Troy Niklas has minor surgery, another ankle injury, but the two are unrelated

Arizona Cardinals tight end Troy Niklas has struggled with injuries since he was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals. He missed another practice on Wednesday during mini-camp and is going to have surgery, but the two are not related.

He tweaked his ankle and sat out the final practice of mini-camp. It was not the same ankle he had surgically repaired last season when he severely sprained it, landing him on season-ending injured reserve. More importantly, it isn't anything to worry about. "It's not that bad at all," Niklas said.

He also is having surgery, but on the original ankle. When his ankle was repaired, he had some mesh put in. This procedure is to remove that mesh. It was in the plans for weeks.

Niklas said there is a cool part of it. "I'll get to see my insides," he said, telling reporters he won't have to be put under. The area will be numbed and he will get to see the surgical procedure.

The result, once healed up again, will be full motion again. He wasn't able to do everything he knows he can because of the limitations on his ankle. He also believes he will less susceptible to getting hurt, because "when you're out there and your wheel's not working right, everything's compensating for that, so you kind of put yourself up for more injuries."

He is anxious to finally be healthy and prove himself in training camp.

"I'm really looking forward to it," he said. "I don't think I've felt 100 percent yet since I've been here. I've got a lot of work to do to get healthy and feel good out there.

"I think once I feel good out there, that's when things will start happening."

Niklas has missed time because of hernia surgery, a broken finger he got caught in a jersey, ankle surgery and a hamstring.

Considering Bruce Arians says Niklas still has "a ways to go" in his development, this year's training camp will be big for the 2014 second round pick.