Arizona Cardinals RT D.J. Humphries: Clearly I’m doing something right

GLENDALE, Ariz. – To say that Arizona Cardinals right tackle D.J. Humphries was excited for the start of training camp would be an understatement.

From a season in which he failed to sniff the field to an offseason spent working out, eating right and learning to better play the position, Humphries woke up Friday eager to show his coaches, teammates and fans the Cardinals did indeed draft a first-round talent in 2015.

“I’m almost jitterish I’m so anxious,” he said, “and I woke up this morning it was like dry heaving. My alarm woke me up, like I thought I overslept. I’m so anxious. I’m excited. I can’t wait.”

Humphries never suited up last season, his first in the NFL. Instead, he appeared in street clothes, walking the sidelines as the Cardinals battled every Sunday.

Humphries had a front row view for the team’s run to the NFC Championship Game, but his name could be found on the inactive list rather than the final play sheet.

That is expected to change this season.

Humphries is running with the first-team offense, as he did throughout organized team activities and minicamp.

“I don’t foresee problems,” head coach Bruce Arians said. “He’s going to get beat. They all get beat, but I really like where he’s at physically and mentally right now.”

Physically, Humphries is in great shape, and more importantly, much stronger than a year ago.

Countless hours in the weight room was paired with extra work away from the team with former Pro Bowl offensive lineman LeCharles Bentley, owner of LeCharles Bentley O-Line Performance in Scottsdale.

Humphries looks bigger.

“I mean, I got swole, man. Look at me,” he said, laughing, adding he weighed in at 310 pounds with 19 percent body fat. “I look good.”

Mentally, though, is where Humphries, who will turn 23 in December, improved the most. He admittedly was not ready to contribute last season.

The Cardinals drafted Humphries with the 24th overall pick out of Florida. The selection, however, was made with an eye towards the future.

Humphries was a left tackle in college, appearing in 29 games including 19 starts before deciding after his junior season to declare for the NFL Draft.

The Cardinals already had a left tackle in Jared Veldheer, so the team moved Humphries to right tackle, where he was unable to make a dent in the depth chart.

“This type of team, what they demand from a player, I wasn’t ready to give that to the team last year,” said Humphries, who added he grew “numb” to sitting each week. “But mentally growing a year old, you learn to accept those roles and learn what people look from you.”

Humphries said he isn’t sure when everything clicked for him, “but it definitely has. It’s apparent, even in just walkthroughs. Everything is important, whether it’s how I’m setting up or how I’m coming off the ball or how I’m placing my hands and stuff like that, everything is important, everything matters.”

The Cardinals are so confident in Humphries and his ability that GM Steve Keim did not address the position prior to training camp. A veteran cornerback and linebacker were added in the days leading up to camp, but not offensive tackle.

“It means I’m doing something right,” Humphries said. “People have already explained the examples to me. If they go out and get an older guy that means you’re not doing something right or you’re not living up to what they thought you could be. To see that not happen is clearly I’m doing something right. Clearly they know I’m taking this serious. Clearly they see me making efforts and strides to do what I’ve got to do. They’re taking me serious as I’m taking this.”

As Arians noted, there will be a learning curve with Humphries, who only recently figured out what it meant and what it took to be a pro. Of course having a veteran guard like Evan Mathis lined up to his left will most definitely help.

Humphries is one of three new starters on the Cardinals offensive line, which represents the biggest turnover of any offensive position group.

The expectations are high with the Cardinals here in 2016, with only a Super Bowl championship as the goal.

“My dad has been telling me since I was little, pressure busts pipes, and pressure makes diamonds,” Humphries said. “Either you’re going to bust or you’re going to be a diamond at the end of it. I feel like I had my pipe bust last year. I got a chance to make this thing into a diamond so that’s all I’m trying to do.

“All I’m going to do is go out and bust my ass everyday, put all I can on the field and let the chips fall where they may.”

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