Cardinals need to find an offensive tackle in deep 2024 class to pair with Paris Johnson

INDIANAPOLIS – When the season ended for the Cardinals, rookie right tackle Paris Johnson Jr. was asked if he might move to the left side in his second season.

“I just want to be part of the best five,” Johnson said, noting he would work on both sides in the offseason and let the coaches decide what they will.

Johnson will be part of it. But who is playing tackle on the other side – whatever side that might be – is an unknown. D.J. Humphries is going to miss significant time with ACL rehab. Veteran Kelvin Beachum is in the mix, although the Cardinals liked having him as a top reserve swing tackle. Free agency is an option, but in a draft where tackle is one of the best groups, finding someone young to pair with Johnson for years might be the Cardinals’ best move.

“It’s a loaded tackle class,” NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. “Just in terms of that top group, there’s 10, 11 guys that are really interesting. I think we’ll see a bunch of starters, a bunch of day one starters out of that tackle group.”

Notre Dame’s Joe Alt, Penn State’s Olu Fashanu, Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga and Alabama’s JC Latham top the tackle class. While the excellent wide receiver class grabs most of the headlines – coincidentally also a position the Cardinals need – a run on tackles could help set a record for most first-round tackles (currently seven).

The Cardinals could be in a great spot even if they didn’t take a tackle at 4 (or a little lower if the Cards trade down), given they also have pick 27 and 35 overall.

“We’re evaluating the totality of every position,” Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort said. “We never go into it saying, ‘Hey we are going to target this position this high in the draft and with the next pick we’re taking this position.'”