Cardinals left tackle D.J. Humphries expects to be ready for start of season

[BullheadCardFan]

Cardinals left tackle D.J. Humphries expects to be ready for start of season

Arizona Cardinals left tackle D.J. Humphries was lost for the season when he tore his MCL and dislocated his knee cap in a Thursday night game against the Seattle Seahawks last November.

While he’s still not certain when he’ll be back to full speed, Humphries is confident it will be in time for the start of the regular season.

“I’ll be ready for the season for sure,” Humphries said, via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. “That’s 100 percent for certain.”

Humphries said he’s able to run in a straight line without limitation and can do all the weightlifting exercises he needs to. However, he still hasn’t been able to start doing positional work just yet.

 

[Southpaw]

The big whiff

 

[kerouac9]

The gap between how State Media (Cards insiders) talk about Humphries and what he’s done on the field is stunning. He played 5 games last season, and the Cards act like he’s Joe Thomas.

 

[don7031]

0 games
13 games
5 games

That certainly makes the case for another shot at left tackle at 15th overall.

 

[Garthshort]

Think if we were overly concerned about the LT position, we wouldn't have traded Jared Veldheer. If we do go LT at #15, I'm wrong, but don't think I am.

 

[Snakester]

Humphries better be ready and play 16 games. We don't have another tackle on the roster that's worth squat. That's why I think we draft Mike McGlinchey in the first round. Trading Veldheer make a glaring weakness at tackle. Tackle is now just as glaring a need as WR and #2CB.

 

[Arz101]

I am a Humphries fan boy would it be good or what to have him healthy for 19 games this season

 

[overseascardfan]

That’s why I hope ARZ can land either Kolton Miller or Jemarco Jones, guys that can play either OT spot in case Humphries or Smith don’t cut it.

 

[NJCardFan]

Would have been nice to have Stephone Anthony on this team rather than this stiff.

 

[WindCardinal]

Would have been nice to have Stephone Anthony on this team rather than this stiff.

Really? The guy that was traded to Miami for a 5th round pick?

 

[Minski]

0 games
13 games
5 games

That certainly makes the case for another shot at left tackle at 15th overall.

I really hope not. This wasn’t the draft class to create a hole at OT by trading Veldheer, would be a really bad move.

 

[TRW]

I give him 7 games before he goes down. I know, I'm being generous...

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I am a Humphries fan boy would it be good or what to have him healthy for 19 games this season

Same here, regardless, I am rooting for him to do well.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

The gap between how State Media (Cards insiders) talk about Humphries and what he’s done on the field is stunning. He played 5 games last season, and the Cards act like he’s Joe Thomas.

#savageseason

#JustinBethelisthenumbertwoCB

#TroyNiklaswillbreakout

#LeviBrownisastarter

Not the first, and won't be the last. So, while I agree, the site is there to sell tickets.

 

[Jetstream Green]

Yes, he has been often injured but any moron who wants to degrade him for the injury he sustained last year needs their ignorant head checked out... there are very few players who would have walked away from that one

 

[Cheesebeef]

At first I thought... jeeze... an MCL injury early in the season shouldn’t still have him limited.

Didn’t realize he dislocated his knee cap also... which is a tougher injury to come back from.

And just makes me shake my head again wondering why we stripped ourselves of depth at T for a sixth round pick, when we aren’t scraping against the cap.

 

[don7031]

For the record, I believe the Cardinals have inked in their five starters on the o-line for the upcoming season.

The o-line quality in this draft class is in the interior triangle. Outside of Nelson, you don't want to be taking one of those guys with the 15th pick. But by the time the Cardinals go back on the clock in the second round they'll all be off the board.

 

[NJCardFan]

Really? The guy that was traded to Miami for a 5th round pick?

And he's still contributed more than Humphries has.

 

[kerouac9]

#savageseason

#JustinBethelisthenumbertwoCB

#TroyNiklaswillbreakout

#LeviBrownisastarter

Not the first, and won't be the last. So, while I agree, the site is there to sell tickets.

I don't know. This is different. Calvisi is a clear company man, but Urban definitely was skeptical about Bethel, Mathieu, Niklas, and Brown. It's just so weird to have them talk up this guy as a definite franchise left tackle when he hasn't even played a dozen games at the position.

They don't even mention that he only played 5 games last year.

 

[Chopper0080]

I don't know. This is different. Calvisi is a clear company man, but Urban definitely was skeptical about Bethel, Mathieu, Niklas, and Brown. It's just so weird to have them talk up this guy as a definite franchise left tackle when he hasn't even played a dozen games at the position.

They don't even mention that he only played 5 games last year.

Most know my feelings, and I don't disagree with any of this. HOWEVER, one thing to keep in mind is that Humphries is still only 24, and won't turn 25 until Dec of 2018. There is hope still that these were bad luck injuries. A dislocated knee cap and torn MCL on the same knee he had a sprained MCL on in week 1 is a back luck type injury IMO. He had a concussion at the end of 2017 which cost him three games, but also seems like a freak injury. Now, when you couple this with his college injuries, it is way more of a concern, but of all the guys, I think there should be more hope associated with Humphries than others. His work ethic has come around. He has matured in his personal life. I think he has the physical ability to be at least an average offensive tackle if he can get his technique right.

I am rambling, but if you throw out his 2016 season where his lack of maturity put him on the inactive list for most of the season, here is his career.

2016
Played every game at RT until Veldheer was injured, and then he flipped back over to the LT spot. In my opinion he played better on the left side until he got a concussion which kept him out the final 3 games.

2017
Injured his MCL in week 1. Missed 4 weeks before trying to come back without surgery. Played 4 games on a sprained MCL until he tore the MCL and dislocated his kneecap.

Humphries pays out of his own pocket to work at Bentley's o-line facility. Humphries is well conditioned from all visual accounts. His NFL injuries have seemed more freakish injuries than anything else. He is also still young. I think there is still room for hope with this pick.

 

[kerouac9]

2016
Played every game at RT until Veldheer was injured, and then he flipped back over to the LT spot. In my opinion he played better on the left side until he got a concussion which kept him out the final 3 games.

2017
Injured his MCL in week 1. Missed 4 weeks before trying to come back without surgery. Played 4 games on a sprained MCL until he tore the MCL and dislocated his kneecap.

Humphries pays out of his own pocket to work at Bentley's o-line facility. Humphries is well conditioned from all visual accounts. His NFL injuries have seemed more freakish injuries than anything else. He is also still young. I think there is still room for hope with this pick.

IIRC, Humphries' Week 1 injury was only supposed to keep him out for 2 weeks and lingered.

I'm not ready to throw him on the trash heap, by any means. But Humphries isn't better than L.J. Shelton, who never got the kind of effusive praise coming out of Cards HQ.

 

[Chopper0080]

IIRC, Humphries' Week 1 injury was only supposed to keep him out for 2 weeks and lingered.

I'm not ready to throw him on the trash heap, by any means. But Humphries isn't better than L.J. Shelton, who never got the kind of effusive praise coming out of Cards HQ.

If was a partial tear of the MCL which is always hit or miss in terms of when/if a guy comes back from. It isn't a shock that it is the same MCL he tore completely late in the year. I agree that Humphries gets more praise than he has earned to this point, especially from the guys who seem to be around the team the most. The only explanations that I can think of to rationalize it is that they are either instructed too by the team or they see him working hard, and choose to believe that health is the only thing holding him back at this point. I can't say which it is, but they must be doing it for some reason.

 

[Chopper0080]

Not too be a total homer, but in terms of the teams roster, Humphries is almost as pivotal to the future of this franchise as the next QB. IF, and it is a big one, Humphries can be a top 10 LT, then the Cardinals will have top 10 LT, pass rusher and CB set for the foreseeable future. yes, they would need to pay Humphries, but Keim has never shied away from paying premium players at premium positions. If this happens, the Cards can easily deal whatever picks they need to go get a QB because all of the other key pieces will be in place.

 

[Ronin]

#AZCardinals plan to exercise fifth-year option for left tackle D.J. Humphries, @kentsomers reports

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[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Meh