When the Arizona Cardinals waived Trey Benson with an injury designation on Monday, Aug. 24, it earned them unwanted admission into a dubious club.
Twenty-eight months after they entered the NFL, 96 of the first 100 picks in the 2024 draft remain on active rosters. Benson, now, is among the four castaways — until and unless he gets scooped up elsewhere.
The three others: Ja'Lynn Polk, a second-round wide receiver who finished his rookie season with 12 catches and missed all of his second season with injuries before retiring; Jermaine Burton, a third-round wide receiver who developed a habit of missing practices and was involved in a domestic dispute; and Terrion Arnold, who currently faces the possibility of life in prison on kidnapping and robbery charges.
That is the company Benson currently holds. But most concerningly, he's not alone. For the Cardinals, this may just be the beginning of a week-long purge of former top draft picks.
In that same 2024 draft, the Cardinals selected cornerback Elijah Jones with the 90th pick. They seem to have five roster locks at cornerback, meaning Jones could be competing with Starling Thomas V for one roster spot. If that's the case, Thomas would seem to have the inside edge, despite a poor preseason. He was a reliable contributor in 2024 — something Jones has never been — and may need more time to return to full strength after a torn ACL last July.
#cardinals #jones
Twenty-eight months after they entered the NFL, 96 of the first 100 picks in the 2024 draft remain on active rosters. Benson, now, is among the four castaways — until and unless he gets scooped up elsewhere.
The three others: Ja'Lynn Polk, a second-round wide receiver who finished his rookie season with 12 catches and missed all of his second season with injuries before retiring; Jermaine Burton, a third-round wide receiver who developed a habit of missing practices and was involved in a domestic dispute; and Terrion Arnold, who currently faces the possibility of life in prison on kidnapping and robbery charges.
That is the company Benson currently holds. But most concerningly, he's not alone. For the Cardinals, this may just be the beginning of a week-long purge of former top draft picks.
In that same 2024 draft, the Cardinals selected cornerback Elijah Jones with the 90th pick. They seem to have five roster locks at cornerback, meaning Jones could be competing with Starling Thomas V for one roster spot. If that's the case, Thomas would seem to have the inside edge, despite a poor preseason. He was a reliable contributor in 2024 — something Jones has never been — and may need more time to return to full strength after a torn ACL last July.
#cardinals #jones
2 months ago
