Cardinals LT D.J. Humphries could be out two weeks with knee sprain

Arizona Cardinals starting left tackle D.J. Humphries could be out one to two weeks after suffering a knee sprain in the season-opening loss to the Detroit Lions, head coach Bruce Arians said Monday.

Mike Jurecki of 98.7 FM, Arizona’s Sports Station reports that the starting offensive lineman was diagnosed with a Grade 2 MCL sprain and could miss up to four weeks.

The third-year offensive lineman underwent an MRI on Monday after leaving the game in the first quarter of Arizona’s 35-23 loss Sunday.

Backup John Wetzel replaced Humphries but struggled at left tackle. Pro Football Focus graded him as one of the worst performers at his position throughout Week 1’s games.

For the day, the left tackle from Boston College allowed ten total pressures (eight hurries, a hit and a sack) on 45 pass blocking snaps. He finished the afternoon with an 82.8 pass block efficiency rating (PBE measures pressure surrendered on a per-snap basis, weighting towards sacks) which ranked last – by a decent amount – among tackles at the conclusion of the early games.

“Wetzel, given him his due, he didn’t practice at left tackle but a few snaps,” Cardinals coach Bruce Arians told Bickley and Marotta on 98.7 FM, Arizona’s Sports Station. “He was practicing at left guard, right guard, backing up everybody. With a full week of practice at left tackle, his technique will be much better.”

Humphries earned the starting left tackle job after flashing at the position toward the end of last season when former starter Jared Veldheer was injured.

Veldheer has since moved to right tackle, and Arians said Monday he will remain there as the Cardinals move forward with Wetzel on the left side of the line.

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