OL Injuries: Cardinals vs Rams and NFC West


By Walter Mitchell

This past off-season on the Red Rain Podcast, one of the top priorities that we kept addressing was the need for the Cardinals to figure out how and why so many of their players have been getting injured --- particularly along the offensive line. 

We are convinced that the Cardinals training staff and their strength and conditioning program have been an issue, as have the subpar training facilities --- plus we have always been concerned about the sometimes-slippery grass field at State Farm Stadium on which the Cardinals practice during training camp and play 10 games in each year.

One team that we kept pointing to with regard to the way they train their players is the Rams. Seemingly every year when we watch the Rams in the playoffs, they have a vast majority of their starters in the lineups, particularly along their offensive line.

Games Started --- Cardinals OL vs Rams OL --- 2026 / 2025 / 2024

LT Paris Johnson Jr.        4 / 12 / 14.    vs       Alaric Jackson      5 / 19 / 16 (replacing Joe Noteboom)

LG Isaac Seumalo.        6 / --- / ---       vs.       Kevin Dotson      6 / 17 / 18

LG Evan Brown.          --- / 11 / 17

C Hjalte Froholdt.          6 / 17 / 17       vs.       Coleman Shelton  6 / 20 / Beau Limmer - 17

RG Isaiah Adams.          3 / 11 / 5          vs       Steve Avila.          6 / 16 / 12 (Jonah Jackson - 5)

RG Will Hernandez.       --- / 7 / 5.       

RG Jon Gaines II            2 / 5 / 0

RG Chase Bisontis.        0 / --- / ---

RT Elijah Wilkinson.       6 / --- / ---      vs        Warren McClendon.   6 / 13 (Rob Havenstein 7) / 6

RT Jonah Williams.         --- / 9 / 6.      

RT Kelvin Beachum       --- / 19 / 12 (LT, RT)


Cardinals' OL players sent to IR 2024 - 2026

Jonah Williams - 2024, 2025

Will Hernandez - 2024, 2025

Paris Johnson Jr, - 2024, 2025, 2026

Evan Brown - missed last several games in 2025 for personal reasons

Isaiah Adams - 2026

Chase Bisontis - 2026

Christian Jones 0 2025

Hayden Conner --- 2025


Rams' OL players sent to IR 2024 - 2026

Rob Havenstein - 2025 (replaced by current starter Warren McClendon Jr,)

Jonah Jackson - 2024 (replaced by current starter Dominic Puni)

Joe Noteboom - 2024 (replaced by current starter Alaric Jackson)


49ers' OL 2026 - 2025

LT Trent Williams   6 / 18

LG Connor Colby 6 / 11

C Jake Brendal 6 / 17

RG Dominic Puni 6 / 19

RT Colton McKivitz 6 / 19


Seahawks' OL 2026 - 2025

LT Charles Cross    6 / 17

LG Grey Zabel 6 / 20

C Jalen Sundell 6 / 16

RG Anthony Bradford 1 (Christian Haynes 5) / 20

RT Jonathan Lucas  6 / 20


Note: Heading into Week 7 --- Original Starters on OL still starting

SF - 5

SEA - 5

LAR - 5

ARI - 3

NFC West OL Currently on IR:

Arizona (3):

Paris Johnson Jr.

Isaiah Adams

Chase Bisontis

Los Angeles (0):

None

San Francisco (0):

None

Seattle (0):

None

Question for Theo Mackie: would you please ask Mike LaFleur what has been the Rams' success at keeping their offensive line healthy year after year? 

Red Rain Question: What do you think is the problem?


Comments

  1. JethroBodineOctober 24, 2026 at 9:31 AM

    Yes I think the training staff and field could play a part in this teams OL health but in 2008, all 5 of this team's starting offensive lineman started every single one of the 16 regular season games as well as all 4 post season games. On top of that, they went to the SB so what was the one difference in this team that helped them achieve both monumental feats. In my opinion, it was mostly Kurt Warner who was assisted by Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Coming from Arena Footballs 50 yard indoor field, KW was forced to read defenses, process information, and throw with accuracy into tight windows under intense pressure. The AFL was the perfect training ground for KW who processed the talent to thrive in that environment and all of those learned characteristics helped keep the 2008 Cardinal OL healthy IMO.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Since 61October 24, 2026 at 11:53 AM

      Kurt Warner-President of Football Operations for the Arizona Cardinals 2027-...

      Delete
    2. JethroBodineOctober 24, 2026 at 2:48 PM

      Yes, that would give me hope. I guess a few things would have to line up. KW would need to want to make a change after 16 years in television. MB would have to give him the freedom to do what he needs to do to fix this team and KW would have to be ok with a pay cut.

      Delete
  2. Kyle LedbetterOctober 24, 2026 at 9:44 AM

    Remarkable that through all their other injuries that decimate the team, the 49ers have stayed remarkably healthy on the Offensive Line. That feels like a coaching thing more than anything else

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
 Urge Michael Bidwill to Sell Petition --- We Need Your Signatures By Walter Mitchell and Joanna J. Love Link here: Walter B J Mitchell @WBJMItch Boost Demand Michael Bidwill sell the Arizona Cardinals - Sign the Petition! https:// c.org/fc5sNWYtDw via @Change We have 334 signatures thus far and will need every signature we can get. Thanks to all of you for participating in this cause. The Issue To: The NFL -   Urge Michael Bidwill to Sell the Team or Step Down as Team President   We Arizona Cardinals' fans would like to urge the NFL to ask Michael Bidwill to sell the team or to at least hire a new Team President in order to put the troubled franchise's key decision-making in the hands of someone more competent, trustworthy and charismatic.   For the following reasons:   Key Allegations and Lawsuits (per Google)   Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill has faced multiple high-profile allegations of verbal abuse, harassment, discrimination, and gross misco...
Read more
Image
 A Hooray Day that has Cardinals' Players Celebrating By Walter Mitchell The fortunes of the 2026 Arizona Cardinals took a dramatic turn on the first day of legal tampering when the wishes of the Cardinals' players came true and not those of the ill-advised team's pundits and fans. Here is the mood of the Cardinals' players this morning, as manifested by one of their impressive new additions, WR Kendrick Bourne: https://x.com/i/status/2031209111132537036 While Cardinals' pundits and fans for weeks tried to drum up obsessive interest in the Cardinals signing QB Malik Willis to what amounted to be a 3-year, $76M contract with $45M guaranteed --- Monti Ossenfort and new head coach Mike LaFleur were listening --- not to the fans --- not to the petulant pundits --- not to Matt LaFleur --- they were listening to their players, instead.  BC @az_blitz · 13h Replying to @WBJMItch It’s never been more over Walt. Worst QB room in the NFL by a mile. And they’ve wasted the rooki...
Read more
Image
  Drew Petzing Deserves More Praise Than Derision                                       image courtesy of @azcardinals.com By Walter Mitchell On X yesterday, there was this chance for Cardinals' fans to grade Jonathan Gannon, Drew Petzing and Nick Rallis thanks to @BirdmanofAZ. Bird Droppings @BirdmanofAZ Bye week report card.......coaching staff Jonathan Gannon ________ Drew Petzing ________ Nick Rallis ________ Here are the average results thus far of the fans' grades: Jonathan Gannon: D Drew Petzing: F Nick Rallis: C Why is it that Drew Petzing has drawn such abject scorn from Cardinals' fans? Going back to last year, the PHNX Cardinals media site has been waging a daily campaign to see Drew Petzing get fired, that is if he can't coach up a weekly magical connection between Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr. This season, in light of Kyler Murray's inconsistencies and Marvin Harriso...
Read more