GLENDALE – The hope for Week 1 of the NFL season for the Arizona Cardinals is that they are about to get their first real look at their newest star running back. Head coach Mike LaFleur said rookie running back Jeremiyah Love will be “ready to roll” in practice Wednesday, according to Donnie Druin of the Arizona Cardinals on SI. For a player selected No. 3 overall, that update carries more weight than a routine practice report.
Aug 13, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love (4) carries the ball against Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Taron Johnson (3) in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Jeremiyah Love is ready to practice for Cardinals:
Takeaways from #AZCardinals HC Mike LaFleur:
– Chargers “dang good football team” and heaped praise for entire coaching staff and roster. Says Harbaugh teams are “tough and disciplined”
– Week 1 “there’s gonna be different stuff” regardless of who is coaching/calling plays.…
— Donnie Druin (@DonnieDruin) September 9, 2026
Love entered the NFL with enormous expectations after establishing himself as one of the most explosive running backs in college football. Arizona did not spend a top-three pick on him simply to become another piece of the running-back rotation. The Cardinals believe his combination of speed, explosiveness, and big-play ability will eventually make him a centerpiece of their offense.
May 8, 2026; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona running back Jeremiyah Love (4) during rookie minicamp at Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Now comes the important part, as he is proving he is healthy enough to show it. Love’s return to practice allows Arizona to see how he moves, cuts, and handles contact after dealing with his injury. The biggest question isn’t whether he can participate. It’s whether he can string together quality work without experiencing a setback.
Arizona running back Jeremiyah Love (4) practices during training camp at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on July 26, 2026. Credits: Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
That evaluation becomes even more important because Love isn’t expected to operate in a vacuum. James Conner and Tyler Allgeier give Arizona established options, meaning Love doesn’t necessarily need to carry the entire workload immediately. Instead, the Cardinals can gradually determine how much responsibility the rookie is ready to handle. For Arizona fans, that’s the encouraging takeaway. Love is back on the field. The next step is finding out whether the player who generated so much excitement before the season can finally start looking like the future star the Cardinals drafted him to become.
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Reporter Benjamin Bliklen covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @BenBliklen
