Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. had an up-and-down rookie campaign but ended the season on an upswing. In Year 2, the former first-round pick wants to start the climb up the OT rankings.
“Yeah, I think personally, just Year 2, being able to fulfill all of 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,” Johnson said Monday on NFL Network’s The Insiders.
Johnson allowed 42 pressures and eight sacks playing right tackle last season but didn’t allow a sack in his final three games and gave up just one total hurry over the final two tilts.
The Cardinals plan to move Johnson to left tackle following the signing of Jonah Williams to play the right side. It’s a return to the left side, where Johnson played at Ohio State before Arizona made him the No. 6 overall selection in 2023. Turning 23 on Wednesday, Johnson owns the physical ability to work his way into the top tier of tackles. It’s a matter of synching the talent, mental and production heading into Year 2.
Johnson represents one of the young pieces in the desert that could make the Cardinals offense sneaky fun in 2024. The big name in that equation is, of course, rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
“Obviously, playing with the guys we have on this team, being able to have Marv as a weapon, I think it’s just explosive,” Johnson said of his expectations for the offense. “I just love the guys we have on our offense, and I expect this offense to be one of the top in the country.”
Johnson, who played with Harrison Jr. at OSU, said the wideout’s professionalism has been evident since Day 1.
“It is, and it’s been that way since college, that’s one of the things I always told everybody about him, and even before we picked him, is that he’s been a professional since his freshman year,” Johnson said. “So having him here, he’s already in a routine, he’s already in a flow, and just talking to a lot of the defensive backs, they love going against him, whether it’s a high day or a walkthrough day, just the pace that he sets for himself is exceptional. So, I’m super excited to have him on the field. It just makes it more fun to hold your block because you already know what kind of guys you have out there on the edge.”
Kyler Murray being another year removed from injury and having a true No. 1 target in Harrison Jr. gives the Cards building blocks. The key to Drew Petzing’s offense truly taking off in Year 2 could be the play of Johnson and the rest of the offensive line taking strides forward.
