Available options for offensive, defensive linemen
The Arizona Republic is examining how the Cardinals might tackle the 2021 NFL draft, offering a daily series of what to look for with a position-by-position breakdown.
Today: Offensive/defensive line
Offensive linemen
On the roster: 15
Starters: LT D.J. Humphries, LG Justin Pugh, C Rodney Hudson, RG Brian Winters, RT Kelvin Beachum
Backups: Justin Murray, Josh Jones, Lamont Gaillard, Max Garcia, Marcus Gilbert, Josh Miles, Branden Bowen, Shaq Calhoun, Sean Harlow, Koda Martin.
Priority level: Low
Evaluation: Arizona’s projected starting five is as strong as any during Steve Keim’s tenure as general manager. Entering his ninth season with that title, this is also by far and away the most depth he’s accumulated along the offensive line.
“I feel great about the depth,” Keim said last month. “Certainly in my time as a GM here, I think this is one of the deeper units we’ve had. Starting with D.J. Humphries on the left side at tackle and then having the opportunity bring back Kelvin Beachum, who we felt played excellent last year, I think there’s going to be a lot of competition and (offensive line coach) Sean Kugler is truly committed to putting the best five out there.
“It’s going to be a fun offseason to see these guys compete at those different spots and see what really materializes as our best five.”
Hudson, acquired in a trade from the Raiders in exchange for a third-round pick, is a huge upgrade at center. He’s a three-time Pro Bowl selection and brings the type of veteran leadership Keim and the Cardinals have been trying to add throughout the offseason.
With the addition of Winters, a nineyear pro who can slide into J.R. Sweezy’s old spot at right guard, the interior is solid shape. Justin Pugh returns at left guard and Justin Murray and Josh Jones can play both inside and outside at the team’s discretion.
Drafting a lineman with their first or second pick would be an unnecessary move by the Cardinals, although plenty of solid prospects will be available, especially early in the draft. It all depends on how their draft board shakes out. If the players they have rated high aren’t
there at pick 16, for instance, perhaps they would opt to take one of this year’s top-rated linemen.
Oregon’s Penei Sewell will go inside the top 10, but there’s a chance that at least one or two of the next three highest-rated lineman — Rashawn Slater (Northwestern), Alija Vera-Tucker (USC) and Christian Darrisaw (Virginia Tech) — could be available and make for a tempting pick.
With four of their six picks coming in the fifth round and beyond, there’s a likely chance the Cardinals could pass on a lineman altogether. It’s happened before in recent history. Arizona didn’t draft any offensive linemen in 2010, 2011 or 2014.
Defensive linemen
On the roster: 8
Starters: DT Zach Allen, NT Jordan Phillips, RDE J.J. Watt
Backups: Leki Fotu, Rashard Lawrence, Michael Dogbe, David Parry, Ryan Bee
Priority level: Low
Evaluation: Keep in mind that when we’re talking about the defensive line, we’re solely referencing the three men that will man the middle up front in Arizona’s 3-4 base defense. This doesn’t include the team’s pass rushers at outside linebacker such as Chandler Jones, Markus Golden and Devon Kennard.
As it stands, the trio of Allen, Phillips and Watt make for an intriguing No.1 group. The 32-year-old Watt, a five-time
All-Pro and three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, will be the focal point. It remains to be seen exactly where he will line up. The Cardinals have said it could be everywhere up and down the defensive front, perhaps even at outside linebacker.
Watt signed a two-year deal with Arizona after spending 10 very productive seasons in Houston, but injuries have been a concern in recent years. He brings excellent leadership and credibility to the locker room, but it’s on the field where he will have to prove he can still dominate and be a disruptive force.
The Cardinals can’t forecast the future, but Keim is betting on Watt’s dedication and passion for the game and it’s probably a safe bet the team will pass on a defensive lineman early in the draft.
“You have guys that sort of decline in their late 20’s and early 30’s and then there’s guys who continue to play at a high level as guys like Larry Fitzgerald have,” Keim said. “The way they take care of their bodies, the way they train in the offseason, the way they eat, all of those things, gives guys the opportunity to play later in their career.”
Beyond Watt, the Cardinals are banking on a big bounce-back season by Phillips, who will earn $10 million in base salary this season. Phillips, whom the team hopes can be an anchor up front, was limited to seven games in 2020 because of a hamstring injury that he re-aggravated. With his contract including an opt-out clause owned by the team after this season, this is his chance
to solidify his future.
If it doesn’t happen, there’s enough depth to cover the position but Arizona could be on the hunt for an elite presence a year from now. Allen, meanwhile, has yet to come into his own and he’s battled injury problems in each of his two NFL seasons. So potentially, there’s a chance the Cardinals could regret not drafting at least one top-level defensive lineman with their first- or secondround pick.
With other positions seemingly more in need of being addressed, that’s a risk they might be willing to take. On the other hand, there are some intriguing prospects to consider early in the draft should they decide otherwise.
Three potential options at No. 16 include Kwity Paye (Michigan), Gregory Rousseau (Miami) and Jaelan Phillips (Miami). Each of them can get to the quarterback from the outside or the inside, lining up in a traditional threepoint stance. They might not be names you’ve seen linked to mock drafts when it comes to the Cardinals, but they’re on the team’s radar.
Possible second-round options that might be available at No .49 include former Alabama defensive tackles Christian Barmore and Landon Dickerson and Levi Onwuzurike from Washington. The Cardinals spent two mid-round picks last year on a pair of defensive tackles they really seem to like in Fotu and Lawrence, so the team may decide to pass on a defensive tackle altogether in 2021.