Beanie Wells has been battling the injury bug ever since he came into the NFL.
Wells’ latest injury will have him out of commission for a while.
The team announced on Wednesday that Wells will be placed on its “injured reserve/designated for return” list, as a result of Wells turf toe injury he suffered in the Eagles game this past Sunday.
In the Cardinals’ first three games, Wells had 29 carries for 76 yards and zero touchdowns.
To counter the loss of Wells, the team brought back running back Alfonso Smith, whom they released during their final round of roster cuts on August 31.
Head coach Ken Whisenhunt decided to take a positive stance when asked about what the loss of Wells means to the team.
“It’s not really so much that we look at it as a loss,” Whisenhunt said. “We know we are going to get him back. With the type of injury that he has, we anticipate six to eight weeks before he’ll be ready to go.”
Whisenhunt is confident that Ryan Williams, LaRod Stephens-Howling, William Powell and Smith will get the job done in Wells absence.
“That’s why we kept four running backs on the active roster, and we feel good about it,” Whisenhunt said.
Quarterback Kevin Kolb says Wells will be sorely missed.
“It’s huge,” Kolb said. “He’s a big part of our team. He’s a nice counter to the rest of our backs the way he runs, and he’s a leader.”
Stephens-Howling says he’s ready to step up and do what’s needed to keep the offense running.
“It’s part of our job,” Stephens-Howling said. “You’re a backup, but you have to be ready and prepared like you’re gonna be the guy on Sundays all the time.”
Williams says it’ll be business as usual come Sunday against the Dolphins and for the remainder of the season. The only difference will be the amount of plays he’ll be involved in.
“If anything, I’ll probably see 5-10 more carries a game, 15-20 more plays a game,” Williams said. “It’s nothing crazy, I’m just ready to play, ready to do what I’m supposed to do.”
