Cardinals Receive Major Injury Update On James Conner

The Arizona Cardinals have designated running back James Conner to return from the injured reserve list, via Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk.

Conner played the first five games of the season before going down with a knee injury in Week 5. During his time on the field in 2023, he has rushed for 364 yards and a couple of touchdowns while averaging a robust 5.4 yards per carry.

Whether or not Conner plays against the Atlanta Falcons remains to be seen.

This is the second batch of significant injury news the Cardinals have received this week, as the club also activated quarterback Kyler Murray for the first time this year. Murray has not played since the second half of last season when he tore his ACL.

Should Conner take the field on Sunday, Arizona would be getting two crucial offensive players back in its lineup.

Conner, who played his collegiate football at the University of Pittsburgh, was originally selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

He had a very limited role during his rookie campaign, but the following year, Conner broke out, registering 973 yards and 12 scores on the ground while recording 4.5 yards per tote en route to a Pro Bowl appearance. He also caught 55 passes for 497 yards and a touchdown.

Injuries ended up derailing Conner’s four-year tenure in Pittsburgh, as he played in only 10 games in 2019 and missed three more games in 2020.

James Conner ultimately signed with the Cardinals in April 2021 and went on to have a productive debut season in the desert, finishing with 752 yards and 15 rushing scores while snaring 37 receptions for 375 yards and three touchdowns. He made another trip to the Pro Bowl for his efforts.

The 28-year-old posted similar numbers last year, totaling 782 yards and seven touchdowns as a rusher.

Arizona is just 1-8 on the season.