These Cardinals players are battling for a possible spot on the final 53-man roster but will need a strong showing against the Saints.
The Arizona Cardinals have their preseason finale this weekend, taking on the New Orleans Saints on the road Saturday, provided Mother Nature doesn’t get in the way.
While the Cardinals will not play quarterback Kyler Murray or others of their starters in the finale, it will be a critical game for some players on the roster bubble.
These players are not guaranteed a spot on the final roster and will need to back up their play in practice with a positive performance under the bright lights of actual game scenarios.
Who are the bubble players who need to perform well?
Kirk is the second Cardinals player to land on the list this week before their pivotal matchup against the Rams.
The Arizona Cardinals announced a number of roster moves on Saturday on the eve of their pivotal Week 17 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. They made some additions to the roster from the practice squad and lost a second player this week to the COVID-19 reserve.
Safety Chris Banjo landed on the list earlier this week. The latest is receiver Christian Kirk. He will miss the critical game that determines whether the Cardinals will make the postseason or not.
The list is reserved for players who either test positive for the coronavirus or have close contact with someone who does. If he was placed on the list for only close contact, he can return next week after five days, provided he has no positive tests. However, if he tested positive, he would also miss the first round of the playoffs if the Cardinals win on Sunday.
Kirk finishes the season with 48 receptions for 621 yards and six touchdowns.
The Cardinals also had three elevations from the practice squad.
They elevated defensive lineman Stacy McGee as a standard elevation. He was elevated earlier this season and played one game for nine snaps.
He gives the Cardinals a sixth defensive lineman for the game.
The Cardinals also elevated defensive back Jace Whittaker and linebacker Terrance Smith as COVID-19 replacements. Smith has been elevated previously twice and played on special teams. Whittaker has played in four games this season. He likely will replace Banjo on special teams.
All four players they protected for the regular season finale have all been elevated to the active roster and played this season.
The Arizona Cardinals have protected some familiar names on the practice squad for Week 17 as they prepare for their critical game on the road against the Los Angeles Rams. According to the league transaction report, they have protected a pair of defensive linemen, a linebacker and a cornerback.
They are:
DL Michael Dogbe
DL Stacy McGee
LB Terrance Smith
CB Jace Whittaker
All four players have been elevated to the active roster for games and have played. Smith has been elevated the last two games to play special teams. Dogbe has played in three games, McGee in one and Whittaker has played in four games.
The two defensive linemen being protected suggests perhaps an injury or two among the current group of defensive linemen. The first injury report of the week will come out Wednesday afternoon.
Zane Gonzalez’ back injury means Nugent could get elevated for the second week in a row and kick for Arizona against the Philadelphia Eagles.
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The Arizona Cardinals, according to Tuesday’s NFL transaction report, have protected four players on the practice squad from being signed by another team during Week 15. Who are those players?
They are:
K Mike Nugent
TE Seth DeValve
DL Michael Dogbe
CB Jace Whittaker
Nugent and DeValve were the team’s two practice squad elevations for Sunday’s game. Kicker Zane Gonzalez suffered a back injury late last week and was unable to play. His status is currently uncertain for this week, so the Cardinals want to ensure they have a kicker on the roster for their contest in Week 15 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Nugent made all four of his field-goal attempts against the New York Giants and both of his extra points.
DeValve has been protected two weeks in a row and elevated to be the team’s third tight end for game days.
Dogbe and Whittaker both have played this season as well. With Jordan Phillps reinjuring his hamstring, the Cardinals might need Dogbe this weekend. Phillips has already been ruled out for this week.
He donated $2,500 to feed 40 Tempe families in need from a local middle school.
Arizona Cardinals rookie cornerback Jace Whittaker makes about as little as you can make as an NFL player. He has been on the practice squad all season but has been elevated to the active roster to play in some games this season, appearing in four games this season.
While some players make millions of dollars, Whittaker is on pace to make a little more than $250,000. That didn’t stop him from doing some good in the community, Peter King wrote this week.
For Thanksgiving, he donated $2,500 to help feed 40 families in need from Gilliand Middle School in Tempe.
Other Cardinals players have done similar things, but Whittaker does not have a sure future in the NFL and makes only a fraction of what regular NFL players make.
“I don’t have a big contract,” Whittaker said Saturday. “But we are all God’s children. I understand the world today, with the pandemic and the employment situation, is in need. This is my first real job ever, and my family and I thought it would be a good thing to help people. My parents raised me to be kind to everyone. Football, thankfully, is helping me do something like this.”
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, he met with the kids he assisted virtually.
This really isn’t surprising, as this tends to be the norm with multiple Cardinals players every single year.
If you needed to be reminded, NFL players are, for the most part, good young men trying to do good things and make a career for themselves.
This is great work both by Whittaker and by the Cardinals.
Evan Weaver, Evan Baylis, Michael Dogbe and Jace Whittaker are protected this week.
The Arizona Cardinals protected four practice squad players this week, making it so they cannot be signed by another team until next week. There is a new name in the four players.
According to Tuesday’s NFL transaction report, the Cardinals protected the following four players:
TE Evan Baylis
DL Michael Dogbe
LB Evan Weaver
CB Jace Whittaker
Baylis has been signed to the active roster and has played games. Dogbe was elevated this last week and plays. Whittaker has gotten playing time.
The new name is Weaver, the Cardinals’ sixth-round pick this year but did not make the team. The Cardinals do not appear to have any depth issues at linebacker but the first injury report of the week has not been released yet. It will come out Wednesday afternoon.
Baylis’ protection makes sense because of the status of tight end Darrell Daniels, who missed last week’s game with an ankle injury. Likewise, the Cardinals currently only have four defensive linemen on the 53-man roster. Whittaker gives extra depth in the secondary and special teams flexibility.
The Cardinals currently have two vacancies on the 53-man roster after safety Deionte Thompson was placed on the COVID list. More roster moves are certainly to come before Sunday.
Leki Fotu lands on injured reserve and Trevon Coley is signed to the roster.
The Arizona Cardinals made a few roster moves on Saturday, a day ahead of their Week 10 home game against the Buffalo Bills. They get a starter back from injured reserve, place a player on IR and bring three players up from the practice squad.
They protect Trevon Coley, Michael Dogbe, D.J. Foster and Jace Whittaker.
The Arizona Cardinals have made their practice squad protection for the week. They again have protected four players for Week 10 as they prepare for the Buffalo Bills.
According to the NFL transaction report, the following players cannot sign with another team.
DL Trevon Coley
DL Michael Dogbe
RB D.J. Foster
CB Jace Whittaker
All those positions have questions with injuries. Starting running back Kenyan Drake missed the last game with an ankle injury. Defensive tackle Jordan Phillips has a hamstring injury. He only played 12 snaps on Sunday. Cornerback Byron Murphy began the week on the COVID list and Drew Kirkpatrick missed the last game. Whittaker played the second-most snaps at cornerback for the team on Sunday.
Foster has been elevated to the roster multiple games this season. He played his first offensive snaps since 2017 on Sunday. He is a core special teams player.
Maxx Williams makes his return after missing since Week 1 with an ankle injury.
The Arizona Cardinals made a few roster moves on Saturday to prepare for their Week 9 battle against the Miami Dolphins. They activated one player from injured reserve, brought three players up from the practice squad and released a player.
Ward played last week on special teams. Whittaker might be needed for depth if Dre Kirkpatrick cannot play.
The Arizona Cardinals announced two roster moves on Saturday, promoting a pair of practice squad players to the active roster. NFL rules allow teams to elevate up to two players to give teams up to 55 players from which to set their 48-man game day active roster.
They elevated undrafted rookie running back Jonathan Ward for the second week in a row and also undrafted rookie cornerback Jace Whittaker.
Ward was elevated last week and was active for the Cardinals’ loss to the Detroit Lions, playing 14 snaps on special teams. He will likely have the same role against the Carolina Panthers.
Whittaker gives the Cardinals cornerback depth. Dre Kirkpatrick is questionable for the game with a concussion, so he might not be able to play. With only four corners on the roster, Whittaker would give them four for Sunday if Kirkpatrick can’t play.
Kevin Peterson will play as the team’s third cornerback if Kirkpatrick is unable to go.
