Jonah Williams, who has been out since suffering a knee injury in Week 1, is eligible to return next week. However, the Arizona free agent signing is not expected to come close to making that return, and his availability for the rest of the season is uncertain.
Williams played 22 snaps in his Cardinals debut before being placed on injured reserve shortly after. The team has remained tight-lipped about his status, but according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, there is concern that his season could be in jeopardy.
While the exact nature of Williams’ knee injury remains unknown, it does not appear to be an ACL tear. That would clarify the situation, but Fowler suggests that a potential November return has been discussed, though there is considerable doubt as to whether that is realistic. As it stands, the Cardinals may face challenges at right tackle for the remainder of the season.
Arizona’s offensive line expenses are relatively low, except for Williams, who signed a two-year, $30 million contract in March. Williams joined the team after previously requesting a trade from the Bengals, aiming to play left tackle. Despite that, he signed with Arizona, where he was slated to play on the right side.
The Cardinals released longtime left tackle D.J. Humphries but shifted 2023 first-round pick Paris Johnson Jr. from right tackle to left tackle, mirroring Humphries’ early-career path. (Humphries tore his ACL in Week 17 last season and is not expected to pass a physical yet.)
Johnson has remained healthy and performed well, ranking ninth among all tackles according to Pro Football Focus. Williams’ replacement, Kelvin Beachum, has also been solid, ranking among the top 40 tackles. Arizona re-signed Beachum last year to serve as a backup despite drafting Johnson, and that decision has proven valuable with Kyler Murray’s return to full-time play.
Williams, 27, missed his entire rookie season due to a shoulder injury and was sidelined for much of the Bengals’ 2022 playoff run with a dislocated kneecap. He returned in 2023 and played all 17 games for Cincinnati, earning a solid short-term contract in a weak tackle market. The Cardinals guaranteed $2.5 million of his $10.78 million 2025 salary, along with a $2.5 million injury guarantee for that year, which would activate if he cannot pass a physical before the start of the 2025 league year.
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