Arizona Cardinals DL Rashard Lawrence undergoes hand surgery

TEMPE — Arizona Cardinals nose tackle Rashard Lawrence has already been ruled out for Week 4 after undergoing hand surgery for an injury suffered in the team’s Week 3 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Lawrence logged 40% of Arizona’s available defensive snaps (19) on Sunday before leaving the game.

The lineman was seen wearing a cast in the locker room postgame.

“I’m not sure of the exact timetable but he won’t play this week,” head coach Kliff Kingsbury said Monday.

Across three starts, Lawrence looked to have taken a step forward in Year 3, recording four tackles, two of which were for losses, and a forced fumble.

With Lawrence sidelined for at least this week and potentially longer, the Cardinals will likely lean on backup nose tackle Leki Fotu to fill in for the starter. Michael Dogbe is another name that could move over if need be.

Fortunately for Arizona, Lawrence’s hand issue appears to be the worst among the pile of injuries the team saw on Sunday.

Wide receiver A.J. Green avoided anything serious despite going down with a knee injury twice on Sunday. Still, his status for this week and next remain up in the air as he recovers.

“I’m not sure exactly where it sits,” Kingsbury said. “It sounds like it’s better news — it’s a bone bruise — but I’m not sure if that’s going to be this week or next week when he’s back.”

That’s about the best the Cardinals could hope for given where the injury occurred and the already thin WR room. If Green has to miss time, Arizona could turn to Andy Isabella for additional snaps.

Left guard Justin Pugh, who returned to action Sunday after suffering an elbow injury, is looking like he’ll be day to day. Kingsbury added he is hopeful Pugh can play in Week 4. With Pugh missing some of the game due to injury, Max Garcia got some added run with the offense.

Lastly, starting MIKE linebacker Zaven Collins “should to be OK” after a shoulder issue sidelined him in the second half against the Rams.

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