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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Jess Root

Cardinals will use ‘group effort’ to replace Christian Kirk

The Arizona Cardinals are expected to be without receiver Christian Kirk at least for this weekend against the Cincinnati Bengals. He has ankle injury and is not expected to play in Week 5.

How will the Cardinals go about replacing him? He had played in over 93 percent of the team’s offensive snaps through four games and led the team in receptions with 24.

According to head coach Kliff Kingsbury, it will be by committee.

“It’ll be a group effort, there’s no doubt,” he told reporters Wednesday. “We have to get some of those young guys going, and Fitz (Larry Fitzgerald) will keep being Fitz, and then get Pharoh (Cooper) back in the mix and get those tight ends mixed in. It’ll definitely be a group effort. It’s hard to replace a talent like Christian.”

Kirk plays inside in the slot. Fitzgerald and Cooper are slated to play inside. Tight ends Maxx Williams and Charles Clay at times play inside. They can also use running back David Johnson, something that might be intriguing as Chase Edmonds has earned more playing time.

Many would like to see rookie Andy Isabella get a shot. Kingsbury said that Isabella will get more playing time but he is going to be used outside instead of inside for now.

That famed 10 personnel Kingsbury is known for using might be used far less against the Bengals that in previous weeks.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

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