Cardinals OT Emerging as Franchise Cornerstone

The Cardinals' dominant left tackle was among the NFL's best in his second year.

Dec 15, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. (70) and quarterback Kyler Murray (1) against the New England Patriots at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Arizona Cardinals' offensive line has been the foundation of their success in the Jonathan Gannon era thus far. And that's intentional.

When GM Monti Ossenfort drafted OT Paris Johnson Jr. in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, it was clear what the priority was: rebuild this team from the ground up.

Rather than patching together offensive playmakers, Ossenfort set the tone early in his tenure that Arizona would focus on rebuilding the offensive line, establishing a tough run game and protecting franchise quarterback Kyler Murray.

And thus far, Johnson has looked every bit of the sixth overall pick he was.

Though he did have some rookie struggles in 2023 (with plenty of other issues plaguing Arizona's offense), he was truly a day one starter, playing all 17 games for the Cardinals.

In year two, Johnson made a clear leap. While he did suffer an injury at the latter end of the season, he did start the first 14 games.

Over those 14 games, Johnson cut down his penalties nearly in half, committing just seven compared to 2023's 12, and averaging only half a flag per game.

He also cut his sacks allowed in half. After giving up eight sacks in 2023, he allowed just four in 2024.

Granted, some of that can be attributed to the elusiveness of Murray, and the fact that Arizona's offense favored the run over letting their quarterback take too many passing attempts.

But it's not just the raw sack numbers that matter. In the dismal 2023 season, Johnson allowed 42 pressures as a rookie. That number dropped to a mere 23 in 2024 - a major improvement in a statistical category unaffected by the actions of the quarterback.

With these factors in mind, it's not much of a surprise that Pro Football Focus loved Johnson's 2024 season.

The big tackle was awarded an 80.8 overall offensive grade by PFF, including a sturdy 78.1 pass blocking grade guarding Murray's blind side, doing so while matching up with some of the best edge rushers in the NFL.

That number is 12th among NFL tackles. Considering there are 64 starting tackles in the NFL, that is an impressive feat for a 23-year-old, regardless of your opinion on PFF grades.

On top of his statistics, Johnson has also emerged as a vocal leader, leading the pre-game hype, forming chemistry with offensive playmakers like Murray and RB James Conner, and generally solidifying himself as a foundational piece of the new-era Cardinals.

Considering Johnson was the first draft pick of the new regime, it's encouraging to see him become such a paramount aspect of both Arizona's roster and culture.

Even when all else fails, having a reliable franchise left tackle is one of the most valuable offensive assets, and the Cardinals certainly have one in Johnson.