TEMPE, Ariz. — The Arizona Cardinals’ offense suffered two devastating blows on Monday.
Quarterback Gardner Minshew II likely requires season-ending surgery on his right ulnar collateral ligament, sources told ESPN, while wide receiver Michael Wilson will miss the remainder of the season due to a neck injury, offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur confirmed.
Sources indicate Minshew is seeking additional medical opinions to confirm the necessity of UCL surgery. The injury occurred on the final play of the first half against the Seattle Seahawks when linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. hit Minshew as he threw, forcing a fumble. Although Minshew appeared in pain and visited the locker room at halftime, he returned to finish the game.
With Minshew expected to be sidelined, the Cardinals plan to start rookie quarterback Carson Beck against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. The team also intends to sign veteran Josh Johnson off the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Regarding Wilson, a source told ESPN he fractured a vertebra and will likely wear a brace for six weeks to two months. LaFleur stated he is not concerned about long-term implications for the receiver.
The injury occurred on Arizona’s fourth offensive play when Wilson caught a 17-yard pass from Minshew and was tackled by Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, landing on his head. Wilson initially reported only a kink in his neck.
“He’s such a warrior that he didn’t think much of it,” LaFleur said. “And then obviously when the adrenaline wore down and he got his test today, that’s when we knew.”
Wilson finishes the season with 546 yards and two touchdowns on 51 receptions; he was on pace for a second consecutive 1,000-yard campaign. He signed a three-year, $75 million extension in September with $47 million guaranteed.
Wilson is the latest receiver lost by the Cardinals. After trading Marvin Harrison Jr. to the Houston Texans in Week 5, Arizona lost Jalen Brooks and Kendrick Bourne for the season due to wrist and ankle injuries, respectively. The active receiver corps is now down to Simi Fehoko, Devin Duvernay, Reggie Virgil, and Harrison Wallace III. Recently signed receivers Zay Jones, Shedrick Jackson, and James Proche II remain on the practice squad.
LaFleur said he has never experienced such a concentration of injuries at a single position in his career.
During a team meeting Monday, LaFleur emphasized the opportunity created by the adversity.
“A lot of opportunity for guys to go out there and show us what they got,” LaFleur said. “So, where there’s setbacks, there’s setups for success. So, we’ll go from there.”
The quarterback situation remains fluid. Beck spent last week as the second-string quarterback after serving as the emergency third quarterback for the first eight weeks.
LaFleur downplayed the need for schematic changes if Beck takes over.
“Yeah, I mean it’s not like it’s the difference between a wing-T offense and a spread offense,” LaFleur said. “Foundationally, we’re going to do a lot of the similar stuff and a lot of the stuff that Carson likes and is good at is the same stuff that Gardner likes. They like this system, and so that’s not a hard one.”
