The Arizona Cardinals head into Sunday’s season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers with one major roster question: will rookie Jeremiyah Love be available after suffering a sprained ankle in the preseason?
Injury timeline and current activity
Love suffered the high-ankle sprain in the first half of Arizona’s lone preseason victory, a 27-14 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, roughly four weeks before the regular-season opener. He appears to be moving closer to his NFL regular-season debut: he was able to move around during Arizona’s walkthrough Monday, and head coach Mike LaFleur expressed optimism that the rookie could be ready for Sunday’s opener. Arizona showed confidence in his recovery when constructing its initial 53-man roster and added Evan Hull to its practice squad to provide additional depth if Love is unable to go.
Head coach Mike LaFleur has expressed optimism about Love’s chances for the opener, telling reporters simply, "I feel good," when asked if Love had a chance to play. LaFleur also said, "He was out there moving around today," after Arizona’s Monday walkthrough — an encouraging sign that the rookie is progressing toward game readiness.
Sporting News reported that Love was able to move during that walkthrough, a development framed as another step forward in his recovery. The team’s initial 53-man roster decisions also reflected faith in his rehabilitation process.
Practical implications for Sunday and roster preparedness
Despite the upbeat signs, some uncertainty remains. Yahoo! News described the possibility that Love’s high-ankle sprain could affect his availability for the opener, and noted that LaFleur suggested Love had not yet taken part in team drills and probably did not practice in Monday’s team sessions.
The Cardinals have taken steps to ensure depth if Love is not cleared. Arizona added Evan Hull to the practice squad to bolster options behind the starters, and coaching staff plans for the game would see Tyler Allgeier and Bam Knight handle the workload if Love cannot go.
The team’s handling of Love this week — limited walkthrough activity paired with cautious optimism from the coaching staff — indicates Arizona is balancing an accelerated return timetable with protection of the rookie’s health. The Cardinals will make a final availability determination as they finalize the game-day roster for the matchup with the Chargers.
Sunday’s game in Los Angeles will provide the first definitive answer on whether Love, who missed most of the preseason after the sprain, will make his NFL regular-season debut.
