Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer won't be eligible to play against until Dec. 24 against the Giants.
Any hope of a quicker-than-expected Carson Palmer return has been dashed.
The Cardinals' quarterback was placed on injured reserve Thursday with his broken arm, a move that will keep him out of action for a minimum of eight weeks. The earliest Palmer can return to the field is the Christmas Eve matchup against the Giants, which is the second-to-last game of the regular season.
Coach Bruce Arians said after Sunday's loss to the Rams that Palmer would miss eight weeks, but a second opinion left the door cracked for a quicker recovery. Instead, the Cardinals (3-4) must manage without their signal-caller for the next two months.
Drew Stanton will start in Week 9 against the 49ers and Arians said he has no plans to switch to backup Blaine Gabbert this season.
The move likely ends the season of rookie running back T.J. Logan. He dislocated his wrist in the preseason and was eligible to be activated off injured reserve before next week's game, but Arians said he plans to save the two IR-to-return spots for Palmer and running back David Johnson. Johnson, who dislocated his wrist in the regular season opener against the Lions, isn't expected back for several more weeks.
The Cardinals did not make a corresponding move so they have an opening on their 53-man roster, but are expected to stick with Stanton and Gabbert as the only quarterbacks. Former Arizona State quarterback Mike Bercovici was added to the practice squad on Tuesday.
