Cardinals activate LB Dennis Gardeck, elevate 2 from practice squad
Oct 2, 2021, 1:36 PM | Updated: 1:55 pm
Linebacker Dennis Gardeck #42 of the Arizona Cardinals smiles while running off the field after the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at State Farm Stadium on December 08, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. The Pittsburgh Steelers won 23-17. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
Ahead of their Week 4 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, the Arizona Cardinals have activated linebacker Dennis Gardeck from the injured reserve list, the team announced Saturday.
In a corresponding move, the team elevated safety Chris Banjo and offensive lineman Eric Smith to the active 53-man roster from the practice squad.
Gardeck was placed on injured reserve on Sept. 11, right before the Cardinals opened the season against the Tennessee Titans.
A special teams captain, he posted seven sacks in 14 games last season and was coming off ACL surgery before he suffered a hand injury prior to Week 1 of this year.
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After joining the team as an undrafted free agent out of Sioux Falls in 2018, Gardeck has played in 44 games over three seasons with Arizona.
As for Banjo, he was a core member of Arizona’s special teams unit last season, who made a career-high 48 tackles. The veteran defensive back has been with Arizona since 2019 and has been in the league since 2013.
Banjo has appeared in two games for the Cardinals in 2021, recording two tackles.
Smith joined the Cardinals’ practice squad on Sept. 7 after spending the preseason with the Dallas Cowboys. Entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2017, Smith has appeared in three games in his career.
