Cardinals reportedly lose RG Will Hernandez for season due to knee injury
A win that pulled the Arizona Cardinals to 2-3 on the season didn’t come without its individual losses. Starting right guard Will Hernandez left his team’s 24-23 win over the San Francisco 49ers with a knee injury that will keep him out for the rest of the season, reports NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Hernandez will soon join starting right tackle Jonah Williams on the injured reserve. Williams suffered a knee injury in Week 1 and is uncertain to be able to play again this season.
With the Cardinals threatening to
score early on in the fourth quarter on Sunday, Hernandez was rolled up on by 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa.
Trainers looked at Hernandez before the guard slowly walked off the field. He didn’t return.
How will the Arizona Cardinals absorb the Will Hernandez loss?
While left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. in his second season can already claim the title of best offensive lineman on the Cardinals, Hernandez isn’t far behind.
Hernandez ranked sixth among interior offensive linemen in run block win rate and 18th in pass block win rate, according to ESPN.
Backup Trystan Colon replaced Hernandez against the 49ers and held up without allowing a pressure allowed over 20 snaps after Hernandez went down.
Before entering Sunday’s game, Colon had registered six offensive snaps at center so far this season.
He played extensively for Arizona in 2023 with 322 snaps. Colon allowed two sacks, a quarterback hit and six hurries with a single penalty over that span, where he mostly played at left guard.
Arizona also has Jon Gaines II and rookie guard Isaiah Adams as potential depth options behind Colon.
Looking further ahead, Hernandez is in the final year of his contract that pays out $3.2 million this season.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Zay Jones has served his five-game suspension, and the NFL granted him a one-game roster exemption as he works his way back onto the field, according to multiple reports.
The NFL suspended Jones, who signed with the Cardinals this past offseason, for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
Jones will not count toward Arizona’s 53-man roster until the exemption is lifted. It expires next Monday after the Cardinals take on the Green Bay Packers on Sunday at Lambeau Field. The Cardinals could place Jones back on the active roster ahead of Sunday’s game, but they would need to make a corresponding roster move.
