Depth charts are what they are. They don’t always accurately reflect what is going on on the field, although they are usually pretty close.
Nevertheless, with the Cardinals’ first depth chart of the regular season, it certainly drew attention. Not at backup running back, where the Cardinals hedged their bets behind James Conner by saying it was Darrel Williams or Eno Benjamin, or backup inside linebacker where it was Ezekiel Turner or Tanner Vallejo.
No, it was at outside linebacker, where, listed as the backup to likely game-day decision Markus Golden is none other than Devon Kennard.
That Kennard is there on the depth chart never would have raised any eyebrows the entire offseason. But Kennard was released and when he came back, it was on the practice squad, not the 53-man roster. Yet he’s Golden’s backup, ahead of rookie (and roster member) Cameron Thomas.
Now, the way the rules are these days, this isn’t a stretch like it once was. Prior to Covid, the only way a practice squad player could play in a game would be to be signed to the active roster, and a corresponding player be cut. These days, however, two players can be elevated from the practice squad every game — with a single player able to be elevated up to three times — and still revert to the practice squad following the game.
As a result, it is easy to see Kennard being available and active for the Chiefs game Sunday — regardless of Golden’s status.
Still, even with these rules in place since 2020, this is the first time I’ve ever seen a practice squad player appear on a depth chart.
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