Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals hope to make a splash with Will Hernandez

Updated Apr. 2, 2022 5:25 p.m. ET

The Arizona Cardinals have found their new starter at right guard.

The team signed free agent offensive lineman and former New York Giants guard Will Hernandez to a one-year, $1.2 million deal on Monday — and there's already a lot of buzz surrounding the former UTEP star.

The news comes on the heels of the Cardinals losing OL Max Garcia to the Giants and shortly after Hernandez — the No. 34 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft — visited Arizona late last week.

Hernandez will reunite with his former college head coach Sean Kugler, who is now the Cardinals' run game coordinator and offensive line coach.

Hernandez started all 49 games from 2014 to 2017 after redshirting his first year in El Paso. He was named second-team All-American after the 2016 season and named to the C-USA first-team after the 2017 season.

In his professional career, Hernandez started 56 of 62 games across four seasons, including every game in each of his first two seasons (2018-2019) and all 17 games for the Giants last season.

He played left guard in his first three seasons with the Giants before moving to right guard in 2021.

Hernandez joins an offensive line set with center Rodney Hudson, left guard Justin Pugh, and tackles D.J. Humphries and Kelvin Beachum entering 2022.