Arizona Cardinals could target OL in draft, but not tight ends
The Cardinals are coming off a 4-13 season and presently have eight picks, including three compensatory selections, in this year’s NFL Draft, which begins Thursday. They also own the No. 3 overall pick in the first round unless they trade down to acquire more selections, which is entirely possible and rather likely.
Continuing today, The Republic offers a daily series of where the franchise stands at multiple positions and how the club may decide to address those spots through the draft.
Previous: Cardinals' position-by-position draft series: offensive skill positions
Today: Offensive line/tight end
Players under contract: At OL, it’s D.J. Humphries, Kelvin Beachum, Will Hernandez, Josh Jones, Hjalte Froholdt, Dennis Daley, Elijah Wilkinson, Hayden Howerton, Marquis Hayes, Lecitus Smith, Julien Davenport, Lachavious Simmons, Jackson Barton and Badara Traore. AT TE, it’s Zach Ertz, Trey McBride, Chris Pierce, Bernhard Seikovits and Noah Togiai.
Draft DEFCON level (1-5): 4
Explanation: This need here is about the offensive line, not about tight end, where the need is low and almost non-existent. More on that later, in brief.
In addition to re-signing Beachum, the veteran right tackle, and Hernandez, the veteran right guard, to two-year contracts, the Cardinals have added five news face to the offensive line via free agency or waiver claims. Humphries returns at left tackle and the right side is back with Hernandez and Beachum.
It remains to be seen, however, what the team decides to do at center and left guard. Jones is an option at the guard spot but it’s unclear if the new coaching staff views him as a tackle or an interior blocker. He’s done both. Froholdt can play center and guard and figures to have a role up front in some capacity but it’s too early to know exactly how much.
Upon releasing former Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson with a post-June 1 designation, however, it seems obvious Arizona needs to find a quality replacement who can step in and start right away. The Cardinals could still go the free-agent route or wait to sign a player later this summer when roster cuts occur. But finding a young center in the draft is also imperative.
Drafting a tackle doesn’t feel like a must move by General Manager Monti Ossenfort. That doesn’t mean he won’t select one, but if he does, it probably won’t be among his first three or picks. Selecting a guard feels far more likely and it could easily happen with a second- or third-round pick.
As for tight end, this year’s draft class is crammed with top-end talent but don’t expect Arizona to address the position other than perhaps adding a late-round pick, an undrafted rookie free agent or two or a veteran off waivers just in case Ertz, recovering from ACL surgery, isn’t ready to start the season. He will be, so don’t expect to see any big names coming to Arizona this summer.
Potential prospects on the radar: Even if the Cardinals find a trade partner for the No. 3 overall pick, it’s difficult to see them taking an offensive lineman of any type with whatever pick they get in the first round.
It’s likely going to happen with their second pick (No. 34 overall) or one of their two selections — for now — in the third round (Nos. 66 and 96). Options that could be available at No.34 include former Wisconsin center Joe Tippmann and guards Steve Avila from TCU and O’Cyrus Torrence of Florida.
Tippmann, who is 6-foot-6 and 313 pounds, was ranked 33rd in NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremey’s most recent Top 50 prospect rankings. In it, he writes that Tippmann “has the upper torque to turn and dump defenders lined up over his nose. Overall, Tippmann is the rare tall center capable of playing with leverage and balance.”
Jeremiah has the 6-5, 330-pound Torrence ranked 36th overall and the top guard available. He said Torrence has “ideal instincts” and “play strength,” he writes, adding, “Teams that want to run downhill and create a firm interior in the pass game will really appreciate Torrence.”
The 6-3½, 332-pound Avila, who didn’t allow a sack last season in 15 starts at left guard, checks in at No.45 on Jeremiah’s Top 50 list. Although he contends Avila can step in and start right away, he seems to prefer 6-5, 302-pound Cody Mauch, the former North Dakota State tackle whom he and other draftniks believe will transition to guard at the next level. Mauch is ranked 38th overall by Jeremiah.
Two other centers to watch for on Day 2 of the draft are 6-3½, 301-pound John Michael Schmitz from Minnesota and 6-3, 303-pound Luke Wypler from Ohio State. Ranked as the 48th best prospect by Jeremiah, Schmitz is viewed as an immediate plug-and-play starter as a rookie. Wypler has some weaknesses he needs to fix in his game, according to some evaluators, and there’s a chance he falls into the third round.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Examining the Cardinals' needs at offensive line and tight end
