Cardinals left tackle D.J. Humphries said in December that he believed his play during the 2019 season made him one of the league’s best players at the position and he won’t get much argument from General Manager Steve Keim.
Keim said during a Friday appearance on Arizona Sports 98.7 that Humphries “has grown into one of the better tackles” over the course of his five years in Arizona. It was easier to notice Humphries’ play in 2019 as he started 16 games for the first time in his career and that uptick in durability came in the final year of his contract.
There’s always a need for tackles around the league, so Humphries’ uptick in durability could make him a popular target in free agency. Keim sounded positive about keeping Humphries on hand.
“I would just say that I’m very optimistic that D.J. will return,” Keim said, via the Arizona Republic. “Really proud of not only the way he played, but sort of his maturation, the way he’s progressed. . . . He’s always loved to play. He’s always been passionate and played hard. . . . I think he played his best ball at the right time.”
The franchise tag would be a possibility for the Cardinals, but Keim said “you want to come to an agreement moving forward to a longer-term deal than having to use those things” in order to ensure Humphries will be back.