Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson will not return to the field this season due to a knee injury, as confirmed by head coach Jonathan Gannon on Wednesday. This decision means that Benson will remain on injured reserve for the entirety of the 2025 season, according to reports from the team’s official website.
Benson had been given a 21-day practice window that opened in late November, during which he showed some limited participation. However, he soon fell back into a pattern of non-participation. With Benson sidelined, the Cardinals will rely on running backs Bam Knight, Emari Demercado, who is dealing with an ankle injury, and Michael Carter to fill the gap in the backfield for the remainder of the season.
Carter, selected in the third round of the 2024 draft, was poised to take on a significant role after starting running back James Conner suffered a season-ending foot injury in Week 3. However, ongoing concerns about Benson’s durability add uncertainty to his potential contributions not only for this season but also looking ahead to the 2026 season, especially since it will be the final year of Conner’s contract with the team.
The focus now will be on how the Cardinals manage their backfield as they navigate the rest of the season without Benson, while hoping for a healthier outcome for him in the future.