The Arizona Cardinals are dealing with a brutal injury déjà vu, losing a drafted offensive lineman to a knee injury for the fourth straight summer. This year, it’s their second-round pick, guard Chase Bisontis, who tore his MCL in Thursday’s preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders. He’s been placed on injured reserve and won’t see the field this season. This is just devastating, especially when you’re talking about a rookie you had high hopes for.
This Injury Curse Is Getting Wild
Bisontis’s torn MCL is a Grade 3, meaning a complete tear, and it’s bad news. Dr. David Chao pointed out that while it’s good his ACL was spared, needing isolated MCL surgery is rare and means the ligament could’ve been pulled off the bone. LaFleur called Bisontis a “stud” and said he’ll attack his recovery, but it’s still a gut punch. What’s even crazier is this isn’t a one-off. Just last year, sixth-round center-guard Hayden Conner went down in the second preseason game and missed a huge chunk of the season. In 2024, fifth-round tackle Christian Jones got hurt in the preseason finale. And way back in 2023, fourth-round center-guard Jon Gaines II suffered a knee injury in the final preseason game and missed his entire rookie year. Two of these guys, Bisontis and Gaines II, are out for the whole season. It really makes you wonder what’s going on out there; this pattern is getting spooky.
Next Man Up and What It Means
Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur summed it up perfectly: “It sucks for him.” It always sucks for the player first, but it obviously hurts the team when you lose a good player. LaFleur also shared a cool moment: center Hjalte Froholdt gave up his comfy front-row seat on the plane ride back to Arizona so Bisontis, wearing a brace, could sit there. Froholdt said he was “lucky enough to have the privilege” to sit up front and wanted to help him out. Talk about a class act. While Bisontis was expected to eventually start at right guard, Isaiah Adams has been working with the first team throughout training camp and played all 11 snaps in the opening drive against the Raiders. LaFleur thinks Adams has looked “solid and steady” since OTAs, noting he plays at his own pace and doesn’t look rushed. Froholdt agrees, saying he’s “been balling out.” Adams needs to keep that up and continue to improve, because with Bisontis out, he’s got to prove he can handle the load.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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