Tackle Paris Johnson Jr. of the Arizona Cardinals has a new role in 2024. After playing every snap at right tackle as a rookie last season, he now takes over left tackle following the release of D.J. Humphries.
According to Pro Football Focus, he is one of five young linemen poised to break out in 2024 in new roles.
Young tackles are also often better as pass blockers than they are as run blockers early in their NFL careers, as counterintuitive as that can be.
Johnson earned a PFF pass-blocking grade of 64.2 as a rookie, almost 10 grading points better than his performance in the run game. He allowed 42 total pressures but produced six PFF game grades of at least 74.8 in pass protection and improved as the season progressed.
If he continues the typical offensive tackle development pathway, Johnson is primed for a big jump in performance in Year 2 and could become one of the better young tackles in the game for the Cardinals.
This is exactly what the Cardinals hope for the 2023 No. 6 overall pick. It is what they need from him — anchor the offensive line.
Johnson’s has been laser-focused in the offseason. He wants to be the best tackle in the league.
A breakout season from Johnson would be timed perfectly.
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