Cardianls news: Mike LaFleur's 'wild' take on transfer portal mess with rookie safety teasing college return appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Arizona Cardinals could have an unusual situation on their hands with rookie safety Wydett Williams Jr. after a court ruling opened the door for him to play another season of college football.
Williams was one of 16 former college players named in a lawsuit who received a temporary restraining order allowing them to pursue another NCAA season . The NCAA could appeal the decision.
The ruling comes after the Division I board of directors changed eligibility rules to allow five seasons in five years but did not include recent seniors, a group that includes Williams.
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Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur acknowledged the strange possibility when discussing Williams.
"I just know he's done a good job for us so far. This is going to be wild, how all this plays out," said LaFleur.
Williams has already appeared in Arizona's first two preseason games. He played 61 defensive snaps and 16 special teams snaps against the Carolina Panthers in the Hall of Fame game, followed by 29 defensive snaps and 12 special teams snaps against the Las Vegas Raiders . He has recorded nine tackles across those two contests.
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound safety began his college career at Delta State before transferring to Louisiana-Monroe in 2024 and Ole Miss in 2025. He went undrafted this spring before signing a three-year contract with the Cardinals that includes $110,000 in guaranteed money.
Williams is not currently projected to make Arizona's 53-man roster and could instead land on the practice squad. The Cardinals already have Budda Baker , Andrew Wingard , Dadrion Taylor-Demerson and Kitan Crawford at safety, making the position crowded.
NFL rosters must be reduced from 90 players to 53 by Sunday, Aug. 30. If Williams does not secure an NFL roster or practice-squad spot, he could potentially return to college, where he might try to improve his game and alter his path toward the 2027 NFL Draft. If that happens, he would likely transfer to another school.
