The Arizona Cardinals’ starting offensive tackles, Paris Johnson Jr. and Jonah Williams, will miss the rest of the season because of knee injuries.
Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon initially ruled them out on Tuesday for Saturday’s game at the Los Angeles Rams (9-6), then the team later placed them on injured reserve. Arizona (7-8) has been eliminated from postseason contention.
Johnson, 23, missed a game for the first time in his career when he sat out Sunday’s 36-30 overtime loss at Carolina. He hurt his left knee in Week 15 against the New England Patriots.
Arizona selected Johnson sixth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. He started all 17 games his rookie season, playing 100 percent of the offensive snaps (1,133), and 14 games this season (98 percent of the snaps) before missing Sunday’s game against the Panthers.
Williams, 27, hurt his right knee in the season-opening loss at Buffalo on Sept. 8 and went on injured reserve. He was activated on Oct. 30 and started six games before injuring the same knee in the third quarter against the Panthers.
Cincinnati picked Williams 11th overall in the 2019 draft out of Alabama. He signed with Arizona as a free agent in March.
Offensive tackle Jackson Barton, who was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster, is listed on the depth chart as the replacement for Williams at right tackle. Kelvin Beachum, who filled in for Johnson last weekend, now is slotted at left tackle.
Running backs James Conner (knee) and Trey Benson (ankle) and kicker Matt Prater (left knee) were among eight Cardinals listed as limited at practice on Tuesday, which was an estimation based on the team’s walkthrough, with offensive lineman Beachum getting a rest day. Safety Joey Blount (ribs), cornerback Elijah Jones (ankle) and punter Michael Palardy (illness) did not practice.
–Field Level Media
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