TEMPE — The Arizona Cardinals designated rookie Christian Jones to return from injured reserve, head coach Jonathan Gannon said Wednesday. Defensive tackle Darius Robinson and cornerback Elijah Jones, however, have yet to have their windows opened after spending the minimum of four weeks to start the season on IR.

Arizona additionally signed kicker Chad Ryland to the practice squad, placed veteran defensive tackle Angelo Blackson on the practice squad injured reserve and released practice squad offensive tackle Austen Pleasants.

Gannon added that tight end Trey McBride, who missed the loss Sunday to the Washington Commanders while under concussion protocols, will return to practice. So will defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga (knee).

The fact that Robinson’s and Jones’ windows have not opened yet makes it appear unlikely they would be ready to play this week at the San Francisco 49ers.

Jones, on the other hand, now has 21 days to be activated off the IR. He found himself on the IR due to an ankle issue suffered in Arizona’s preseason finale against the Denver Broncos.

“He’s missed a lot of time, but I thought in preseason, he did a good job of kind of the role of a tackle,” Gannon said Monday. “He can pass pro and he can generate movement in the run game. I liked where he was at. It was unfortunate the injury, but he’s ready to go.”

While Jones found himself down on the depth chart throughout training camp and preseason, the fifth-round tackle out of Texas has a shot at earning snaps given the injuries plaguing the position.

Right tackle Jonah Williams could be out for a significant chunk of the season with a knee injury, and Week 3 starter Jackson Barton is on IR with a toe issue. Arizona’s depth is mighty thin behind Kelvin Beachum.

Beachum hasn’t been impervious to injury, either, missing Week 3 with a hamstring injury that kept him limited throughout practice last week.

The veteran did make it back on the field for Sunday’s loss to the Washington Commanders, but if he were to miss any more time, that would leave Jones (if healthy) and practice squad member Charlie Heck to back him up.

Darius Robinson still on injured reserve for Cardinals

Robinson, the 27th overall pick and projected starter, was placed on the IR with a calf injury in August and hurt himself the same day as the 53-man roster cut deadline.

Even though he’s yet to take a regular season snap, getting the versatile Robinson back in the mix could be huge for a defensive line that has struggled both on the ground and through the air in recent weeks.

“I feel like the kid’s going to ball this year. Arguably might be Defensive Rookie of the Year if he stays on the track that I think he’s going to be on.”

Arizona Cardinals DL L.J. Collier is expecting big things out of rookie Darius Robinson. pic.twitter.com/J7D2xU4sa7

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) August 21, 2024

Before he went down, Robinson was among Arizona’s biggest standouts through training camp. The No. 27 overall pick out of Missouri wasted little time showing off his versatility and strength.

All signs pointed to him earning a starting role or at the very least being an integral part of the defensive line rotation right out of the gates.

Losing starting defensive tackle Justin Jones for the rest of the year with a triceps injury has only added to the struggles up front.

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The Valley Suns revealed their jerseys and announced that Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona (GCNA) will be a logo patch sponsor for the G League team’s debut season.

“Partnering with an organization that is committed to making such a positive impact in our community is the perfect fit to be featured on the Valley Suns jersey,” Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury and Valley Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein said in a release.

“Goodwill has been an incredible partner to the Suns and Mercury, and we’re excited to extend our partnership to include the Valley Suns.”

new patch partner just dropped ?

Valley Suns x @GoodwillAZ pic.twitter.com/VMnwT8feEE

— Valley Suns (@GLeagueSuns) October 2, 2024

Fans can receive two free tickets to the G League team’s home opener if they donate a bag or box of gently used items to one of five select Goodwill stores in the Phoenix area by Oct. 16.

The G League team debuts at Mullett Arena on Nov. 11 against the Stockton Kings.

The Valley Suns’ jerseys come in black and white bases, which is customary for G League squads in their first year of expansion.

The black jerseys feature white hems and “Valley” lettering. There is an orange “Suns” and orange shadowing on the numbering.

The white jerseys feature black hems, a purple “Valley” and numbers with orange “Suns” and shadowing on the numbers.

“We are thrilled to partner with another community-driven organization like the Valley Suns,” GCNA President and CEO Tim O’Neal said in a release. “Through our partnerships with the Suns and Mercury, we’ve seen that basketball fans in Arizona are not only passionate about their teams, but also about their community.

“We look forward to working with the Valley Suns and their fans to continue our mission of empowering individuals, strengthening families and building stronger communities.”

How to donate to Goodwill, earn free Valley Suns tickets to home opener

1. Drop off a bag of donations at the below five participating stores
2. Scan the QR code on the A-frame sign located near the donation drop-off area
3. Complete the form
4. Get your tickets

Donation Drive Drop-Off Locations:

• 39th Dr. & Pinnacle Peak Road: 23425 N 39th Dr #101, Glendale, AZ 85310
• Cooper Road & Chandler Blvd: 1850 E Chandler Blvd, Chandler, AZ 85225
• Ellsworth Road & Rittenhouse Road: 21437 S Ellsworth Rd, Queen Creek, AZ 85142
• 99th Ave. & Camelback Road: 10005 W Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85037
• 3rd Ave. & Van Buren: 310 W Van Buren St, Phoenix, AZ 85003

PHOENIX — The end of a season brings about evaluations and regrets, and for the Arizona Diamondbacks, the topic of injury management came up during exit interviews.

The Diamondbacks missed the postseason via tiebreakers with the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets after losing five of the last seven games. In a 6-3 defeat against the San Francisco Giants to kick off the final week, All-Star Ketel Marte was controversially out of the starting lineup, as he asked for the day while dealing with lingering effects of an ankle injury.

Any game throughout the season could have made the difference, but the final eight days stand out as a particularly grave lost opportunity.

General manager Mike Hazen and manager Torey Lovullo addressed the situation after-the-fact at Chase Field on Tuesday.

“I tried to do my best to make sure every player understood how important each game was down the stretch, and there’s an elite athlete we’re talking about that was giving everything that he possibly could and his tank was on empty,” Lovullo said. “(Marte) explained that to me, and I respected that and that’s how we worked all year long.”

“I just want to say that at some level, the team and the players you have, there has to be a trust,” Hazen added. “We trust them and understand them and listen to them and there’s a time where you push, right, and you guys don’t get to see all those things, but I do. … And that trust is, the concept of making a guy go out and play or pushing a guy and then we’re re-injuring him, which happened this year, then the conversation turns in the other direction of how did we do that. We pushed him and now he misses two and a half weeks in September.”

Marte tried to plow through an ankle injury sustained after Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs dove past second base and into his leg on Aug. 10. Marte was removed from two games after collapsing in the batter’s box and was eventually placed on the injured list for more than two weeks with a high ankle sprain.

The switch-hitter had heated back up with a 1.129 OPS over 11 games before the off day. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno were also out of that particular lineup while managing their own injury concerns.

Hazen said forcing a player in when he’s saying he cannot go is not realistic.

“Everyone’s frustrated in those situations,” Hazen said. “A player that’s hurt or is banged up is also frustrated in that situation. Like, that’s not how they want to draw it up, either. They come in and express frustration, how they’re feeling and that they may be letting people down in certain places, but it is what it is. We have to deal with it and we have to be smart about it.”

The “return to play program” became a common term with the D-backs balancing working players back in while every game is so important. Moreno could not bust down the first-base line to avoid getting thrown out against the Padres on Friday for that reason.

The Diamondbacks dealt with injuries all season, and post-mortem, more have been revealed. Lovullo said reliever Kevin Ginkel suffered a fracture in his shin after taking a comebacker against the Mets on June 1. He avoided the IL and pitched through pain until it healed. Geraldo Perdomo said he managed groin and hamstring discomfort for stretches after coming off the IL with a torn meniscus that cost him the first two months.

“At the end of the day, these guys want to get out there and play,” Lovullo said. “… It doesn’t always sound great when a player can’t play, there’s always a good reason when a player can’t play. There’s also times where a player should not be playing, but they’re tough and they want to do it for their teammates.”

The team was also criticized for situations like Eduardo Rodriguez and Alek Thomas, who suffered setbacks while on the injured list that shut them down for significantly more time.

Diamondbacks not using injuries for an excuse

The Diamondbacks’ injured list, at one time or another included starting pitchers Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Rodriguez, Ryne Nelson and Jordan Montgomery; relievers Bryce Jarvis, Kyle Nelson and Paul Sewald along with position players Moreno, Marte, Christian Walker, Perdomo, Thomas, Randal Grichuk and Gurriel, plus top prospect Jordan Lawlar in the minors.

Hazen said that injuries do not count as an excuse for missing the postseason.

“Every team’s injured,” Hazen said. “Look at the number of pitching injuries the Dodgers have taken on in their rotation. They won the division. The position player group lost Perdomo and Alek Thomas and others and we led the league in runs. So I can’t make the argument in both directions, right?

“Injuries are no excuse. Every team takes on injuries. You look at some of the teams in the playoffs right now, they’re decimated with injuries, right? I mean, Atlanta lost (Ronald Acuna Jr.) and (Spencer) Strider for the whole year, and look where they are.”

Lovullo said no offseason procedures have been outlined to him, and Hazen added he was confident there was no plan for any surgeries.

It’s just about rest and recovery for 2025 at this point with players who were banged up.

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Phoenix Suns shooting guard Grayson Allen looks ready to enter the ring after debuting his new broad-shoulder physique.

Last year, the Suns roster listed the 6-foot-4 hooper at 195 pounds. On this year’s roster, Allen is listed at 198, which is only a three-pound increase from last season.

During the team’s media day on Monday, Allen revealed that he is 35 pounds heavier than his listed weight, though he admits he had added much of that before last season began.

“Having that base of strength has helped me a lot with durability throughout the season,” Allen said on Monday.

As a muscle watch corespondent, can confirm Grayson Allen’s offseason photos translate in person. His shoulders are huge.

Allen has been slowly adding weight over the last four years and is now up to 230 pounds. He laughed at the dated 195 he was listed at last year. pic.twitter.com/6cWpVRs7vd

— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) September 30, 2024

Allen has dealt with minor injuries, including a hip injury, which he’s managed throughout most of his career. He noted that having a stronger build has helped him mitigate injuries.

He appeared in 75 games last year with Phoenix and 72 the season before with the Milwaukee Bucks.

“I’ve always felt good with a little bit more strength, a little bit more weight, a little bit more muscle,” Allen said.

Fans took to X to share their reactions to Allen’s transformation.

his neck grew 3 sizes pic.twitter.com/1KJIlUxrnt

— Mike Vigil (@protectedpick) September 30, 2024

Currently his shoulders are being disguised by Grayson Allen

— ????? (@Suns_Armband) October 1, 2024

The former Duke guard signed a four-year contract extension with the Suns in April.

Last season, during his first year in Phoenix, Allen led the NBA in three-point shooting percentage with 46.1%.

Allen tied the Suns’ franchise record for most threes in a game, sinking nine shots from behind the arc in three separate games.

The sharpshooter said his goal this summer was to continue building strength.

To achieve the look of a Baywatch lifeguard, Allen began lifting weights earlier in the offseason.

It’s clear Allen’s recent bulk-up has paid off and if he ever wants to leave the NBA, he may have a bright future in the WWE.

His nickname, ‘G-Money’, which he earned while playing at Duke, could work well in the ring.

Arizona Diamondbacks fans are now temporarily New York Mets fans.

The Mets clinched a postseason spot by winning a blockbuster first game of Monday’s doubleheader against the Atlanta 8-7, and now the Diamondbacks need a Mets sweep to clinch the final NL Wild Card spot.

A Mets win in the second leg would send the D-backs to Milwaukee to kick off the postseason.

Francisco Lindor – New York Mets (33)
pic.twitter.com/4R33irMlRM

— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) September 30, 2024

The Braves led 3-0 after seven shutout frames from Spencer Schwellenbach, but the Mets rallied to take the lead with six runs in the eighth inning. Jose Iglesias tied the game with a single to right, and Brandon Nimmo hit a two-run shot off Braves closer Raisel Iglesias.

Atlanta responded with four runs in the bottom half, three after what looked like an inning-ending diving play by Mets first baseman Pete Alonso. New York closer Edwin Diaz failed to cover first base, and Ozzie Albies took advantage with a bases-clearing, go-ahead double.

But the Mets were not done, as MVP candidate Francisco Lindor blasted the game-winning, two-run homer in the ninth inning. Diaz locked it down to cap a wild ballgame.

WHAT pic.twitter.com/NKYAKXS6o1

— Britt Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) September 30, 2024

Even with the clinch, the Mets will not be able to pop champagne bottles until the doubleheader is over, but the win gives them leeway to manage their team’s workload in Game 2.

Chris Sale scratched for Game 2

NL Cy Young favorite Chris Sale (2.38 ERA) was set to start Game 2 for the Braves with their season on the line, but he was scratched due to back spasms. Grant Holmes (3.78 ERA) will start for Atlanta.

The Mets would have run out right-hander Luis Severino if needed. Instead, left-hander Joey Lucchesi will get the ball. Lucchesi has made one appearance in the major leagues this season.

The second game will begin approximately 40-45 minutes after the end of the first on ESPN2.

Why is there a Mets-Braves doubleheader?

Two games of a critical Mets-Braves series last week were postponed due to weather caused by Hurricane Helene, and this weekend’s results created a postseason-like environment for the doubleheader.

Arizona lost two of three games against the San Diego Padres to end the regular season, thus putting its fate in the hands of either NL East competitor to knock out the other.

The D-backs entered Monday in a tough spot without having either tiebreaker. The Braves won five of seven games against the D-backs, twice in extra innings with another win after trailing Arizona 6-0. The Mets won four of seven against the Diamondbacks with three one-run victories.

The Wild Card Series begin Tuesday with the Brewers hosting the third Wild Card, while the Padres will face the second Wild Card.

Updated NL Wild Card standings

1. San Diego Padres: 93-69*
2. New York Mets: 89-72*
3. Arizona Diamondbacks: 89-73
4. Atlanta Braves: 88-73

*Clinched

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After a blowout loss to Kansas State two weeks ago, Arizona football upset No. 10 Utah 23-10 in Salt Lake City on Saturday.

The Wildcats — who were coming off a bye — were in control essentially the entire game. The Utes led in total yards (364 to Arizona’s 358), but two costly interceptions in the second half proved vital in the loss.

The Wildcats were up 10-3 at halftime, and after two field goals in the third quarter widened the lead to 13, an eight-play, 87-yard drive ending with a 35-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Noah Fifita to Keyan Burnett with eight minutes left in the game sealed the deal.

Arizona’s Noah Fifita with an absolute BEAUTY of a throw for the touchdown ?

? ESPN pic.twitter.com/lKnATYZDXf

— ESPN (@espn) September 29, 2024

Fifita finished 19-for-31 with 197 yards and two touchdowns. His first touchdown came on a 3-yard pass late in the second quarter to Jeremiah Patterson.

Burnett finished with 76 yards on five receptions, averaging 15.2 yards per catch while receiver Tetairoa McMillan recorded six receptions for 50 yards.

Utah quarterback Isaac Wilson, who started in place of the injured Cam Rising, threw for 280 yards with one touchdown in the loss.

Arizona takes on Texas Tech next week at home next week, while Utah has a bye. Following their bye, the Utes head to Mountain America Stadium to face Arizona State on Oct. 11.

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MILWAUKEE (AP) — Joey Ortiz drove in three runs for Milwaukee and the New York Mets mustered just two hits as their playoff hopes sustained another blow with a 4-0 loss to the Brewers on Saturday night.

New York (87-72) lost their third straight and fell one game behind Atlanta (88-71) in the NL wild card race when the Braves beat Kansas City 2-1 on a ninth-inning, walk-off homer from former Met Travis d’Arnaud.

The Mets are competing for the NL’s final two wild-card spots with the Braves and Arizona (88-72), which was hosting San Diego.

Both the Mets and Braves have head-to-head tiebreaker advantages over the Diamondbacks. The Mets and Braves would play a Monday doubleheader in Atlanta if their postseason fates haven’t been settled.

Ortiz put the Brewers ahead 2-0 in the fourth by looping a full-count curveball from Jose Quintana (10-10) into left-center with a bases-loaded single.

Milwaukee broke open the game in the eighth inning by scoring four runs off Reed Garrett, the first runs he allowed since Aug. 18. The outburst included an RBI single by Willy Adames, a bases-loaded walk by Ortiz and a two-run single by Andruw Monasterio.

Quintana and four relievers combined to strike out 18 — the Mets’ highest total this season. But New York was shut out for the first time since Aug. 23 and was held to two hits or fewer for just the fifth time this year.

Jose Iglesias singled in the first inning and Starling Marte hit a ground-rule double in the fifth. The only other time the Mets put a runner on base was when Iglesias drew a one-out walk in the ninth.

Quintana (10-10) entered with 22 2/3 consecutive shutout innings. He struck out nine while allowing two runs, five hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings.

After Milwaukee’s Jared Koenig pitched a scoreless first inning as the opener, Tobias Myers (9-6) took over and struck out five while allowing one hit and no walks in four innings.

Joel Payamps, Aaron Ashby, Nick Mears and Devin Williams each pitched one inning of hitless relief.

After the Brewers pulled ahead in the fourth, Marte led off the fifth with a double and advanced to third when Luis Torrens grounded out. Marte got stranded at third after Myers retired Harrison Bader on a liner to third and Luisangel Acuña on a fly to right.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: C Francisco Alvarez was out of the lineup after back spasms caused him to leave the Mets’ 8-4 loss Friday. He struck out on a pinch-hitting attempt in the eighth inning. … SS Francisco Lindor didn’t play the field and was 0 for 4 with two strikeouts as a DH, one day after returning from a sore lower back that had sidelined him for nearly two weeks. “I just thought that after having him down for 10, 11, days, to throw him back-to-back on the field is not ideal,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.

Brewers: Although an MRI revealed no structural damage, OF Sal Frelick bruised his hip when he crashed into the right-field wall attempting to make a diving catch of a foul ball Friday. The NL Central champion Brewers expect to start the playoffs without Frelick but haven’t ruled out a possible return at some point in the postseason.

UP NEXT

LHP David Peterson (9-3, 3.08) starts Sunday’s series finale for the Mets.

The Arizona Diamondbacks could not have started on a much worse foot in the first inning of what is essentially a playoff game Friday against the San Diego Padres, and defensive miscues from Ketel Marte played a key role.

The D-backs fell behind 4-0, and starter Merrill Kelly needed 31 pitches to record three outs.

Four in the first ? pic.twitter.com/qqYe3TtOQ7

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 28, 2024

Padres slugger Manny Machado hit a sharp one-hopper to Marte at second base, and the veteran infielder whiffed while trying to pick it. The first run of the game scored.

A Jackson Merrill RBI single brought D-backs manager Torey Lovullo out of the dugout to talk to his players on the mound.

The meeting apparently worked, as Kelly induced a grounder to shortstop Geraldo Perdomo for a potential inning-ending double play. But Marte struggled to make the turn and threw the relay over first baseman Christian Walker and out of play.

Another run scored on the error, and San Diego picked up one more on a David Peralta single.

The Diamondbacks, however, responded, as Corbin Carroll blasted a solo shot to lead off the bottom half against Yu Darvish. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. nearly tied the game with a deep fly ball to left, but he settled for a sacrifice fly.

Arizona cut the deficit, and may have shifted the momentum as Kelly threw a 1-2-3 second inning.

Catch the rest of the game on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app. 

Follow @AZSports

The final weekend of regular season baseball is here, and there remain so many scenarios that end with champagne showers for the Arizona Diamondbacks or an unceremonious end to their NL pennant defense.

Arizona putting together a three-game sweep of the San Diego Padres at Chase Field punches its ticket, no matter what fellow NL Wild Card contenders the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves do the rest of the way. But this situation is a bit more complicated without a perfect weekend.

The Mets and Braves play a doubleheader on Monday due to postponements from Hurricane Helene, so they each have five games left to Arizona’s three. That’s one of several reasons the magic number is a bit of a moving target here. Sure, three wins is a clinch, but two wins and one Braves loss in no way guarantees the D-backs get to jump in the pool.

Perhaps laying out the D-backs’ clinching scenarios is simpler, even if all these possibilities are a bit bell-ringing.

FanGraphs’ odds have Arizona (58.6%) slightly behind New York (76.7%) and Atlanta (64.7%) to make the playoffs entering play on Friday.

Arizona (88-71) sits in a virtual tie with New York (87-70) and one game ahead of Atlanta (86-71) without a tiebreaker over either team.

The Padres (91-68), who fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday to end their NL West chase, are three ahead of the D-backs and can lock up the top Wild Card spot with another win.

The playoffs truly start this weekend at Chase Field.

Will the Diamondbacks make the playoffs? D-backs clinching scenarios

3 wins by Arizona

Let the beer and bubbles flow, it’s over.

The Diamondbacks would jump the Padres and eliminate either the Mets or Braves with a 91-win season. This would also give the D-backs a chance to host a Wild Card Series unless the Mets finish with a 4-1 or 5-0 record. In that case, the D-backs would be off to Queens.

2 wins by Arizona

There is a reason general manager Mike Hazen was referencing the 90-win mark as significant earlier this week.

Essentially, the Mets and Braves would need to combine for four or more losses in 10 combined games left, and two of those will come Monday.

The D-backs would reach 90 wins, while the Mets and Braves eliminate the chance to both crack 90 with four more defeats between them.

That means either the Braves or Mets would have to lose at least two of three games in their respective series this weekend, or they each drop at least one. The Mets are in Milwaukee, while the Braves host Kansas City.

For example, if the Mets and Braves both win two of three games this weekend, their 89 and 88 win totals would ensure Monday’s doubleheader only decides which of the NL East rivals moves on.

If the Mets drop two of three in Milwaukee and the Braves sweep Kansas City, same deal: New York would have 88 wins and Atlanta 89. If the Braves drop two games to the Royals and the Mets sweep the Brewers, the Braves are eliminated.

1 win by Arizona

This is where it gets really tricky for the Diamondbacks.

For 89 wins to get Arizona into October, the Mets would have to finish 1-4 or 0-5, or the Braves would need to go 2-3 or worse.

The D-backs finishing with 89 wins would be enough by the end of the weekend only if the Braves get swept. That’s the lone scenario where Monday’s doubleheader would not matter for the D-backs’ postseason chances, only seeding, in this case.

No wins by Arizona

Arizona would need the Mets to lose out or have the Braves finish 1-4 or 0-5.

The D-backs would not be in a position to clinch before Monday if they are swept by San Diego.

Unfavorable matchups to help the D-backs

The Mets visit a Brewers team with absolutely nothing to play for. The Brewers are the NL Central champs locked into the third division winner spot behind the Dodgers and Phillies. Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy can manage workloads with his pitching and position players.

Frankie Montas (4.85 ERA) will start on Friday for the Brewers against Mets ace Sean Manaea (3.29 ERA).

The Braves host the Royals, whose magic number for an AL Wild Card berth is one. A Royals win or a Minnesota Twins loss would clinch a spot for Kansas City, as only the second or third Wild Card slot would be up for debate.

Brady Singer (3.73 ERA) starts for Kansas City against Atlanta’s Max Fried (3.42 ERA) in the opener.

And that is why FanGraphs’ odds have the D-backs’ odds behind the Mets and Braves to make the postseason entering play on Friday.

Doubleheader impacts Diamondbacks

Failing to clinch before Monday’s doubleheader is a tenuous possibility for the Diamondbacks.

That scenario brings up the potential nightmare of either the Mets or Braves clinching in the first game of their doubleheader and slamming the brakes to preserve their top starters, relievers and position players for a second game in which the other club needs a win to get in. If the D-backs win 90 games but both the Mets and Braves sit at 89 entering Monday, that’s a problem.

There’s also this scenario: Let’s say the D-backs finish with 89 wins, the Mets sweep the Brewers to clinch while the Braves win two of three against Kansas City. Atlanta would only need one win in two games against the Mets’ B-Team to eliminate the D-backs.

Very simply, the Diamondbacks could really use two wins to keep their odds solid — if they don’t slam the door with three.

Yes, the playoffs truly start this weekend.

Follow @alexjweiner

TEMPE — Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort made it a point to bring in players who provided a boost in the talent department and had knack of staying upright.

But even the best laid plans don’t always work out.

After starting every game across the past two seasons with Chicago, veteran defensive lineman Justin Jones’s streak came to an abrupt end three games into his Cardinals tenue due to a season-ending triceps injury suffered in last week’s 20-13 loss to the Detroit Lions.

With him now on injured reserve, it’s on Arizona’s depth within the D-line room to avoid any drop off with Jones sidelined the rest of the way.

“Definitely a huge blow. He’s a great D-lineman, great teammate, great friend. Been praying for him. Hopefully he’s doing well,” safety Budda Baker said Thursday.

“Of course, I have all the belief in all the other players to pick up that slack and to play Cardinal football at the end of the day. These other guys have an opportunity to play and just going to be exciting to see what these guys can do.”

Unlike the current depth at right tackle behind Kelvin Beachum, Arizona’s defensive line has a few options to consider, highlighted by second-year pro Dante Stills.

It’s been a couple of weeks to say the least for Stills.

After not putting much on the tape across 25 defensive snaps in Week 1’s loss to the Buffalo Bills, Stills was a healthy scratch in Arizona’s big win over the Los Angeles Rams.

Ahead of Sunday’s loss to the Lions, though, the defensive lineman was a limited participant at practice.

That didn’t stop him from making an impact come Sunday, with Stills racking up five tackles, a sack and a quarterback hit. All but one tackle came after Jones left the game with the triceps injury.

Stills stepping up in the wake of injuries isn’t anything new for the young lineman.

As a rookie, Stills was thrown into the mix early on with injuries to L.J. Collier and others along the line in 2023.

After he was a healthy inactive in Week 1, Stills went on to record 47 tackles, five of where were for loss, 3.5 sacks, five QB hits and a fumble recovery across 15 games played (eight starts).

That experience and having gone through a similar situation just a season ago has already come in handy for the lineman.

“It definitely helped me,” Stills said. “I got a big jump on the game I guess you could say with a lot of the experience I had and kinda seeing blocks and play style like that. I feel like last year was big for me.”

As for that shoulder issue? Stills is back to practicing fully after being a limited participant to start the week.

Stills isn’t the only Cardinals defensive lineman that’s in line for increased playing time moving forward, either.

Similar to Jones, veteran defensive lineman L.J. Collier was lost for the season early on last year after signing with the Cardinals that offseason.

Now, Collier has the chance to earn a more prominent role in the rotation and potentially regain the starting role he had entering 2023.

While Stills has been used at a similar rate across the two games he’s appeared in, Collier saw a healthy increase of snaps with Jones out. After seeing no more than 38% of available defensive reps in the two games prior, the six-year veteran saw that number jump to 48% in Week 3.

Getting those added opportunities could go a long way in Collier proving his worth as a 2019 first-round pick.

Since the Seattle Seahawks nabbed him with the 29th overall pick, Collier hasn’t lived up to the price tag behind three sacks, six tackles for loss and two QB hits in 49 games played (18 starts). Injuries have played a factor in his production, appearing in at least 12 games in a single season just once (2020).

Recently signed Naquan Jones could also find himself in the rotations in some capacity if he can get back up to speed after rejoining the team this week following a stint on the Miami Dolphins practice squad.

Waiting in the shadows

Yes, in the immediate aftermath of Jones’ injury, all signs point to Stills and Collier taking on a bigger workload.

But in the potentially not so distant future, Arizona could be getting back a massive reinforcement in rookie defensive lineman Darius Robinson.

Robinson was in the mix to start entering the regular season before a calf injury suffered in practice put him on the injured reserve.

Following Sunday’s game, however, Robinson is eligible to come off the IR, that is if he’s healthy enough to do so.

Either way, whenever the versatile Robinson returns to the mix, he’ll provide an immediate upgrade in the trenches.

Follow @Tdrake4sports