The Arizona Cardinals made a late veteran free agent signing recently, adding offensive tackle Kelvin Beachum. Beachum enters his ninth season in the league and was the New York Jets’ starting left tackle for the last three seasons.
He agreed to a one-year deal with the Cardinals.
The 31-year-old didn’t expect to go unsigned that long but the coronavirus pandemic changed things, as players could not visit teams or work out. It has affected a number of quality players.
Beachum signed with the Cardinals in part because of the effects of the pandemic. In an interview on the Jim Rome Show, he noted proximity, fit and familiarity as the reasons for his signing.
“It was a situation and a circumstance where I knew a number of people in the organization,” he said.
Cardinals lineman Marcus Gilbert was Beachum’s teammate with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Arizona’s offensive line coach Sean Kugler was Beachum’s offensive line coach when he was drafted by the Steelers. Running backs coach James Saxon was on Pittsburgh’s staff Beachum’s final two seasons there.
Beachum actually lives in Arizona in the offseason. He and his family have a home in Chandler. “I usually train out here during the offseason and have been doing so the last seven offseasons,” he said. He trains at LeCharles Bentley O-Line Performance, where D.J. Humphries also has trained.
“It just seemed like the natural fit considering everything that’s going on with COVID, the uncertainty with the NFL season, exposure to my family and being around my family.”
A starter his whole career, Beachum will compete for the starting right tackle job, a position he has some experience with in the NFL. In the mix for the job is Beachum, Gilbert, Justin Murray and rookie Josh Jones.
He would also give the team veteran depth at left tackle behind Humphries, who has played 16 games in a season only once in his career.
The pandemic likely cost Beachum money but it gave the Cardinals a quality player. It will be interesting to see what role he ultimately plays and how much his contract is worth.
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