Arizona Cardinals' David Johnson could be out up to 12 weeks with wrist injury

Bob McManaman
The Republic | azcentral.com
Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson (31) walks off the field with medical staff for X-rays during an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017.

The Cardinals’ hopes of returning to the postseason took a major hit on Monday when it was learned star running back David Johnson has a dislocated left wrist that likely will require surgery and force him to miss up to half of the regular season or longer.

Coach Bruce Arians confirmed the team’s worst fears when he met with the media at the Cardinals’ Tempe training facility, saying, “It’s always a huge blow to lose a top player.”

“But it’s not the end of the world,” he quickly added. “We’ve got quality guys on our team and it’s an opportunity for somebody to step up. David Johnson became David Johnson because of somebody’s injury.”

The team agreed to sign former ASU standout D.J. Foster off the New England Patriots' practice squad.

Arians said Johnson is seeking a second opinion to determine if wrist surgery is the best way to proceed. He said the team should know the results of that second opinion sometime on Tuesday, which is the players’ day off.

Arians said Kerwynn Williams and Andre Ellington will likely carry the load with help from Elijhaa Penny until Johnson is able to return. But considering Johnson is believed to have the same injury rookie running back T.J. Logan suffered during the preseason, it could be anywhere from eight to 12 weeks until Johnson is back and ready to contribute.

The team is expected to place him on injured reserve/designated to return at some point this week.

The signing of Foster would likely confirm that the team will not pursue Chris Johnson. Foster must remain on the active roster for at least three weeks.

David Johnson, who led the NFL last season in total yards from scrimmage (2,118) and touchdowns (20), was injured during the third quarter of Sunday’s season-opening 35-23 loss at the Detroit Lions. Arians said it happened when Johnson caught a 24-yard pass from Carson Palmer to give the Cardinals a first and goal at the Lions’ 3-yard line.

Williams came in and scored on a 3-yard run, but Johnson re-entered the game later, telling Arians his wrist felt good enough to play. He may have worsened it on Arizona’s next possession when he fumbled the ball and tracked down Detroit’s Jarrad Davis for a potential touchdown-saving tackle.

Arians said the wrist injury led directly to the fumble itself.

Foster, 6 feet, 195 pounds, was a standout at Scottsdale Saguaro High and Arizona State who went undrafted last season. The Patriots signed him as a free agent and he spent parts of 2016 on both New England’s active roster and practice squad.

At Saguaro, Foster set an Arizona prep record with 508 rushing yards in a single game and tied a state record by scoring 10 touchdowns in the same game, a 81-48 playoff win over Peoria Sunrise Mountain.

An MRI exam on Monday morning revealed starting left tackle D.J. Humphries, meanwhile, has a sprained MCL in his right knee. The injury, which occurred during the first quarter of Sunday’s game, will force Humphries to likely miss Sunday’s game at Indianapolis, Arians said, and possibly Arizona’s Monday night home opener against the Cowboys on Sept. 25.

Arians said John Wetzel, who filled in for Humphries during the remainder of Sunday’s game, will start at left tackle until Humphries is able to return. The team could move right tackle Jared Veldheer back to his natural spot at left tackle, but Arians said that probably won’t happen.

“If it were long term, possibly,” Arians said, “but Wetzel plays left better than right so we’ll probably stick where we are right now. It does not look to be any kind of long-term injury.”

Wetzel made some mistakes on Sunday, including getting beat off the edge to give up the only sack of the afternoon on Palmer.

“I’ve got faith in him. I’m sure he’ll bounce back,” Arians said of Wetzel, a second-year pro from Boston College. “… In his defense, he played left guard, right guard, right tackle, left tackle in practice so he didn’t really get a full week’s worth of left tackle. When he has in the past, he’s played pretty solid.”

Note

The Cardinals announced on Monday that they have re-signed linebacker Philip Wheeler and released former Arizona Wildcat Scooby Wright.

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Reach McManaman at bob.mcmanaman@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @azbobbymac and listen to him live every Wednesday night between 7-9 on Fox Sports 910-AM on The Freaks with Kenny and Crash.