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Cardinals Lose Two First-Round Pick Offensive Linemen for Rest of 2024 Season


The Arizona Cardinals have lost two key offensive linemen, both first-round picks, for the remainder of the 2024 season. According to NFL Insider Adam Schefter, “Cardinals placed offensive linemen Paris Johnson Jr. and Jonah Williams on season-ending injured reserve.”

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The Cardinals, now eliminated from postseason contention, will face the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday without either of their starting offensive tackles, Johnson and Williams.

This disappointing turn of events follows a 36-30 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, where the team failed to perform at their best.

Arizona Cardinals
Paris Johnson Jr #70 of the Arizona Cardinals signals to his teammates against the New England Patriots at State Farm Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona.

Norm Hall/Getty Images

Compounding their struggles, the Rams’ 19-9 victory over the New York Jets has officially ended any remaining hopes of a playoff berth for Arizona, leaving them to watch the postseason from the sidelines. It will make this post-Christmas game a somber one for Arizona, at the very least.

Johnson, who had played the second-most snaps for the Cardinals this season, missed his first game of the year in Carolina due to a strained MCL. The injury has now led to him being placed on injured reserve, ruling him out for the final two games of 2024.

Williams, signed in the offseason to start at right tackle for the Arizona Cardinals, has had a tumultuous first season with the team, marked by two right knee injuries. After playing just one quarter in Week 1, he suffered a knee injury that placed him on IR until after the team’s bye week.

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Williams returned to the active roster and started four games at right tackle before injuring the same knee again in the third quarter of last weekend’s game against the Panthers, forcing him to exit and not return. Now he’s back on IR.

Williams, selected by the Bengals in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Alabama, was an unrestricted free agent this offseason before signing with the Cardinals in March. Meanwhile, Johnson, a consensus All-American in his final season at Ohio State, made the transition from right guard to left tackle in 2022. The Cardinals then selected him with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Cardinals have had an aggravating season and it seems they are going to end it the same way, with a severely hampered offensive line.

For more on the NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.





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