headtopics
The Arizona Cardinals have placed rookie running back Jeremiyah Love on injured reserve, a move that sidelines the star first-year player for a minimum of four weeks. The loss comes at a critical juncture for the Cardinals, who are coming off an upset victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8 and cannot afford to halt their momentum.
While Tyler Allgeier is healthy and coming off a standout performance, the team may also be without running back Bam Knight, who is currently in concussion protocol. As the Cardinals prepare for a road matchup against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9, they brought in three running backs for tryouts, according to the league's transaction wire.
Ulysses Bentley IV
Bentley played college football at SMU and Ole Miss before declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft. He went undrafted and signed with the Indianapolis Colts as a free agent, appearing in one game last season while primarily serving on the practice squad. Bentley was cut ahead of 2026 final roster cuts and was briefly picked up by the New Orleans Saints for two weeks before being released.
Jermar Jefferson
Jefferson brings the most NFL experience among the three, having entered the league with the Detroit Lions as a seventh-round pick in 2021. He played in seven games during his rookie season but spent the next few seasons either injured or on Detroit's practice squad, failing to appear in a game through the end of his tenure in 2024. Jefferson signed with the Tennessee Titans in training camp last season but was released ahead of final roster cuts. Days later, he joined the Cardinals and played in two games for Arizona. He did not re-sign with the team last offseason and spent brief stints with the San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings this offseason before being released by the Vikings with an injury designation on Aug. 30. His injury was not disclosed.
Elijah Tau-Tolliver
Tau-Tolliver, who was undrafted this past offseason, played his first four college seasons at Sacramento State before transferring to Michigan State last year. He signed with the Baltimore Ravens as a rookie free agent and was waived ahead of final roster cuts this August.
Key Analysis
The Cardinals are clearly exploring all avenues to bolster their running back depth amid injuries to Love and potentially Knight. With Allgeier shouldering the load, the team needs reliable options behind him. The tryouts of Bentley, Jefferson, and Tau-Tolliver suggest Arizona is leaving no stone unturned as it aims to maintain its competitive edge in the NFC West. The upcoming matchup against the Seahawks will test the team's resilience and depth.
Originally reported by headtopics.