Arizona Cardinals Cut Michael Carter: Another Head-Scratcher from the Desert

The Arizona Cardinals have released running back Michael Carter after their bye week. Because nothing says “we’ve got our act together” quite like cutting one of your few healthy backs when your running game is about as effective as a screen door on a submarine.

The Injury Issues At Running Back

Let’s break this down, shall we? The Cardinals currently sit at a stellar 2-5 record. James Conner is done for the year with an ankle injury that’s keeping him company on the couch. Trey Benson, their promising rookie, is still nursing a knee injury and won’t be back for at least another game. And what do the Cardinals do? They cut Michael Carter, leaving them with exactly two healthy running backs on the active roster.

The Numbers Don’t Lie With Michael Carter

The numbers tell an interesting story. Carter managed 35 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown this season, plus nine receptions for 77 yards. Not exactly Barry Sanders territory, but serviceable enough.

What really stings is the timing. Carter had stepped up when called upon, especially in that Week 5 matchup against Tennessee, where he carried the ball 18 times for 51 yards and found the end zone. Sure, he’d been taking a backseat to Zonovan “Bam” Knight recently – Knight had taken 25 carries for 91 yards over the past two games – but in a league where running backs drop like flies, having depth isn’t exactly a luxury.

The Roster Shuffle Game

So why cut Carter now? The smart money says Arizona needed roster spots for players coming back from injury. Walter Nolen III, their first-round defensive lineman, has been sitting on the physically unable to perform list since suffering a calf injury in the offseason. His 21-day practice window opened on October 15th, and the Cardinals are probably itching to see what their shiny new toy can do.

Then there’s Garrett Williams, the cornerback who went down with a knee injury in Week 2. Word around the desert is he’s been working on the side during practice, which in Cardinals-speak means “maybe he’ll play, maybe he won’t, but we need the roster spot just in case.”

What This Means Moving Forward

With Carter gone, Arizona’s rushing attack now rests on the shoulders of Emari Demercado and Zonovan “Bam” Knight. Demercado missed Week 7 against Green Bay with an ankle injury but never landed on injured reserve. Then again, why is Demercado still here after that Titans game fiasco? Stunned he has not been cut, but the coaches see potential in him, or they want to keep a guy there that knows the playbook.

The Cardinals do have some insurance policies on the practice squad in D’Ernest Johnson and Jermar Jefferson. Johnson even got a carry against the Packers as a practice squad elevation.

The Bigger Picture

Here’s the thing that really gets under your skin about this move – Carter seemed to buy into what the Cardinals were selling. After their loss to the Colts, he talked about the team’s fight and how close they were to turning things around. “We could have won pretty much all of our games. We’re down to the wire on all of them,” he said, showing the kind of optimism that would make a motivational speaker jealous.

But that’s the NFL for you. One day you’re talking about being close to greatness, the next day you’re clearing out your locker and updating your resume. The Cardinals’ decision to part ways with Carter might make sense from a roster management standpoint, but it’s another reminder that this organization is still trying to figure out what it wants to be when it grows up.