Ideally, quarterback Kyler Murray will step right in and play these last two games, but an illness has sidelined him this week in practice. Thanks to the fact Murray has not yet practiced for the upcoming Week 17 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Arizona Cardinals may need to turn to quarterback Clayton Tune if his situation doesn’t improve come Sunday. Update: Kyler has returned to practice as of Friday morning.
The Cardinals have also had a few others not suiting up for practice, with Jonathan Ledbetter being among the more notable names. Ledbetter, however, will not return this season, so expect younger talent to step up and try to prove that they deserve a spot on the Cardinals roster next season. And finally, Marquise Brown continues to struggle with a heel injury, so he also has not practiced, and he also will miss the final two games.
Arizona Cardinals have a few names that will be questionable in Week 17
Zaven Collins (ankle) is another notable name that landed on the injury report, and he’s one of those players who would benefit from every in-game rep. Collins hasn’t performed to expectations in his first year as an EDGE rusher, so missing time is not the ideal situation for the third-year pro.
Leki Fotu has recently been cleared to practice after sustaining a hand injury in November, and he has also been limited. Other notable Arizona Cardinals players limited this week include Andre Chachere (shoulder), Owen Pappoe (ankle), Victor Dimukeje (foot), Bobby Price (quad), Kevin Strong (knee), and Garrett Williams (knee).
As you can see, there are quite a few notable role players listed on this week’s injury report, including rookies Pappoe and Williams. Dimukeje has also exceeded expectations this year, and you can argue he’s been a greater asset than Collins, so it would be demoralizing if he or any of the aforementioned rookies missed a matchup pivotal to their individual development. We will get more information on who will be available later today and tomorrow.
Source: Injury Report: Week 17 vs Eagles by Zach Gershman, AZCardinals.com