Paris Johnson Jr. showed up as a first-round draft pick and then he was inserted into the lineup as one.
The rookie right tackle ended up playing every single one of the Cardinals' 1,133 offensive snaps this season, seven more than the only other player above 99 percent – center Hjalte Froholdt.
With veteran left tackle D.J. Humphries expected to be out a chunk of next season after his ACL tear, the Cardinals already knew there would be offensive line shuffling for 2024. That could come in the draft, and it could come with incumbents.
The Cardinals do have some potential high-profile tackles in play when they pick at No. 4 overall – Notre Dame's Joe Alt and Penn State's Olu Fashanu – and Kelvin Beachum, who can play right or left tackle and started on the left side in the finale, is also an option.
It also brings up the possibility that Johnson would move back to left tackle, the position he played his final season at Ohio State.
"Those are things that, again, my answer now is the same as when I first interviewed with the team," Johnson said Monday as the players cleaned out their lockers with the season over. "I just want to be a part of the best five. Where I am on the line is dependent on them. Where I fit in best in the system. I'm not a guy who says I can only play this or play that.
"This offseason I am going to continue to train for both sides just to be ready. When my number is called, if it is called to go left, I'll definitely be ready."
Coach Jonathan Gannon said Johnson would be able to play either side if asked. Gannon also said Humphries must wait until swelling of his MCL goes down before he can have surgery to repair his knee.
STILLS OK AFTER HURTING KNEE
Rookie defensive lineman Dante Stills, who emerged from his sixth-round draft status to impress in the rotation, landed on IR the final week of the season with a knee injury. It was potentially scary news, after both defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter and offensive tackle D.J. Humphries suffered late-season ACL tears.
But Stills said Monday it was just a sprain and he would be healthy soon – saying he tried to lobby to play in the finale before the team smartly decided to sideline him.
HOLLYWOOD'S FUTURE
Wide receiver Hollywood Brown is scheduled to be a free agent. Gannon said he still believes in Brown -- he said they had a "good talk" on Monday -- and wants him to return.
"We know he can be a premier player for us," Gannon said, while acknowledging economics will factor into whether Brown remains a Cardinal. Last week, Brown said he'd like to stay in Arizona and that he remains confident in himself despite injuries derailing his season.
CARDINALS IN A RUSH
The Cardinals rushed for more than 200 yards four times this season, the most in the NFL. Their 2,365 yards rushing for the season was the fourth-highest total in franchise history and the most since the team moved to Arizona. It was the most since the team set the franchise mark of 2,582 yards in 1979 -- which included the excellent rookie season of running back Ottis Anderson (1,605 yards rushing by himself.)
