jake coker.jpg

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jake Coker throws a pass during the team's NFL rookie minicamp on May 6, 2016, in Tempe, Ariz.

(AP Photo)

The Arizona Cardinals placed former Alabama quarterback Jake Coker on reserve/injured on Wednesday, according to the NFL's official transactions wire.

The Cardinals waived Coker in a personnel move announced on Monday and filed on Tuesday. When the 24-hour waiver period ended on Wednesday and Coker had not been claimed by another NFL team, Arizona was able to place Coker on its reserve list because he had been waived with an injury designation.

That designation allows teams to put waived players on injured reserve or release them with an injury settlement.

A prep standout at St. Paul's in Mobile, Coker was the quarterback for Alabama's 2015 CFP national-championship team. Signed as a free agent after the 2016 NFL Draft, Coker played in only one of Arizona's three preseason games. He completed 2-of-5 passes for 16 yards in the fourth quarter of the Cardinals' 31-10 loss to the Oakland Raiders in their preseason opener on Aug. 12.

Coker's injury is listed simply as "knee."

According to NFL rules, only players with a "major injury" can be placed on IR. A major injury is defined as one that prevents a player from practicing or playing for at least six weeks from the date of the injury.

When a player is put on injured reserve, he can't play for that team for the remainder of the season - with one exception. Each season, eac team can restore one player from IR to its active roster.

Players also can be removed from the injured-reserve list during the season by being waived with an injury settlement.

Injured-reserve players can't play, of course, since they aren't on the active roster (and don't count against the roster limit). They can't practice with the team either. However, they can attend meetings and other team activities.

Coker was one of hundreds of players waived or released by NFL teams over the preceding four days. NFL teams were required to reduce their 90-player rosters to 75 by 3 p.m. CDT Tuesday.

Two other players with Alabama football roots also reverted to injured reserve after clearing waivers on Wednesday. Tight end Kennard Backman of UAB went on IR with the Green Bay Packers, and cornerback Trovon Reed of Auburn went on IR with the Seattle Seahawks.

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