That depth the Cardinals have worked to build at cornerback is already coming into play with training camp not even a week old.
Sean Murphy-Bunting was already out for the season with a knee injury suffered in the offseason, and now Starling Thomas V will be out for the year after tearing his left ACL in practice on Friday. He was placed on Injured Reserve.
The Cardinals also placed cornerback Jaden Davis, a 2024 seventh-round pick, on IR with a knee injury. To fill one of the spots, the team signed UFL cornerback Steven Gilmore Jr. -- brother of former All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Gilmore spent the 2023 preseason with the Lions.
The Cardinals still have one open roster spot.
"Football, in training camp, during the season, it's a known-unknown," coach Jonathan Gannon said. "You don't know who and you don't know what. All 32 teams deal with it."
He added that both will work to get back when they can, noting it is the "worst part of my job" when he talks to players who have suffered such serious injuries.
Thomas had leaped for a Jacoby Brissett pass that was being thrown away high near the end of the session and he came down awkwardly. After being down for a minute, he was able to get up on his own and climb on to the cart.
"God is good," Thomas posted on social media. "Will always trust him in the good times and bad times. My faith and trust will not waiver."
Thomas tore his right ACL when he was in college.
Thomas had started 22 games the past two seasons, the most of any undrafted player in the NFL in that time period, after the Cardinals claimed him off waivers in 2023 at the end of preseason from Detroit. He had played 75 percent of the defensive snaps the last two years.
He is scheduled to be a restricted free agent after the season.
"The business side of it, it opens up a spot," Gannon said. "Star was going to be on this team. He's played a lot of good football for us. We're just going to have to develop our guys."
The Cardinals still have a long list of cornerback hopefuls. Thomas was going to be in a battle to keep his starting spot with 2024 second-round pick Max Melton and 2025 second-round pick Will Johnson, along with emerging 2023 third-rounder Garrett Williams in the slot. The Cardinals also have draft picks Kei'Trel Clark, Elijah Jones and Denzel Burke Jr., as well as veterans Darren Hall and Jaylon Jones vying for roles.
"We pretty much have a three-corner rotation, and so we are just looking for that third corner now," Melton said. "It's next guy up. So it's a big loss. We know what he brings to the table, so it's really just next guy up."
