Talented veteran Alex Boone should be commandeering the starting right guard position for the Arizona Cardinals very shortly
Arizona Cardinals’ general manager Steve Keim has done it again. It appears that the two-time NFL Executive of the Year has pulled off yet another excellent late-summer signing.
Of course, only time will tell how well Minnesota Vikings’ castoff Alex Boone performs for the Cardinals. On paper, Keim seems to have gotten great value for Arizona’s offensive line. The contract has the looks of one of the GM’s patented one-year, prove-it deals that have bore fruit for the Cards in the past.
For now, second-year player Evan Boehm remains at the top of the depth chart at right guard, Boone’s natural position. According to head coach Bruce Arians, it would take “an injury or somebody really fail (ing) badly”, for Arizona’s newest addition to start.
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The problem is, the Cardinals’ championship window may be closing rapidly. The team that Keim has built this offseason is one that is built to win now. Signing a player of Boone’s caliber to sit the bench when the guy ahead of him is woefully inexperienced doesn’t make much sense.
Left guard Mike Iupati’s former teammate with the San Francisco 49ers has 73 career starts under his belt. By comparison, Boehm has exactly one on his young resume. Is the University of Missouri product’s talent-level rich enough to cancel out his obvious lack of experience?
“It’s my right guard spot”, Boehm said after being asked about the arrival of Boone. He also proclaimed that “nobody is going to take my job away from me “. Boehm’s confidence is respectable, but in the back of his mind you have to wonder if he really believes in what he says.
There’s a good possibility that the Cards’ 2016 fourth-round draft pick will be returning to a backup role soon. Boehm couldn’t beat out journeyman A.Q.Shipley for the starting center job last year. It seems unlikely that he’ll be able to hold off Boone for the right guard spot this season.