The 2025 season has been a nightmare for the Arizona Cardinals. Kyler Murray and James Conner are already lost for the year, Marvin Harrison Jr. has struggled to stay on the field, and the team has spiraled to a 3-10 record following five straight losses.
Now, the few remaining fans paying attention are looking for any sign of hope regarding second-year running back Trey Benson, but the clock is ticking on his potential return.
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What Happened to Trey Benson?
The trouble started following a Week 4 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Adam Schefter reported that Benson would be placed on injured reserve with a knee injury. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on his meniscus shortly after, with the team projecting a four-to-six-week recovery timeline.
That timing stung because Benson had just taken over the RB1 role after Conner suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 3. The hope was that the sophomore back would only miss about a month before returning to help salvage the ground game.
Roughly seven weeks later, on Nov. 19, Schefter announced that Arizona was finally opening Benson’s 21-day practice window. Although it was slightly behind the initial schedule, it was still a positive step. However, that optimism didn’t last long.
After three limited practices, the team ruled him out for Week 12. In Week 13, things went sideways. Benson went from limited participation on Wednesday to not practicing at all on Thursday or Friday, eventually being ruled out again. Week 14 followed the same discouraging pattern: no practice participation and another inactive designation. It appears the 23-year-old suffered a significant setback during his ramp-up period.
Can the Cardinals Save Benson’s Season?
On Monday, fresh off the Week 14 loss and ahead of the matchup with the Houston Texans, Schefter provided the most concerning update yet:
“Cardinals RB Trey Benson – who has not played since Week 4 due to a meniscus injury – must be activated this week or his season is over. And with his practice window soon closing, there now is a real chance he will not be activated this week, per sources, and he will not be eligible to play again this season.”
What once looked like a midseason boost now feels like a lost cause. The window is closing fast, and if he isn’t activated this week, Arizona will have to wait until 2026 to get him back on the field. Before the injury, Benson showed efficiency in his limited opportunities, turning 29 carries into 160 rushing yards and adding 13 receptions for 64 yards through four games.
A surprise activation would certainly help an offense currently ranked #21 (per PFSN’s Impact metric). However, the realistic outcome suggests that Benson’s second NFL campaign may end before it ever really gets going.