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Josh Weinfuss, ESPN Staff WriterOct 22, 2024, 06:42 PM ET
- Josh Weinfuss is a staff writer who covers the Arizona Cardinals and the NFL at ESPN. Josh has covered the Cardinals since 2012, joining ESPN in 2013. He is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and a graduate of Indiana University. You can follow him via Twitter @joshweinfuss.
TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker Dennis Gardeck will miss the rest of the season because of a torn ACL suffered Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers, coach Jonathan Gannon said Tuesday.
“It’s a part of the game that just is tough to swallow at times,” Gannon said. “So obviously, know what he puts into the game, into his craft and being a pro and a teammate that he is. So that’s going to hurt.”
Gardeck was injured with 10:34 left in the third quarter on a punt return. He went straight to the locker room and later returned to the sideline in street clothes.
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Gardeck, who is in his seventh campaign, all with the Cardinals, since entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2018, is in the final season of a three-year contract he signed in 2022. He had 20 tackles, 3 sacks, 4 quarterback hits, an interception and a forced fumble in 7 games this season.
“He plays a lot of roles for us as a rusher, as a cover guy that is perceived as a rusher, sneaky run defender just despite his size,” Cardinals defensive coordinator Nick Rallis said. “So, guys got to step up and be able to go out there and make plays, those plays that he was making for us, and we feel really good about that entire room being able to step in.”
Gardeck is the second edge rusher Arizona has lost this season to an ACL injury. The other was B.J. Ojulari, who tore an ACL in early August. And Gardeck is the fifth member of the Cardinals’ interior defense to go on injured reserve this season.
With Zaven Collins the only regular outside linebacker healthy, Arizona will turn to Jesse Luketa, rookie Xavier Thomas, Victor Dimukeje and Julian Okwara to fill Gardeck’s role.
Gannon said the Cardinals will figure out a plan at outside linebacker this week that best helps Arizona attack the Miami Dolphins at home Sunday.
“It’ll look a little different, I’m sure, this week,” Gannon said. “We’re in the stages of that right now, but guys will step up and they’ll be ready to go.”
Arizona has 14 sacks this season, tied for 21st in the NFL.
