Arizona Cardinals Interested in Former Fan Favorite

On Monday, the Arizona Cardinals hosted former fan-favorite interior OL Will Hernandez for an official visit, according to the NFL transaction wire.

Hernandez is a free agent this offseason, though many have called for the Cardinals to look into re-signing the sturdy veteran.

Arizona Cardinals Host Will Hernandez for Visit

Hernandez, 29, spent the last three seasons with the Cardinals, emerging as an elite pass-blocking guard and helping build Arizona's OL into one of the more cohesively proficient groups in the NFL.

He played all 17 games in 2023, but his season was cut short at just five games in 2024, as he suffered an unfortunate ACL tear that ended his season and put the Cardinals into limbo at the right guard spot.

He posted a very positive 74.2 PFF grade in pass protection in 2024, continuing a trend of excellent protection results from previous seasons.

In his five games played, he did not allow a single sack, and only committed two penalties. He allowed only four sacks and committed just a single foul in 2023.

Not only is the seven-year veteran an extremely effective player, he's beloved by both fans and teammates. The Cardinals were not looking for his departure, and they likely were hoping to re-sign him this offseason had he not gotten hurt.

However, they may be looking to bring him back regardless.

Why Reunion Could Make Sense

On July 30, Hernandez sent a message to the football world on social media, announcing he has been officially cleared to return from his ACL rehab.

The Cardinals definitely could use that type of veteran depth in a starting-quality guard this season. While they undeniably expect big things out of second-year OL Isaiah Adams, the re-addition of Hernandez could bring an extra element to an OL that is dealing with the loss of its position coach.

Whether or not Adams blossoms into the starter Arizona hopes he will is unknown. But Hernandez is very known. He's an excellent player, a person who fits the Jonathan Gannon-Monti Ossenfort mold, and a sturdy layer of protection for QB Kyler Murray.

The Cardinals are not going to see much of a departure offensively. They need as reliable an OL as possible as they look to do their damage on the ground.

But Adams' shortcomings are in pass protection, and that is unquestionably Hernandez's strength. Perhaps the veteran doesn't play every down if signed, but he'd likely be a positive player to have on the field and the locker room should the Cardinals sign him.

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