DeAndre Hopkins has a rib injury

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Cardinals Thursday Practice Notebook: DeAndre Hopkins Returns, 'Next Man Up' on OL
Alex Weiner 1 hr ago

The Cardinals were still missing multiple starting offensive linemen on Thursday.

Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was back stretching and running routes during the open portion of Thursday's practice.

He did not practice all of last week or on Wednesday due to a ribs injury, although he did muscle it out during Sunday's game.

Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury said Wednesday that Hopkins was not feeling his best on Sunday, but he pushed through.

Edge rusher Chandler Jones, nose tackle Corey Peters and center Rodney Hudson also returned after taking rest days on Wednesday.

Arizona's injured offensive linemen Justin Pugh, Justin Murray and Kelvin Beachum were not participating in the open portion.

Practice notes
Roster move
The Cardinals added even more offensive line depth to their practice squad. They signed free-agent guard Zack Johnson, a 24-year-old who was cut by the Packers in August. Johnson was an undrafted free agent with Green Bay in 2020 and was on the practice squad for most of the season. He was active for one game, but did not play.

There are now 17 players on the Cardinals practice squad, five of whom are offensive linemen.

Next man up
Offensive line coach/run game coordinator Sean Kugler spoke with the media after practice and he addressed the depth on his position group.

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"Well, (Sean) Harlow and (Max) Garcia were pressed into action last week and they did an outstanding job," Kugler said.

"Those guys are very smart guys, are hard workers and they understand the system well. They have position flexibility, so, comfortable with those guys if they had to be in action."

The two took over at both guard spots on Sunday and filled in well, although the Rams this week present a greater challenge than Jacksonville.

Kugler said he didn't have any availability answers about the three injuries, but they are going through that process this week.

Josh Jones, hooper
The Cardinals second-year lineman has had to play both right guard and tackle this season, sliding to the outside in Week 3 due to Beachum's injury.

He said he feels just as comfortable in both spots.

Jones, who spoke with the media after practice, said that he first played left tackle when he picked up football . . . during his junior year of high school.

"I was a basketball player," Jones said. "I thought I was a hooper."

He had a change of heart when he saw 6-foot-5 players playing point guard.

He did say he can shoot and distribute the ball, even mentioning that he thinks he could hold his own 1-on-1 against Hopkins, who played basketball in college.

Joseph's notes

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Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph spoke about the challenge ahead for his defense. The Cardinals have yet to beat the Rams since Kingsbury and Joseph arrived, and now they have Matthew Stafford at quarterback.

"It's always about your team, playing good football and doing winning things, that's the bottom line," Joseph said. "Adding Stafford obviously makes them a tough out for us defensively. But, the offense hasn't changed. It's the same staff, so it's very similar. But, with this quarterback it makes it harder."

Daily stat
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray and Rams Matthew Stafford are No. 6 and No. 2, respectively in the NFL in total QBR, per Football Outsiders.

Houston's Tyrod Taylor is first, although he's only played in one full game due to injury.