The Arizona Cardinals brought back Justin Pugh another year to man the starting left guard job. They signed Will Hernandez, presumably to be the starting right guard.
However, in PFF’s rankings and tiers for offensive guards, only one is mentioned.
Hernandez did not make the list at all, despite having been a starter in the league since he was drafted by the New York Giants in 2018. He did not even make the lowest tier of “if an upgrade came along.”
Pugh was listed among the guards who are better pass blockers than run blockers. That is a fair assessment of Pugh.
Pugh, signed to a five-year, $45 million deal in 2018, has been steady and reliable since he took over the left guard job. He played an uneven 2018 season at right guard and dealt with injuries. He has been the most consistent lineman in the lineup since then.
Is he a better pass protector than run blocker? Yes, but there isn’t anything wrong with that. And playing between D.J. Humphries and Rodney Hudson, he is a solid option for the Cardinals in 2022.
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