The Arizona Cardinals will be without running back James Conner for at least the first four games of the season. According to Arizona Sports 98.7 FM's John Gambadoro, the Cardinals are placing Conner on injured reserve and designating him to return.
It is a move that teams can do for up to two players. They can place them on injured reserve and designate them to return, bypassing the 53-man active roster. Anyone other than that must be on the active roster for at least one day before going on injured reserve to be eligible to return during the season.
Conner missed the final 14 games last season with a severe ankle injury. He did not start training camp on PUP, but over the more than a month of practices, he did not do more than participate in individual
position drills.
He cannot practice for at least two weeks. After that, he can have a 21-day practice window opened to prepare for activation. The earliest he can come back is in Week 5 against the Detroit Lions.
Conner beginning the season on injured reserve could mean that running back Evan Hull, the standout in Friday's preseason finale, makes the roster, especially since rookie Jeremiyah Love has an ankle injury and, while trending in the right direction, might have to miss at least the first game of the season.
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Arizona Cardinals RB James Conner will begin season on injured reserve
