Mike LaFleur: Kaleb Proctor may have been able to return in December

Arizona Cardinals rookie fourth-round pick Kaleb Proctor’s season ended before it started when he suffered a torn meniscus during organized team activities and was placed on injured reserve.

When a player is placed on IR before the season starts, it means they are done for the year.

However, Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur told reporters Friday that Proctor may have been able to return in December, but the team was being cautious.

“It just was not good in terms of for this year,” LaFleur said. “Could he maybe have made it back by December, stuff like that, maybe, but it just wasn’t worth it to try to rush it at that point.”

LaFleur added that he feels for the young defensive lineman, especially being a rookie who traveled across the country (from Louisiana), but that Proctor is in good spirits.

“You feel for the player. They love this game,” LaFleur said. “You’re still part of this, man. Be around, be in those meetings, be around the players, attack your rehab, soak it all in and bottle that up so when you get back healthy, maybe you could find a gear that you didn’t even know you had.

“Try to make this a blessing in disguise. So, his spirits have been great. I saw him today. He’s ready to attack it.”

The Cardinals took Proctor in the fourth round out of Southeastern Louisiana. The 6-foot-3, 280-pound lineman played all four years at the FCS university because he believed if he played well enough, scouts would find him.

He proved that to be true with a breakout senior year led by a career-high 13 tackles for loss and nine sacks. He also defended two passes and collected more than 40 total tackles for a second consecutive year.

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