The Arizona Cardinals are managing injuries to two of their most important offensive players — receiver DeAndre Hopkins and running back Kenyan Drake. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury has mostly been coy about how serious the issues have been. Hopkins’ hamstring has been described as tightness.
Drake is wearing a walking boot but for “soreness.”
Kingsbury didn’t shed much more light on the severity of their injuries when he spoke to reporters after practice on Wednesday, but he did explain the team’s strategy with them.
Hopkins and Drake are “two guys we want to get to that first game,” Kingsbury said. “We’re being overly cautious, making sure they feel great, 100%, and they’re not getting back on that field until they are 100%, and they know that and they have been instructed to that.”
Kingsbury explained they have been told, “Don’t step out there until you feel completely healthy.”
If this were during the season, they might not completely miss practice. But since this is training camp and their roles are known for the coming season, there is no reason to push them. Hopkins is an elite receiver and Drake already spent half a season with the team. He knows the offense.
We are still two weeks away from official injury reports. If they are missing practice then, there is reason to be concerned. Until then, no.
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