Knee surgery puts Arizona Cardinals linebacker out of action

Arizona Cardinals inside linebacker Haason Reddick is dealing with an injured knee that will sideline him for several weeks

It didn’t take long for the Arizona Cardinals to be dealt their first significant injury of training camp. Hopefully, there won’t be many more to speak of for the team from the desert.

On Saturday, the Cards announced that inside linebacker Haason Reddick will miss several weeks due to an unforeseen surgery. The third-year player had his knee scoped, and it appears that the starter will miss the entire preseason. NFL Network’s Mike Garafalo is reporting that Reddick had his meniscus “trimmed” during the procedure.

Arizona is hopeful that Reddick will make it back in time for the opener on September 8th. The 13th-overall selection of the 2017 draft has yet to miss a game during his NFL career. Reddick has appeared in all 32 contests for the Cardinals over the past two seasons, and has 15 starts on his professional resume.

Reddick has been labeled a “bust” by some, due to the underwhelming numbers he has accumulated thus far as a pro. During his rookie campaign two years ago, the Temple University product registered just 32 tackles and 2.5 sacks. In 2018, Reddick racked up 80 tackles, four sacks and five pass breakups in former head coach Steve Wilks’ 4-3 defense.

Taking Reddick’s starting spot temporarily will be second-year player Dennis Gardeck. The University of Sioux Falls product will slide in next to newcomer Jordan Hicks on the inside of the Cards new 3-4 alignment. The pair will be sandwiched between Chandler Jones and Terrell Suggs, giving the squad a formidable group of linebackers for the upcoming schedule.

Gardeck is a virtual unknown at this point. The 24-year old was signed by Arizona as an undrafted free agent in ’18, and suited up for all 16 games as a rookie. Gardeck was credited with seven tackles, but played primarily on special teams.

If all goes well, Reddick will be back in the saddle in no time. There have been discussions this offseason about the organization’s lack of depth at linebacker. Gardeck is out to prove to the Cardinals and the league that there is absolutely nothing to worry about in that regard.