NFL PLAYER NEWS

Cardinals OG Iupati out 6-8 weeks

The Sports Xchange

August 19, 2015 at 4:17 pm.

Former San Francisco 49ers guard Mike Iupati (77). Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Former San Francisco 49ers guard Mike Iupati (77). Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Guard Mike Iupati, the Arizona Cardinals’ big free-agent addition, is expected to miss six to eight weeks after undergoing knee surgery.

Iupati is expected to have an arthroscopic procedure this week, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Wednesday.

The Cardinals signed Iupati from the NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers in March, giving him a five-year, $40 million contract.

They planned to pair him with last year’s big addition, left tackle Jared Veldheer, to try to improve a line that was responsible for the NFL’s 31st-ranked rushing attack.

The Cardinals instead are getting light up front, with Iupati possibly missing the first month and right tackle Bobby Massie reportedly suspended for the first three games.

Ted Larsen and Earl Watford are the top candidates to fill in for Iupati. First-round pick D.J. Humphries figures to start in place of Massie.