Rookie Rocket Love Hits Pause: Cardinals RB Sidelined With Sore Ankle After Turning Heads
Jeremiyah Love gave Cardinals fans a serious spark on Thursday night. The rookie running back looked explosive, patient, and physical against the Raiders. But now, the heat check is officially over—at least for a week.
The Cardinals announced Saturday that Love is sitting out the next few days to let a sore ankle heal up. The injury happened during Thursday's preseason game in Las Vegas, and according to coach Mike LaFleur, it's feeling worse than they expected.
“He was more sore than we were anticipating,” LaFleur said Saturday. “He was in great spirits even yesterday.”
So what does that mean for Love's preseason? He's out. No practice this week. No game against the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday night. The team will reevaluate his ankle next week before mapping out the next move.
Before the injury, Love was making a serious case for more touches. He played 23 snaps against the Raiders, rushing 11 times for 58 yards and catching three passes for 14 yards. That's the kind of all-purpose production that gets people talking.
Next Man Up in the Desert
With Love on the sideline, Arizona's running back rotation will get a different look. Tyler Allgeier leads the pack, followed by Bam Knight and Corey Kiner.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals are also being cautious with two other key backs. Trey Benson, who's been dealing with a flare-up in his surgically repaired left knee, is “progressing,” per LaFleur. No exact timeline, but he's trending the right way.
And then there's James Conner, the veteran who missed 14 games last season with a foot injury. He hasn't participated in 11-on-11 drills or played in the preseason, but LaFleur says he's also “progressing.”
“I'm not going to give you a timeline on it because we don't know that timeline yet,” LaFleur said. “He's played enough in this league and has earned the right to know when he is going to be able to return. And it's not return to play. It's return to performance. Anyone can get back out there, but if they don't feel like they can perform at the level that they're capable of, why put him out there? Particularly a vet like him who's done it at such a high clip for so many years. So, I know he's eager to get back in due time. I think we'll see him.”
Bottom line: The Cardinals are playing the long game with their most explosive rookie. It's a bummer for preseason hype, but if it means Love is healthy and ready when the games actually count—this is a win.