The Arizona Cardinals' offensive line was recently ranked in the bottom third of the league by PFF's Gordon McGuinness, coming in at No. 22 overall.
The offensive line was an issue for Arizona last season, contributing to a running game that finished second-worst in rushing yards per game at 93.1. The headliner additions to address the problem were running backs Jeremiyah Love and Tyler Allgeier.
The Cardinals decided to invest in the Notre Dame product with their coveted No. 3 overall pick. Between Love and Allgeier, Arizona suddenly formed one of the best running back duos in the league.
They also attempted to address the root of the problem, the offensive line.
Cardinals still have offensive line concerns left to address
Arizona signed Isaac Seumalo and Elijah Wilkinson. They drafted Chase Bisontis and Jayden Williams with the second and seventh round selections, respectively. Though he wasn't yet starting for Arizona, Bisontis already looked like a gem who will be a key piece of this line, specifically helping revive a dead Cardinals running game.
Unfortunately, that will have to be put on hold as the Cardinals placed Bisontis on season-ending IR after suffering a torn MCL. That should solidify the Cardinals' starting right guard being Isaiah Adams, though depth suddenly becomes an issue at the position.
More concerningly, right tackle still doesn't seem fixed despite Wilkinson and Williams. The former has played relatively well at camp, exceeding expectations as a seventh-round selection already somehow second on the depth chart. While that should all but seal Williams' place on this 53-man roster, it does raise the question of whether the Cardinals have invested enough at such an important position.
Arizona's offense as a whole is trending upward. They seem to have discovered a good fit at head coach, as Mike LaFleur's schemes can get the most out of all these playmaking weapons. It's also a strong fit in terms of LaFleur's presnap movement and creativity, as Arizona may need to rely on that to compensate for their limitations on the line. It was already an issue heading into the season, and losing Bisontis for the season will only make life that much more difficult on this flawed line.
Finding a franchise quarterback is the obvious elephant in the room, but while Arizona remains in pursuit of that piece, they must continue to fix the O-Line.
Bisontis' absence is already felt before Arizona even plays a meaningful regular-season game. At least it's that significant, suggesting the importance he'll have to this group going forward. But even when Bisontis does return, they can't stop there.
The Cardinals are trying to build an elite offense with the top draft capital they've invested in these playmakers. The offense is a fun sports car that's sitting in the driveway. But until they fix what's under the hood, nobody's going to see what it can do on the road.
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