The Impact of D.J. Humphries’ Contract Extension

The significance of the Arizona Cardinals signing of D.J. Humphries to a 3 year $66.8M contract extension, with $34M guaranteed and $21M in year 1:

• An indication that the Cardinals learned their lesson through Patrick Peterson in 2020 and Chandler Jones in 2021 that holding players hostage whose contracts have run out of guaranteed money, puts the player and the team in a bind.
• Larry Fitzgerald and D.J. Humphries are the only Cardinals’ 1st round draft picks in the Arizona era to sign a 3rd contract.
• Humphries is the only 1st round offensive tackle during the Arizona era to make a long-term impact and a Pro Bowl, while with the team: (Ernest Dye-1993; L.J. Shelton-1999; Leonard Davis-2001; Levi Brown-2007).
• The $34M guaranteed which appears to be loaded up front ($21M in year 1), essentially makes this extension a 2 year contract (for 2022 and 2023) which will need to be re-assessed and/or re-addressed in 2024 when Humphries will be 30 years old.
• The $34M guaranteed allows D.J. to be a full-go at practice and in the games.

Commentary:

On the surface, D.J. Humphries’ contract extension may appear to be what some would call an “overpay.”

However, what the extension ensures for the Cardinals is having D.J. and the team in a great place for at least the next two years, when he receives the majority of the $34M in guaranteed money.

The extension also ensures the Cardinals of some much needed continuity on an offensive line which currently consists of a cadre of 2023 unrestricted free agents.

In total, the Cardinals currently have a whopping 36 players who are scheduled to be free agents in 2023, only 3 of whom are restricted free agents (Jonathan Ward, Greg Dortch and Antoine Wesley).

In terms of the projection of the Cardinals’ 2023 offensive line, with the current players under contract for 2023, it appears, for the time being, something like this:

• LT D.J. Humphries
• LG Lecitus Smith
• C Rodney Hudson*
• RG Marquis Hayes
• RT Josh Jones

2023 UFAs: T Kelvin Beachum, G Justin Pugh, G Will Hernandez, G/T Justin Murray, T Joshua Miles, G/C Sean Harlow, G Danny Isadora, G Rashaad Coward

As talked about in previous posts and podcasts, it is a very positive sign that the Cardinals are trying to sign their own players to contract extensions.

If you saw the video yesterday of WR Marquise Brown running routes on the grass outside the Cardinals’ facility, it does not appear that he is struggling through too much of a groin or hamstring injury.

Just as Kyle Odegard asked whether D.J. Humphries was actually a hold-in the first several days of practice, one might also assume that Marquise Brown is also a hold-in at this time.

The Cardinals traded their 1st round pick for Hollywood Brown. It would be a good act of faith to sign him long-term, especially now that Kyler Murray has been signed long-term.

On the other side of the ball, hopefully the Cardinals can come to a long-term agreement with Jalen Thompson, their Red Swarm rising star at safety and this year’s “green dot” signal caller of the defense.

On tomorrow’s Red Rain Podcast: How the Cardinals’ Roster Stacks Up With the Rest of the NFL.