There is a ‘chance’ James Conner can play vs. Rams, coach Jonathan Gannon says

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner was dominant in the first half of Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers, but he exited in the third quarter with a knee injury.

On Monday, head coach Jonathan Gannon said there is a chance he could play this weekend at the Los Angeles Rams, but he is still being evaluated.

“Absolutely there’s a chance, so we’ll kind of see how the week goes,” Gannon told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo. “I know James wants to play. Still kind of evaluating the severity of it, but if he’s healthy, and I just told the media in there today, if they’re healthy enough, they will play. We’ll try to get everyone going. And I know they want to play.”

When it comes to RB James Conner’s status, Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said the team will “see how he goes throughout the week.” pic.twitter.com/XMJ2B40SSY

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) December 23, 2024

The Cardinals’ loss to Carolina ended their playoff chances with two games to play. That said, Gannon was clear the protocols with injured players does not change.

“I always think about the player’s health first, we’ll do what’s best for the players first and then for us,” Gannon said. “So if they’re healthy enough to play, they’ll play.”

The Cardinals are dealing with a number of other injuries, as right tackle Jonah Williams went down during Sunday’s game, while left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. and linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. missed the Week 16 matchup.

Arizona has to operate on a short week with their game in Los Angeles scheduled for Saturday night. The first injury report of the week will be released on Tuesday instead of Wednesday, giving some potential insight into Conner’s outlook.

Conner carried the ball 15 times for 117 yards and a touchdown. He also caught four passes for 49 yards.

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