The Arizona Cardinals will be shorthanded on the defensive side of the ball, as three starters have been ruled out with injuries. Will Johnson (back/hip), Max Melton (concussion), and Mack Wilson Sr. (ribs) will all be sidelined.
Jonathan Gannon announced that the three would be inactive ahead of Friday’s practice/walkthrough — a huge hit to the defense, especially in the secondary. Without the two starting cornerbacks, as well as the middle linebacker, what can we expect the defense to look like come Sunday?
**Cornerback**
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Will Johnson has had an injury-riddled rookie season, as he missed Weeks 3 and 4 with a groin injury, nearly missed week nine with an injury similar, and is now officially inactive for Week 10. Expect Johnson to be replaced by another rookie in Denzel Burke, who saw playing time last week against the Dallas Cowboys, sealing the game late with an interception off Dak Prescott.
As for the other side, Max Melton has played in all but one game, but he will be sidelined with a concussion. With the depth at cornerback looking slim, expect to see an increased role for 2023 sixth-round pick Kei’Trel Clark, who is listed as cornerback No. 4 on the depth chart.
Head coach Jonathan Gannon is relying on youth against an incredibly balanced Seattle passing attack, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba having a career year and rookie Tory Horton making an impact as well.
**Linebacker**
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Mack Wilson is a captain on the Arizona defense and wears the green dot. However, with him being out with a rib injury, the team will be without its signal-caller. Gannon expects Cody Simon, who is coming off a career game, to take over Wilson’s role this week.
Gannon will need to rely heavily on his offense if they want any chance of moving to 4–5 on the season. Jacoby Brissett will need to prove why he should be the starter for the rest of the season, even when Kyler Murray is healthy.