Ojulari (knee) is progressing well, but Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon wasn't ready Saturday to commit to the defensive end being ready for Week 1 of the regular season, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.
Ojulari is currently on the PUP list as he works his way back from the torn ACL he suffered in training camp last August. While multiple reports have indicated Ojulari is doing well in his recovery, it's not a guarantee that he'll be ready for Week 1. The 2023 second-round draft pick recorded 4.0 sacks over 17 regular-season games in a promising rookie campaign.
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Cardinals' BJ Ojulari: Still recovering
Rotowire
Ojulari (knee) was placed on the active/PUP list Wednesday, Zach Gershman of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Ojulari tore his ACL in training camp one year ago. He was reportedly close to returning to the practice field during offseason practices, so his stay on the PUP list will presumably be short.
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Cardinals' BJ Ojulari: Progressing in recovery
Rotowire
Ojulari (knee) is close to practicing again after tearing his ACL in training camp last August, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Arizona coach Jonathan Gannon said Ojulari is progressing in his rehab while taking on a "one-day-at-a-time mindset," per Urban. The defensive end is unlikely to return before training camp, but if he can get back by then, he can compete for a role in 2025. A 2023 second-round pick, Ojulari recorded 40 tackles, including 4.0 sacks, on 394 defensive snaps across 17 regular-season games as a rookie.
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Cardinals' BJ Ojulari: Shifts to IR
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The Cardinals placed Ojulari (knee) on injured reserve Monday, Darren Urban of the team's official site reports.
Ojulari tore his left ACL two days ago, so his move to Arizona's IR is no surprise. The 2023 second-round pick out of LSU had a solid rookie campaign, recording 40 total tackles, including 4.0 sacks, and one pass defended across 17 regular-season games (394 defensive snaps). With Ojulari missing the entire coming season, expect 2024 first-round pick Darius Robinson to see more first-team reps as the preseason unfolds.
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Cardinals' BJ Ojulari: Breaks out Week 10
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Ojulari logged eight total tackles (four solo), including two tackles for loss and two sacks in Sunday's 25-23 win over the Falcons.
The 2023 second-round pick seems to be finding his groove in the NFL, as he's recorded 14 of his 20 total tackles and all three of his sacks on the year over the last three weeks. Even after Ojulari's slow start, he's still only two sacks behind Dennis Gardeck for the Cardinals' sack leader. The 21-year-old edge rusher saw his highest snap share (52 percent of defensive snaps) of the season Sunday, and his playing time could very well continue to increase after this performance.
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Cardinals' BJ Ojulari: PUP bound
Rotowire
Ojulari (knee) was placed on the Cardinals' active/PUP list Wednesday.
The 41st overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft is dealing with a knee injury that will keep him sidelined for the beginning of camp. Arizona is hopeful to get Ojulari back soon, as the team is in need of edge rushers after finishing in the bottom third of the NFL in sacks last season and losing J.J. Watt to retirement. In his final two seasons at LSU, the 21-year-old Ojulari put up 112 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks.
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Cardinals' B.J. Ojulari: Heading to the desert
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The Cardinals selected Ojulari in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 41st overall.
Brother of Azeez, Ojulari blazed his own path at LSU and turned in a strong three seasons on the Bayou with 16.5 sacks and 25 tackles for loss. His 6-foot-2, 248-pound frame isn't ideal for an every-down player, but he has good length (34.25-in. arms) to help fight off blockers and the film showed him to be an explosive athlete. Arizona has added some impressive athletes in the draft in recent years with the likes of Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins, and Ojulari gives the Cardinals yet another versatile chess piece on defense.
