youngster Darius Robinson is placed on injured reserve by the Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals placed rookie defensive lineman Darius Robinson, offensive lineman Christian Jones and running back Tony Jones Jr. on injured reserve with 53-man roster cuts coming down Tuesday.
Both Robinson (calf) and Christian Jones (ankle) have been designated to return at some point this season and could be back by Week 5. Tony Jones (shoulder) is done for the season.
Arizona also waived/injured tight end Sage Surratt.
Robinson went down with the calf issue during the closed portion of Thursday’s practice, head coach Jonathan Gannon said Friday.
The rookie defensive lineman joined the Cardinals as the No. 27 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Missouri Tiger jumped off the page thanks to his versatility along the defensive line, especially after registering 8.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss as a fifth-year senior.
From all indications, his play has translated at the next level, with Robinson among Arizona’s biggest standouts throughout training camp.
“The sky’s the limit for the kid,” veteran defensive lineman L.J. Collier said Wednesday. “I’m not one of those people that tries to get in your ear. I like to let people play free. I feel like if we leave him be and let him be where he needs to be, I feel like he ain’t going to have no drop off.
“I feel like he might have some things here and there, but I feel like the kid’s going to ball this year. Arguably might be Defensive Rookie of the Year if he stays on the track that I think he’s going to be on.”
Christian Jones went down with an ankle injury in the preseason finale against the Denver Broncos. Gannon said Monday that the lineman’s X-ray came back negative but was still undergoing testing.
The lineman joined the Cardinals this past April as a fifth-round draft pick out of Texas.
Tony Jones also went down against the Broncos.
How does the defensive line shake out with Darius Robinson sidelined?
Robinson was squarely in the mix to command a starting role along the defensive line — even if he was listed as a backup on the depth chart.
With Robinson sidelined, Bilal Nichols, Roy Lopez and Justin Jones are expected to start along the defensive line.
Nichols and Jones are the newcomers to the room after inking three-year deals with the Cardinals this offseason. An influx of talent was needed for one of the worst defensive lines in the league.
Jones is coming off 4.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 17 QB hits with the Chicago Bears in 2024. Nichols registered 1.5 sacks, four tackles for loss and two QB hits for the Las Vegas Raiders.
On top of their play, the duo also brings with them availability. Nichols has started in nearly every game (65) since 2020, while Jones has posted full seasons of work in back-to-back years.
Collier and second-year pro Dante Stills should also have prominent rotational roles.
The veteran didn’t get a chance to show Cardinals fans much last year thanks to a torn bicep in Week 1 but did put together a decent camp and preseason this year.
Stills meanwhile registered 3.5 sacks, five tackles for loss and five QB hits across 15 games (eight starts) as a rookie.
