The Cardinals are heading into Week 1 with one of their starting spots still in limbo, and right guard is the one to watch. Isaiah Adams is locked in as the starter there, but a knee injury he picked up sometime before Arizona’s preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 22 has put his status for the Sept. 13 opener against the Los Angeles Chargers in doubt.
Head coach Mike LaFleur said Adams is “doing well,” and added that the question of whether he can suit up “would go right into Week 1.” That’s about as clear as things are right now, which is to say not very clear at all.
Adams was hurt badly enough that he didn’t even travel to Green Bay. In the latest open practice session, he wasn’t out there either. Since the Cardinals don’t have an official injury report until next Wednesday, there’s still no firm read on how much he’s doing behind the scenes.
For now, Jon Gaines is the man at right guard while Adams works his way back. The depth behind him is thin.
Hayden Conner is the only healthy backup guard and center available, and he comes in with five career NFL games and 29 total snaps. Rookie Chase Bisontis, who had been expected to push for the starting job after being taken in the second round, is done for the year after suffering a season-ending knee injury in the preseason.
That makes Adams’ practice work next week a major checkpoint for Arizona.
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