Cardinals sign P Michael Palardy to practice squad with Blake Gillikin injured
Dec 11, 2024, 10:40 AM
TEMPE — The Arizona Cardinals signed punter Michael Palardy to the practice squad on Wednesday.
Additionally, the Cardinals released offensive lineman Keith Ismael from the practice squad.
The move comes with punter Blake Gillikin’s status up in air after he suffered an ankle injury in his team’s 30-18 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
“If Blake’s unable to go, that’s who will punt,” head coach Jonathan Gannon said Wednesday, confirming the news.
Losing Gillikin for any amount of time would be a tough blow to Arizona’s special teams. This season, he’s averaging 44.2 net yards per punt with 19 of his 38 attempts landing inside the 20-yard line.
Per multiple reports, the Cardinals tried out a handful of punters before landing on Palardy.
The Tennessee alum entered the league as undrafted rookie free agent with the then-Oakland Raiders in 2014.
He bounced around six other NFL teams and the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts from 2014-2016 before sticking with the Carolina Panthers. He appeared in 55 games with Carolina across four seasons, averaging 40.3 net yards per punt and had 87 attempts land inside the 20-yard line.
Palardy’s run with Carolina would come to an unceremonious end in the form of a release after tearing his ACL the offseason prior and missing all of 2020.
He’s since spent time with the Miami Dolphins (2021) and New England Patriots (2022). He was signed by the Washington Commanders in 2023 but was released days later.
Giants sign Divaad Wilson off Cardinals practice squad
In addition to the Palardy news, Gannon confirmed an earlier report that the New York Giants have signed cornerback Divaad Wilson off the Cardinals practice squad.
“I am happy for his opportunity,” Gannon said of Wilson’s departure. “He loves ball. He puts everything into his craft, so good luck to him. I had a good talk with him last night.”
Wilson had appeared in two games in each of the past two seasons, logging five tackles. He made one start in 2023.
