Cardinals TE Williams could be back at bye; safeties could return vs. Jets

Arizona Cardinals tight end Maxx Williams is unlikely to make a return in the near future from an ankle injury that put him on injured reserve two weeks ago. Meanwhile, safety Jalen Thompson might have a shot at leaving the IR — he is eligible to be activated having served three games on the list.

“We’ll see on Maxx. I’m hopeful. We get around that bye week, he may be ready to go,” Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury said Monday. “I know he’s been rehabbing hard and he’s anxious to get back.”

Williams sat out much of training camp with an ankle injury but appeared in Week 1. He went on IR a day after the Cardinals’ Week 2 win over the Washington Football Team but did not play in that game.

Kingsbury’s comment means Williams appears likely to miss the next three games leading into the bye: a visit to the New York jets, at the Dallas Cowboys and at home against the Seattle Seahawks.

After the Cardinals’ 31-21 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in which they played without their three top safeties, Kingsbury said he is hopeful this coming Sunday’s game against the Jets will see potentially two of those players return. Budda Baker (thumb), Thompson (ankle) and Chris Banjo (hamstring) are close to returning.

“I’m hopeful we’ll at least have a couple of them back,” Kingsbury told Bickley & Marotta of Arizona Sports. “I’m not sure how that’s going to play out. We’re going to get them out there (Tuesday) and start working with them and see how that goes.

“Hopefully, all three are (back) sooner rather than later. All three, when they’re out there, have done a nice job for us.”

Deionte Thompson played against the Panthers in place of the injured Jalen Thompson and Chris Banjo. Curtis Riley made the start with Baker out and split snaps with Charles Washington.

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