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When the Arizona Cardinals signed tackle Jonah Williams and guard Evan Brown as unrestricted free agents within six days of each other in March 2024, the plan was put in place for an offensive line that would hopefully have some stability.
With Williams heading to right tackle, after being the sixth overall pick in 2023, Paris Johnson Jr. switched sides to left tackle after starting all 17 games as a rookie.
Brown was a welcome addition at left guard after four players started there the season before: Elijah Wilkinson, nine; Trystan Colon, four; Carter O’Donnell, three; and Dennis Daley, one.
Will Hernandez and Hjalte Froholdt had started all 17 games in 2023 at right guard and center, respectively.
Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for the best-laid plans to go awry.
Williams suffered a knee injury on the final play of the first quarter in the season opener at Buffalo. He missed the next nine games, started another five and then was out for the final two games of the season.
Hernandez suffered a torn ACL in Week 5 against the 49ers and his season was over.
Kelvin Beachum started 10 games at right tackle and two at left tackle when Johnson missed the final two games after injuring his knee in Week 16 against the Panthers.
At right guard after Hernandez was injured, Trystan Colon started seven and then-rookie Isaiah Adams five.
Hernandez was re-signed in August after becoming an unrestricted free agent and spent the summer on the physically unable to perform list. He stayed on the active roster rather than be placed on reserve at the cutdown to 53 so he would be able to practice. For five weeks, he was limited in every practice.
With Adams starting the first four games, he moved to left guard with Evan Brown out against the Titans and Hernandez started at right guard.
On a “pitch” count, he played the first 23 snaps during which the Cardinals scored touchdowns on three of four possessions and then Jon Gaines II took over. The Cardinals didn’t score again.
With Hernandez on the field, the offense gained 173 yards on 22 plays (7.86 average). After he left, it was 42 plays for 187 yards (4.45 average).
The missed game by Brown last week was his first since signing with the Cardinals. He was limited for the first two practices this week, but practiced in full Friday and had no game designation. That was the same for Hernandez, who had his first full practice this season on Friday and also had no game-status designation after being questionable for the first five games of the season.
Now, it appears the gang from Week 1 of 2024 will be together again for Sunday’s game against the Colts. That game against the Bills was the only one all five played together last season.
After the Tennessee game, head coach Jonathan Gannon said the plan was to have Hernandez play about the snaps he did, but from the beginning of the game until leaving and not rotate.
“First time playing in a real game, coming back off an injury as severe as that one, I was glad he came out OK,” Gannon said then. “He's got to get his sea legs back. He'll tell you that. But it was good to see him out there. He knocked off some rust and played better as he kept playing.”
When asked Wednesday if he views Hernandez as a starter, Gannon said, "Yeah. What he's shown in his past and I thought that he took a good jump. I thought he played pretty good."
Gannon said before practice Friday, “You see him getting a little more comfortable every time he gets in his stance. And that's typically what happens the more you play coming off an injury when you miss some time. He's doing well.”
Now, the question is whether there will be a snap count Sunday and if he and the line can play well enough together to give the offense a fighting chance whether it’s Kyler Murray or Jacoby Brissett at quarterback in Indianapolis.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Cardinals' originally planned starting O-line finally together!
Continue reading...
With Williams heading to right tackle, after being the sixth overall pick in 2023, Paris Johnson Jr. switched sides to left tackle after starting all 17 games as a rookie.
Brown was a welcome addition at left guard after four players started there the season before: Elijah Wilkinson, nine; Trystan Colon, four; Carter O’Donnell, three; and Dennis Daley, one.
Will Hernandez and Hjalte Froholdt had started all 17 games in 2023 at right guard and center, respectively.
Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for the best-laid plans to go awry.
Williams suffered a knee injury on the final play of the first quarter in the season opener at Buffalo. He missed the next nine games, started another five and then was out for the final two games of the season.
Hernandez suffered a torn ACL in Week 5 against the 49ers and his season was over.
Kelvin Beachum started 10 games at right tackle and two at left tackle when Johnson missed the final two games after injuring his knee in Week 16 against the Panthers.
At right guard after Hernandez was injured, Trystan Colon started seven and then-rookie Isaiah Adams five.
Hernandez was re-signed in August after becoming an unrestricted free agent and spent the summer on the physically unable to perform list. He stayed on the active roster rather than be placed on reserve at the cutdown to 53 so he would be able to practice. For five weeks, he was limited in every practice.
With Adams starting the first four games, he moved to left guard with Evan Brown out against the Titans and Hernandez started at right guard.
On a “pitch” count, he played the first 23 snaps during which the Cardinals scored touchdowns on three of four possessions and then Jon Gaines II took over. The Cardinals didn’t score again.
With Hernandez on the field, the offense gained 173 yards on 22 plays (7.86 average). After he left, it was 42 plays for 187 yards (4.45 average).
The missed game by Brown last week was his first since signing with the Cardinals. He was limited for the first two practices this week, but practiced in full Friday and had no game designation. That was the same for Hernandez, who had his first full practice this season on Friday and also had no game-status designation after being questionable for the first five games of the season.
Now, it appears the gang from Week 1 of 2024 will be together again for Sunday’s game against the Colts. That game against the Bills was the only one all five played together last season.
After the Tennessee game, head coach Jonathan Gannon said the plan was to have Hernandez play about the snaps he did, but from the beginning of the game until leaving and not rotate.
“First time playing in a real game, coming back off an injury as severe as that one, I was glad he came out OK,” Gannon said then. “He's got to get his sea legs back. He'll tell you that. But it was good to see him out there. He knocked off some rust and played better as he kept playing.”
When asked Wednesday if he views Hernandez as a starter, Gannon said, "Yeah. What he's shown in his past and I thought that he took a good jump. I thought he played pretty good."
Gannon said before practice Friday, “You see him getting a little more comfortable every time he gets in his stance. And that's typically what happens the more you play coming off an injury when you miss some time. He's doing well.”
Now, the question is whether there will be a snap count Sunday and if he and the line can play well enough together to give the offense a fighting chance whether it’s Kyler Murray or Jacoby Brissett at quarterback in Indianapolis.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Cardinals' originally planned starting O-line finally together!
Continue reading...
