Cardinals notes: Why does Michael Wilson practice with broken ribs?

TEMPE — Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson was given the option to take a step back in practice this week and rest given he played last Sunday through two broken ribs.

Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur knew that was a futile ask, however.

Wilson was back on the field Wednesday and Thursday with the yellow non-contact jersey on, and he was very clear this week why he values practice to a degree that even multiple broken ribs will not keep him away.

“I dealt with some broken ribs in college and I kind of didn’t really practice,” Wilson said. “Maybe took one or two reps during the week and quite frankly had a terrible game. And so ever since then I’m like, I’m not doing that again. I’m going to practice even if I’m out there hurting. And so I kind of learned my lesson from that.”

Veterans take the first day of practice off all the time. Four Cardinals were nonparticipants due to rest just on Wednesday.

But Wilson said he would rather practice even if he would feel a little better physically without it.

“Gotta find a way to get your work in,” Wilson said.

The wide receiver said he has felt better this week and is optimistic that he is trending in the right direction.

The Cardinals need him, especially with wide receivers Kendrick Bourne and Jalen Brooks out for the season.

Tyler Allgeier asked to help on special teams, then he won Player of the Week

Lafleur did not want Tyler Allgeier to be thrown off guard entering last Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys.

With Jeremiyah Love back from injury and Bam Knight performing well, Allgeier was set to become the third-down back, a drop from his previous RB1 status on the depth chart.

A few days later, Allgeier had won the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the first time, as he took over the game in Dallas after Knight and Love exited with injuries.

“I didn’t know how many carries he was going to get, Jeremiyah and Bam were going to split the fair share of it on first and second down,” LaFleur said. “I brought him in on Wednesday just to kind of let him know what his role was going to be.”

“‘Can I help out more on special teams?” LaFleur recalled Allgeier asking. “That’s not a fake story, that’s a real story and then look what happens four to five days later.”

Allgeier had two carries in the first half and finished the game with 147 rushing yards, 44 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Love is now on injured reserve, while Knight’s status is to be determined as he was in concussion protocol. James Conner is on IR and not expected to return this week.

“The effort and the performance that he put on Sunday was tremendous,” tight end Trey McBride said. “Everything that he went through from being the starter to being the third-string to then the guys get hurt. He goes in there and has a career day for himself. I thought that was really cool.”

Allgeier looks primed to carry the load against the Seattle Seahawks, although he probably won’t have to take every carry this time.

Trey McBride, the running back?

LaFleur said wide receiver Devin Duvernay may have gotten carries if something happened to Allgeier on Sunday, but someone else spoke up to throw their hat in the ring … sort of.

McBride joked in the locker room at halftime that he could carry the ball if needed.

“I was talking to the running back coach,” McBride said. “I said, man, if you need me to take a few snaps, like show me the footwork, tell me where to go. I was totally kidding … I don’t really want carries.”

The Cardinals are certainly better off having McBride continue to run routes instead.

Max Melton has kick return traits

One of the biggest plays of the Cardinals’ comeback on Sunday was a 36-yard kick return late in the fourth quarter from cornerback Max Melton.

The Cowboys had kicked a field goal to get ahead 27-17 with less than four minutes to play, and Melton’s return put the offense in position to cut the deficit to one possession quickly.

What made that moment so unexpected was that Melton had never returned a kickoff in an NFL or college game before. He had one punt return at Rutgers, but he has not been a returner at any point since the Cardinals drafted him in 2024 except for on the practice field.

“When you have a defensive player returning, the No. 1 priority is always ball security and he has absolutely stayed connected to that throughout his preparation since the offseason,” special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial said.

“Obviously he’s got real speed, but again, it’s almost like having an offensive player back there that understands the importance of how to hold onto the ball, how to set up blocks because he definitely has those traits. If he gets another opportunity, that’d be awesome.”

Ghobrial said the Cardinals will look at a few options to return kicks this week.

Arizona’s kick return leaders this year are Duvernay and Brooks, and Duvernay may be needed more on offense given the number of receiver injuries.

Trey McBride caught trash talking

McBride is a talker when he is on the field, and this past week, TV microphones caught him giving Cowboys rookie defensive back Caleb Downs a hard time.

After a catch along the home sideline, McBride asked Downs, “You’re a first rounder? For what?”

McBride said he does not love the reputation of being a trash talker, but he gets lost in the moment while competing.

“I play with a lot of passion,” McBride said. “I play with a lot of big personality, and when I’m out there, I just kind of turn into a different person. … It’s been fun. I don’t want that to be a part of my game, but at the same time, I’m not going to change who I am.”

McBride called it a learning moment with all the microphones along the sideline where it happened, but he explained that it is all in good fun from his perspective.

Trey McBride with a message to Caleb Downs pic.twitter.com/71aLoNKG2F

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 1, 2026

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