The Cardinals have activated offensive tackle Jonah Williams from injured reserve, per team reporter Dan Urban.
Williams suffered a knee injury just 22 snaps into his Cardinals debut in Week 1, forcing him onto IR and raising concerns over his ability to return this season. Head coach Jonathan Gannon then expressed optimism about Williams’ status in October, and the veteran lineman’s returned to practice two weeks later.
With his 21-day practice window set to close, the Cardinals moved Williams back to the active roster to ensure he would not revert to season-ending injured reserve. Offensive lineman Charlie Heck was waived on Monday to make room for Williams on the 53-man roster.
However, Williams’ activation does not necessarily mean he will start at right tackle in Week 12. Veteran Kelvin Beachum replaced Williams in Week 1 and has started eight of the Cardinals’ nine games since, with Jackson Barton stepping up in Week 3. Beachum earned praise from Gannon and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing for his consistency in Williams’ absence, so the Cardinals could give Williams another week of practice before returning him to a starting role.
Beachum is 35 years old and set to be a free agent after the season. He’s performed well this year, allowing just nine quarterback pressures in his nine games, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). However, Williams is under contract through the 2025 season and could profile as a long-term right tackle for the Cardinals at just 27 years old. He has been restricted to limited participation in practice for the last few weeks, but he was officially listed as questionable in Week 10.
Gannon said that he and his staff would “weigh all the variables and decide what is best for the team” at right tackle moving forward.