Cardinals designate 3rd-round pick Elijah Jones to return from IR
Dec 5, 2024, 11:08 AM | Updated: 11:09 am
Darius Robinson was not the only Arizona Cardinals rookie whose NFL debut was delayed by injury.
Cornerback and 2024 third-round pick Elijah Jones has yet to play after suffering a heel injury during Arizona’s final preseason game, but the team opened his practice window Thursday ahead of the final five weeks.
Arizona designated Jones to return off injured reserve, and thus the Cardinals have 21 days to activate him or lose him to IR for the season.
Jones was the second of three cornerbacks Arizona drafted in April after second-round pick Max Melton. He was the No. 90 overall pick out of Boston College, where he earned first-team All-ACC honors in 2023, his sixth collegiate season. He played primarily outside and provides length at 6-foot-2.
Jones made the Cardinals’ 53-man roster out of training camp before landing on IR.
Elijah Jones, ballhawk 🖐 pic.twitter.com/dhecAEDWnF
— Boston College Football (@BCFootball) April 15, 2023
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At the very least, Jones will receive practice reps ahead of consequential games to get his feet wet.
The 24-year-old rejoins a young group of corners in practice who have held down the position all year.
Sean Murphy-Bunting is the only active cornerback with more than two years of experience while Melton, Garrett Williams, Starling Thomas V and Kei’Trel Clark round out the position. Thomas and Williams have played the most snaps.
The Cardinals face the Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers to end the regular season with aspirations to make the playoffs with a 6-6 record at present.
