The Arizona Cardinals made the long-awaited move of shifting Paris Johnson Jr. from right to left tackle in his second NFL season.
Given the first-round pick used on the lineman and the release of D.J. Humphries last offseason, it really was no surprise.
And for the most part, Johnson didn’t miss a beat, checking off all the necessary boxes as an NFL left tackle.
But after a successful first season on the left side, could Johnson find his way back to the right?
In ESPN analyst Field Yates’ two-round mock draft released Wednesday, it’s very much on the table based on who Arizona nabs at No. 16 overall in Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr.
In the long term, this pick would allow the Cardinals to move Johnson back to the right side and slot in Banks at left tackle. Banks started three full seasons on the left side at Texas, showing a good combination of size (6-foot-5, 315 pounds), nimble feet and pass-protection acumen. He allowed pressure on just 0.8% of his pass-block snaps in 2024, which tied for third best in the FBS among offensive tackles.
While it would be hard to get on board with another position switch for Johnson, Arizona shoring up the tackle spot opposite him with a guy like Banks makes a lot of sense given the current roster construction.
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Jonah Williams could be in line to start after going through an injury-riddled first year in Arizona but is a free agent following this season.
Kelvin Beachum, who took over for the injured Williams for most of the season, re-signed with the team on a one-year deal this offseason but is 35 years old and closer to the end of his career.
This isn’t the first mock that has Banks linked to the Cardinals’ No. 16 overall pick. In the Arizona Sports Mock Draft Tracker, he’s found his way to Arizona eight times out of the 180 entries as of Wednesday.
Cardinals add an edge rusher in Field Yates’ 2-round mock draft
After bulking up the Cardinals offense in the first round, Yates turned to Texas A&M pass rusher Nic Scourton in the second (No. 47 overall).
This would be a rock-solid addition for Arizona at this point in the draft. Scourton has an advanced arsenal of pass-rush moves. While he had just five sacks last season at Texas A&M, he had 10 in 2023 at Purdue. And he’s a great run defender.
Scourton has the traits of being an eventual starter in the league but could find it tough to move up Arizona’s depth chart following a free agency period that saw Josh Sweat come to town and Baron Browning re-up for two more years in Arizona.
BJ Ojulari is also expected to bounce back and be in the mix for a starting role after suffering a torn ACL in training camp and missing all of last year.
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