Cardinals Rookie OL Chase Bisontis Tears MCL, Needs Surgery
An MRI confirmed a torn MCL for Arizona's second-team right guard, who was carted off Thursday and now faces surgery in his rookie preseason.
Bisontis' injury clears the right guard depth chart for Adams.
- MRI confirmed torn MCL, surgery required
- Injured Thursday in 3rd quarter, carted off
- Listed as second-team right guard
- Was competing with Isaiah Adams to start
- 3rd straight year a rookie OL hurt in preseason
Arizona's offensive line depth just took another preseason hit. An MRI on rookie guard Chase Bisontis revealed a torn MCL in his left knee, an injury that will require surgery after a Raiders defensive lineman rolled into the side of his leg in the third quarter Thursday night. He was carted straight to the training room, and the picture didn't get any prettier from there.
Bisontis opened camp as the second-team right guard, but he wasn't just a depth piece — he was actively competing with Isaiah Adams for the starting job. That competition is effectively over now. With surgery on the table, there's no realistic timeline that keeps him in the mix for meaningful reps this year.
If this feels familiar, it should. The Cardinals have a rough recent history of losing rookie linemen before the games count. Sixth-rounder Hayden Conner missed most of last season after a 2025 preseason injury. Fifth-rounder Christian Jones lost most of 2024 to a preseason issue. And fourth-rounder Jon Gaines wiped out his entire 2023 rookie season the same way. Three years, three cautionary tales — now four.
The Fantasy Fallout
Bisontis himself isn't a fantasy asset, so nobody's cutting him from a roster. The ripple effect is what matters. Isaiah Adams now looks locked into the starting right guard spot, and a settled interior line is exactly what you want to see if you're rostering the Cardinals' backfield or leaning on the Arizona offense in any capacity.
The flip side: losing a competitive young guard thins the depth behind Adams to essentially nothing, so any further injury up front could get ugly fast. That's a risk worth tracking if you're evaluating the run game or streaming Arizona skill players later in the year.
Bottom line for managers: there's no direct move here, but keep an eye on Adams and the overall health of this line. A stable front five props up fantasy value across the offense — a fragile one drags it down. Watch how the unit holds up before you buy into any Cardinals rushing upside.
