The Arizona Cardinals have placed cornerback Will Johnson on injured reserve because of a neck injury. The move comes after just two games of the 2026 regular season, and the injury is expected to prevent Johnson from returning for much, if not all, of the season.
Johnson was entering his second year after showing some improvement as a rookie. The former Michigan player appeared in 12 games last season and received recognition on the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team. He had been viewed as a potential long-term answer at outside cornerback for a team that has not had a shutdown corner since Patrick Peterson.
One takeaway identified in the report is that Arizona's pass rush may need to produce more pressure with Johnson unavailable. The report said quicker pressure on opposing quarterbacks could reduce the amount of time opposing offenses have to challenge the Cardinals' defensive backs.
Starling Thomas is among the players who could receive more responsibility in the secondary. Thomas was expected to start in 2025 before an ACL injury during training camp, then returned for the following year's camp while continuing to gain playing time.
He was released and later brought back to Arizona's practice squad before joining a cornerback group that also includes Max Melton, Kei'Trel Clark, Garrett Williams and Denzel Burke.
