GLENDALE – An already struggling Arizona Cardinals offensive line will have to pivot after an injury to a starter. Head coach Jonathan Gannon spoke with the media on Friday and announced that right tackle Jonah Williams will be placed on injury reserve after undergoing shoulder surgery. Williams missed his first game of the season last week, after being taken out of Arizona’s Week 10 game vs. the Seattle Seahawks.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Williams has had his struggles on the year, he has a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 55.9 an is ranked 62nd out of 76th tackles in the NFL. Despite those numbers, the 28-year-old is a much-needed veteran on this offensive line, as his departure leaves Gannon no choice but to look towards UDFA Josh Fryar to make his first career start in Week 12 vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Sep 25, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Jonah Williams (73) against the Seattle Seahawks at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Gannon on the possibility of Fryar make 1st start on Sunday:
The rookie had only played in nine offensive snaps before last week’s game vs. the San Francisco 49ers, where Fryar played in 31 offensive snaps. In those limited snaps, the former Ohio State Buckeye had a run block grade of 63.8, a noticeable improvement over Williams. Regardless, it’s unclear in a bigger role and more snaps that Fryar would be ready for the opportunity.
Sep 7, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle Josh Fryar (78) at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
Gannon acknowledged the improvements Fryar has made to his game, which bodes well for the rookie playing against this Jaguars pass rush. Jacksonville is near the bottom in sacks per game, with 1.5 per game. There is not softballs in the NFL, and with the injuries to the offensive line, Arizona will be putting plenty of pressure on Fryar to replace the veteran this week and till the end of the season most likely.
Cardinals RB Trey Benson won’t make return in Week 12 vs. Jaguars
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
