The Arizona Cardinals added veteran quarterback Josh Johnson on Monday, signing him off the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad to the 53-man roster as injuries left the team with only one healthy quarterback.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the move.
“With veteran QB Gardner Minshew sidelined due to a UCL injury, the Cardinals are signing QB Josh Johnson off the Bengals’ practice squad, per sources. The Cardinals will be Johnson’s 15th NFL team in 14 NFL seasons.”
Johnson, 40, entered the league as a fifth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2008. He has appeared in 50 regular-season games with 11 starts, compiling a 2-9 record as a starter. Across those appearances he has completed 242 of 412 passes (58.7 percent) for 2,669 yards, 14 touchdowns and 18 interceptions, posting a 71.1 passer rating.
The signing comes one day after the Cardinals fell 17-3 at the Seattle Seahawks. Minshew, making his first start of the season, was hit on the final play of the first half while attempting a throw. He finished the game, completing 21 of 30 passes for 166 yards, but sources indicated a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm. He is seeking additional medical opinions, and the injury is expected to end his season.
Arizona had already traded former starter Jacoby Brissett to the Baltimore Ravens last week. That left rookie Carson Beck as the only healthy quarterback on the roster heading into the Week 10 game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Beck, selected 65th overall in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, spent his final college season at Miami after earlier years at Georgia. He completed 69.5 percent of his passes for 11,725 yards, 88 touchdowns and 32 interceptions in college and led the Hurricanes to the College Football Playoff national championship game.
Johnson most recently played for the Washington Commanders in 2025, appearing in five games with two starts. In those contests he completed 34 of 54 passes for 372 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
The Cardinals enter the week at 3-6 and in last place in the NFC West. Their offense has been depleted by injuries beyond the quarterback position. Wide receiver Michael Wilson is out for the season with a neck fracture, and the team has also lost its top three receivers from the start of the season, its starting left tackle and a key running back.
Head coach Mike LaFleur, in his first season, now faces a decision on who starts against the Rams. With the team unlikely to reach the playoffs, the remaining games offer an extended look at Beck.
Johnson provides experienced depth behind the rookie. Because he was claimed from another team’s practice squad, he must remain on the active roster for a minimum of three weeks, though the Cardinals are expected to keep him for the rest of the season.
Beck has yet to appear in a regular-season game. He has dealt with minor injuries earlier this year, including back issues, but has been healthy in recent weeks.
The Cardinals host the Rams on Sunday. Arizona’s offense managed just 198 total yards and three points in the loss at Seattle, underscoring the challenges any quarterback will face behind the current personnel.
Johnson’s lengthy career includes stints with more than a dozen franchises as well as time in other professional leagues. His arrival stabilizes the quarterback room while the organization evaluates Beck over the final stretch of the schedule.
