Count Arizona Cardinals left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. as another member of the offense that can’t wait for the 2024 season to begin.
Visiting on the Insiders show this week on NFL Network, Johnson said even on a recent trip with his sister to Paris and Italy, he made sure to find weight rooms and fields to work out in the mornings.
He said, “That was the most important thing. Just got back Saturday and the first thing I did was go to the weight room again. Hit the steel and keep the main thing the main thing.”
Asked what he’s hoping to accomplish in Year 2, Johnson said, “It’s personally being able to fulfill the expectations that I have for myself, expectations that the team has for me. Being here, my goal ultimately is to be the best tackle in the game.”
As for the team, Johnson naturally is ecstatic over the addition of his college teammate from Ohio State, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
“Playing with the guys we have on this team, to add Marv as a weapon, I think is just explosive,” Johnson said. “With the guys we have on our offense, I expect this offense to be one of the tops in the country.”
When asked what he saw from Harrison in offseason workouts and if it’s “as good as it gets,” he said, “It is, it is. Honestly, it’s been that way since college. That’s one of the things I always told everybody about him, even before we picked him, is that he’s been a professional since his freshman year. So having him here; he’s already in the flow and just talking to a lot of the defensive backs, they love going against him.
“Whether it’s a high day or it’s a lower day, a walkthrough day, just what he expects from himself is exceptional. So I’m super-excited to have him on the field. It makes it even more fun to hold your block because you already know what kind of guys you have out there on the edge.”
Recalling when Harrison arrived at Ohio State, Johnson said there was no entitlement or bragging about his Pro Football Hall of Fame father, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Sr.
“Day 1, I didn’t really know who he was,” Johnson said. “He didn’t talk about his dad at all and his background. I wasn’t personally familiar with how great his dad was. I learned all of that later. I just saw Marvin as himself, not necessarily what his dad was, but just him for who he was. But, again, he jumps off the screen.”
The offseason has been filled with numerous comments from teammates about Harrison and Johnson accentuated it. He talked about how the Ohio State offensive linemen would watch the skill players in practice and wonder who would be the best when their careers were finished.
Noting that he played with some of the best receivers to come through in the last several years, Johnson said, “It came as no surprise, it was going to be him. The plays he made and doesn’t really try to talk about it. He just smiles and lines back up.”
Finally, asked where the Kyler Murray barometer is as training camp approaches, Johnson said, “He’s in full swing. The type of leadership he’s brought this offseason has been incredible. I know he’s excited to have Marvin and he’s been spending a lot of time with the guys and he’s been spending a lot of time on the field. So I’m super-excited to have him full go.”
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