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Wide receiver Jalen Brooks stretches for the end zone on his final catch on Sunday against the Broncos.
Wide receiver Jalen Brooks stretches for the end zone on his final catch on Sunday against the Broncos.
Jalen Brooks showcased his toughness in the Hall of Fame game when he maintained possession of a catch on a vicious hit.
The wide receiver took the term toughness to another level on Sunday. During the first quarter against the Broncos, Brooks dislocated his wrist yet played the remainder of the game. On Monday, he went in for emergency surgery, ending his season.
"He didn't say anything to anybody and just looking back at it and seeing it on tape, you could see every once in a while, he's kind of messing with it a little bit," coach Mike LaFleur said. "I can't say enough about how tough that dude is."
The loss of Brooks is brutal for a multitude of reasons. Brooks was a preseason fan favorite, hoping to carve a role for himself on the 53-man roster. Once Marvin Harrison Jr. was traded, Brooks became an important cog within the offense.
Brooks was just one of the injury updates provided by LaFleur. Running back Jeremiyah Love, safety Dewey Wingard, and cornerback Max Melton will return to practice on Wednesday. Defensive tackle Walter Nolen III won't practice on Wednesday but was not ruled out for the Week 8 battle in Dallas.
Beyond Wednesday, LaFleur said running back James Conner could "potentially" return this year, while he's unsure about tight end Tip Reiman's availability since the recovery has not gone as expected.
With Brooks done for the season, the wide receiver corps will churn again. Excluding Michael Wilson, the receivers now consist of Kendrick Bourne, Simi Fehoko, and Reggie Virgil. Undrafted rookie Harrison Wallace III is on the practice squad.
Bourne has 25 receptions for 234 yards while Virgil has two receptions for 29 yards. Virgil played just three snaps on Sunday with the increase in 13 personnel packages. They will replace Brooks "by committee."
"It's next man up and the show goes on," LaFleur added.
After the offense's recent struggles in the red zone, not having Brooks is something LaFleur will need to work through.
The Cardinals have been efficient when it comes to moving the football, finding themselves near the top of the league in red zone plays. But the drives have stalled. LaFleur shouldered the blame and said it's up to coaching to put the Cardinals in better positions, especially in goal-to-go situations.
"Any time we have the ball, I just want to score. I don't care how it gets done," LaFleur said. "We're down there. It's not like we're not moving the football, but we have to finish. Again, I'll look in the mirror first and say it starts with me."