Big Red
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- Mar 16, 2019
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The Cardinals are young at many spots on offense, most notably quarterback.
Rookie Kyler Murray is going to deal with a learning curve this season, but he should be aided by a wealth of knowledge on the offensive line.
If A.Q. Shipley wins the center battle, every projected starting offensive linemen will have at least four years of experience heading into 2019. Shipley leads the way with a decade in the NFL, followed by right tackle Marcus Gilbert’s eight years of experience, guard J.R. Sweezy’s seven and guard Justin Pugh’s six. Left tackle D.J. Humphries is the most inexperienced but is still heading into year No. 5.
“Guys that have six, seven, eight, 10 years, that goes a long way, particularly with a young quarterback,” coach Kliff Kingsbury said. “That’s definitely been a bright spot so far.”
Once the ball is snapped, Murray will be on his own in dissecting coverages, but beforehand or on the sideline, the linemen can help him sort through issues.
“(We are) guys he can bounce ideas off of,” Pugh said. “We can help him with things we see to help expedite that process.”
Kingsbury said the Cardinals didn’t go out this offseason aiming to acquire veterans on the offensive line, but that’s how it turned out when they traded for Gilbert and signed Sweezy in free agency.
“We looked at the best players we could get out there,” Kingsbury said. “We were fortunate to pick up some really good ones, we feel like.”
With age can come durability issues, and that remains a concern based on the group’s past history. If the linemen can remain on the field together, they believe experience will be an important factor in finding success.
“It’s just easier when you’ve seen it once or twice,” Sweezy said. “You can pick it up easier – especially when you are playing beside guys that have done it before.”
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