Arizona Cardinals add depth to the offensive tackle position
By Jim Koch
Kelvin Beachum has been brought to the desert to provide some insurance for the Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle position
This past week, the Arizona Cardinals made a somewhat surprising addition to their current roster. Kelvin Beachum, a talented offensive tackle, signed a one-year contract to play the next phase of his career in the desert. It appears that the 31-year old was brought in to provide depth for the blocking unit, but the veteran could very well take on an even bigger role with the Cards this coming fall.
Beachum is a high-quality pickup for Arizona, especially at this point in the offseason. The 6’3, 303 pounder has suited up for three different franchises thus far, and has 99 professional starts on his resume. In fact, there’s a fairly decent chance that Beachum could add to that total with the Cardinals this year.
It just so happens that the Cards are set to go with two brittle players at the offensive tackle spots. D.J. Humphries, quarterback Kyler Murray‘s blindside protector, has missed 21 games due to injury since he turned professional back in 2015. The 26-year old did manage to get it together last season, however, when he suited up for all 16 matchups for the first time in his career.
Right tackle Marcus Gilbert has also had a tough time remaining on the field. Various injuries have cost the 32-year old a whopping 52 contests during his time in the league. Gilbert missed the entire 2019 campaign for the Cardinals after suffering a torn ACL just days before the season-opener.
Beachum was a seventh-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers back in 2012. The Southern Methodist University product spent four years in the “Steel City”, before signing a free agent contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016. Beachum was inked to a three-year, $24 million deal by the New York Jets in 2017, registering 45 starts in the “Big Apple”.
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With Justin Murray and Josh Jones hoping to compete for playing time as well, Arizona now has five viable offensive tackles on their 2020 depth chart. Beachum is a solid acquisition who can take the reigns if an emergency arises. Humphries and Gilbert possess shaky track records, so kudos to the Cards front office for adding some insurance for the squad’s unreliable starters.