Cardinals Designate CB to Return From Injured Reserve

ARIZONA -- The practice window for Arizona Cardinals rookie cornerback Elijah Jones has begun.
Jones - who has spent majority of the season on injured reserve - is being designated to return from injured reserve, giving him the next three weeks (21 days from today) to practice with the team while still being on IR.
Jones can be activated at any time during the three-week window. If he's not elevated to the active roster after 21 days, he will go back on injured reserve to miss the rest of the season. Dec. 26 is the final day Arizona will have to make that decision.
The third round pick out of Boston College suffered a heel injury in preseason, and the rookie has been sidelined since. Arizona's defense has seen corners such as Garrett Williams, Starling Thomas and Max Melton all take respective steps up since the beginning of the season.
“He’s played a lot of ball. I think that it's unique. I think with the Covid year that plays into that. Typically, guys aren't in school for that long. Elijah was a guy that just happened to be there that long," said Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort after drafting Jones.
"He's played a lot. He's played inside, he's played outside, and then went down to the Senior Bowl and continued to show his cover ability. I think it's just experience, and I think it'll add an element of maturity. The guy’s been through some things, so he's seen it. He was a similar interview for us back at the combine. When he walked out, just mentality-wise, his demeanor reminded us a lot of (CB) Garrett Williams. Just the way they carry themselves, just the maturity and the way they communicate. We all kind of looked at each other like, ‘I wonder if he's related to Garrett at all.’ It was good.”