If you’re a fan looking at the injury list Arizona Cardinals are lugging into this 2026 offseason, I genuinely feel for you. It’s not just a list. It’s a novel. At one point in early January, the team had 25 players on season-ending lists, with 24 specifically parked on Injured Reserve. That is objectively insane. When you have nearly half of your active roster spots occupied by guys in walking boots or coming out of anesthesia, you aren't just "unlucky." You're basically running a localized hospital.
Honestly, the state of the roster at the end of the 3-14 campaign felt like a "Who’s Who" of players you actually wanted to see on the field. Instead, we spent the final weeks watching guys like Kalen King and Rivaldo Fairweather—players poached off other teams' practice squads—just so the Cardinals could field a team against the Rams. It’s been a rough ride.
The Kyler Murray Situation: Foot, Future, and Frustration
Let's talk about the elephant in the room. Kyler Murray. He hasn’t taken a snap since Week 5. That foot injury basically derailed the entire season. Coach Jonathan Gannon shut him down officially in early December because the foot just wasn't "right." Gannon even mentioned Kyler went out of state for a second opinion. When your franchise QB is flying across the country to find out why his foot still hurts two months later, things are officially in the "it's complicated" phase.
There’s a lot of noise about whether he’ll even be the starter in 2026. Jacoby Brissett did an admirable job—honestly, the offense looked more cohesive with Brissett at times—but the financial reality is a nightmare. Cutting Kyler would trigger a dead cap hit that looks like a phone number.
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- Injury Status: Foot (Injured Reserve)
- Outlook: Questionable for training camp; trade/release rumors swirling.
The Skill Position Graveyard
It wasn't just Kyler. The 2025 season felt like a targeted attack on the Cardinals' playmakers. Marvin Harrison Jr., the guy everyone was looking to as the future of the franchise, ended the season on IR with foot and heel issues. It’s a bummer. You want your star rookie wideout getting reps, not physical therapy.
Then you look at the backfield. James Conner went down with a foot injury. Trey Benson, the rookie who was supposed to be the "lightning" to Conner's "thunder," ended up with a meniscus tear in his knee. It’s hard to establish a run game when your top two options are watching from the sidelines in hoodies.
Notable Offensive Skill Injuries:
- Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR): Foot/Heel - On IR to end the season.
- Trey Benson (RB): Knee (Meniscus) - Season-ending surgery.
- James Conner (RB): Foot - Sidelined late in the year.
- Tip Reiman (TE): Ankle - Major injury for the rookie blocker.
The Trenches Took a Beating
You can’t win in the NFL if your offensive line is a revolving door of backups. Paris Johnson Jr. lost the end of the season for the second year in a row. That’s a worrying trend for a franchise cornerstone. Jonah Williams? Same story. Shoulder issues ruined his year.
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On the defensive side, the high-profile rookie Walter Nolen III was a bright spot, but even he only managed six games before a non-contact knee injury required surgery in late December. He looked dominant for those six games, though. If he can get back to 100%, he's a game-changer, but "if" is doing a lot of heavy lifting there.
Defensive Secondary: A Massive Question Mark
If you think the offense had it bad, look at the cornerbacks. Garrett Williams suffered a torn Achilles in Week 16. That is a brutal injury for a corner. It almost guarantees he’ll miss the start of the 2026 season, and it puts a massive dent in a secondary that was already struggling.
Sean Murphy-Bunting missed the entire season on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list with a knee issue. Starling Thomas V? Torn ACL in training camp. Basically, if you were a Cardinals defensive back this year, you were probably more familiar with the training room than the end zone.
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The Defensive Casualty List:
- Garrett Williams (CB): Achilles tear. Likely to miss part of 2026.
- Walter Nolen III (DL): Knee surgery. High expectations for return.
- Mack Wilson Sr. (LB): Ribs. Ended his season on IR.
- Justin Jones (DL): Missed significant time with various ailments.
- Bilal Nichols (DL): Knee issues kept him off the field most of the year.
Why This Matters for 2026
The injury list Arizona Cardinals are currently managing is going to dictate their entire offseason strategy. With the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 draft, they have a massive decision to make. Do they grab a quarterback because Kyler’s health and future are uncertain? Or do they grab a tackle to protect whoever is back there?
The cap situation is also tight. They only have about $18.9 million in effective space. They might have to cut some veterans—names like Sean Murphy-Bunting or even Dalvin Tomlinson—just to afford to fix the holes these injuries created.
Actionable Next Steps for Following the Cardinals Roster
If you're trying to keep track of this mess as we head toward the draft, here’s how to stay updated:
- Watch the Combine Medicals: Keep a close eye on the reports coming out of Indianapolis in February. Teams often leak info about their own players' recovery timelines during this week.
- Monitor the Post-June 1st Cuts: The Cardinals might wait until June to move on from high-priced, injured vets to spread out the cap hit.
- Check the "Designated to Return" Status: Once training camp starts, pay attention to who starts on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list. If Garrett Williams or Walter Nolen III start there, they aren't ready.
- Follow Darren Urban: The team's official writer is usually the best source for "real" updates versus the speculation you see on social media.
The 2025 season was a disaster fueled by a training room that never had an empty bed. For the Cardinals to turn it around in 2026, they don't just need better players—they need better luck.