Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Josh Jones enters his fourth NFL season and final season of his rookie contract in a tough situation. He wasn’t drafted by the Cardinals’ current general manager and was not previously coached by the team’s new staff.
And with a number of offseason moves in the offseason, his spot on the roster appears somewhat tenuous.
Why?
While he played well at left tackle last year when he filled in for D.J. Humphries, Humphries is still the starting left tackle.
They re-signed Kelvin Beachum on a two-year deal.
They drafted Paris Johnson sixth overall.
Jones has almost no way to crack the starting lineup as a tackle.
If Johnson ends up the starting right tackle, Beachum would end up the swing tackle, able to play both sides. His salary is fully guaranteed.
Jones could potentially be in the mix at left guard, but if Beachum starts at right tackle, Johnson likely will start at left guard.
That might be the best scenario for Jones, who could then be the backup swing tackle again.
However, Johnson starting at right tackle makes Jones’ situation difficult, even at guard.
The Cardinals signed two veteran linemen able to play tackle or guard in Dennis Daley and Elijah Wilkinson.
They are primarily guards and both have starting experience.
Daley signed a two-year contract and has $400,00 of his salary fully guaranteed.
Wilkinson signed a one-year deal but $940,000 of his salary is fully guaranteed.
With the guaranteed salaries, it will make the team think extra hard whether to cut them if the competition is close.
There are roadblocks to Jones starting anywhere. There are obstacles to him being a backup.
It likely means he is a possible trade candidate because young tackles are valuable.
But with a new front office and coaching staff, Jones is the sort of player who often is replaced. Don’t be surprised if he gets dealt later on in the offseason or is ultimately cut at the end of training camp.
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