Arizona Cardinals reportedly restructure contract of tackle D.J. Humphries
Mar 10, 2023, 11:05 AM
The Arizona Cardinals’ moves to free up some cap space ahead of free agency continued on Friday when they restructured the contract of offensive tackle D.J. Humphries, according to the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The adjustment will clear roughly $5.3 million of cap space for Arizona, following the release of wideout Chosen ‘Robbie’ Anderson, which created an additional $12 million.
Last offseason, Humphries was signed to a three-year extension worth a total of $66.8 million, with $34 million guaranteed and $21 million of it was accounted for in 2023.
Humphries, 29, has spent the entirety of his NFL career with Arizona thus far. After being selected 24th overall in the 2015 NFL Draft out of Florida, Humphries is entering his ninth year in the Valley. He made his first Pro Bowl two seasons ago.
After the five years of his rookie contract expired, Humphries re-signed with the Cardinals in February 2020 on a three-year extension worth $43.7 million after becoming an unrestricted free agent.
The left tackle has started every game he has played with the Cardinals but that took a year after Humphries was the only first-round pick in 2015 to be inactive for the entire season.
The offensive line will likely look much more different for the Cardinals in 2023.
Humphries and center Rodney Hudson are the only two starters under contract for next season but Arizona reportedly expects Hudson to retire. Left guard Justin Pugh, right guard Will Hernandez and right tackle Kelvin Beachum are all free agents. In addition, guards Cody Ford and Max Garcia, plus centers Sean Harlow and Billy Price are also free agents.
Beachum was the only member of an injury-ravaged group to start all 17 games and Arizona used 11 other players for the four other spots on the offensive line.
Younger players like Josh Jones and Lecitus Smith could step into bigger roles after they filled in for some of those injuries last year. Jones made nine starts while Smith got two nods.