D.J. Humphries was recently in Minnesota as he went through the work of rehabbing his torn left ACL, noting that "I've been feeling much better" once he got back to Arizona, given the warmer temperatures (and not being around frozen lakes, apparently).
During an appearance on the podcast of former Cardinals guard Justin Pugh, the Cardinals' veteran left tackle said "everything is great" in these early stages of his considerable rehab.
"Still looking good, the swelling is way down, moving good past 90 degree flexion, got my extension back, we're rolling," Humphries said. "Couple more weeks, I'll be off these damn crutches."
Humphries did tell an interesting story about being a rookie -- one that makes one appreciate how Paris Johnson Jr. was able to come in after playing left tackle at Ohio State his final season yet move over to right tackle as a rookie. Humphries was in the same situation when he was drafted in 2015. Bobby Massie was facing a two-game suspension that season to start the year, and the Cardinals' intention was for Hump to drop right into the lineup on the right side. Jared Veldheer was going into his second year as left tackle.
But Humphries admitted to Pugh he never could get the right tackle thing, and that's a reason he was inactive every single game of his rookie season.
"I couldn't figure out the right tackle stuff," Humphries said. "I blame myself because I was going through combine training and they were like, 'You need to take these right tackle reps,' and I was like, 'What are you talking about? I ain't doing that.'"
Eventually, the Cardinals moved Humphries to the left side, putting Veldheer on the right. There is a chance Johnson could be moved to the left this season, but that's in part because Humphries -- even with excellent rehab -- will be out well into the regular season.
Humphries is planning on coming back though. Of that there is no doubt.
"Every day I'm going to rehab I'm trying to get this Super Bowl out of this knee," Humphries said. "Whatever I have to do every day to get this moving in the right direction."
