In the last days of the Cardinals season, linebacker BJ Ojulari sat at his locker, looking like any other player in the room.
The difference was he hadn’t played a down, not after tearing his ACL in training camp. Yet that didn’t change his smile, not in this moment.
“I’m excited to hit the ground running and get ready for my third year,” Ojulari said, without noticing the irony of the comment.
The Cardinals will continue to seek upgrades to their pass rush this offseason, be it through free agency and/or the draft. Ojulari fits into neither category, yet his return provides a piece the defense can use to bolster that spot. He was supposed to be that guy in 2024, at least until that fateful day when he practiced a pass rush rep in 11-on-11 only to go down with his injury.
Ojulari had four sacks as a rookie in 2023 and prepared for that famous second-year jump by changing uniform numbers and looking forward to being The Guy leading the way getting to the QB.
“Early on it was definitely difficult just being able to cope with not having football,” Ojulari said. “It was my first time with a major injury, especially coming back feeling really prepared. There was a down point when I was in my feelings.”
Not unusual for a player with such a setback, but he had support, beyond the training staff that jumped to his rehab as soon as it could. Fellow ACL survivors like draft classmate Garrett Williams and QB Kyler Murray reached out to offer advice. Later, Ojulari had a position room connection with Dennis Gardeck, who ended up with the same injury a few games into the season.