Training camp is back in full swing, which unfortunately means that injuries are already beginning to pile up for teams around the league. Friday, the Arizona Cardinals lost cornerback Jaden Davis to a season-ending injury as he was placed on the IR. It remains to be seen what the exact nature of the injury was (currently listed as undisclosed), though he was seen limping off the field with a trainer.
Davis was the Cardinals' seventh-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. After being one of the final cuts, he spent the majority of last season on the practice squad, totaling just three games played on special teams.
Given his draft pedigree, quiet season, and the Cardinals' depth at the position, this isn't going to be a significant loss. It's still unfortunate for Davis, who is no stranger to the IR after dealing with a knee injury last year.
In the meantime, the Cardinals will fill the void with the signing of cornerback Quinton Newsome.
Quinton Newsome gets another NFL chance after standout UFL season
Newsome was in the same draft class as Davis, but went undrafted out of Nebraska. He then landed with the Denver Broncos, spending time on their practice squad. More recently, he played 10 games for the UFL's Houston Gamblers, totaling 43 tackles as one of the team's best defensive playmakers.
As Zach Gershman of ArizonaCardinals.com notes, Newsome was one of four players to try out for the Cardinals earlier this week. It remains to be seen if they would've signed him regardless given their crowded cornerback room, though Davis' untimely injury certainly made that decision easier.
While depth may not be an issue, Arizona's starters in the secondary need to improve on last season's performance. They surrendered 230.8 passing yards per game, which ranked 9th-worst in the league. The Cardinals got in too many shootouts last year, which isn't a sustainable formula when you have a below-average starting quarterback in Jacoby Brissett.
Replacing Davis with Newsome may not change that outcome in the scheme of things; nonetheless, it's an important storyline for someone who gets another chance in the NFL after proving his worth in the UFL.
Hopefully Davis can bounce back from yet another injury to change his career trajectory at just 25 years old. The silver lining is it creates an opportunity for Newsome to fulfill his NFL dream, an incredibly underrated aspect of all these training camp battles and signings.
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