Cardinals release P Nolan Cooney, sign 2 to active roster

TEMPE — The Arizona Cardinals released punter Nolan Cooney on Tuesday, the team announced.

And as one punter heads out, another heads in, with Arizona signing Blake Gillikin to the 53-man roster.

The Cardinals’ roster moves didn’t stop there, either, with the team signing safety Joey Blount from the practice squad.

Arizona also signed defensive lineman Phil Hoskins to the practice squad.

Cooney, who beat out Arizona State product Matt Haack this training camp, heads elsewhere after averaging 45.5 yards per punt with a long of 56 through four games played. Just two of his 13 punts were inside the 20-yard line.

His final showing as a Cardinal in 2023 was arguably his worst, averaging 39 yards per punt in Arizona’s 35-16 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Cooney’s departure makes way for Gillikin.

Joining the New Orleans Saints in 2020 as an undrafted free agent out of Penn State, the 25-year-old played in every game the past two seasons.

During that span, he averaged 47 yards per attempt and landed 61 punts inside the 20-yard line, highlighted by a Saints franchise record of 32 in 2022.

Despite his recent success in New Orleans, Gillikin was released after training camp and has yet to play in 2023.

Blount heads to the 53-man roster after originally signing on with Arizona’s practice squad on Sept. 18, the same day star Budda Baker was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

The 6-foot-1, 201-pound Blount played 11 games for the Seattle Seahawks last season after joining them as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia. He recorded eight special teams tackles and a fumble recovery.

Hoskins meanwhile appeared in eight games with the Carolina Panthers the past two seasons after joining their ranks as a 2021 seventh-round pick out of Kentucky.

He recorded one sack, six tackles and a QB hit as a Panther.

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