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Kingsbury Provides Injury Updates; Watt Tests Positive for COVID-19

Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury shared an update on Jonathan Ward, who suffered a shoulder injury against the Baltimore Ravens.

Ryan Sanudo

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The Arizona Cardinals didn't have nearly the same success against the Baltimore Ravens as in their preseason-opening victory over the Cincinnati Bengals last week. And can you blame the Cardinals? John Harbaugh's Ravens came into the Sunday night game with 21 straight preseason victories.   

Baltimore defeated Arizona 24-17 on Sunday night. The Ravens have now won 22 consecutive preseason games under Harbaugh.

Wins or losses will never matter at the end of the day when it comes to preseason football. However, preseason injuries can always play a role in possibly jeopardizing a team's regular season.

Cardinals running back Jonathan Ward left following a kickoff in the second quarter during Sunday night's Week 2 contest. He did not return because of a shoulder injury.

Head coach Kliff Kingsbury said after the game that it's an AC joint shoulder injury for Ward and that "it shouldn't be too bad."

Kingsbury also added that rookie guard Marquis Hayes didn't dress due to "a minor knee" injury he suffered last week.

Ward totaled 90 return yards on three kickoffs, 11 rushing yards on three carries and 27 receiving yards on one reception. One of his kickoff returns was for 48 yards.  

Ward's performance against the Ravens is coming after scoring two rushing touchdowns last week. The third-year player is competing with Eno Benjamin, free- agent addition Darrel Williams and rookie Keaontay Ingram in a deep running back room headlined by James Conner. And so far, Ward has shown flashes on both special teams and on offense.

Safety Charles Washington also went to the locker room and was ruled out after suffering a chest injury. Kingsbury didn't share an update on the 29-year-old.

Washington is returning to the Cardinals for his fourth season in 2022. He's played mostly special teams as he's been paired with backup Deionte Thompson for the last three seasons with starters Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson on the defense. Washington missed 10 games last year due to a hamstring injury, but returned to record three tackles for the season.

The third Cardinals injury happened during a third-and-19 play in the fourth quarter as rookie center Lecitus Smith was down on the field and looked at by a trainer. Fortunately for Smith, he returned to the game.

Smith was selected in the sixth round of the 2022 draft and is competing with backups such as seventh-round selection Marquise Hayes and veterans Koda Martin, Danny Isidora, and Joshua Miles.

Meanwhile, prior to the game, it was learned that defensive end J.J. Watt has tested positive for COVID-19. He was not with the team and won't travel with them for joint practices later this week in Nashville against the Tennessee Titans.

In a roster move two days before the game, the Cardinals re-signed offensive lineman Greg Long, who had been waived Aug. 14, and terminated the contract of tight end Deon Yelder.

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Ryan Sanudo
RYAN SANUDO