The Arizona Cardinals are aiming to get back on track and contend in the NFC West this season after narrowly missing the playoffs last year. They are counting heavily on the dynamic duo of Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr. to ignite the offense.
If the Cardinals can stay healthy and avoid the injuries that have plagued them in recent years, they’re positioned for a strong season. However, Arizona announced on Thursday that Sean Murphy-Bunting will miss the upcoming season due to a non-football injury.
“A source told ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss that the Cardinals knew about Murphy-Bunting’s injury before last month’s NFL draft, where the team selected two cornerbacks, including Will Johnson in the second round, and a safety. Max Melton, a 2024 second-rounder, is also in the mix at outside cornerback,” ESPN wrote.
While losing Murphy-Bunting for the season is a blow, it opens the door for Will Johnson to step up and potentially secure a starting role after slipping to the second round.
“Heading into the second year of a three-year, $25.5 million contract. the Cardinals could be in the hunt for a starting cornerback. They drafted Will Johnson in the second round this year,” Jeff Kerr wrote.
Johnson dealt with injuries during his college career, but if he can stay healthy, he’s in a strong position to claim and hold onto a starting job. Many view him as the steal of the draft. Despite his injury history, Arizona didn’t want to miss out on his talent.
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“The knee was flagged at combine testing, the results of which teams typically get in mid-to-late April. In the hours before Day 2, some teams considering Johnson still had questions. Arizona was fine with the issues, and as a result, Johnson had the team circled as a strong possibility entering the start of the second round,” Jess Root wrote.
Johnson is ready for the moment. He’s already issued a warning to the league—now he just has to back it up on the field. If he does, a starting spot could be his for the taking.
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