TEMPE, Ariz. -- A few quick thoughts on the Arizona Cardinals' first-round draft pick.
The pick: D.J. Humphries, offensive tackle, Florida
My take: I was a bit surprised with this pick because of Arizona's need for a pass-rusher, but if Humphries is as good as advertised, the Cardinals have built a stout offensive line. And they need it. The Cardinals averaged a league-low 3.3 yards per carry last season, in part because of struggles on the offensive line. It's likely that Humphries' addition means the end of the road for Bobby Massie. Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said Humphries will compete with Massie for the starting right tackle job.
Help is on the way: A majority of Arizona's offensive struggles last season were a result of an injured Andre Ellington and an absent Jonathan Dwyer. But the offensive line struggled to make room for a running game which had a long run of 22 yards. The Cardinals totaled the second-fewest rushing yards in the NFL and their 773 run yards before contact were the third fewest.
Commitment to the offensive line: In two years, the Cardinals have made a concerted effort to bolster their line. Last season, it was signing left tackle Jared Veldheer. This season, they signed left guard Mike Iupati and moved Jonathan Cooper to right guard. By adding Humphries, the Cardinals have built a formidable unit up front. If Humphries wins the starting job, he'll join Cooper at right guard, either Ted Larsen or A.Q. Shipley at center (as of now), Iupati at left guard and Veldheer.
