This season, the Arizona Cardinals have already seen 25 players move through injured reserve, the PUP list, or the NFI list, and the situation only got messier last week. Eight players were ruled out for Week 15 alone, including Marvin Harrison Jr. For Arizona, the list just keeps getting longer, and it’s turning into an issue head coach Jonathan Gannon can no longer afford to overlook.

On December 12, AZ Sports Cardinals reporter Tyler Drake had a chat with Gannon. The focus was simple. With so many bodies sidelined, was there a deeper evaluation happening behind the scenes?

“I’m in control of all that. … You’re trying to evaluate that every day. We talk about that every day, the health and development of our players. In my mind, we can do everything better. That’s a thing that we have to do better,” Gannon responded.

Thursday’s injury report also shows the complicated situation Gannon is facing. Eleven players missed Wednesday’s session, yet progress followed. Josh Sweat, Kelvin Beachum, and Dalvin Tomlinson all returned after rest days. Even better, Budda Baker joined practice despite a thumb issue.

Still, the bad news did not stop. Jalen Thompson and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson both stayed out. Marvin Harrison Jr. logged another DNP due to his heel injury. Evan Brown and Bilal Nichols followed the same path. Then, after practicing on Wednesday, Max Melton stepped back.

Paris Johnson Jr. worked on the side and is already ruled out. Xavier Weaver did the same. On the brighter side, Walter Nolen III logged his second limited session. But now, the Marvin Harrison Jr. update only tightens the pressure on Gannon.

There is still some hope

While the fans kept hoping for better news, it did not come. Instead, Jonathan Gannon confirmed what many feared. The Cardinals will again be without Marvin Harrison Jr. this Sunday. Speaking on Friday, Gannon said the wideout is still dealing with a heel issue and will miss the Texans game.

This will be the third game Harrison has missed because of the same lingering problem. Earlier this season, drops were a bigger concern. They slowed his momentum and stalled drives.

However, Week 4 against the Seahawks looked like a turning point. He played well. He had 6 catches for 66 yards and scored 1 touchdown in Week 4 against the Seahawks. So, for a moment, it felt like the issue was behind him.

Since then, though, consistency has been hard to find. Harrison’s flashes have come and gone. In 10 games, he has 40 catches for 594 yards and four touchdowns. Still and all, there is some light ahead. Gannon told reporters he expects Harrison to be back before the season ends.

Now, it becomes a waiting game. How soon can he return? And when he does, can he stay on the field? For now, the Cardinals move forward short-handed again.