TEMPE, Ariz. — The journey to the initial 53-man roster has begun for the Arizona Cardinals, as they cut six players on Monday.
The moves trimmed the Cardinals' roster down from 91 players to 85 and means the roster will still need to be cut down by 32 players by the NFL's roster cut deadline at 1 p.m. Arizona time on Tuesday.
Here are the players the Cardinals released on Monday.
Wide receiver Zay Jones has been suspended for the first five games of the 2024 season for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. His suspension means that he will not take up a spot on the 53-man roster.
The Cardinals can also place two players, who must be designated to return during the season, on injured reserve and not have them take up a roster spot. One of those players is expected to be rookie defensive end Darius Robinson, who injured his calf during practice last week. Those players will miss at least the first four weeks of the season.
The players who were cut today all have less than four seasons in the NFL, meaning they will go through waivers. If they are not claimed by another team and placed on that team's 53-man roster, the Cardinals will have the option to sign any of the six players cut today to the practice squad. The Cardinals have 16 spots available on their practice squad.
Due to the international player exemption, the Cardinals can expand their practice squad to 17 players if they do not give tight end Bernhard Seikovits, who is from Austria, a spot on the 53-man roster and he clears waivers.
That same rule will be in effect for any players with less than four years in the league who are cut on Tuesday.
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to four major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events every year, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.
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