The Arizona Cardinals were noticeably short-handed during their Wednesday practice as they prepared for their Week 16 matchup against the Carolina Panthers.

Several key players, including Mack Wilson, Trey Benson, Jesse Luketa, and Paris Johnson Jr., were absent during the open portion of the session. While the team did not provide detailed information on their status, their absence raised concerns about their availability for the upcoming game.

Earlier in the week, head coach Jonathan Gannon gave brief updates on the team’s injured players but offered little in terms of specifics or guarantees about their participation in practice. Wilson, for instance, was forced to leave Sunday’s game after suffering a concussion and did not return to action.

Gannon mentioned that Wilson was in “good spirits” earlier in the week, but it’s clear that the linebacker still faces a significant hurdle in clearing the NFL’s concussion protocol before he can rejoin the team.

Benson’s situation is also still unresolved, as the Cardinals are continuing to assess his ankle injury. This uncertainty was reflected in the team’s decision to sign running back Tony Jones Jr. to the practice squad, likely as a precautionary measure in case Benson is unavailable for Sunday’s game.

Luketa, who sustained a thigh injury after Wilson left the New England game, was also ruled out for the remainder of that contest. Having played in only 30% of the team’s snaps this season, his injury adds another layer of concern to the Cardinals’ defensive depth heading into the weekend.

The most significant absence, however, was that of offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. Despite playing a significant number of snaps in the Cardinals’ win, Johnson was pulled from the game late when the team inserted its second-unit players. It remains unclear what injury, if any, Johnson sustained between Sunday’s game and Wednesday’s practice, but his absence was notable, given his importance to the offensive line.

The Cardinals are expected to release their official injury report later today, but based on today’s practice, it’s likely that several prominent names will be listed as questionable or out for Week 16