Beachum has inside track on RT job
It was the biggest question facing the Cardinals from the moment they opened training camp at State Farm Stadium and for at least the next few days or another week or so, it’s still chief among the most important situations they’ll have to answer.
Who will end up being the starting right tackle?
Following three straight weeks of practice, no official decision has been made, but the field clearly seems to have narrowed from three contenders to just two – returning starter Justin Murray and veteran free-agent addition Kelvin Beachum.
Rookie Josh Jones, Arizona’s thirdround draft pick out of Houston, was always viewed as somewhat of a longshot for the job, mostly because he’s never been here before and never received the quality reps he would have otherwise gotten in a B.C. (before Covid-19) offseason environment.
Head coach Kliff Kingsbury tipped his hand in that regard a week ago when asked about the competition and how the evaluation process has been going without the benefit of any preseason games.
“Well, luckily for us we’re going to give them a ton of full-speed reps against Chandler Jones. That’s a pretty good measure to see if you can hold up or not in this league,” Kingsbury said at the time, adding, “Justin, he started (12) games last season and with Beach, the last however many years in the league (eight), he’s started (99), so those guys have in-game experience and it’s not like it’s a young guy coming in that’s never played in the league.”
So much for Jones’ chances, right? Kingsbury, though, said there’s a lot to like about the 6-foot-5, 319-pound rookie who started all 45 games he played in college at left tackle. Jones is expected to be the team’s starting right tackle of the future; he just has a lot more to learn.
“We did not think he would be there with that third-round pick and we knew getting him that he’d have a chip on his shoulder and he would want to work to prove that he was worthy of a firstround pick and that’s what we’ve seen so far,” Kingsbury said.
“He was great through the virtual meetings and he’s been great so far in working hard and the attention to details and trying to get better at his craft each and every day. He’s got a long way to go, as do each of these rookies.
They’ve definitely been thrown into the fire with how this preseason will go. But we like what we’ve seen.”
Jones said he feels he’s been getting better every day and is thankful that veterans such as Humphries and Beachum have been so helpful in teaching him along the way. One of his biggest allies, though, happens to be quarterback Kyler Murray.
“He pushes me every single day,” Jones said. “He actually watched some of the one-on-one, pass-rushing drills and he came up to me the other day and he was like, ‘Man, you’ve got to work this’ and ‘Hey, you’re better than that.’
“I might not have even gotten a rep, but he just pushes me each and every day. We talk, we have conversations, he’ll pull me to the side with whatever
he sees. That’s what all the vets do. Whenever they see something I can get better at, they’re working with me.”
A new starting right tackle became necessary on Aug. 4 when Marcus Gilbert, 32, decided to opt out of the 2020 season because he was in the high-risk category with high-risk family members regarding the coronavirus. Kingsbury had basically already anointed Gilbert as the starter, which he was scheduled to be a year ago, too, until he suffered a torn ACL a week before the 2019 season opener.
“It was definitely a shock,” left tackle D.J. Humphries said of Gilbert’s decision. “I continue to pray for my boy, Marcus, because I know that was not an easy decision and I’m sure it was tough on him. But protecting your family is bigger than the game.”
Now, it’s a battle between Beachum, 31, and Murray, 27, and the two showcased their respective talents on Friday morning during the Cardinals’ annual Red & White Practice in Glendale.
On Wednesday, Kingsbury inferred that a final decision on the right tackle situation was getting close, saying, “We want to wrap up this week and once we get into our mock-game week next week we should solidify kind of where we’re at.”
“We’ve been really pleased with what Beachum has done,” he continued. “Obviously, we drafted Josh for a reason and he’s made some steps in this camp. And then Justin is kind of that guy who gives us a high-comfort level. Whether he’s playing inside or tackle, he can play at a high level after watching what he did in those starts he was in there.”
That last comment, inferring publicly for the first time that Murray might be used inside at one of the guard positions as a potential backup to either Justin Pugh or J.R. Sweezy, was also telling. It could portend that Beachum, who has started 39 games for the Steelers, 15 games for the Jaguars and most recently, 45 games for the Jets, is the heavy favorite.
The only issue there, if there is any, is that Beachum has always been a left tackle. Like Jones, the Cardinals’ rookie, he’s having to learn a new position.
“It’s definitely a challenge,” Humphries said. “Try writing with your left hand. You used to write with your right hand your whole life and then somebody tells you to go out there on thirdand-10, Monday Night Football and go write with your left hand. It’s definitely difficult, but if anybody can make that transition, it’s Beachum. He’s a pro’s pro.
“He’s one of those guys that does everything right. He’s going to give you everything he’s got, every snap, every period, every day.”
Three of the Cardinals’ returning starting offensive linemen – Humphries, Pugh and Sweezy – started and played all 16 games last season. Mason Cole, the new starting center, was the only Cardinals’ offensive lineman to start and play all 16 games in 2018. Now, just like everyone else, they’re waiting to see which lineman wins the right tackle job.
“We’ll see what happens here in the next few weeks,” Cole said, adding, “It’s been good to see guys like Beach and Justin Murray work. They compete and those two are legit pros. I mean, how they go about their days is unbelievable.”