyline that Cardinals fans and fantasy football diehards will be on the edge of their seats to follow. The Atlanta Falcons ' 2026 quarterback competition between Michael Penix Jr . and Tua Tagovailoa features two passers with plenty of similarities. Both are former top 10 picks, left-handed passers with long injury histories. Penix expects to be fully cleared for training camp and is angling to be 100% good to go for Week 1 after undergoing surgery in November for the third torn ACL he's suffered between his collegiate and professional football career. He hasn't exactly sparkled since being selected eighth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft , in his small sample size of 12 career starts. Completion percentage 59.6% 39th Pass yards per attempt 7.2 17th TD-INT ratio 2.0 (12-6) 25th Passer rating 85.8 32nd * Among 41 QBs with 10-plus starts Tagovailoa, purely from a health perspective, could be the favorite for the Week 1 starting spot at the start of camp. He's fresh off a Miami Dolphins benching after throwing a career-high 15 interceptions, and the Dolphins were so sick of him they ate an NFL record $99 million in dead money to release him just two seasons into a four-year, $212 million contract. He led the NFL with 60 completions of 20-plus air yards from 2022 to 2023, but once the NFL adjusted to Mike McDaniel's offense and All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill suffered some injuries, Tagovailoa's play declined in a hurry. W-L 19-11 12-3 Yards per pass attempt 8.5 7.0 TD-INT 54-22 39-22 Passer rating 102.9 95.0 The pressure is real for both of these lefties because they have enough playmakers -- Bijan Robinson , Drake London and Kyle Pitts -- to end Atlanta's eight-year playoff drought. The Carolina Panthers are already the NFL's most injury-plagued team in 2026, and their training camp has been underway for under a week. Edge rush [... truncated ...]

Waiver: James Conner added, Joe Mixon dropped

Adds: James Conner. Drops: Joe Mixon

Cardinals OC Nathaniel Hackett declines to name rookie Jeremiyah Love starting RB as training camp opens

New Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett spoke to reporters on Sunday, four days after the team opened training camp, and was asked about how the competition for the starting running back position was lining up. In doing so, Hackett seemingly downplayed first-round pick’s Jeremiyah Love’s chances of winning the job while touting incumbent starter James Conner . “I mean, he’s definitely a rookie,” Hackett said of Love, who was selected No. 3 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft . Hackett appeared to voice more enthusiasm for watching Conner, who played in only three games before suffering a foot injury that required season-ending surgery. He finished with 95 yards and one touchdown on 32 carries. “Excited for James to get out there and show what he’s got,” Hackett said before saying he was looking forward to seeing “all the guys.” Play Yahoo's new College Fantasy Football game: Create or join a league now! Cue Cardinals fans smacking their foreheads after Love was selected to provide the offense with a major boost in lieu of filling other needs on the roster including offensive line and pass rusher that could have been addressed with the No. 3 pick . However, many draft analysts and observers felt Love was the best offensive prospect in the 2026 class after he rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 TDs (with 280 receiving yards on 27 catches) in his final season at Notre Dame. To be fair, Hackett may be attempting to manage expectations for the running back room in addition to fans. Cardinals coaches presumably don’t want to just hand Love the starting job, but see him earn it. Consequently, they likely don’t want Conner to feel that he has no chance at being the starter, especially coming back from injury. In five seasons with Arizona, Conner rushed for 3,763 yards and 38 TDs, averaging 4.4 yards per carry. He also tallied 1,262 yards receiving and 8 TDs on 165 catches. Conner, 31, reworked the final year of his contract in March to avoid the Cardinals releasing him to save salary cap room. Originally set to earn $6.4 million (with a $9.8 million cap hit), Conner is on the books for a $2.4 million base salary with a prorated portion of his signing bonus making for a $4.8 million cap hit in 2026 . Arizona also signed free agent Tyler Allgeier to a two-year deal. Last year, Allgeier rushed for 514 yards for the Atlanta Falcons and compiled 3.392 yards (including a 1,00-yard rushing season in 2022) in four seasons. Hackett was hired by Arizona in February to run the offense for new head coach Mike LaFleur . Last year, he worked for the Green Bay Packers as an defensive analyst but has had stints as an OC with the Jacksonville Jaguars , Packers and New York Jets . Hackett was the head coach of the Denver Broncos for one seaso n in 2022

James Conner: Advances past injuries

Conner (foot/ankle) participated in practice Thursday, Jess Root of USA Today reports. Visit RotoWire.com for more analysis on this update

Trade: James Conner