Cardinals To Sign DT Roy Lopez
Not long after his time with the Texans came to an end, Roy Lopez has found a new home. The defensive tackle is set to join the Cardinals, reports Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. 
Lopez was given an injury designation during final roster cuts, then waived with an injury settlement shortly thereafter. As part of that agreement, he would not have been able to re-join the Texans for four weeks, something which would have been unlikely given his chances of finding another opportunity by then. Wilson reported at the time that Lopez was garnering interest as a free agent, and that has now produced this Arizona pact.
The 26-year-old will begin on the Cardinals’ practice squad, Wilson adds. With Lopez having recovered from the strained hamstring which ended his time in Houston, however, he could soon find himself on the team’s active roster. The former sixth-rounder has logged 33 appearances and 29 starts in the NFL, so he should be able to carve out a role for himself before long.
Lopez has posted defensive snap shares of 46% and 48%, recording at least 30 tackles in each campaign. He had just one sack in both 2021 and ’22, though his pressure totals doubled from his rookie season (three) to last season (six). In spite of that production, the New Mexico State and Arizona alum has drawn poor reviews from PFF, something he will look to improve upon with a fresh start.
A native of Tempe, Arizona, Lopez’s deal represents a homecoming in addition to a depth addition for the team. The Cardinals currently have the likes of Jonathan Ledbetter, Kevin Strong, Carlos Watkins and Leki Fotu in place along the defensive interior. Lopez will look to find a spot among them and in doing so earn an extended stay in the desert or at least boost his free agent stock amongst other potential suitors in the spring.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/22/23
The league’s practice squad transactions heading into the weekend:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released from practice squad IR with injury settlement: S Jovante Moffatt
Carolina Panthers
- Released from practice squad IR: CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: QB Reid Sinnett
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: T Ryan Hayes
- Released: T James Tunstall
New York Jets
- Signed: OL Chris Glaser
- Released: RB Xazavian Valladay
With starting quarterback Joe Burrow still nursing a calf injury that has hampered him throughout the first two weeks of the season, the signing of Sinnett becomes significant. Burrow’s status is reportedly still up in the air for this Sunday, and with practice squad quarterback Will Grier getting signed away to the Patriots’ active roster yesterday, Sinnett would now serve as QB2 to Jake Browning if Burrow can’t go.
Jonathan Gannon Addresses Kyler Murray’s Return Timeline
All-Decade-teamers Adrian Peterson and Chris Harris rebounded from late-season ACL tears by Week 1 en route to All-Pro honors. More recently, Seahawks linebacker Jordyn Brooks made his way back from a New Year’s Day tear to start in Week 1. But these major knee are different, producing asymmetrical recovery timelines. Kyler Murray is now more than nine months removed from his ACL tear, but the Cardinals are proceeding cautiously with their starting quarterback.
Murray resides on Arizona’s reserve/PUP list, keeping him out until at least Week 5. The Pro Bowl passer pointed to a near-future return in a Tik Tok message this week, offering “soon” to close a series of captions describing his recovery effort. Though, Jonathan Gannon is stopping short of declaring him as a surefire candidate to come back when first eligible.
“He’s doing well. We know the timetable of when he can return to play, but that doesn’t mean he will return to play and open his window then,” Gannon said, via AZCardinals.com’s Darren Urban. “We’ll get him going when he is physically and mentally ready to play and knowing it will take some time and some weeks of practice to get comfortable with what he is doing. I’m not in a hurry with that. I’d love to have him out there; he’s itching to be back. But we’ll take that one day at a time.”
At the offseason’s outset, a timetable in which Murray did not come back until around the midseason point surfaced. Michael Bidwill then said he expected the franchise QB to make an early-season return. It seems like the former timeline will be how this plays out. Murray, 26, can return to practice in Week 3; it is unclear if the Cardinals will take that step just yet.
Gannon has consistently praised Murray and in February indicated he would not have taken Arizona’s HC job without the presence of the former No. 1 overall pick. Bidwill also included Murray in the decision-making process that produced Gannon as Kliff Kingsbury‘s replacement. As the season began with Josh Dobbs as the Cardinals’ starter, Gannon doubled down on his commitment to Murray.
The Cardinals had been expected to go with Colt McCoy as their Week 1 starter, but the team released the 37-year-old QB just before the season. Dobbs taking the snaps represented a surprise, considering he was with the Browns until a late-August trade reunited him with OC Drew Petzing, Cleveland’s former QBs coach. Mock drafts that lead off with the Cardinals drafting 2022 Heisman winner Caleb Williams continue to surface, and this has remained a talking point as the franchise crafts a rebuild. Murray’s presence would interfere with this purported plan, and a potential comeback around the midseason point would certainly give the Cardinals a better chance to win consistently.
For now, Murray remains in place as a rehabbing franchise centerpiece. An awkward departure storyline — barely a year after the organization gave Murray a five-year, $230.5MM extension — could heat up if the Cardinals have one of the NFL’s worst records around midseason, and Gannon’s latest comments do not make it look like Murray will be on the field in Week 5.
QB Notes: Dak, Ravens, Lance, Dobbs, Lions
Although a report earlier this month indicated the Cowboys and Dak Prescott had not begun contract negotiations, The Athletic’s Jeff Howe notes conversations occurred “throughout the offseason.” The Cowboys restructured Prescott’s deal in March, creating 2023 cap space but setting up a showdown of sorts in 2024. Because of the redo, Prescott carries what would be a record-shattering $59.5MM cap hit for 2024, the final year of his contract. Prescott, 30, will almost definitely not play on that number; no one has ever played on a cap number north of $45MM.
Because the Cowboys tagged Dak in 2020 and procedurally tagged him in 2021, part of the long-running negotiations that finally produced a deal in March 2021, they do not have a 2025 tag at their disposal. The Cowboys want to gain contract clarity with Prescott, Howe notes (subscription required), with CeeDee Lamb extension-eligible and Micah Parsons eligible in January. But the eighth-year QB will hold tremendous leverage, particularly if he can complete a bounce-back season, once the sides get serious about an extension.
Here is more on the QB front:
- The Cardinals have used Josh Dobbs as their starting quarterback through two games, doing so despite the veteran reserve not being acquired until late August. Although Dobbs had a history with ex-Browns QBs coach-turned-Cardinals OC Drew Petzing, the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot notes the Cards surprised the Browns with an “out of the blue” trade proposal for their then-backup. Cleveland, which had brought back Dobbs in March, decided the offer — a 2024 fifth-rounder for Dobbs and a 2024 seventh — was good enough to bump up rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson into the QB2 role behind Deshaun Watson.
- Dobbs was not the only QB who relocated via trade in August, as the 49ers-Cowboys Trey Lance swap outflanked the above-referenced move for headlines. The Ravens were mentioned as a Lance suitor, but Eric DeCosta said the team was not interested. “If somebody calls you and asks if you’re interested in a player and you say ‘No’ does that mean you’re interested in that player?” DeCosta said, via Ravens staff writer Kyle Phoenix Barber. The Ravens did pursue Baker Mayfield in March, when Lamar Jackson was on the franchise tag, but Tyler Huntley remains Jackson’s backup.
- Baltimore also rosters Josh Johnson…again. The journeyman (the term sells Johnson’s travels short) ventured to San Francisco last year following Jimmy Garoppolo‘s injury, being poached off Denver’s practice squad to become Brock Purdy‘s backup. Shortly after landing in the Bay Area, Johnson said (via ESPN.com’s Jenna Laine) the Ravens attempted to sign him. This sequence transpired in December, when Jackson’s knee injury left Huntley and Anthony Brown as the Ravens’ QBs. Johnson, 37, is on stint No. 3 with the Ravens presently; he was with the team in 2016 and 2021.
- On the subject of the 2022 49ers, the team’s Lance hedge — via the Garoppolo contract reworking just before last season — came about because Garoppolo was still viewed as the better quarterback. The 49ers aimed for Lance — the unquestioned starter going into Week 1 — to pass the veteran after a season’s worth of growth, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. Lance suffered a fractured ankle in Week 2, requiring two surgeries, and is back on the developmental track in Dallas. The Cowboys have the former No. 3 overall pick stationed as their third-stringer.
- In 2021, the Lions were beginning another rebuild — one that soon involved a trade of Matthew Stafford. The 12-year Lions QB had requested a trade before the team made its GM hire, and The Athletic’s Colton Pouncey writes Detroit brass did not inform candidates of the request. The Lions had shot down Stafford trade talk in 2020, but after the veteran passer requested a move as the team reloaded around Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell in January 2021, the thinking changed. Holmes was unfazed by Stafford’s wish to be dealt, per Pouncey. After negotiating with several teams, the Lions collected two first-round picks, a third and current starter Jared Goff in that seminal swap with the Rams.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/20/23
Wednesday’s practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Jeff Smith
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: RB Carlos Washington Jr.
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Robert Rochell
- Released: CB Mark Milton
Chicago Bears
- Signed: T Austen Pleasants
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OLB Mitchell Agude, RB Devine Ozigbo, CB Darius Phillips, T Dan Skipper
- Released: DE Chris Smith
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: CB Cameron Dantzler
New York Jets
- Signed: WR Irvin Charles
- Released: DT Tanzel Smart
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: LB Kyron Johnson, RB Bryant Koback
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: WR Duece Watts
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Carl Davis, WR Tyjon Lindsey, CB Teez Tabor
- Released: WR Matt Landers, CB Robert Rochell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DT Deadrin Senat
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DT Jaleel Johnson
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/19/23
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DL Jacob Slade
- Released: WR Daniel Arias
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Milo Eifler
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: S Matthias Farley
- Released: DB Eric Rowe
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OT Dan Skipper
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DB Darius Rush
- Released: NT Danny Shelton
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Mykal Walker
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DT Cory Durden
- Released: P Brandon Wright
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: S Verone McKinley
- Released: S Joshua Kalu
New England Patriots
- Signed: QB Matt Corral
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB Tiawan Mullen
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DB Chris Steele
- Released: WR Matt Landers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: G Logan Stenberg
Tennessee Titans
- Released: DE Michael Dwumfour
According to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald, Matt Corral has landed back with the Patriots after going unclaimed on waivers. It’s been a busy few months for Corral, who has bounced on and off the Panthers and Patriots rosters. He’ll now return to New England as the organization’s third QB behind Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe.
Eric Rowe didn’t last all that long in Carolina after landing on the team’s practice squad in late August. The veteran defensive back spent the past four seasons in Miami, starting 39 of his 63 appearances. He’ll be replaced by Matthias Farley, who brings 100 games of experience to the Panthers. The safety has bounced around the league recently but didn’t miss a game between 2020 and 2022.
It took Mykal Walker a few weeks to find a new gig after getting cut by the Bears on roster deadline day. The former fourth-round pick spent the first three seasons of his career with the Falcons, including a 2022 campaign where he finished with 107 tackles. He was surprisingly waived by Atlanta in mid-August before getting scooped up by Chicago. Now, he’ll have a chance to revive his career in Las Vegas.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/18/23
Here are Monday’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: S Joey Blount
- Placed on practice squad injured list: OL Hayden Howerton
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DL Demone Harris
- Released: OLB Kemoko Turay
Houston Texans
- Signed: DE Derek Rivers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Released: G John Molchon
Cardinals Place S Budda Baker On IR, Sign S Qwuantrezz Knight Off 49ers’ Practice Squad
Budda Baker did not suit up against the Giants on Sunday, missing the wild Week 2 NFC matchup after suffering a hamstring injury during practice Friday. The Cardinals will be without their defensive leader for a while as a result.
The team placed Baker on injured reserve Monday. Although Baker missed Sunday’s game, the Cardinals putting him on IR a day later means he must miss the next four Arizona games. Baker will be eligible to return in Week 7. This will be the longest absence of Baker’s career. He came into the season having missed five games in six years.
This transaction comes several weeks after the Cardinals and Baker reached an agreement to bring him back into the fold. Baker had requested a trade in February, and the ask became public in April. A push to secure a more lucrative contract drove the Baker trade request, and while the team offered a small incentive package and guaranteed his 2023 salary weeks before it would have become locked in, the perennial Pro Bowl safety remains attached to the $14.75MM-per-year deal he signed in 2020.
The Cardinals refused to trade Baker, though it will be interesting to see if the team changes its tune once the seventh-year veteran moves toward recovering. Baker, 27, can return on Oct. 22 — nine days before this year’s trade deadline. He is attached to a $13MM base salary. Considering the Cardinals’ approach change this year, they appear likely to be sellers at the deadline. It would certainly not shock to see Baker’s name come up in trade rumors before the Halloween deadline. Baker is signed through 2024.
Baker has three All-Pro nods on his resume, two of those coming as a safety, and has been invited to five Pro Bowls. He faced a potential IR stint last season, suffering a high ankle sprain. But the resilient defender managed to avoid missing any time. Baker did, however, miss the final two games of last season with a fractured shoulder.
This will deal another blow to a Cardinals defense that lost most of its top 2022 personnel this offseason. J.J. Watt retired, and Zach Allen and Byron Murphy left in free agency. Arizona’s new regime dropped Markus Golden as well. The team bailed on three-year starter Isaiah Simmons late this summer, dealing him to the Giants.
To replace Baker on their 53-man roster, the Cardinals signed Qwuantrezz Knight off the 49ers’ practice squad. A San Francisco UDFA last year, Knight spent the season on the team’s practice squad and signed a reserve/futures deal in January. Knight has yet to play in a regular-season game.
NFL Injury Updates: Burrow, Richardson, Barkley, Thomas
Bengals fans have been plenty frustrated with the team’s return on investment from quarterback Joe Burrow‘s record-breaking extension. Through two games, Burrow has averaged 152 yards per game while throwing two touchdowns and an interception. People were concerned about the calf injury that forced him out of practice early in training camp this summer and how it would affect him as the season began. Burrow has pointed to that injury as a big reason for some of his early struggles, according to Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network.
Morrison noted that Burrow spoke “with a level of concern” after today’s game when addressing his right calf. He claimed to have tweaked his calf in today’s loss to the Ravens. Not only did he consider it a factor today, and likely last week, but he also thought there was a chance that it could end up being a tight rope that he is forced to walk for the remainder of the season.
It’s not difficult to see that the Burrow we’ve seen so far this year has been far from what we’re used to seeing in recent years. It will be interesting to see how the Bengals move forward with the handling of Burrow’s calf. Pushing him too hard could result in an extended absence, while a short reprieve of a week or two could help him get on top of a recovery that seems to be troubling him. There’s a lot of season left to go, and the Bengals will be keeping a close eye on Burrow in the days and weeks to come.
Here are a few other updates from around the NFL:
- Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson got off to a hot start in the second game of his NFL career, rushing for two touchdowns early in today’s divisional matchup with the Texans. Richardson had to exit the game in the first half, though, after sustaining a concussion that would hold him out for the remainder of the contest. Richardson was replaced by backup quarterback Gardner Minshew, who helped secure the team’s first win of the season. Richardson will need to go through concussion protocols in order to return to the field. This season, the protocols for return take about five days to get through, meaning Richardson absolutely has a chance to return for Week 3 if he can pass the necessary tests. If not, Minshew will continue to play in relief.
- Giants running back Saquon Barkley was injured in the final two minutes of today’s win over the Cardinals. He was obviously kept out of the remainder of the game but was visibly upset on the sideline while surrounded by trainers. They taped Barkley’s ankle, but he continued to walk with a significant limp. According to Jordan Raanan of ESPN, an x-ray was performed after the game, while Barkley was still experiencing some swelling and discomfort. It has now been reported as a sprained ankle, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, meaning New York may have dodged a giant bullet, forgive the pun. While this bodes well for Barkley’s season-long prospects, the short week will not be his friend. Expect the Giants to exercise caution and, barring a miracle recovery, hold Barkley out for their Thursday night matchup against the 49ers. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Barkley will undergo an MRI tomorrow in order to determine the severity of the injury and gain an idea of just how much time he may miss.
- Joining Richardson above, Commanders tight end Logan Thomas left the team’s win over the Broncos today with a concussion that he sustained after getting clobbered over the middle by Denver safety Kareem Jackson. Jackson was ejected for the hit. Backup tight ends John Bates and Cole Turner both got significant run in Thomas’ absence and will continue to do so if he isn’t able to return next week.
- Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney (knee), Cowboys right guard Zack Martin (ankle), and Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (ankle) all sustained injuries today that kept them out of their respective games. Reports from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Jane Slater and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tell us that none of these injuries are considered serious.
Cardinals Place DE L.J. Collier On IR
2023 presented a needed change of scenery for L.J. Collier, but his debut season with the Cardinals has been interrupted. The former first-round defense end has been placed on injured reserve, per a team announcement. 
Collier is dealing with a biceps injury, and today’s moves means he will be sidelined for at least four weeks. Head coach Jonathan Gannon has not given specifics regarding the severity of the ailment, however, so he could be shut down for an even longer stretch. In any case, his bid to rebuild his value in a new setting has taken a blow, and Arizona has lost a starting member of its defense.
The 28-year-old had a highly disappointing four year run with the Seahawks, never seeing a snap share above 49% during his time with the team. He found himself a healthy scratch at times, so it came as no surprise that he departed in free agency. Likewise, few eyebrows were raised when it was learned his one-year Cardinals pact is worth the veteran minimum. Collier thus has plenty at stake this season, one in which signficant playing time should be available to him upon return.
The TCU product started in Arizona’s Week 1 loss, and he should remain a key figure in the team’s defensive front (one which lost J.J. Watt to retirement and saw Zach Allen depart in free agency this offseason). For the sake of tomorrow’s contest, at least, Eric Banks will likely be tasked with taking on a large role in the edge rush department. The latter was one of the Cardinals’ practice squad elevations for Week 2, the other being cornerback Quavian White.
To fill the open roster spot created by Collier’s injury, Arizona has signed safety Andre Chachere to the active roster. The veteran special teamer logged nine total snaps last week after being designated as one of the team’s gameday taxi squad elevations. Chachere was claimed off waivers in May from the Eagles, then stashed on the practice squad following roster cutdowns. In the meantime, Collier will turn his attention to recovery in the hopes of resuming his Cardinals campaign and helping his free agent stock come the offseason.