WRs Pharoh Cooper, Chad Williams reportedly released by Cardinals

Two receivers are among the first known roster cuts made by the Arizona Cardinals.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the team has released wideout and return man Pharoh Cooper, while NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport followed that Friday by with news Arizona also cut 2017 third-round pick Chad Williams.

Cooper made one catch for 11 yards in the preseason finale Thursday, a 20-7 loss to the Denver Broncos. The one-time Pro Bowler on special teams also returned two punts for four yards and returned a kickoff 33 yards.

It was his last opportunity to audition for an Arizona team that could carry six or seven receivers on the 53-man roster that must be solidified by 1 p.m. Arizona time on Saturday.

The Cardinals acquired Cooper as a waiver wire claim in mid-December after he was waived by the Los Angeles Rams while struggling to recover from an ankle injury. He did not appear as a receiver with Arizona but returned six punts over the final two games of the year.

While he set off this spring to improve as a wideout and looked capable in camp, he didn’t stand out.

Instead, second-year pro Trent Sherfield and speedy free agent addition Damiere Byrd made plays throughout spring, training camp and the preseason. While Sherfield and Cooper played on Thursday during the preseason finale, Byrd did not, a sign he had done enough to make the team.

Williams was injured much of the preseason and struggled despite earning a starting role heading into last season. The Grambling State product made 17 catches in 10 games despite earning 46 targets. He had 171 receiving yards and one touchdown during his second NFL season.

Arizona head coach Kliff Kingsbury would not say Friday morning whether the team will carry six or seven wideouts, but he did say that the players who sat against the Broncos were mostly likely to make the initial 53-man roster. That group of players, however, could still change as the Cardinals scan the waiver wire and take advantage of sitting first in the claim order.

Cooper, the Rams’ fourth-round pick in 2016, played two-plus NFL seasons in Los Angeles (2016-18). He has 25 career receptions for 190 yards and was a First Team All-Pro in 2017. He also made the 2017 Pro Bowl as a return man.

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