Max

Melton

The Cardinals lost their top perimeter CB Will Johnson (neck) to injured reserve this week. Fellow perimeter CB Max Melton (toe) is questionable to play. Williams suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon rupture last year, and returns this week to man the slot.

Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur said on Monday that Johnson (neck) could miss the remainder of the season. ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke the news today about Johnson being placed on injured reserve, though he did not specify whether Johnson’s season is for sure over. Cardinals slot CB Garrett Williams (Achilles) and perimeter CB2 Max Melton (toe) are also dealing with injuries.

The Cardinals are already without slot CB Garrett Williams, who has not yet returned from last season’s Achilles tendon rupture. Johnson and Melton start on the perimeter. Losing one or both could be consequential against the 49ers next week.

The Cardinals reportedly plan to “ease” Harrison back into action today. Teams often cast aside snap-count plans if their recently injured star player is feeling good early in their return, but Harrison has not yet established himself as a player who regularly exceeds expectations. The prudent move is to treat WR Michael Wilson as a fantasy football WR2 and view Harrison as a WR4/FLEX. Cardinals WR Xavier Weaver (hamstring) is also active. The Cardinals declared CB Max Melton (heel), CB Elijah Jones, CB Darren Hall (concussion), S Jalen Thompson (hamstring), OL Evan Brown (personal) and LT Paris Johnson Jr. (knee) inactive for Week 16 against the Falcons.

Neither will (inhale): CB Max Melton (concussion), LB BJ Ojulari (knee), or LB Mack Wilson (ribs) — the good news is that Budda Baker (hamstring) upgraded to full today and has been removed from the injury report. Arizona’s defense looked good against the Cowboys on Monday night, but their cornerback depth will be tested against Jaxson Smith-Njigba and Rashid Shaheed.

It’s a brutal blow to a Cardinals defense that will also be without starting cornerback Max Melton (concussion). The Cardinals will need to make due with backups Kei’Trel Clark and Elijah Jones against a Seahawks offense that is fresh off a dominant performance against the Commanders in which Sam Darnold threw for 330-4-1 while completing 70.4 percent of his passes. In addition to Johnson and Melton being out, the Cardinals will also keep LB BJ Ojulari (knee) sidelined for at least one more week after he was limited in every practice.

Melton suffered a hit to the head in the Cardinals’ Week 9 Monday victory over the Cowboys. He is listed as a non-participant on Wednesday with a concussion. It will be difficult for Melton to pass concussion protocol on a short week heading into a Week 10 matchup against the Seahawks. LB Mack Wilson Sr. (ribs) also was listed with a DNP designation. Both players will need practice time later this week to play.

Melton will miss Week 5 with a hamstring injury, though Will Johnson (groin) will return to the secondary. Darius Robinson (pectoral) and Evan Brown (hamstring) are also out due to injury. DT Bilal Nichols (neck) and OL Will Hernandez (ACL) are both active for the first time this season.

Williams suffered the knee injury in Week 2 against the Panthers and will be sidelined for the near future. Head coach Jonathan Gannon said Williams will be placed on injured reserve with a chance to return. Meanwhile, CB Max Melton (knee) was a limited practice participant. Losing Williams and potentially Will Johnson (groin) for Week 3 is a tough blow to the secondary, but Melton at least has a shot to play against an equally banged-up 49ers receiving group.

The second-round rookie could provide mild depth for the Cardinals’ lackluster cornerback corps, if active. WR Xavier Weaver (oblique) is also listed as questionable.