Cardinals put Colt McCoy on IR, promote Trace McSorley

The Arizona Cardinals put backup quarterback Colt McCoy on injured reserve Wednesday and promoted Trace McSorley to No. 2.

McCoy, 36, will miss at least the first four games. Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury said McCoy has a calf injury.

McSorley, 27, will serve as Kyler Murray's primary backup in Sunday's opener against the visiting Kansas City Chiefs.

Neither McCoy nor Murray appeared in a preseason game, with McSorley taking most of the snaps under center.

McSorley was promoted from the practice squad to replace McCoy on the 53-man roster. The Cardinals re-signed rookie QB Jarrett Guarantano to replace McSorley on the practice squad.

McCoy went 2-1 last season in place of Murray, who missed time with an ankle injury. Overall, McCoy is 10-23 as a starter with five different teams. He has thrown for 7,195 career yards and 33 touchdowns in 52 games (33 starts).

McSorley has played in three games -- all with Baltimore -- and has thrown just 10 passes while completing three, one for a TD. He was a sixth-round pick of the Ravens in the 2019 draft.

Kingsbury also said that defensive end J.J. Watt is day-to-day with a calf injury and starting tight end Zach Ertz (calf) will be a gameday decision. Watt did not practice Wednesday.

The Cardinals also signed cornerback Corey Ballentine to the practice squad. To make room on the 16-man squad, the team released wide receiver Jontre Kirklin.