The Arizona Cardinals’ defense faced another tough blow with the news that linebacker Dennis Gardeck will be out for the rest of the season due to a torn ACL, as confirmed by coach Jonathan Gannon on Tuesday.
Gardeck got injured early in the second half of Arizona’s 17-15 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night. This is the third time he has had an ACL injury, having suffered one in 2020 and another in high school.
This marks the fourth season-ending injury for a key player on the Arizona defense. Linebacker BJ Ojulari tore knee ligaments during the preseason, and defensive linemen Justin Jones (triceps) and Bilal Nichols (stinger) were ruled out in recent weeks.
The 30-year-old Gardeck played in all seven games this season and led the team with three sacks and six tackles for a loss. He is in his seventh season in the NFL and has gradually earned more playing time despite being undrafted from NCAA Division II Sioux Falls.
The Cardinals are hoping to strengthen their defense in the coming weeks when rookie Darius Robinson makes his debut. The No. 27 overall pick has not played this season due to a calf injury.
