The Cardinals were victorious on Monday night against the Chargers, but the team suffered a major loss for the remainder of the season when outside linebacker Dennis Gardeck tore his ACL on a punt play in the third quarter.
"It's a part of the game, but it's tough to swallow at times," coach Jonathan Gannon said Tuesday. "Obviously we know what he puts into the game and to his craft at being a pro and the teammate that he is. That's going to hurt."
Gardeck went down and grabbed his right knee, the same one he injured in 2020. He now becomes the fifth starter on the Cardinals front seven to land on injured reserve, joining outside linebacker BJ Ojulari, defensive lineman Darius Robinson, Bilal Nichols, and Justin Jones.
"It really doesn't matter if it's one or however many guys," Gannon said. "Anybody that's on your team, you feel terrible for, but it's tough."
The seventh-year pro finishes the season with 20 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks, and an interception.
The Cardinals defensive pass rush had a good performance on Monday against the Chargers, but after losing Ojulari during training camp and now Gardeck, the trajectory of the unit changes yet again.
In his fourth season, Zaven Collins now becomes the most experienced player in the outside linebacker room, and this year marks his second at the position. The other options are Jesse Luketa, Julian Okwara, Xavier Thomas, and Victor Dimukeje. Thomas and Dimukeje were healthy inactives on Monday. Recently the team signed Ronnie Perkins to the practice squad.
Tuesday began the process of dictating what the new pass rush plan will look like. That might include Robinson as his practice window remains open until next week and who will eventually return.
"We're going to figure out the plan (for) the best way to play Miami," Gannon said. "It'll look a little different, I'm sure, this week. We're in the stages of that right now, but guys will step up and they'll be ready to go."
RIDDER RAIDER-BOUND
The Las Vegas Raiders signed quarterback Desmond Ridder off the Cardinals' practice squad on Tuesday, after starter Aidan O'Connell was placed on Injured Reserve. Gardner Minshew is the Las Vegas starter now.
The Cardinals traded for Ridder in exchange for wide receiver Rondale Moore in March, however Clayton Tune won the QB2 battle during training camp. The Cardinals are expected to look for a third quarterback to join Tune and Kyler Murray.
