Report: Cardinals 'Hoping' to Open James Conner's Practice Window amid Injury Rehab

The Arizona Cardinals are preparing to welcome quarterback Kyler Murray back into the lineup this week and may be doing the same soon with running back James Conner.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Cardinals are "hoping" to open James Conner's 21-day practice window this week as he prepares to return from a knee injury. Conner has missed Arizona's last four games.

The veteran back had been a bright spot in an otherwise miserable Cardinals season, rushing for 364 yards and two touchdowns across his first five games. Arizona has struggled to find consistent production out of the backfield since Conner went down, with undrafted rookie Emari Demercado handling most of the snaps.

At 1-8, this is already a lost season for the Cardinals and some have viewed them as a tanking candidate since the preseason. Arizona and the Carolina Panthers are the only two teams remaining with just one win.

However, it appears first-year head coach Jonathan Gannon wants to build some positive momentum in the second half. Murray has been ramping up his activity the last three weeks and is set to return Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, barring any setbacks. The Cardinals' franchise quarterback suffered a torn ACL last December, and Sunday will mark a little over 11 months since the injury.

"If he's out on the field, we feel good about him being healthy enough to play," Gannon told reporters of Murray. "Every team in the NFL's banged up and we'll put our best foot forward and get the right pieces in there and give ourselves a chance to win a game."

Murray's return to the lineup may amount to an audition for his starting job. If the Cardinals finish with the NFL's worst record, there is a decent chance Murray will be traded in favor of Caleb Williams, the presumptive No. 1 overall pick.

Conner is under contract for a manageable $3.7 million in 2024. It's likely Arizona will use the draft to find competition for the veteran, but Conner's salary is worth keeping him around even if he's part of a committee next season.