Tag: BJ Ojulari

Former LSU star BJ Ojulari suffers torn ACL at Cardinals training camp

BJ Ojulari’s second season in the NFL has reportedly been cut short.

There was optimism that [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] would have a breakout Year 2 with the Arizona Cardinals after the former LSU outside linebacker and second-round NFL draft pick came on down the stretch as a rookie last season.

However, it seems Ojulari’s sophomore campaign has been cut short as he reportedly suffered a torn ACL during training camp on Friday, according to a report from NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe.

It’s a tough blow for Arizona, which was expecting Ojulari to play a significant role in his second season as a pro. The First-Team All-SEC selection in 2022 was the 41st overall pick in 2023, appearing in all 17 games with no starts.

However, he recorded 40 tackles and four sacks on the year, leading to some optimism he could play a bigger role this fall.

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5 moves the Cardinals can make to replace OLB BJ Ojulari after his torn ACL

BJ Ojulari tore his ACL Friday and is out for the season. Here are some options for the Cardinals to make a move to replace him this season.

The Arizona Cardinals suffered a huge blow to their defense on Friday when second-year outside linebacker BJ Ojulari tore the ACL in his left knee in practice. He will not be able to play in 2024.

He was expected to be their best pass rusher off the edge and was one of the team’s standouts in training camp and offseason program.

His injury leaves a big hole.

The Cardinals have a vacancy on their roster they have never filled, so it would appear like the time to make a move.

Here are some options they have outside the organization.

Trade for Matt Judon

Judon, now with the New England Patriots, is currently holding out of training camp, as he seeks a contract extension. Turning 32 years old this month, he enters the final year of his contract, due to make $6.5 million in salary and up to $1 million in per-game roster bonuses.

He had four sacks in only four games last season before he tore his biceps and missed the rest of the season. He had 12.5 and 15.5 sacks in each of the two previous seasons.

A trade would mean also giving him a new contract, but he would immediately give the Cardinals a proven pass rusher.

Sign Yannick Ngakoue

Ngakoue remains unsigned and will not turn 30 years old until after the season. He had only four sacks last season for the Chicago Bears but had 19.5 over the previous two seasons with the Colts and Raiders.

Sign Carl Lawson (before the Cowboys do)

Lawson worked out with Dallas recently, who also lost a pass rusher for the season (Sam Williams tore his ACL). Lawson is 29 years old but did not have a sack in six games with the Jets last season. He had seven sacks in 2022.

Sign Tyus Bowser

Bowser is 29 years old and remains unsigned. He was cut this offseason by the Baltimore Ravens after six seasons with the team. He only had two sacks in nine games and his career-high is seven, set in 2022.

Sign Justin Houston

Houston is now 35 years old and had only half a sack in 2023 in seven games with the Carolina Panther, but he had 9.5 in 2022 with the Ravens.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Cardinals lose LB BJ Ojulari for season with torn ACL

The first major injury for the Cardinals is a torn ACL to their expected best pass rusher. BJ Ojulari’s season is over before it even begins.

The Arizona Cardinals have now suffered a serious injury to a key player in training camp. second-year outside linebacker BJ Ojulari, who left practice on Friday with an injury, will not play in 2024.

According to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, Ojulari has torn the ACL in his left knee. That will end his season even before it begins.

Ojulari was expected to be the Cardinals’ best pass rusher off the edge. He was one of the team’s standouts in camp and offseason work.

He was a second-round pick last year out of LSU and was productive in the second half of the season. He finished the season with four sacks, 40 total tackles, five tackles for loss and six quarterback hits. All but six combined tackles came starting in Week 8.

The injury opens the door for another linebacker to earn a spot in the starting lineup. Ojulari was projected to start with Zaven Collins. Now Dennis Gardeck, Cameron Thomas, Victor Dimukeje, Tyreke Smith or rookie Xavier Thomas have the opportunity to increase their role.

The Cardinals can also look outside the organization for help at the position.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

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Cardinals LB BJ Ojulari goes down in practice with leg injury on Friday

The Cardinals might need to look at some pass rushers outside the organization if Ojulari’s injury ends up beinig serious.

The Arizona Cardinals might be looking at their first serious injury of training camp, and it could impact their pass rush severely. Second-year linebacker BJ Ojulari went down during practice on Friday, according to many who were in attendance, when he injured what looked like his left leg.

He was assisted in walking to the locker room by two trainers.

Ojulari was having a very nice camp and was one of the Cardinals’ offseason standouts.

They were counting on him, as a second-round pick last year who show pass-rushing juice late last season, to be their best edge defender.

It was perhaps a positive thing that he did not have to be carted off the field, but with a seemingly thin outside linebacker group in terms of pass rush, it might be time for the team to look outside the organization for help.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

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Cardinals LB Dennis Gardeck believes young teammate will be ‘really special player’

Dennis Gardeck has high hopes for teammate BJ Ojulari.

The Arizona Cardinals hope they get more out of second-year outside linebacker BJ Ojulari than they got his rookie year. He has a teammate who believe they will.

Veteran linebacker Dennis Gardeck, who led the team with six sacks last season, is a big fan.

“I’ve already said BJ but I’m going to say it again,” he told reporters on Tuesday. “I think he’s going to be a really special player.”

Ojulari was drafted in the second round last year out of LSU and his season started slowly. He missed much of the offseason and preseason after knee surgery but did play in every game of the season. It wasn’t until the second half of the season when he started to get significant playing time. He finished the season with four sacks, all in the second half of the season.

Ojulari is a prime candidate to be a breakout player in 2024.

He has the potential to be a double-digit sack type of player. The Cardinals have lacked a special player in the pass rush for a while. It would be huge to have Ojulari become that.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

BJ Ojulari beefed up, changed some running techniques entering Year 2

Ojulari added muscle, weight and has worked to shorten his running stride.

Second-year outside linebacker BJ Ojulari is a player the Arizona Cardinals hope to count on to improve in 2024 after a slow-progressing rookie season.

He finished 2023 with four sacks, all after Week 7, and saw his role increase by the end of the season.

Entering his second season, he is bigger, stronger and runs a little differently.

He was listed at 248 pounds as a rookie and was challenged by head coach Jonathan Gannon to “get a little stronger and stay healthy.”

He did that.

“I think he’s added a little bit of muscle, a little bit of weight,” Gannon said on Monday. “The strength staff has done a good job with him.

“He’s done a good job of beefing up a little bit. I think that’s helping him at the point of attack. The more force you can apply into the ground or into your opponent, you’re better off and he’s doing a good job of that.”

Ojulari said he “definitely gained more weight,” noting he is in the 250-pound range and even got close to 260, although he is “dialing back a little bit” so he is both more comfortable and can “have that power aspect” of his role as an edge defender.

He said it was probably 8-10 pounds he added.

After dealing with injuries last offseason that kept him off the field mostly during the offseason program, he followed his program in the weight room to stay healthy and has even changed his running style. He was a “long strider” and the staff has worked on him shortening that because long striders tend to be more susceptible to hamstring injuries.

With the growth, Ojulari believes he can be a double-digit sack player.

After the team leader had only six last season and the team only had one total sack over the final six weeks, if Ojulari can make that happen, it will be big for the team.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

More about BJ Ojulari’s number switch with Marvin Harrison Jr.

It took a conversation with Desmond Ridder as well.

The Arizona Cardinals’ top draft pick, receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. wore No. 18 in college at Ohio State and there was some question as to whether he would be able to wear it in the pros. Last year’s second-round pick, linebacker BJ OJulari, had No. 18, a number that meant a lot for him because of the tradition at LSU.

But it was no problem. Ojulari gave Harrison No. 18 and took No. 9, only that took another change, as backup quarterback Desmond Ridder had that number. Ridder now has No. 19.

All it took was some talking, and it appears that Harrison comes in with a cache of respect from his new teammates.

“I know the type of caliber player Marv is going to be. He looks good in 18. I’m comfortable in No. 9. I’m liking the switchup,” he said.

“It was a good mutual agreement with everybody,” Ojulari told reporters on Monday. “Marv talked to me. I talked to him. It was the first time we both had something like that going on but we all figured it out.”

As for Ojulari and Ridder, it sounds like it was agreed to before Harrison reached out to Ojulari.

“We talked to Desmond as well,” Ojulari explained. “He agreed on it as well, so we all just git it figured out to get it down before Marv got in.”

No. 9 is not unfamiliar to Ojulari. He wore it in youth football.

Ojulari was impressed by Harrison reaching out and talking to him personally.

But now Ojulari gets to rush the passer with a single-digit number and Harrison gets his old number.

Seems like a win-win.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Marvin Harrison Jr. only needed a conversation with BJ Ojulari to get No. 18

There was no transaction between BJ Ojulari and Marvin Harrison Jr. to get the rookie No. 18, which he wore at Ohio State.

As we know, rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. will wear No. 18 as a member of the Arizona Cardinals. It was the number he wore at Ohio State.

However, 2023 second-round pick BJ Ojulari had No. 18 entering this season.

Ojulari now wears No. 9 after giving up No. 18 to Harrison.

It didn’t require a tough negotiation, Ojulari told team reporter Darren Urban.

It was “just an agreement between mutual parties.”

“(Marvin) wore 18 in college, I wore 18 in college, and it means a lot to both of us, but we all came to an agreement to let him have 18,” Ojulari told Urban. “He’s going to be a big part of our offense this year and he’s a great guy.

“He approached me. He gave me a call, we chopped it up, had a good conversation. We all ended up happy. I switched to a different number. It’s all good. We’re all going to make plays and win games.”

The No. 18 is a special number for those who play for LSU. It is given to a player who shows particular character and football traits.

But now Ojulari will look cool with a single digit coming off the edge.

In terms of football aesthetics, No. 9 will look way better off the edge.

However, there is an untold story here.

Yes, Ojulari just gave up No. 18 to Harrison. But No. 9 was also taken. It belonged to quarterback Desmond Ridder, acquired via trade this offseason. He wore No. 9 with the Falcons for two seasons and also wore it in college at Cincinnati.

He now wears No. 19.

Ojulari didn’t ask for anything for No. 18. Did he have to give up something to get Ridder’s No. 9?

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Marvin Harrison getting No. 18 causes trio of number changes for Cardinals

BJ Ojulari went from No. 18 to No. 9, Desmond Ridder went from No. 9 to No. 19 and Dan Chisena went from No. 19 to No. 17.

A week ago, the Arizona Cardinals’ first pick in the 2024 NFL draft, receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., didn’t have a jersey yet. Second-year linebacker had No. 18, backup quarterback Desmond Ridder had No. 9 and receiver Dan Chisena had No. 19.

Harrison, who wore No. 18 at Ohio State, will wear No. 18 for the Cardinals. Ojulari apparently was willing to give it up to Harrison, but that led to a trio of changes.

Ojulari now has No. 9, the number Ridder had. Ridder took No. 19 and Chisena, went from 19 to No. 17.

Ojulari will now get the cool single-digit number as a pass rusher. The interesting move is Ridder, who wore No. 9 when he played for the Atlanta Falcons and also in college at Cincinnati.

For Chisena, No. 17 is his third number with the team. He wore No. 16 when he played for the Cardinals late last season. He got No. 19 after he re-signed in the offseason following a postseason stint with the Baltimore Ravens. Now he has No. 17.

And it all happened so that Harrison, expected to be a star for Arizona, could wear No. 18.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Eagles PFF grades: Best and worst performers from 35-31 loss to Cardinals

We’re looking at the highest and lowest graded players in the Philadelphia Eagles 35-31 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 17

The Eagles no longer control their destiny for the No. 2 overall seed and NFC East after a 35-31 loss to the Cardinals at home.

In Jonathan Gannon’s return to Philadelphia, Arizona rushed for 221 yards, with James Conner logging 26 carries for 128 yards and one touchdown.

The Cardinals’ win put the Cowboys in the No. 2 seed entering Week 18, and a victory over Washington would give Dallas the NFC East.

With fans and pundits outraged by the loss, we’re looking at the highest and lowest-graded players via PFF.