Cardinals WR Christian Kirk ruled out for Week 5 vs. Bengals

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Christian Kirk has an ankle injury that’s turned out far better than initially thought, but he still won’t play in Week 5 against Cincinnati.

The second-year pro was targeted five times and made four catches in the Cardinals’ Week 4 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, but left the game late in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. The team has not provided further specificity as to the nature of the injury, only that Kirk seems to have avoided the worst.

“He’s come quite a ways,” Kingsbury said. “I think, like I talked about, it looked really bad on Sunday and we kind of expected the worst. But he’s come a long way in a short time. So I’m hopeful it will be sooner rather than later.”

Kirk’s fellow starting wideout Damiere Byrd is also working through an injury, so after Larry Fitzgerald, the Cardinals will have to figure out targets between KeeSean Johnson, Andy Isabella, Trent Sherfield and the recently re-signed Pharoh Cooper.

If Byrd can’t play on Sunday, Cooper may see special teams time as Kirk and Byrd are the team’s punt returners.

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