The Arizona Cardinals cut down their roster to 53 on Sunday. There were a few notable decisions on the offensive side of the roster, particularly in the number of players kept at each position.
Arizona ultimately kept seven wide receivers instead of six, as the trio of Jalen Brooks, Simi Fehoko, and Reggie Virgil all make the initial 53-man roster.
However, the Cardinals' crowded running back room didn't get quite the same luxury as their receivers. Arizona went from a running back logjam to now having just three: Jeremiyah Love, Tyler Allgeier, and Bam Knight.
They have also placed veteran James Conner on IR, according to John Gambadoro.
The fact that there are now only three running backs, one of which is Love, could bode well for the rookie's chances of playing Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers on September 13. That's still two weeks to recover from the high ankle sprain Love suffered in his preseason debut against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Cardinals' latest cuts point to a Jeremiyah Love return
While Love's Week 1 status is currently up in the air as we head into September, the Cardinals may have felt compelled to roster a fourth player at the position if they felt his availability was in serious jeopardy.
For instance, one player who the Cardinals unfortunately cut Sunday was running back Evan Hull. He was recently the standout in Arizona's preseason finale against the Green Bay Packers, turning 16 carries into 107 rushing yards and two touchdowns. That's someone you think Arizona would like as a depth piece against the Chargers had they felt they were heading into Week 1 with just Allgeier and Knight.
We'll have to wait and see whether that's truly the case, as Love's status likely won't be determined until closer to the season opener. Of course, the Cardinals could also decide to elevate another running back from the practice squad if he's unable to go.
Even if Love does suit up, it's reasonable to temper expectations as far as volume. The No. 3 overall pick may already possess the talent to be a bell-cow in the Cardinals' offense, but as a rebuilding team with no realistic playoff aspirations, they are wisely preserving their star weapon. Following the injury, that should even be more of the case should Love ultimately suit up in Week 1.
Fortunately, they have the luxury of landing one of the league's best backups in Allgeier, which should only help Arizona's plan to preserve Love.
Even if the Cardinals now have three running backs on their initial 53-man roster, it's quite the turnaround at the position for a unit that ranked 31st in rushing yards just last season.
While the offensive line could still be improved, this should be a drastically different Cardinals rushing attack. That difference will hopefully be apparent as soon as Week 1 against the Chargers, that is, if Love is ready to make his anticipated rookie debut.
Fortunately, that appears increasingly realistic after seeing how Arizona navigated its cuts at the position.
Add us as a preferred source on Google