Cardinals place Golden on IR, sign Watford to add OL depth
Arizona placed OLB Markus Golden on the injured reserve and added offensive lineman Earl Watford as another option for a depleted front.
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Markus Golden was placed on the Cardinals’ injured reserve list Monday after suffering a torn ACL, effectively ending his season, and the team also shuffled bodies along the offensive line, signing Earl Watford to his second stint with Arizona and releasing Vinston Painter.
The Cardinals drafted Watford as a fourth-round pick in 2013, and the 27-year-old played 15 games for a battered line last season. Watford signed a two-year, $6 million deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a free agent this offseason but was released on Sept. 8.
For his career, the lineman has 33 games played and 12 starts. Last year, he appeared in seven games at right guard and three at right tackle.
Arizona’s offensive line, which has allowed six sacks in each of the last two games, is again lacking depth.
Last week, left tackle D.J. Humphries suffered a setback from a knee sprain suffered in a Week 1 loss, and his return is delayed.
Left guard Mike Iupati was placed on the injured reserve, and the Cardinals also await word on whether backup left guard Alex Boone can return to take the pressure off rookie Will Holden, who started in Week 4 against the San Francisco 49ers.
Golden’s season comes to an end after he recorded 11 tackles and a stuff through four games this season.
The injury to the starting outside linebacker opens up an opportunity for fourth-year-pro Kareem Martin.
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Comments
3 Comments
Big fan of the Watford signing. Hope he's ready to play Sunday vs the Eagles. He will be needed. Hoping he can start.
I went back and looked at the last 2 games specifically at Shipley, and while I know BA loves him, I see a player who is constantly being manhandled, then completely overpowered. When Shipley isn't bracketed by Iupati and Boehm, IMO he's a liability.
Since Iupati went down, opponents seem to be constantly trying to get Shipley matched up on defensive linemen. I swear, even if he was allowed to hold, Shipley likely can't take on any defensive lineman straight up in the entire league. When Shipley gets matched up one-on-one, complete panic ensues, both Cardinal guards, and the RB immediately move to rescue him as if they know that if they leave Shipley alone, bad things will result. Several holding calls vs Boehm have come from such rescues.
Cole Toner is still on the Bengals practice squad, why not grab him? At the end of last year when Shipley went down, Toner and Boehm made for one helluva combination. Opponents weren't running over Toner, and the entire line looked so much less panicked.
I like the signing of Watford, knows the Cardinals offense and should be able to jump back in to help the line without a huge learning curve.
Just a question , still thin on the O Line, so why cut Painter, to sign Watford ?
Would think the team might like to have both on the 53 man roster, just to have some healthy bodies available.
I thought Holden did OK for his first start, at least he did not have THREE holding calls yesterday ( Boehm ).
Yes, bring up Scooby,( again ) to maybe help with the OLB position and maybe special teams...that is if they don't make him inactive on Sunday...
Like the idea of having Bucannon back at the $LB spot then maybe slide Reddick back to outside LB to rotate with K. Martin, that would keep both Bucannon and Reddick both on the field with Dansby in the middle.
Seems like we have a plethora of players on the team that BA loves, but unfortunately they cannot play a lick at this level. Sure wish SK would step in more to evaluate players. Seems like BA is just not too good at it.