Arizona Cardinals get it right with Paris Johnson Jr.

The Arizona Cardinals made a splash in the 2023 NFL Draft, trading down with the Houston Texans before trading back up with the Detroit Lions.

Paris Johnson Jr. will indeed be rocking those remarkable new Arizona Cardinals uniforms this fall. And general manager Monti Ossenfort, at least in my immediate reaction, couldn’t have done a better job. 

Just days ago, I made up my mind and said the Cardinals had to take Paris Johnson Jr, and, man, did they just make it official land a stud of an offensive lineman. What’s more? Johnson won’t just protect Kyler Murray’s blind side in time; he will play for one of the better lines in the NFL this season  if the Redbirds can land a center in the later rounds. 

Arizona Cardinals couldn’t have landed a better first round pick

Best yet, Johnson joins a line that saw a few familiar faces return with Kelvin Beachum and Will Hernandez back in the desert, along with new names like Hjalte Froholdt, Dennis Daley, and Elijah Wilkinson. 

Long story short, the Cards will completely stack ttheir offensive line, and when they draft that center, the Redbirds could forge that identity of a run-first, vintage football team that I also mentioned earlier in the week. So far, it’s been an excellent start for the Arizona Cardinals, and it’s going to be exciting to see where they go from here in what’s shaping up to be a memorable 2023 NFL Draft. 

Johnson is just the first puzzle piece to a new and improved Cardinals team, and my instant reaction grade for this pick is an A+. I can’t wait to see the former Buckeye rocking the new threads….especially those alternates.  

Look for Johnson to start off as a guard, before he makes the eventual move to left tackle. D.J. Humphries will anchor the position this season. Nonetheless, it’s going to be a formidable combo on the left side of the offensive line.