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Josh Weinfuss, ESPN Staff WriterDec 6, 2024, 02:37 PM ET
- Josh Weinfuss is a staff writer who covers the Arizona Cardinals and the NFL at ESPN. Josh has covered the Cardinals since 2012, joining ESPN in 2013. He is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and a graduate of Indiana University. You can follow him via Twitter @joshweinfuss.
TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona Cardinals kicker Matt Prater has been out since early October because of surgery to repair the meniscus in his left knee, sources told ESPN.
The extent of Prater’s injury and the surgery had not previously been reported. Sources said he could return at some point later in the season.
Prater went on injured reserve Oct. 15 and has now been on IR for seven weeks and counting.
The Cardinals had previously called Prater’s injury “soreness.” He injured the knee on his plant leg in Arizona’s Week 3 win over the Detroit Lions and played a week later against the Washington Commanders but hasn’t played since.
On Nov. 26, special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers said he wasn’t sure where “everything’s at in terms of [the] medical opinion and all those things. I know Matt’s working his butt off to get back. I know he’s progressing.”
Arizona signed Chad Ryland to the practice squad Oct. 2 to kick in place of Prater. He has kicked three game winners and is 18-for-21 on field goals this season, with two of his misses coming in the past two weeks.
Prater, 40, is in the final season of a two-year extension he signed in 2023.
