Riders draft pick released by Arizona Cardinals and why it was a surprising move

Canadian defensive back Elie Bouka has been released with an injury settlement by the Arizona Cardinals.

The Dinos product had an impressive showing during Cardinals organized training activities and mini-camp. That earned him a promotion from field two where the players further down the roster practice to field one. But an early training camp ankle injury led to Bouka being let go.

Bouka was initially signed by Arizona as an undrafted free agent even though he was on the mend from a torn Achilles which kept him from playing in his final year at the University of Calgary. A hamstring setback landed the cover man on injured reserve for the entire 2016 NFL season with the Cardinals, but he made a full salary, which means the Cardinals invested in the ultra athletic defender with both money and rehab. That coupled with the fact Arizona head coach Bruce Arians and the Cardinals staff being high on Bouka made the release surprising.

The 24-year-old has other NFL teams interested already, but he needs to get back to 100 per cent health first.

Saskatchewan owns Bouka’s CFL rights after selecting him in the third-round, 24th overall by the Roughriders in the 2016 CFL draft.