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The Arizona Cardinals made a key addition to their offensive line late in 2025 free agency. After holding out on him for most of the offseason, the team finally decided to re-sign guard Will Hernandez.
Hernandez, 29, signed a one-year deal to return to the Cardinals, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported. The seven-year veteran has started 91 of his 97 career games, including all 35 with Arizona. Hernandez was enjoying a career year in 2024 before suffering a season-ending torn ACL in Week 5.
Since signing with the Cardinals in the 2022 free agency period, Hernandez's career reached a new high. The guard had the best season of his career in 2023, starting all 17 games and receiving a career-high 66.2 player grade on Pro Football Focus.
However, Hernandez's ACL injury made the Cardinals hesitant to re-sign him in free agency. Hernandez has since been cleared of the injury, according to Schultz, which led to his one-year deal.
Despite returning as the incumbent starter, Hernandez will have to fight to keep his job during the preseason. Arizona has been working with 2024 third-round pick Isaiah Adams in the starting lineup, while adding rookie Hayden Conner to the group. Adams started five games in 2024 following Hernandez's injury.
Cardinals boast deep 2025 offensive line room
By re-signing Hernandez, the Cardinals retain all five of their starting offensive linemen. Arizona retained six players who played over 30 percent of the offensive snaps in 2024.
The deep group forces the returning players into heated positional battles in the offseason. Left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. and center Hjalte Froholdt are essentially the only two players guaranteed a spot in the starting lineup. Hernandez, Adams, Jonah Williams, Evan Brown and Kelvin Beachum join them as returning starters fighting for their jobs in training camp.
Whichever five players walk out in Week 1, they will look to improve a unit that was mediocre in 2024. The Cardinals ranked 16th in pass-block win rate and 11th in run-block win rate in 2024, according to ESPN. As one of the most experienced units entering the 2025 season, they are expected to hit the ground running and improve those numbers.
