The fourth NFL preseason game is a time to evaluate players on the fringe of making the roster and keeping your key guys healthy. In the first half of the Arizona Cardinals vs. Denver Broncos both sides took blows to that play with the visiting AFC team getting the worst of it.
Bronco's cornerback Syd'Quan Thompson went down early in the game with a reported Achilles tendon strain. He's listed on the depth charts as a second string player. Denver also lost wide receiver Britt Davis to a head injury after he was hit by Cardinals safety Hamza Abdullah while attempting a catch. Abdullah was whistled for a personal foul on the play.
ILB Nate Irving, listed as a third string player, went down in the second quarter after a teammate fell on him from behind. The injury was reported as a "chest injury" but he was down for some time and seemed disoriented after he finally stood.
For the Cardinals, running back Alfonso Smith's hamstring is apparently preventing him from getting a shot to show hit stuff. He's not been in the game at all. Wide receiver Sean Jeffcoat left the game with a shoulder injury and tight end Jim Dray went to the locker room with a reported pectoral strain. Dray was battling with Stephen Spach for a possible roster spot so this injury, depending on severity, could impact his future.
With the second half underway, both sides are hoping for a clean second half with no additional injuries.