TEMPE, Ariz. — Cardinals running back James Conner is expected to miss multiple weeks with the knee injury he suffered in Sunday’s 34-20 loss to the Bengals, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday.
Conner is a candidate to be placed on injured reserve, the sources said.
The injury happened on Conner’s 35-yard run in the second quarter. After the game, Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said Conner’s foot might have gotten stuck in the ground when he twisted his knee. Conner went to the locker room after suffering the injury and returned to the sideline in full uniform but didn’t play another down. He was replaced by rookie Emari Demercado. Conner had 46 yards on six carries before the injury.
Gannon said Monday the Cardinals were “sorting through” Conner’s injury.
Conner leads the Cardinals (1-4) with 364 rushing yards and also has two rushing touchdowns. Quarterback Joshua Dobbs (142) and wide receiver Rondale Moore (116) are next on the team’s rushing yards list.
Conner’s injury was another blow to the Cardinals’ running back depth chart. His backup, second year running back Keaontay Ingram, has been inactive the past two games with a neck injury. The depth chart also includes Demercado and practice squad running back Corey Clement, who’s been elevated the past two games.
The Cardinals also claimed running back Tony Jones Jr. off waivers from the New Orleans Saints on Monday.
“He’s just a guy that we felt could possibly help us,” Gannon said of Jones. “He’s an instinctive guy and powerful — a good player.”