The Arizona Cardinals broke camp on Thursday, Aug. 7, and before they hit the practice field one last time at State Farm Stadium, they did something incredibly smart.
They announced they had signed veteran free agent guard Will Hernandez to a one-year contract that keeps the mauling offensive lineman in Cardinals red for a fourth straight season.
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Coach Jonathan Gannon has said he wants to see more “friction” in 2025, and that’s exactly what this team is getting by bringing back Hernandez, a 6-foot-6, 332-pound chunk of granite who is entering his seventh NFL season.
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Gannon likes to say he wants the Cardinals to play with “motor” and “violence” and that also speaks directly to Hernandez’s physical and aggressive nature. Whether it’s training camp or live action on game days, you can usually find big No. 76 in the middle of the extracurricular activity when the fur starts to fly.
“Yeah, he’s mean and nasty,” Gannon said after the signing was announced.
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It was the perfect birthday gift to quarterback Kyler Murray, who turned 28 on Aug. 7.
Hernandez, 29, might be coming off a torn left ACL that sidelined him for the final 12 games of the 2024 season and prevented him from attracting offers during the primary free agent signing period, but he is a much-welcome addition to an Arizona offensive line in need of more depth and rugged experience.
Since the Cardinals placed Hernandez on the active/Physically Unable to Perform list upon signing him, he is no immediate threat to second-year pro Isaiah Adams, the team’s presumptive starting right guard. But the mere presence of Hernandez should be enough to keep pushing Adams.
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If he starts looking over his shoulder, all the better. Competition breeds success. And you could feel it coming right off the bat.
Hernandez didn’t waste any time making the rounds on his first day back. He was on the field doing some resistance training on the side, in addition to stretching and running and watching the team go through drills. He moved well, and although Gannon couldn’t provide a timeline for when the veteran might be able to begin practicing, it’s going to happen at some point.
“The plan for right now is Isaiah being the starter at right guard, Evan (Brown) being the starter at left, and get Will healthy and get him on the practice field and see where he’s at,” Gannon said.
Guard Will Hernandez #76 of the Arizona Cardinals in action during the NFL game at State Farm Stadium on Aug. 11, 2023, in Glendale, Arizona.
Once Hernandez is activated, it’s easy to see him instantly becoming the primary backup at both guard spots. If there’s an injury to Adams or Brown or either of them should stumble for whatever reason, the Cardinals can quickly turn to Hernandez, who started 35 games at right guard for Arizona the past three seasons.
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“Will plays hard, as we ask all those guys to do inside,” Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing said. “I think you see the physicality, the movement skills. Certainly, there’s a lot of familiarity with him and I’m excited about the guys we have in here.”
Do the Cardinals have a great offensive line? No, but they’re decent enough to help the franchise make a push to the playoffs. They are solid at the two starting tackle spots with Paris Johnson Jr. on the left and Jonah Williams on the right. Hjalte Froholdt has done a surprisingly good job at center, having started all 17 games there the past two seasons.
It’s at guard where I’ve always thought they needed more help this year. They didn’t make any big splashes there in free agency or the draft, which is what most observers were expecting, but re-signing Brown to a two-year $11.5 million extension was key, and so was bringing back Hernandez.
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Other teams reportedly showed interest in Hernandez, but he had expressed a desire to stay in Arizona. His “mean and nasty” playing persona is exactly what the Cardinals need.
“Yeah, he plays the right way,” Gannon said. “He’s always got a good attitude and he’s a good player. … That’s what we’re trying to build the team with, but I’m pleased where that’s at with everybody.”
That includes Adams, whom the coach has singled out multiple times for positive performances in camp. Adams started the final five games last season at right guard and has made some noticeable strides in his second year, gaining confidence and wisdom.
But the pressure he is under just became more intense.
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If anything, Adams should embrace Hernandez’s presence and try to learn as much as he can from the respected pro. Adams doesn’t act like a punk youngster who thinks he knows it all, so Gannon is convinced he would never shun helpful hints from Hernandez.
“No. Will kind of fits the boat of James Conner,” Gannon said, referring to the Cardinals running back. “All those guys listen to him. When Will was here last year and new guys came in, they listened to Will, too. But Isaiah is worried about Isaiah and his confidence stack, as I would call it – vision, belief, proof is in the pudding – his confidence stack is high right now because he’s doing it.
“He’s executing at a high level and he’s playing good ball. He’s improved a lot since he got back in here during OTAs to when he left in the summer and now where he is as a player. He’s working on something every day. I feel real good about Isaiah.”
If you’re a Cardinals fan, you should feel just as good about the return of Will Hernandez. I’m not saying he is the missing piece to what this team needed to reach the postseason in 2025, but I’m not so sure they get a sniff of a chance without him.
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Reach McManaman at bob.mcmanaman@arizonarepublic. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @azbobbymac and listen to him live every Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. on Roc and Manuch with Jimmy B on ESPN 620 (KTAR-AM).
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Former UTEP Miner Will Hernandez continues with Arizona Cardinals