Trey Benson rose to the occasion for the Arizona Cardinals, stepping in to fill the void left by James Conner’s season-ending injury. The second-year running back out of Florida State handled the bulk of Conner’s workload, tallying 160 yards on 29 carries over four games before he was halted by injury.
Trey Benson Injury Update for Week 11
Benson has not played since Week 4 and has missed five straight games. He suffered a knee injury in the game against the Seahawks, which resulted in his placement on injured reserve. Under IR rules, a player must miss a minimum of four games, which made the Week 10 matchup the first one Benson was eligible to return for.
Unfortunately, Benson did not play in Week 10 against the Seahawks, and the latest update from head coach Jonathan Gannon on his status was not overly optimistic.
“He’s doing well,” Gannon said about Benson last week. “Take it day by day there. He’s not gonna be out there today but he is doing better. What does close mean? I don’t know what close means. Take it day by day.”
This points to a positive recovery trend and suggests that Benson is expected to return at some point this season. Still, Gannon appears intent on taking a cautious approach and not rushing the running back’s return.
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Ultimately, Gannon hasn’t set a firm timeline. Benson remains in the recovery phase, and the team seems prepared to give him additional time if needed. Knee injuries can be especially delicate for young running backs, and the Cardinals are expected to prioritize his long-term health over short-term gains.
According to PFSN’s Offense Impact metric, the Cardinals have the 24th-ranked offense in the league after their 44-22 loss against the Seahawks in Week 10.
In Benson’s absence, Emari Demercado was the Cardinals’ leading back last week. He rushed for 64 yards on four carries, while Bam Knight led the team in carries with 10. Unfortunately, Knight averaged only 2.8 yards per carry against the Seahawks.
The Cardinals are 3-6 heading into Week 11. Demercado currently leads the team in rushing as he has rushed for 233 yards on 26 carries. Knight leads the team with two rushing touchdowns on the season, and it shows how poor Arizona’s run game has been this year.
Arizona is still without quarterback Kyler Murray, who was placed on the injured reserve last week. Injuries to key players have ruined what could have been a great season for the Cardinals, as they started the campaign with two straight wins before Conner’s injury in Week 3.