We will preview every player on the Cardinals roster leading up to training camp. This is about OL Jon Gaines II.
The Arizona Cardinals report to training camp on July 22 and begin the process of preparing for the regular season, forming the roster and determining starting jobs and roles on the team.
Leading up to the start of camp, we will take a look at every player on the offseason roster, their background, their contract, their play in 2024, questions they face and their roster outlook.
Next up is offensive lineman Jon Gaines.
Jon Gaines background, 2024 season
Gaines enters his third NFL season. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the fourth round in 2023 out of UCLA. He lost his rookie season, suffering a knee injury in the preseason finale, landing in on injured reserve for the entire season.
In 2024, he began the season as the team’s third-string center. He was inactive as a healthy scratch for the first four weeks of the season. After starting right guard Will Hernandez tore his ACL and Trystan Colon moved into the starting lineup, Gaines became the backup center. He was active for and appeared in every game the rest of the season, logging 22 offensive snaps and 58 on special teams.
Jon Gaines 2025 contract details, cap hit
Gaines enters Year 3 of his four-year rookie contract. He will make $1.03 million in salary and count a little more than $1.2 million against the salary cap.
Questions he faces, roster outlook
Gaines has not yet been able to crack the starting lineup and doesn’t appear to be in line to do so again. However, his position versatility, able to play all three interior line positions, makes him a valuable depth player.
However, he is on the roster bubble with the competition there will be for the reserve spots, although he perhaps could be seen as a slight favorite to make the roster.
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