Sep 29, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals guard Will Hernandez (76) against the Washington Commanders at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Arizona Cardinals Re-Sign Veteran OL

Originally posted on Arizona Cardinals on SI
By Alex D'Agostino | Last updated Aug 7, 2025 3:02 PM ET

The Arizona Cardinals signed veteran interior OL Will Hernandez to a ?-year deal, reuniting with one of their sturdiest OL options, according to multiple reports.

A reunion in Arizona: The #AZCardinals are re-signing G Will Hernandez, he announced on Instagram. It’s a one-year deal for Herndandez, who showed the Cards in a visit this week his rehab from a torn ACL is progressing well enough to bring him back. pic.twitter.com/UvKkJvJA1L
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 7, 2025

Hernandez took an official visit with the team on Monday. Evidently, there wasn't much that needed to be proven for the Cardinals to lock him up to another deal.

Arizona Cardinals Sign Will Hernandez to Deal

Hernandez, 29, suffered season-ending injury in 2024, as a torn ACL limited him to just five games played. He's been generally durable otherwise, however, playing and starting in all 17 games in the 2023 season.

Hernandez is one of the better free agent signings orchestrated by former GM Steve Keim, coming over in 2022 on a one-year deal.

He's since stepped up as one of the most dominant members of a resurgent Cardinals OL, helping the group find cohesion and consistency in both the run game and in pass protection.

Hernandez has been one of the most underrated pass protecting guards in the league, and was a key member of an OL unit that helped keep QB Kyler Murray upright and healthy for the past two seasons.

He was given an excellent 74.2 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2024, despite playing just five games. He did not allow a sack and committed only two penalties in that limited action.

In fact, he's allowed only seven sacks and 10 penalties in 35 games with the Cardinals in his career — a span of 2,232 snaps.

The Cardinals' OL appeared to be heading in a somewhat different direction in 2025.

Young interior OL Isaiah Adams seems to be on an extremely fast upward trajectory, after struggling in pass protection as a rookie. Arizona also lost OL coach Klayton Adams to the Dallas Cowboys.

Adding Hernandez back into the mix, likely to serve as veteran depth and a platoon pass-blocker, brings back another element to a group that has been the key factor in Arizona's offensive success under Jonathan Gannon.

Even if he doesn't play every snap, Hernandez's presence is a safety net, and perhaps an added dimension in Adams' development.

The Cardinals love to run the ball, and a bruising group of big men up front is the first step in doing so proficiently.

But keeping Murray healthy and able to throw the ball is also a critical aspect of the offense, and Hernandez will only help in that regard.

It's good to have Mijo back.