Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Justin Pugh gave a reassuring update on his ACL, which he tore during a Week 6 matchup of the 2022 season.
Pugh is currently a free agent, and after he left the field in Week 6, there were questions on whether that would be his last game ever on the football field.
Justin is entering the 11th season of his NFL career and his sixth in Arizona, if they decide to bring him back. During his time with the Cardinals, Pugh has been one of the more reliable linemen—that is, of course, until 2022, when he only played in five games.
Nevertheless, while healthy, the impact that Pugh brings to the Cardinals offense is hard to ignore. While it may not be saying much considering Arizona’s miserable 2022 season, the Cardinals went 2-10 while Pugh was not in the starting lineup.
Additionally, quarterback Kyler Murray played significantly better in games where Pugh played in more than 50% of the offensive snaps (weeks 2, 3, and 5). During these games, Murray averaged over 280 passing yards, compared to his 215 season average.
Unfortunately, not only is Pugh currently in recovery mode, but he is also an unrestricted free agent as his five-year contract expired last week.
When this conversation was brought up on Twitter, Pugh comically referred to his latest predictions of other Cardinals’ free agent signings.
Pugh has even hinted at maybe taking on a front office role if he does decide to retire in the near future.
Whether it is helping construct a roster, or providing much-needed support to the offensive line, the Cardinals should be standing with open arms welcoming Justin Pugh back and keeping him in Arizona for good.
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