The Arizona Cardinals are looking at missing rookie defensive lineman Darius Robinson for multiple weeks. According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, imaging for the calf injury he suffered in practice on Thursday revealed it is a multi-week injury and he is a candidate to begin the season on injured reserve. It is a calf strain.
The regular-season opener is two weeks away. If he starts the season on injured reserve, he must miss at least the first four games of the season and cannot practice until Week 5.
The Cardinals must trim their rosters to 53 players by Tuesday afternoon. They can place him on injured reserve before final cuts and he can still be eligible to be designated to return after four weeks. It is a new rule this year that a team can use up to two of its designations from IR on players who were placed on the reserve before being on the 53-man roster. Previously, they must be on the active roster for at least a day or IR meant being out for the season.
Robinson, the 27th pick in the draft this year, had a great camp and preseason. He was expected to be in the defensive rotation.
We will see how many weeks the Cardinals anticipate him being out. If they feel he can come back before Week 5, then they will probably carry him on the active roster.
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