The Arizona Cardinals have become the latest team to enter a dubious club, waiving Trey Benson with an injury designation on Monday, Aug. 24, making him the fourth player from the top 100 picks in the 2024 draft to be cut by the team that drafted them.
The Cardinals now join the company of the Los Angeles Chargers, who waived Ja'Lynn Polk, a second-round wide receiver, and Jermaine Burton, a third-round wide receiver, earlier this year. The Los Angeles Chargers also waived Terrion Arnold, who currently faces the possibility of life in prison on kidnapping and robbery charges.
Benson, a 96th overall pick in the 2024 draft, joins a group of castaways, including Polk, who finished his rookie season with 12 catches and missed all of his second season with injuries before retiring. Burton, on the other hand, developed a habit of missing practices and was involved in a domestic dispute.
The Cardinals' roster purge may not stop at Benson. Cornerback Elijah Jones, who was selected with the 90th pick in the 2024 draft, could also be competing for a roster spot. Jones has never been a reliable contributor, and with five roster locks at cornerback, his future with the team is uncertain.
Jones' situation is not unique. Edge rusher B.J. Ojulari, who was the 41st pick in the 2023 draft, has struggled to produce in the team's preseason games. In three games, he has played into the fourth quarter, a sign that he may be destined for release.
Ojulari's struggles are not new. In eight games last year, he produced a 9.7% pressure rate and recorded just one sack. His performance has been a trend, and his future with the team is uncertain.
Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort has made 11 picks inside the top 100 in his first two years as GM. Three of those picks could be out of a job by the end of the week, an unwanted record. Ossenfort's resume as a whole has dealt with significant injuries, and the same story goes for highly-drafted players like Darius Robinson and Tip Reiman.
The Cardinals' roster purge is a complex series of decisions for the team's brass to analyze. Coaches may prefer a player who is ready to contribute immediately, while the front office approaches decisions with a longer-term outlook.
"What is this guy's ceiling?" assistant general manager Dave Sears questioned. "Is he gonna hit it? How long can we wait on him to actually start producing?"
Those are the questions the Cardinals will have to answer as they pare down their roster. The fate of Benson, Jones, and Ojulari will be decided on Sunday, Aug. 30, when the team must trim its roster to 53 players.
Source: Yahoo Sports