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Cardinals' Sean Murphy-Bunting on NFI list, out for '25 season

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona Cardinals cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting was placed on the non-football injury list Thursday and will miss the 2025 season.

The move to put Murphy-Bunting on the reserve list, where he will not count against the 90-man roster, was released on the NFL's daily transactions report. The Cardinals had not made any announcement about the move, and there was no immediate word on what the injury is.

Non-football injuries are injuries that happen away from an NFL facility, including working out to get ready for the season. An NFI designation can lead to players forfeiting their salaries.

Murphy-Bunting was supposed to be guaranteed a $7.7 million base salary this season as part of the three-year, $22.5 million deal he signed last offseason, but that is now in jeopardy.

Murphy-Bunting started 15 games in his first season in Arizona and had three interceptions and five passes defensed. He was in the mix to be a starter again in 2025.

A source told ESPN's Josh Weinfuss that the Cardinals knew about Murphy-Bunting's injury before last month's NFL draft, where the team selected two cornerbacks, including Will Johnson in the second round, and a safety. Max Melton, a 2024 second-rounder, is also in the mix at outside cornerback.

Murphy-Bunting, 27, was originally drafted by Tampa Bay in the second round in 2019 and helped the Buccaneers win the Super Bowl in his second season when he had three interceptions in four playoff games.

He spent the 2023 season with Tennessee before joining Arizona.

Murphy-Bunting has 11 interceptions and 34 passes defensed in 82 regular-season games with three more interceptions and a fumble recovery in six playoff games.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.