The Arizona Cardinals will be without their starting center and likely without their top edge rusher for Sunday’s matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
According to several media reports, Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury said Wednesday that center Rodney Hudson won’t play in Week 6 due to a rib injury.
Hudson left the Cardinals’ Week 5 game against the San Francisco 49ers in the third quarter with a rib injury.
Kingsbury said Jones has COVID-19 symptoms and is not expected to play Sunday.
Max Garcia is listed as the Cardinals’ backup center and Dennis Gardeck is listed as the team’s backup weak outside linebacker.
Gardeck, Devon Kennard, Kylie Fitts and rookie Victor Dimukeje could see more playing time if Jones can’t go.
The Cardinals put Jones on the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list on Tuesday because of a positive test, an unnamed source told ESPN reporter Field Yates.
In September, Kingsbury said the Cardinals had reached a 100% vaccination rate, which means Jones would need two negative tests separated by 24 hours to be able to play.
Jones has five sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in five games this season.
All five sacks and two forced fumbles came in the Cardinals’ 38-13 win against the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 12.
In the four games since Week 1, Jones has eight quarterback hits and a fumble recovery.
Entering Week 6, Jones has the fifth-most sacks in the NFL.
Opposite Jones is free-agent signing T.J. Watt, who doesn’t have a sack this season but is eighth in the NFL with 23 pressures.
Jones is a three-time Pro Bowler (2015, 2017 and 2019) and has been first-team All-Pro twice (2017 and 2019).
Hudson is also a three-time Pro Bowler (2016, 2017 and 2019) and was a second-team All-Pro in 2019.
On Wednesday, the Cardinals also put tight end Maxx Williams on injured reserve with a season-ending knee injury.
Kingsbury also said that cornerbacks Byron Murphy (ribs) and Marco Wilson (ribs) are still considered day-to-day.
Murphy and Wilson did not play in Week 5.
Media reports indicate Browns improving on the injury front with cornerbacks Denzel Ward (neck), Greedy Williams (shoulder) and Greg Newsome II (calf) returning to practice on Wednesday.
Starting left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. also returned to practice Wednesday, but reports indicate he didn’t do much.
Wills didn’t play in Week 5 against the Chargers, while starting right tackle Jack Conklin left the game with a knee injury.
Wills’ and Conklin’s playing statuses are uncertain for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals.
Conklin didn’t practice on Wednesday.
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