Injuries have hit the NFL hard early in the 2026 season, and Monday was a rough day for former Ohio State Buckeyes in the league. Earlier in the day, news broke that former Ohio State guard Donovan Jackson is set to miss the regular season with the Minnesota Vikings due to a torn meniscus.

Now, another former Ohio State first-round pick will be out for the 2026 season. 

Former Buckeyes star suffered a major injury in Week 4 of the NFL season 

Former Ohio State offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr.  is going to miss the rest of the season with a torn biceps, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. It’s gutting news for Johnson, who has turned into one of the top young offensive tackles in the NFL.

A big loss: Cardinals HC Mike LaFleur said LT Paris Johnson Jr. tore his bicep and now will be out for the season. pic.twitter.com/7dFzNSnYWN

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 5, 2026

The former All-American who played at Ohio State from 2020-2022 is in his fourth season with the Cardinals after Arizona selected him with the 6th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Johnson has played in 47 games with Arizona. He did miss five games in 2025, but he was off to a strong start in 2026 and was playing at a high level through the first four games.

The timing makes it sting even more. Johnson is in the fourth of five years on his rookie contract, and he’s a player who is due to be paid soon. Losing nearly an entire season right before that next contract is a tough blow and not news anyone wants to see for a player who has been trending in the right direction.

Arizona now has a big hole to fill on its offensive line for the remainder of the season. Johnson has been a steady presence up front, even if the Cardinals haven’t done a whole lot of winning during his time with the franchise.

Johnson was an important part of Ohio State’s team for three seasons. He played in 31 games in total for the Buckeyes, including 26 straight starts between 2021-22.

An Ohio native from the Cincinnati area, Johnson was a five-star recruit in the class of 2020. He comes from a good family, and he’s a player who did everything the right way during his time in Columbus. That carried over to the next level, where his NFL career has gotten off to a strong start through three seasons and four games.

Additionally, Johnson’s development at Ohio State is a big reason he became a top-10 pick. He went from a highly touted recruit to an All-American and the most reliable linemen on the roster, which is exactly the type of trajectory the program wants to sell on the recruiting trail.

Now, Johnson will have to work his way back from a serious injury. The goal will be to return to action at the start of the 2027 NFL season.

It won’t be easy, and the contract situation adds another layer to the recovery. Still, Johnson has shown enough over his first three-plus seasons in the league to prove he’s one of the better young tackles in football. He’s going to have a chance to remind everyone of that once he’s healthy again.

For Ohio State fans who follow their former players in the NFL, Monday was a day to forget. Two former Buckeye offensive linemen went down long term. However, both players will be able to bounce back in 2027.