The Arizona Cardinals returned to practice at State Farm Stadium on Sunday after a day off in training camp and had some rotational changes on the offensive line. Most notably, second-year lineman Jon Gaines, coming back from a torn ACL he suffered in the preseason finale last year, got reps with the first-team offensive line.
Gaines was seen with the first-team line at left guard instead of Evan Brown, who has been practicing with the starters there since the spring. He also had second-team reps at left guard.
While this is something that often happens with teams trying to manage reps when there are player injuries, the Cardinals are healthy.
Gaines’ first-team reps were just in one portion of practice. With Gaines getting those reps with the starters, Brown took second-team reps at center. Brown, of course, started at center last season for the Seattle Seahawks and for the Detroit Lions in 2022.
The change shows two things. One reason for it could simply be to make sure that Brown gets some reps at center. But it also does show where Gaines fits on the depth chart at the moment.
There were a couple of other notable changes on the offensive line.
Elijah Wilkinson, who started nine games at left guard last season and has played both guard spots and right tackle in his career, was at left tackle with the second-team line.
Jackson Barton, who has been a tackle, was at right guard with the third unit.
Kelvin Beachum got work at right tackle with the second unit.
Rookie Isaiah Adams, one of the Cardinals’ third-round picks, got reps at both right and left guard.
Here is how the offensive line units looked from left to right:
- Starters: Paris Johnson, Evan Brown (some reps to Jon Gaines), Hjalte Froholdt, Will Hernandez, Jonah Williams
- Second team: Elijah Wilkinson, Jon Gaines/Isaiah Adams/Marquis Hayes, Trystan Colon/Evan Brown, Dennis Daley/Isaiah Adams, Kelvin Beachum
- Third team: Austen Pleasants, Marquis Hayes, Keith Ismael, Jackson Barton, Christian Jones
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