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Arizona Cardinals News & Rumors

Cardinals Place OL Pat Elflein On IR

August 28th, 2023 at 6:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Injuries have dogged Pat Elflein since his Minnesota days. The veteran interior offensive lineman is back on IR as of Monday. This designation takes Elflein out of the Cardinals’ mix.

Elflein, who signed with the Cardinals just before training camp, will not be carried over to the team’s 53-man roster. While Elflein has made a few trips to IR during his career, being placed on the injury list before the season — thus, exempting him from an in-season activation — is new territory for the former Vikings, Jets and Panthers starter.

Signing Elflein to a one-year, $1.15MM contract, the Cardinals guaranteed him just $25K. The seventh-year veteran will likely receive an injury settlement and be jettisoned from Arizona’s IR list. Injury waivers existed in this contract for hip and ankle issues, which have led to past Elflein absences. Elflein, 29, missed practice time ahead of Arizona’s third preseason game. Both Jonathan Gannon and OC Drew Petzing were in Minnesota during part of Elflein’s Vikings career.

Formerly the Vikings’ starting center, Elflein hit Minnesota’s IR in September 2020. After the Vikes cut him later that year, Elflein scored a three-year, $13.5MM Panthers pact. He was back on IR in September 2021 and again in October 2022. The center/guard missed 11 games last season, going down with a hip injury in October. A Cards settlement would allow Elflein to resurface elsewhere when he heals up, but it is safe to say the 64-game starter’s career is at a crossroads.

The Cardinals are now without two notable veterans on their O-line; they dealt Josh Jones to the Texans during their three-trade Thursday. Jones worked as D.J. Humphries‘ primary fill-in last season. With Humphries back, the Cardinals have gone Humphries-Elijah Wilkinson–Hjalte Froholdt–Will Hernandez-Paris Johnson up front since training camp started.

Arizona also released defensive backs Nate Hairston and Sean Chandler. Teams have until 3pm CT on Tuesday to cut their rosters to 53 players. Hairston, who has 18 career starts at cornerback, played in two Cards games last season. A sixth-year safety who has seen action with the Giants and Panthers, Chandler has seven career starts on his resume.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/25/23

August 25th, 2023 at 8:02pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves heading into the final weekend of preseason games this year:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Signed: C Cohl Cabral

Baltimore Ravens

  • Waived from IR with injury settlement: WR Shemar Bridges

Buffalo Bills

  • Released from IR with injury settlement: DE Shane Ray

Carolina Panthers

Houston Texans

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

Pittsburgh Steelers

Ray’s unlikely return to the NFL will have to wait a bit longer, it seems. Having not appeared in an NFL regular season game since 2018, Ray’s opportunity in Buffalo has come to an end. His bid to play alongside former Broncos teammate Von Miller will fall short due to injury.

Zentner is likely a short-term signing for Houston, who lost punter Cameron Johnston to a tweaked calf. Johnston shouldn’t need long to get back to the field, but Zentner will be asked to fill in for the team’s preseason game against the Saints this weekend.

Browns To Trade QB Josh Dobbs To Cardinals

August 24th, 2023 at 10:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cardinals are still not done on the trade front. Arizona is on the acquiring end of a deal this time, however. The Browns are trading quarterback Josh Dobbs and a 2024 seventh-round pick to the Cardinals for a 2024 fifth-rounder (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network). CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones was the first to report (via Twitter) that Dobbs was on his way to the desert.

Jones adds that that Kellen Mond has not, in fact, been placed on waivers. Such a move was announced by the team earlier today, but with Dobbs no longer in the fold, the Browns will retain Mond to keep three quarterbacks on the roster. Most significantly, this news confirms that rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson has done enough to win the backup job behind Deshaun Watson.

This move ends a second Dobbs tenure early. The Browns had rostered Dobbs as their Jacoby Brissett backup last year, but Watson’s return from suspension led to the team cutting him. Dobbs ended up in Detroit and then Tennessee, where he was immediately called upon to start (over Malik Willis) in the Titans’ final two games. Now, the veteran reserve, months after rejoining the Browns on a one-year deal worth $2MM, will join a Cardinals team that came into the day with five QBs rostered. The move points to Kyler Murray remaining on Arizona’s PUP list to start the season.

The trade also comes not long after Kevin Stefanski (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) had named Dobbs as their backup. That was believed to be the plan all along, with the seventh-year vet operating as QB2 as Thompson-Robinson developed. This move will still allow for Thompson-Robinson to grow behind Watson, though an injury to the starter would throw the fifth-round rookie into the fire.

Although Colt McCoy, David Blough, Jeff Driskel and fifth-round rookie Clayton Tune are on Arizona’s roster, the Cardinals brought in Dobbs, who has a history with new OC Drew Petzing. The Browns’ QBs coach last year will bring in Dobbs as McCoy insurance, per ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss (on Twitter). McCoy’s season ended early because of a concussion last year, and he went on IR with another issue prior to that. An elbow problem sidelined McCoy to start this offseason program as well. The 14th-year veteran is going into his age-37 season. Under contract for one more year, McCoy considered retirement this offseason.

To start the year, the Cards’ depth chart will likely be McCoy-Dobbs-Tune at QB, Weinfuss adds. With Petzing on board as the play-caller, TheLandonDemand.com’s Tony Grossi notes the Cardinals tried to sign Dobbs as a free agent. Thompson-Robinson’s emergence changed the Browns’ thinking regarding their QB depth chart, per Grossi.

Despite Dobbs coming into the league as a 2017 fourth-round pick, he had only attempted 17 passes coming into December of last year. The Titans summoned the rocket scientist, and he completed 69% of his passes in a do-or-die game against a much healthier Jaguars squad. The injury-plagued Titans pushed the Jags in that Week 18 game, with Dobbs throwing for 232 yards and a touchdown. Mired in some QB uncertainty until Murray returns, the Cardinals now have the former Steelers draftee in a familiar system.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Cardinals Trade OL Josh Jones To Texans

August 24th, 2023 at 2:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

A busy day on the trade front for the Cardinals continues. Arizona is sending offensive lineman Josh Jones to the Texans, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Cardinals (who have now confirmed the deal) will send Jones and a seventh-round pick to Houston for a fifth-rounder (Twitter links).

As is the case with hybrid defender Isaiah Simmons, Jones is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Like Simmons, the Cardinals and new general manager Monti Ossenfort will move on from a Steve Keim-era draftee instead of seeing Jones potentially depart next offseason in free agency.

Jones saw only 55 offensive snaps as a rookie, but he took on a much more significant role in the two years since. The 26-year-old played all 17 games (including 12 starts), and saw time at both right tackle and right guard in 2021. His versatility was showcased to a further degree this past season when he logged 622 snaps, all but 12 of which came at left tackle while filling in for an injured D.J. Humphries.

The former third-rounder earned a career-high PFF grade of 75.8 in 2022, showcasing potential if given a full-time starting opportunity. The Cardinals have Humphries on the books for the next three seasons, however, and first-round rookie Paris Johnson Jr. is set to start right away at right tackle. Kelvin Beachum was retained, and he will now be assured of the swing tackle role. Moving on from Jones will result in $2.74MM in cap savings for the Cardinals.

The move also represents another in what has been a busy offseason along the O-line for the Texans. Both tackle starters (Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard) have signed lucrative extensions, and guard Shaq Mason was acquired via trade with the Buccaneers and later signed to a new deal. Jones – a native of Richmond, Texas who played collegiately at Houston – will be in place as a backup to all three of those entrenched starters.

As KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes (via Twitter), the Texans are in need of capable depth at the right tackle spot in particular as the regular season approaches. Howard is recovering from hand surgery, and his Week 1 availability remains up in the air. Charlie Heck, meanwhile, will begin the season on the PUP list while dealing with foot and back injuries, per Wilson. That will sideline the former fourth-rounder for at least the first four games of the campaign.

The Cardinals and Texans worked out a trade on Day 1 of the draft which allowed the latter to move up to No. 3 on the board and select Will Anderson. It was the first of two swaps Ossenfort authorized which ultimately resulted in Johnson – the Cardinals’ top target to bolster their O-line – being selected sixth overall. The teams have now partnered once again, with one adding valuable depth and the other adding further to its draft cupboard as part of a full-scale rebuild.

Cardinals Trade Isaiah Simmons To Giants

August 24th, 2023 at 1:08pm CST by Adam La Rose

1:08pm: Providing further details on the financial implications of the deal, Howard Balzer of gophnx.com tweets that Simmons already had a roster bonus of $4.2MM paid out earlier in training camp. That figure, along with the outstanding signing bonus from his rookie contract, will leave Arizona with $5.56MM in cap commitments to their now-former starter. The Cardinals’ only financial savings will be Simmons’ $1.01MM base salary; the Giants will now be on the hook for that amount.

9:38am: Isaiah Simmons‘ time in Arizona is coming to an end. The Cardinals are trading the former first-rounder to the Giants in exchange for a 2024 seventh-round pick, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). The deal is now official.

Expectations were high for Simmons upon arrival in Arizona, after he established himself as a highly athletic and versatile prospect. Finding a permanent spot for the hybrid defender has proven to be difficult in the NFL, however, and the Cardinals are moving on with one year remaining on his rookie contract. His 2023 cap hit sits at just over $6.57MM, and Arizona will see minimal savings with this trade.

The 25-year-old played at linebacker during his first three seasons with the Cardinals. The team declined to pick up his fifth-year option at a rate of $12.7MM after being classified at that position. Simmons later revealed that his move to safety was of his own choosing. Player and team appeared to be headed for at least one more year together, especially to see how effective the position change would prove to be. Instead, new Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort will cut bait with a Steve Keim draftee.

The Giants’ defense played a large role in the team’s surprise run to the divisional round of the playoffs last season, and the unit will again be counted on to be effective under second-year coordinator Don Martindale. New York lost a starting safety in Julian Love during free agency, but there is also plenty of uncertainty for the team at the inside linebacker spot. Former Colt Bobby Okereke is locked into one starting spot at the second level, but the other first-team role has been in the air during the summer.

Simmons could fill in at either spot, and it will be interesting to see if he is used in a similar fashion to how he wished to be deployed in Arizona. On that point, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan tweets the Giants plan to use him at the LB spot. The Clemson alum has filled the statsheet during his career with 258 tackles, 7.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles and four interceptions. Those figure have not translated to strong PFF grades, however, and issues in run defense helped contribute to the Cardinals’ decision to decline his fifth-year option and, now, move on altogether before his contract year began.

The rebuilding Cardinals are eyeing future assets as they look to contend further down the road. Given his age and draft pedigree, it appeared Simmons could have had at least a short-term future with the team, one whose defense already lost corner Byron Murphy and defensive lineman Zach Allen in free agency. That unit will be without another starter now, while the Giants will take a flier and see if Simmons can live up to his draft stock in Year 4. If that takes place, he could prove to be a highly worthwhile acquisition.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/23/23

August 23rd, 2023 at 7:07pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor NFL transactions from around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Waived from IR with injury settlement: CB Kemon Hall

New England Patriots

New York Giants

  • Waived from IR with injury settlement: LB Troy Brown

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Free Agents

The Broncos get an important piece back today in Purcell. The veteran defensive tackle found a strong role last year on in the Denver rotation. After passing his physical today, Purcell may be able to get his sea legs back in the team’s last preseason game, but they may choose to rest him following his return from a minor knee injury.

It’s bit of a surprise to see Johnson get cut loose in Philadelphia. The 26-year-old lineman had recently been promoted to second-team left tackle. With the Eagles’ preseason finale tomorrow, he was likely set to get a strong share of snaps. Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer believes the team could bring back soon, only cutting him temporarily to fix something to do with his paperwork.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/22/23

August 22nd, 2023 at 8:51pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: CB Elijah Hamilton
  • Waived/injured: OL Jake Hanson

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: LB Tae Crowder
  • Waived/injured: OT Andrew Trainer

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

  • Claimed off waivers (from Panthers): DL Marquan McCall
  • Released: WR Tre Nixon

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: WR Malik Flowers
  • Waived: CB Montrae Braswell

Tae Crowder has found his next gig after getting cut by the Steelers in May. The former Mr. Irrelevant spent the first three seasons of his career with the Giants, including a 2021 season where he compiled 130 tackles and a pair of interceptions. He started only eight of his 13 appearances last season before getting cut, but he quickly caught on with Pittsburgh’s practice squad. Entering his age-26 season, Crowder is a low-risk option for the Chargers, but he could provide big returns if he can show his form from 2021.

Marquan McCall was a surprise cut by the Panthers earlier this week. The former UDFA ended up getting into 16 games for the Panthers last season, finishing with 15 tackles, two TFLs, and one QB hit. He’ll now look to catch on in New England. He’ll be taking a roster spot from wideout Tre Nixon. The former seventh-round pick has spent the past few seasons on New England’s practice squad but never got into a regular season game.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/21/23

August 21st, 2023 at 8:43pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: LB Marvin Pierre
  • Placed on IR: TE Tyler Davis

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Signed: WR Juwan Green
  • Waived/injured: WR Kekoa Crawford
  • Released from IR: DB Anthony Witherstone

Miami Dolphins

  • Signed: QB James Blackman
  • Waived/injured: CB Tino Ellis

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

  • Released from IR: OL Scott Lashley

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: TE Sal Cannella

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Brian Hill comes to San Francisco with 48 career games under his belt. He had a career year for the Falcons back in 2020, compiling 664 yards from scrimmage in 16 games. The RB has bounced around the NFL a bit since, spending time with the Titans, Browns, and 49ers (two stints). Following stints in the CFL and XFL, the 27-year-old will now add some depth to a San Francisco running backs room that already includes Christian McCaffrey, Elijah Mitchell, Jordan Mason, Tyrion Davis-Price, and Jeremy McNichols.

Trevon Coley started 29 games for the Browns through his first two seasons in the NFL, but he’s struggled to stay on the field since. The defensive lineman got into seven games for the Colts in 2019 and (most recently) six games for the Cardinals in 2020. In total, the 29-year-old has 100 career tackles and 3.5 sacks on his resume.

Adrian Colbert won’t play for the Bears in 2023 after being placed on IR, although there’s a chance he’s cut loose and allowed to play for another squad. The veteran safety has played in 41 career games, starting 22. He’s been limited to only 14 games since the 2020 campaign, including a two-game stint with the Bears in 2022.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/18/23

August 18th, 2023 at 8:22pm CST by Ely Allen

Minor transactions around the league heading into Week 2 of the preseason:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Waived from IR with injury settlement: T Nicolas Melsop

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Ta’amu and Laulile become the 55th and 56th players from the 2023 XFL season to sign an NFL contract. Ta’amu has spent time with five different NFL squads since going undrafted out of Ole Miss in 2019. In 2022, Ta’amu lead the USFL in both passing yards and touchdowns. In this past XFL season, Ta’amu was awarded Offensive Player of the Year honors for his efforts in DC. After gaining starting experience in the USFL and XFL over the past two years, Ta’amu will hope to make his first NFL appearance with his sixth NFL team.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/15/23

August 15th, 2023 at 7:49pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Houston Texans

  • Claimed off waivers (from Vikings): OT Jacky Chen
  • Released from IR: OT Greg Little

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: CB Matt Hankins, RB Aaron Shampklin

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

Pittsburgh Steelers

Sean Chandler brings 64 games of experience to Arizona. Following a 2021 campaign that saw him collect a career-high 48 tackles in 15 games (seven starts) for the Panthers, the 27-year-old got into 17 games for the team in 2022, finishing with 19 tackles while primarily playing on special teams.

Adetokunbo Ogundeji is a tough loss for the Falcons, as the linebacker has turned into an important piece on Atlanta’s defense. The former fifth-round pick has started 27 of his 32 games since entering the NFL, collecting 75 tackles and three sacks. Ogundeji suffered a foot/ankle injury that will require surgery, and his placement on IR means the issue will ultimately knock him out for the entire 2023 campaign.

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