Cardinals RB Jeremiyah Love dealing with high-ankle sprain, likely out for preseason
Arizona rookie RB Jeremiyah Love is dealing with a high-ankle sprain that makes a preseason return unlikely, with the team hoping he is ready for the Sept. 13 opener vs the Chargers
The Arizona Cardinals' backfield depth took a hit Sunday when rookie running back Jeremiyah Love was diagnosed with a high-ankle sprain, per Adam Schefter.
Cardinals rookie running back Jeremiyah Love is dealing with a high ankle sprain, per sources. It makes it unlikely that Love plays again this preseason, with the team hoping he can return for the Sept. 13 regular-season opener vs the Chargers.View on X →
Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter): Cardinals rookie running back Jeremiyah Love is dealing with a high ankle sprain, per sources. It makes it unlikely that Love plays again this preseason, with the team hoping he can return for the Sept. 13 regular-season opener vs the Chargers.
Love, the club's notable rookie runner, is now unlikely to see game action again during the preseason, a meaningful stretch given how little evaluation time remains before the Sept. 7 start of the regular season. The Cardinals are targeting the Sept. 13 opener against the Los Angeles Chargers for his return, a window that keeps him on track for meaningful snaps even if he misses the exhibition slate.
High-ankle sprains are notoriously slow to heal and often sap explosiveness in the first weeks back, which makes the club's measured optimism about the regular-season opener the more relevant timeline. Arizona has other options to lean on through the preseason, but Love's absence removes one of the summer's more intriguing young pieces from live reps.
For a team building around a young core, the priority is clear: get Love healthy for Week 1 rather than forcing him back for August exhibitions. The Cardinals will monitor his rehab closely over the next three weeks.