The Arizona Republic

Humphries is sixth OL to go on IR

- Bob McManaman MARK J. REBILAS/USA TODAY SPORTS Reach McManaman at bob.mcmanaman@arizonarep­ublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @azbobbymac and listen to him live every Tuesday afternoon between 3-6 on 1580-AM The Fanatic with Roc and Manuch and every Wednesd

Of all the knee injuries that Cardinals’ players have suffered this season, it’s almost impossible to believe that the one knee everyone seemed to worry about the most never buckled.

Sam Bradford got off easy.

As for the offensive linemen that used to block for him before the quarterbac­k was released back on Nov. 3, they haven’t been as lucky. The Cardinals lost their sixth offensive lineman to injured reserve on Wednesday when it was announced left tackle D.J. Humphries has been lost for the final month of the season because of a troublesom­e right knee.

Coach Steve Wilks wouldn’t identify exactly what the injury is or whether it might require surgery.

Humphries’ departure means the Cardinals now are officially without every single one of the O-line starters with whom they planned to open the season when the team first reported to training camp. Four of them have been knocked out with knee injuries.

“We can’t worry about what we don’t have at this time of the year,” Wilks said. “We just have to go out and execute.”

Asked if he’s ever seen one position group get as decimated as this at any stop during his coaching career Wilks said, “This is probably the most I’ve seen.”

The carnage started early when veteran A.Q. Shipley went down with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the team’s annual “Red & White” practice. That injury was damaging enough in that Shipley had been the only Cardinals’ offensive lineman not to miss a game much less a single snap the previous two seasons combined.

“It’s a very unfortunat­e situation for him and the team,” Wilks said at the time when announcing the news on Shipley. “It’s going to be an opportunit­y for other guys to step up at this particular time, particular­ly Mason Cole.”

Cole, the Cardinals’ rookie center out of Michigan, is the last man standing on a completely revamped offensive line that will meet the Detroit Lions on Sunday at State Farm Stadium. The thirdround pick has been nothing but durable, however, as Sunday’s game will mark his 117th consecutiv­e start dating back to his freshman year of high school in Tarpon Springs, Fla.

For swing tackle John Wetzel, who has proven to be a reliable backup and starter at either side in a pinch, it wasn’t a knee that landed him on IR last month. It was a fracture in his neck. Ten days after he went down, the Cardinals also lost starting right guard Justin Pugh to a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee. He had been playing with a broken hand.

Also landing on IR in recent days were starting left tackle Mike Iupati (knee) and guard Jeremy Vujnovich (hamstring).

Last week, the Cardinals decided to cut their starting right tackle, Andre Smith, after signing him to a two-year deal worth $8 million last spring. Smith was too slow and not strong enough in pass or run blocking to keep around, so the Cardinals turned to rookie Korey Cunningham, their seventh-round pick.

Cunningham, though, never got to play right tackle because he was already playing in place of the injured Humphries, who missed the previous three games before being placed on injured reserve. Cunningham will make his fourth start on Sunday and he’ll be doing it alongside a new left guard in fellow rookie Colby Gossett, a sixth-round pick who was signed off the Vikings’ practice squad.

“We’re young guys so we’ve just got to be ready when our number gets called,” Cunningham said. “You just have to have a next-guy mentality.”

The new right tackle is Will Holden, who will make his second straight start there after only re-joining the Cardinals last Thursday. The second-year pro was released in September and spent time on the practice squads of both the Colts and Saints before re-signing with Arizona.

The Cardinals ran for 182 yards during this past Sunday’s 20-17 victory over the Packers at Lambeau Field. Rookie quarterbac­k Josh Rosen had 33 of those yards with an impressive scramble and he praised his new collection of blockers and protectors.

“They’ve been battling their butts off up front,” said Rosen, who was only sacked twice in Green Bay. “It has not been a distinctiv­e change with the amount of time I’ve had in the pocket. They’re playing really hard and playing really well. There’s not really much of a drop off.”

Rosen better hope he’s right or he could end up being the next guy to land on season-ending injured reserve.

Injury updates

- After placing Humphries on the IR, the team signed OL Joe Barksdale and OL Rees Odhiambo.

- Safety Budda Baker (knee) and LB Deone Bucannon (chest) did not practice Wednesday. WR Larry Fitzgerald had a veteran's day off.

- DE Markus Golden (knee) was limited in practice. WR Chad Williams (ankle), DT Robert Nkemdiche (knee) and safety Rudy Ford (heel) were all full.

- The team also added WR Malachi Dupre, OL Denver Kirkland and DT Pasoni Tasini to the practice squad.

 ??  ?? Cardinals center Mason Cole (64) is the last man standing in a offensive line decimated by injuries.
Cardinals center Mason Cole (64) is the last man standing in a offensive line decimated by injuries.

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