Cardinals cornerback Will Johnson’s season might be finished. Coach Mike LaFleur said Monday that a neck injury could end Johnson’s season, and the team was already thin at the position with another player out.
Johnson was injured late in Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks. LaFleur’s description was blunt: “Unfortunately, Will’s got a neck [injury],” he said, via Cardinals sideline reporter Paul Calvisi. “Potentially he could miss the whole season. Sucks for him, obviously.”
LaFleur’s Concern
The Cardinals do not believe Johnson will require surgery. That is the one bright spot in a tough situation. A season-ending injury is never good news, but avoiding surgery removes one layer of uncertainty.
LaFleur’s words carried real concern. “Sucks for him, obviously” is not a coach’s scripted boilerplate; it is a coach who knows how much this hurts. Johnson has been through a lot this year, and losing him for the season would sting the team and the locker room alike.
Johnson’s 2025 Struggles
This is not Johnson’s first setback. He played only 12 games in 2025 because of back, hip and groin injuries. That is a significant drop from a full season.
The back, hip and groin issues kept him on the shelf for much of last year. Those injuries are different from a neck problem, but the pattern is familiar: something hurts, he misses time, the team adjusts, and now this.
The Cornerback Room Without Johnson
The Cardinals already had injury problems before Johnson went down. Slot cornerback Garrett Williams continues to work his way back from an Achilles injury. Denzel Burke has started in the slot in Williams’ absence.
Cornerback Max Melton left Sunday’s game with a toe injury. LaFleur calls him day-to-day, which means his status is still in the air.
Who Steps Up Now
LaFleur said the team will lean on Kei’Trel Clark and Kalen King in Johnson’s absence. Those two have been in the mix all season, and they are familiar with the defense. But they are not Johnson, and the depth chart just got thinner.
The coach’s own words suggest he is aware of the situation. “You know what’s great is: I think we had a deep corner room and here we are,” LaFleur said, via Donnie Druin of SI.com. “Going into Week 3 and again, you’re sick for Will for obvious reasons. The person over the player, and then obviously, his teammates are sick for him, too. But hey, it’s ball, and we move on.”
That is a coach trying to balance compassion with pragmatism. He wants his players to care about Johnson, but he also wants them to keep playing.
The Depth Test
What LaFleur’s words mean in practice is that the team has been tested before, and it has survived. Now the test is more severe. Johnson’s absence is significant, and the Cardinals will have to find a way to replace his production.
The coaching staff is aware of the gap. LaFleur’s comment about the deep corner room is notable because it acknowledges the team’s vulnerability. He is not saying everything is fine; he is saying the situation is worse than expected.
The Bottom Line
A neck injury that could end his season is a serious blow for Johnson and the Cardinals. The team was already thin at cornerback, and now it is thinner still.
The depth that LaFleur spoke about is real, but it is not unlimited. Clark and King are capable players, but they are not proven in the same way Johnson is. The Cardinals will need them to step up.
The team will move on. That is what LaFleur said, and it is the right attitude. But the move-on part is easier said than done when you are missing a starter.
- Will Johnson injured his neck late in Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks
- Coach Mike LaFleur said a neck injury could end his season
- The team does not believe Johnson will require surgery
- Johnson played only 12 games in 2025 because of back, hip and groin injuries
- Garrett Williams is recovering from an Achilles injury
- Denzel Burke has started in the slot in Williams’ absence
- Max Melton left Sunday’s game with a toe injury, day-to-day
- Kei’Trel Clark and Kalen King will step up in Johnson’s absence
This is a tough week for the Cardinals. They lost a game on Sunday, and now they may have lost a player. The team will need to respond in practice and in games. Johnson’s teammates are sick for him, and the locker room will feel this one.
The Cardinals have depth, but depth is not a player. If Johnson is out for the season, the team will be worse off than it was last year. The next few weeks will show whether the defense can hold together.
The season is long. The Cardinals have time to adapt, but losing a starter this early is never ideal. Johnson’s injury is a reminder that football is a brutal sport, and no team is immune.
The Cardinals will lean on Clark and King. They will lean on Melton if he returns. They will lean on their remaining cornerbacks. And they will lean on each other.
That is the only way to move on.
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