The loss of Arizona Cardinals right guard Will Hernandez out for the season due to a knee injury suffered in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s win over the 49ers will obviously result in a new starter on the field for Sunday’s game against the Packers at Green Bay.
Before Sunday, Hernandez had played every offensive snap this season.
So who will be the “next man?” »
Trystan Colon replaced Hernandez against the 49ers and is likely the leader in the clubhouse.
“I thought he did some good things, I really did,” head coach Jonathan Gannon said of Colon on Monday. “He played a lot of ball for us, so I feel really good about him getting in the game and playing.”
Asked about second-year big man Jon Gaines II, who was active for the first time in his career against the 49ers with rookie guard Isaiah Adams inactive due to a thumb injury, possibly in the mix, Gannon said replied: “We will see. Everyone will have representatives there and they all need to be ready to go. If you have a jersey on game day, you must be ready to play. So for those interior spots, we have several guys that can fill that role.
“There are guys who can play left and right, so we’ll find the best combination and those guys whose role is changing now thanks to Will will maximize their opportunities.”
Line coach Klayton Adams will handle a lot of that. Gannon said, “Klayton does a good job mixing and matching these guys in practice. That’s how we do things anyway. We’ll get the right mix and match and they’ll be comfortable playing with each other and communication is obviously very important with these guys. But we will know.
“The guys we have, we feel good and we’ll have the right training there and go to work.”
Still, Gannon couldn’t soften the loss of Hernandez in the aftermath of the win against the 49ers.
“He was playing really good ball for us,” Gannon said and, more importantly, added, “He’s a big part of our toughness and our attitude and he does things the right way. way. Play the right way. It’s hard to lose.
“But he’ll get over it.” He will come back and he will get back in the saddle. I’m sure, I know him.
The question is when and where.
Dr. David Chao (siscore.com/@ProFootballDoc on when free agency begins in five months in March. 12.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest news from the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Belowwrite on Spotify, YouTube Or Apple Podcasts.
This article was originally published on Cards Wire: Who will replace injured Will Hernandez at right guard for the Cardinals?
