Cardinals bring back Krys Barnes after being cut, sign 3 additional players to practice squad

Nov 26, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals linebacker Krys Barnes (51) against the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

After signing 14 players to its practice squad on Wednesday, the Arizona Cardinals have made multiple roster moves ahead of the season opener on Sept. 8 against the Buffalo Bills.

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Linebacker Krys Barnes, who was released and re-signed to the Cardinals practice squad, has been elevated to the active roster while 2024 third-round draft pick Elijah Jones (heel) was placed on injured reserve. Tight end Jordan Murray, defensive lineman P.J. Mustipher and offensive lineman Luke Tenuta were all signed to the practice squad.

Following three seasons (2020-22) with the Green Bay Packers, Barnes joined the Cardinals last year and started six of 16 games he appeared in. He recorded an interception, a sack, 55 total tackles and defended six passes for Arizona. The Cardinals cut Barnes earlier in the week but with both of the team’s available IR spots taken by defensive lineman Darius Robinson and tackle Christian Jones, they needed to keep Jones on the active roster during final roster cuts. With that said, Jones was on the 53-man roster and is now on IR, making way for Barnes to return.

Jones redshirted in his first year of a six-season (2018-23) career at Boston College, being awarded an extra year of eligibility also from the shortened 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In three preseason games for the Cardinals, the New York native had a combined seven tackles. He suffered a heel injury in Arizona’s final preseason matchup against the Indianapolis Colts before landing on the IR.

Murray arrives in Arizona after going undrafted last season and was signed by the Houston Texans. He then joined the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad where he spent most of 2023. Collegiately, the 6-foot-5 tight end played 54 games with Hawaii (2022) and Missouri State (2018-21), accumulating 109 receptions for 1,266 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Like Murray, Mustipher was a rookie last year as he played four games for the New Orleans Saints. Out of Penn State, he signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted rookie free agent and was on their practice squad before joining New Orleans. For the Nittany Lions, Mustipher was at Penn State for five years (2018-22) and totaled 145 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, three sacks and two forced fumbles.

Tenuta, a sixth-round (209^th overall) pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Bills, played three games in his rookie season for the Packers. He was on the Colts last year as well but didn’t make an appearance. He played 34 games (26 starts) at Virginia Tech in college.