Former Arizona Wildcats All-American Scooby Wright is coming back to the state where he became one of college football’s top players.
Wright, who spent most of his rookie season on the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad, signed with the Cardinals on Tuesday and practiced with the team both Tuesday and Wednesday.
He will likely make his NFL debut Sunday, when the Cardinals host the New Orleans Saints.
“Time to work!” the linebacker tweeted Monday night. He flew to Phoenix on Tuesday morning to begin what the Cardinals’ official team website termed a “three-game tryout.”
The Cardinals have been hit hard by injuries, thinning their linebacking corps and special-teams units. They placed three players on season-ending injured reserve Tuesday, including starting linebacker Deone Bucannon.
Cardinals coach Bruce Arians wanted to sign Wright if he didn’t get drafted, which almost happened. Cleveland selected the linebacker with the 250th pick in the 253-selection 2016 draft.
Wright was inactive for the winless Browns’ first two games. They waived him Sept. 20 before signing him to their practice squad.
Wright was prepared to accept Arians’ offer to sign with the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent before the Browns picked him. A few days later, Arians disclosed just how close Wright came to becoming a Cardinal.
Arians said he had Wright on the phone and was “begging him to come with us as a free agent because I think he has something special about him.” Then the Browns grabbed him.
Seven-plus months later, Arians got his man.
Phil Wright, Scooby’s father, said his son is in the “best shape of his life” and dreamed of playing for Arians and the Cardinals since his UA days.
“Scooby is so excited and ready to play,” Phil Wright said.
Despite an all-time great season in 2014 at Arizona, Scooby Wright fell in the draft because of concerns about his athleticism. He didn’t test well at the NFL scouting combine, and he missed most of the 2015 season because of foot and knee injuries.
Wright appeared in only three games, including the season-ending New Mexico Bowl. He earned Defensive MVP honors after recording a game-high 15 tackles, including two sacks. He announced his intention to turn pro immediately afterward.
