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USA TODAY Sports’ Joe Rivera and Chirs Bumbaca break down which players might be traded before the 2025 NFL trade deadline on November 4th.
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The Arizona Cardinals dropped to 2-5 following their Week 7 loss against the Green Bay Packers but did so without some of their top contributors on offense.
Cardinals running back Trey Benson was forced to miss his third consecutive game as he recovers from a knee injury he suffered during his first start of the year in Week 4 against the Seattle Seahawks on “Thursday Night Football.”
Benson was thrust into the No. 1 running back job for Arizona after James Conner suffered a season-ending ankle injury against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 3. The second-year player underwent surgery to repair his meniscus, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter and has yet to return to action.
Benson’s absence, along with quarterback Kyler Murray’s, has been a significant blow to Arizona.
With the Cardinals’ season hanging in the balance coming out of their Week 8 bye, when will Benson return?
Here’s the latest on the Cardinals’ second-year running back:
When will Trey Benson return?
Benson remains on injured reserve (IR) with the knee injury. He will miss his fourth consecutive game when the Cardinals host the Dallas Cowboys for “Monday Night Football” in Week 9.
As the Cardinals placed Benson on injured reserve (IR), it requires him to miss at least four games. This means he is eligible to return in Week 10, but the team has not provided an updated timeline since early October, stating the injury will keep him out at least the next 4 to 6 weeks.
Coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters on Nov. 1, “He’s doing well. He’s getting better.”
The running back has not practiced but the team can provide an update following their Week 9 game. He will have had a full five weeks to recover after Week 9, thanks to the team’s Week 8 bye.
Benson was the team’s leading rusher through the first four games with 29 carries for 160 yards.
The Cardinals’ offense has been anemic at times, and the hope is that Benson can provide a boost upon his return to the lineup.
Cardinals RB depth chart
Here’s a look at who the Cardinals have at RB with Benson remaining sidelined:
Bam Knight leapfrogged the other running backs into the lead role, rushing 17 times for 64 yards and a touchdown in the Cardinals’ last game. Emari Demercado returns this week after missing Week 7 with an ankle injury, but Knight should remain the lead back with Demercado and Carter on hand to spell him.
Arizona had added veteran D’Ernest Johnson to its practice squad but he was released on Oct. 28 and quickly signed by the Patriots heading into Week 9. The veteran Carter was also released on Oct. 28, then re-signed to the practice squad after passing through waivers.
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