PFF ranks G Will Hernandez as Cardinals’ bounce-back candidate for 2022
Aug 21, 2022, 12:55 PM
Will Hernandez #71 and Devontae Booker #28 of the New York Giants in action against the Las Vegas Raiders at MetLife Stadium on November 07, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants defeated the Raiders 23-16. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
The Arizona Cardinals added some offensive line help when they signed guard Will Hernandez from the New York Giants to a one-year contract in the offseason.
The 26-year-old out of UTEP was drafted No. 34 overall in the 2018 draft and played three seasons at left guard before switching to the right side in 2021.
Pro Football Focus and ESPN tabbed each team’s biggest bounce-back player, what went right and what went wrong last season.
For Arizona, the staff picked Hernandez as that player.
What went wrong: Hernandez was not alone in his struggles along the Giants‘ offensive line. It doesn’t take an NFL coach’s football knowledge to understand that New York didn’t develop offensive linemen well the past few years. It also didn’t help that, after three years at left guard, Hernandez was switched to the right side last year. — PFF
Outlook for 2022: From an offseason and a few weeks of training camp worth of work, the Cardinals seem pleased with Hernandez. They consider him one of the toughest offensive linemen they have. He is slated to start at right guard, putting him back at a position at which he’s comfortable. His physical skills can come in handy in Arizona’s up-tempo offense while he has to get outside the box to block for Kyler Murray. — ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss
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Hernandez has played in 62 games over his four years, missing just three games.
He will join an offensive line of D.J. Humphries at left tackle, Justin Pugh at left guard, Rodney Hudson at center and Kelvin Beachum at right tackle.
Guard Josh Jones originally held the right guard spot before Hernandez won the job in the offseason.
