• Somers and McManaman on the state of the Cardinals

    Somers and McManaman on the state of the Cardinals

  • Arizona Cardinals running back D. J. Foster talks after Wednesday practice in Tempe.

    Arizona Cardinals running back D. J. Foster talks after Wednesday practice in Tempe.

  • CJ2K mad at Cards; Palmer needs to get right

    CJ2K mad at Cards; Palmer needs to get right

  • azcentral sports' Kent Somers and Bob McManaman discuss Cardinals practcie Wednesday

    azcentral sports’ Kent Somers and Bob McManaman discuss Cardinals practcie Wednesday

  • Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer talks after Wednesday practice in Tempe.

    Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer talks after Wednesday practice in Tempe.

  • Shot Clock: Could the Cards recruit death stare Adrian Peterson?

    Shot Clock: Could the Cards recruit death stare Adrian Peterson?

  • David Johnson seeking a second opinion on wrist injury

    David Johnson seeking a second opinion on wrist injury

  • Bruce Arians discusses loss to Lions

    Bruce Arians discusses loss to Lions

  • Bickley and Somers on Cardinals' season-opening loss

    Bickley and Somers on Cardinals’ season-opening loss

  • Kent Somers and Bob McManaman on David Johnson's injury

    Kent Somers and Bob McManaman on David Johnson’s injury

  • Cardinals vs. Lions: Kent Somers and Dan Bickley preview the game

    Cardinals vs. Lions: Kent Somers and Dan Bickley preview the game

  • Bob McManaman wraps up Cardinals practice on Friday

    Bob McManaman wraps up Cardinals practice on Friday

  • Shot Clock: Chiefs-Patriots lessons for Cardinals

    Shot Clock: Chiefs-Patriots lessons for Cardinals

  • Arizona Cardinals report: Thursday's practice

    Arizona Cardinals report: Thursday’s practice

  • Shot Clock: Cards a slim pick, what are the keys?

    Shot Clock: Cards a slim pick, what are the keys?

  • Cardinals report: How will Bucannon's absence affect team?

    Cardinals report: How will Bucannon’s absence affect team?

  • Shot Clock: Detroit Lions, Super Bowl champions?

    Shot Clock: Detroit Lions, Super Bowl champions?

  • Reaction to Cardinals' move at punter

    Reaction to Cardinals’ move at punter

  • Somers wraps up the Cardinals' preseason finale

    Somers wraps up the Cardinals’ preseason finale

  • Cardinals vs Broncos preview

    Cardinals vs Broncos preview

  • Somers and McManaman wrap up Cardinals' Tuesday practice

    Somers and McManaman wrap up Cardinals’ Tuesday practice

  • Shot Clock: CJ2K stays?; Drown out LA fans

    Shot Clock: CJ2K stays?; Drown out LA fans

  • Sights and sounds from 9th Annual Fitz's Supper Club

    Sights and sounds from 9th Annual Fitz’s Supper Club

  • Arizona Cardinals break camp

    Arizona Cardinals break camp

  • McLellan and McManaman wrap up Cardinals practice

    McLellan and McManaman wrap up Cardinals practice

  • Somers on Cardinals vs. Falcons

    Somers on Cardinals vs. Falcons

  • Cardinals treating final preseason game seriously

    Cardinals treating final preseason game seriously

  • Kent and Bob talk Cardinals game planning and remaining preseason games

    Kent and Bob talk Cardinals game planning and remaining preseason games

  • Bickley and Moore: Cardinals looked 'sluggish'

    Bickley and Moore: Cardinals looked ‘sluggish’

  • Shot Clock: Cards' Palmer, 'D' gotta get better

    Shot Clock: Cards’ Palmer, ‘D’ gotta get better

  • Kent and Bob break down Cards' preseason loss to Bears

    Kent and Bob break down Cards’ preseason loss to Bears

  • Somers, McManaman on the Cardinals' 'boring' camp

    Somers, McManaman on the Cardinals’ ‘boring’ camp

  • Somers, McManaman on Arians' anger, receiving issues

    Somers, McManaman on Arians’ anger, receiving issues

  • Shot Clock: Cards WRs stink; anthem issue solved

    Shot Clock: Cards WRs stink; anthem issue solved

  • Insider: Was Arians' criticism truth or motivational chatter?

    Insider: Was Arians’ criticism truth or motivational chatter?

  • Shot Clock: Stanton stands out for Cardinals

    Shot Clock: Stanton stands out for Cardinals

  • Shot Clock: Cardinals protecting QB Palmer?

    Shot Clock: Cardinals protecting QB Palmer?

  • Greg Moore and Bruce Arians talk charities

    Greg Moore and Bruce Arians talk charities

  • Gabbert's big chance, special team auditions

    Gabbert’s big chance, special team auditions

  • Shot Clock: Arians changes tone with Cardinals

    Shot Clock: Arians changes tone with Cardinals

  • Greg Moore and Bob McManaman break down the Red-White practice

    Greg Moore and Bob McManaman break down the Red-White practice

  • Somers, McManaman on Gruden possibility, CB battle

    Somers, McManaman on Gruden possibility, CB battle

  • Shot Clock: Early hiccups for Cardinals

    Shot Clock: Early hiccups for Cardinals

  • Moore, McManaman wrap up opening day at Cardinals training camp

    Moore, McManaman wrap up opening day at Cardinals training camp

  • David Johnson's work load; D-Backs' head games

    David Johnson’s work load; D-Backs’ head games

  • Shot Clock: Cards kick off fan-friendly camp

    Shot Clock: Cards kick off fan-friendly camp

  • Somers sits down with Cardinals rookie Budda Baker

    Somers sits down with Cardinals rookie Budda Baker

  • Shot Clock: Blaine Gabbert a keeper for Cardinals?

    Shot Clock: Blaine Gabbert a keeper for Cardinals?

  • Kent and Bob talk new NFL rules and wide out depth

    Kent and Bob talk new NFL rules and wide out depth

  • Arians Family Foundation Fundraiser at Top Golf

    Arians Family Foundation Fundraiser at Top Golf

  • Report card on Cardinals QB Blaine Gabbert

    Report card on Cardinals QB Blaine Gabbert

  • David Johnson No. 1 on NFL Players Association list

    David Johnson No. 1 on NFL Players Association list

  • Bruce Arians talks about his annual fundraisers

    Bruce Arians talks about his annual fundraisers

  • Keim, Arians striking gold in draft's third round

    Keim, Arians striking gold in draft’s third round

  • Top 3 games in Cardinals schedule

    Top 3 games in Cardinals schedule

  • Larry Fitzgerald holding 7th annual charity softball tournament

    Larry Fitzgerald holding 7th annual charity softball tournament

  • Larry Fitzgerald 1-on-1 with Kent Somers

    Larry Fitzgerald 1-on-1 with Kent Somers

Injuries will force the Cardinals to increase the roles of a handful of young offensive players Sunday against the Colts, and coach Bruce Arians is confident they will produce.

“I think two or three of them will be up for the challenge and have a hell of a game,” Arians said.

Receiver John Brown has been ruled out with a quadriceps injury, which means rookie Chad Williams will play in his first game.

Williams didn’t play well early in training camp, but has shown improvement in recent weeks, Arians said.

“Anxious to see him get out there,” Arians said. “He battles Patrick (Peterson) night and day out there.”

Williams, a third-round pick out of Grambling, said: “Things are slowing down now. I am playing a little faster.”

Running back Elijhaa Penny, who played only on special teams last week in Detroit, will have a role on offense this Sunday. 

RELATED: Cardinals vs. Colts scouting report, prediction

Injury report

Brown, left guard Mike Iupati (triceps) and left tackle D.J. Humphries (knee) won’t travel to Indianapolis.

John Wetzel will start in place of Humphries and Alex Boone replaces Iupati.

Asked how he felt about having new starters on the left side of the line Arians said, “I don’t feel great about it, but those guys have played a lot of football.”

Tight end Jermaine Gresham (ribs), tight end Troy Niklas (hip) and defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche (calf) are questionable.

Arians, however, said he expects Niklas and Nkemdiche to play. Linebacker Deone Bucannon (ankle) is doubtful.

As for Brown, Arians said it’s difficult to count on him because Brown can’t stay healthy.

FIND A GAME: NFL Week 2 schedule rundown

A happy day

Tight end Jim Dray started his career with the Cardinals as a seventh-round pick in 2010. Seven years later, Dray would like to end his career in Arizona.

He and his wife, Kelly, were thrilled when the Cardinals called this week and signed Dray on Thursday.

“This is home for us,” Dray said. “This is what we were hoping for at some point, at the end of the career come back home and play a couple games. We’re just happy it worked out.”

Dray played with the Cardinals through 2013, Arians’ first season, so he’s familiar with the offense.

“I picked it up pretty good,” he said. “I’m sure there’s a couple of wrinkles I’ll come across in the game.”

Arians said Dray would play on Sunday against the Colts. To make room for Dray on the roster, linebacker Philip Wheeler was released.

MORE: Cardinals defense aims to finish what it starts against beat-up Colts

Full circle

Cardinals running back Kerwynn Williams was drafted by the Colts in the sixth round in 2013. Four years later, he will be making the first start of his career in Indianapolis.

He is the only member of that Colts’ draft class still in the NFL.

“It’s crazy to think about it,” Williams said. “I’ve always tried to be resilient.”

Williams went through 15 roster moves in his first 21 months in the NFL. In 2014, he was signed, released and elevated from the practice squad seven times.

RELATED: Kerwynn Williams gets first crack at No. 1 RB role for Cardinals

Costly tackle

Lions linebacker Jarrad Davis was fined $9,115 for body-slamming Gresham in the fourth quarter last week. Gresham suffered bruised ribs.

Cardinals offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin was asked how he reacted to the play when he watched it from the sideline.

“Pissed off,” he said. “It wasn’t very smart by that guy. He (Gresham) could have landed on his neck or something and hurt himself, so I didn’t like it.”

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