Arizona Cardinals signing of D.J. Humphries helps them heading into free agency

The divide on the Arizona Cardinals re-signing of D.J. Humphries is about down the middle.

It shows the distrust in Steve Keim’s decisions but also the apathy towards the organization doing what fans want.

The cry has been that Keim does not draft well, or invest in the offensive line, then he re-signs a first round draft pick, the first time in his tenure, who happens to be the starting left tackle and only 26 years old and it’s too much money.

We broke down the idea that this is actually just the going rate for a sub-30 year old left tackles, if they are guys who have that next to their name, it’s going to be at least $14 million a year.

The $30 million in guarantees is where the push back seems to be, but again, this is the going rate and more than justified if structured correctly.

The Cardinals can actually have most of Humphries cap total come in 2021, when the team has over $100 million in cap space as longtime capologist Gungus explains:

"Keim contract history suggests something like - 15m signing bonus with year 1 salary of 5m, 10m cap hit. 10m salary in year 2 with a 15m cap hit. That’s the 30m in 2 years. Then a 15m non guaranteed salary in year 3, 20m cap hit, can release w/ 5m dead."

That’s a big thing.

If the Cardinals can keep Humphries cap hit to $10 million this season, that gives them money towards a starting caliber defensive lineman like Jordan Phillips, Quinton Jefferson or Danny Shelton.

Heck, that makes signing two of those guys a reality because it keeps them in a cost controlled contract and takes left tackle off the table as a need.

Would we have liked to see Humphries at a lower cost? Of course, but that’s the cost of left tackles in the NFL.