For the second consecutive day Chris "Beanie" Wells not only participated in a full practice but also impressed quite a few people in the process. While showing no signs of a gimpy ankle, Wells was explosive and fast during team drills and on several occasions was able to use his speed to get to the perimeter of the defense. It certainly sounds like Wells will see his first action of the preseason on Friday against the Packers and the return to action couldn't come soon enough. For the first time since his signing with the Cards, Beanie was reluctant to talk to the media and persistent questions about his ankle led to short, quick, frustrated answers.
"I'm back to where I was before," the optimistic Wells said. "I'm just going to keep saying my prayers and keep working hard."
- The rest of the injury report is pretty much the same (Ali Highsmith, Elliot Vallejo and Keilen Dykes) all missing practice and for the past two days Brian St. Pierre has also been sidelined with a bad back. His status for Friday's game doesn't seem to be in doubt at this point though.
- The team also worked out a DE/OLB yesterday, Angelo Craig. Craig, a former Cincinatti Bearcat, was selected by the Bengals in the seventh round of last year's draft but was cut before the season started. He spent time on the Panthers and Patriots practice squad. He's got good size (6-4, 250) but is considered a marginal athlete and didn't become a starter in college until his senior season. Ken Whisenhunt noted that the team will continue to work out a couple of players in hopes of signing one before the final preseason game (when veterans play very little if at all). It's worth noting that the first 'cut down day' is September 1st so the team will have to cut five players in order to get down to the maximum number of 75, but moving Cody Brown to IR and not signing someone else would mean that they only have to cut four.
- In a final bit of injury news, Kurt Warner has said that he's feeling much better about his surgically repaired hip.
"I feel probably twice as good as I felt at any point since I injured my hip," he said. "It's exciting for me that I'm seeing strides being made. I'm feeling more comfortable, and I don't have to worry about trying to manage the pain. I'm definitely feeling better than I have in a long time."