NFC West draft picks: Cardinals bolster OL with OT Paris Johnson

Back-to-back NFC West picks. The Cardinals need to improve virtually every area of their roster if they’re going to contend in the division, but they started on the offensive line.

The Arizona Cardinals were scheduled to pick No. 3 overall. They they moved back to No. 12, and then traded back up to No. 6 where they targeted Ohio State offensive tackle Paris Johnson.

Protecting the quarterback has been an issue for Arizona, and while quarterback Kyler Murray is out with a torn ACL, Johnson will be around to help keep the Cardinals’ franchise QB upright when he returns.

Here’s the Athletic’s Dane Brugler on Johnson:

Johnson must replace bad habits with more trust in his technique, but he is an athletic move blocker with the size, fluidity and character of a future starting NFL left tackle. With his quickness, he is ideally suited for a zone-based scheme.

There were a number of ways the Cardinals could’ve gone with their selection since their roster is relatively bare at a slew of positions. New head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort decided improving in the offensive trenches was most important for them.

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