The Arizona Cardinals sent their third player to the IR in as many days on Wednesday
For the third season in a row, the Arizona Cardinals are sending players to the IR at an alarming rate over the last several weeks of the season. On Wednesday, they placed tackle D.J. Humphries on IR.
It looked like he would a possibility to play this weekend after missing the game in Green Bay last Sunday. However it was not to be and now Humphries follows guard Mike Iupati and receiver Christian Kirk this week to the IR.
Humphries becomes the 13th player to go on the IR since the season began. No one has been designated to return. At this point, why would they?
Last season and the season prior the Cardinals ended much the same, sending a number of players to the season-ending list. They had 16 players on IR at season’s end in 2017.
It makes one wonder just why this happens? Sure, it’s football and there will always be injuries. However the Cardinals now have consecutive seasons with major injuries to key players.
Is it conditioning? Is it just plain bad luck? It might be a combination. Who knows? What we do know is it is getting tiresome talking about injuries.
There has been as much talk about injuries over the last two plus seasons as there has been about losing football games. What changes can be made will be decided later.
For now, the Cardinals have an offensive line that just looks nothing like they one they broke camp with in August. Unfortunately it was an area already struggling and looking for depth.
Humphries will be back next season but Iupati likely won’t. Five of the 13 players on IR are on the offensive line. That’s just downright offensive.
It should be priority number one in the offseason along with receiver. Those two areas on the offensive side of the ball need the biggest help.