Why this surprising player is key to Cardinals' offensive success

In postgame synopses a year ago, one subject was noticeably absent.

The Arizona Cardinals' offensive line — a maligned sieve for so many years — was not the subject of discussion on Monday mornings. That is a good thing.

The unit wasn’t quite elite, like the Broncos’ or Eagles’, but it enabled the Cardinals to run their offense, even when injuries struck. They ranked 16th in pass-block win rate and 11th in run-block win rate, per ESPN. Pro Football Focus graded them fourth against the pass and 14th against the run. They were 11th best at avoiding pressure and fifth best at avoiding sacks.

However you parse it, the bottom line is clear. The Cardinals' offensive line was a solidly above-average unit. It did not repeatedly lose them games, as has often been the case in the past.

In many ways, the pieces are in place to replicate that performance in 2025.

Paris Johnson Jr., the franchise left tackle, is entering his third season after taking an encouraging leap in year two. Jonah Williams, an above-average right tackle, is healthy after missing 11 games last year.

Those two have drawn the attention of edge rusher Josh Sweat, who signed from Philadelphia in the offseason and knows what elite offensive line play looks like. After the Cardinals’ first high-tempo day of practice, he approached head coach Jonathan Gannon and said, “We got some good tackles, huh?”

On the interior, meanwhile, the Cardinals return center Hjalte Froholdt and left guard Evan Brown, two important starters from a year ago. That’s four out of five returning starters, all of whom played well in 2024.

But that fifth spot could be crucial to the Cardinals’ chances of replicating — or improving upon — their success. After starting just five games as a third-round rookie last fall, Isaiah Adams is the new starter at right guard. With limited depth options behind him, the burden on Adams is heavy.

Last season, Adams earned a solid 64.7 run blocking grade from PFF but managed just a 50.3 pass blocking grade. Among the 52 guards who played at least 500 snaps last year, that would have ranked sixth-worst.

Often, players and coaches will push back on external grading systems, but Adams feels that they reflected the reality of his performance.

“The numbers don't lie,” Adams said. “Those things do a good job at kind of identifying a player's weakness.”

It makes sense that Adams would be more developed as a run blocker. He entered the NFL with less high-level experience than most prospects, having grown up in Canada and only played two years of Division I football after a junior college stint. He also played in a run-heavy offense during those two seasons at Illinois.

So, while his 6-foot-4, 315-pound frame enables him to move defenders out of the way, his pass-blocking technique is a work in progress.

In the offseason, that was where Adams set his targets. With his hands, he focused on the timing and placement of his strikes. With his feet, he worked to ensure he was using the correct technique for different types of blocks.

Those details might sound minuscule, but last season showed Adams how important they are in the NFL.

“It's everything,” Adams said. “The talent at the NFL level, it's such a fine line. Everyone's very talented, so that technique part is what defines good players vs. great players. Technique's everything in this league.”

So far in training camp, Adams has earned rave reviews.

Center Hjalte Froholdt praised his increased schematic awareness.

“Those micro-adjustments, it's maybe not something you get noticed (for), but we see it in the O-line room,” Froholdt said.

Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing noted a new level of confidence.

“Those one-on-one matchups, you start to win more of those, you start to feel that swagger come on as you keep playing,” Petzing said.

As for Adams himself, he’s still focused on the minor details. He knows that’s the key to taking his next step.

It might just be the key to the Cardinals' offensive line taking its next step.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Why Isaiah Adams' development is key for Arizona Cardinals offense