D.J. Humphries becoming comfortable on right side of offensive line
Aug 18, 2015, 5:52 PM
First round draft picks typically spent their college, and high school years, as the stars of their respective teams.
Very rarely do they know what life is like on the sidelines as bench riders.
Arizona Cardinals first round pick D.J. Humphries has no interest in learning that life, and told the Burns and Gambo show on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM exactly that on Tuesday.
“It’s definitely the goal,” Humphries said on seeing the field during his rookie season. “I have never really rode the bench and don’t know how to do that.
“Personally, I played left (tackle) my whole life and this is the first time I ever played right (tackle), but I am starting to adjust and getting real comfortable.”
The Cardinals have moved Humphries to the right side of the offensive line and had him as the back-up to Bobby Massie when the first depth chart was released last week.
Interestingly, Humphries has continued to run with the second-team behind Bradley Sowell, who moved up from third-string to first-string, despite news that Massie could miss the first three games of the season due to suspension.
While Bruce Arians could be keeping Humphries on the second-team to make him earn his keep as a rookie, the Florida Gators product has his eyes set on being the guy to replace Massie to begin the season.
“I definitely want to be that guy, like I said before I am still learning,” Humphries said. “During these next three weeks we have left in the preseason, I am trying to soak up as much as I can.
“If I am that guy they put in then I will be 100% ready and there’s no messing up because I am a rookie, no I am on the same page as everyone else on the line.”
Though, Humphries wants to be that guy, the question becomes is he ready?
The offensive tackle believes he is, and already feels he has improved tremoundously from his college days at Florida.
“My technique,” Humphries on what he has improved the most since being drafted. “It was really raw coming out of college and a different level of know-how over here.
“My technique here now, I have learned so much from coach in different sets and how to take on run blocks. I am getting more fine-tuned mentally as to what really goes on in the offensive line.”
