Tag: Kelvin Beachum

OL Kelvin Beachum is Cardinals’ veteran most likely to lose starting job to rookie

First-round pick Paris Johnson seems to be on track to replace Beachum in the starting lineup.

After three seasons with the Cardinals as their starting right tackle, Kelvin Beachum re-signed with the team as a free agent, inking a two-year contract.

He was set to be the Cardinals’ starting right tackle again.

However, since then, they selected Paris Johnson with the sixth overall pick in the 2023 draft.

Johnson has practiced at right tackle (as well as left guard) thus far.

Johnson was the player quarterback Kyler Murray hoped the Cardinals would draft in the first round.

Beachum also made comments in the offseason, saying Murray needed to grow up. While the comments were not meant to malign Murray, at least one teammate was upset at what was said.

Arizona has only six players in their 30s on the team. Beachum is one of them.

They are making a youth movement.

Beachum’s salary is fully guaranteed for 2023 so he isn’t really at risk of being cut, but, with his ability to play both left and right tackle, he would make a nice backup swing tackle.

The Cardinals did not draft Johnson not to play him.

While other rookies could end up starting, they are at positions where there is not a clearly established veteran as the starter.

Beachum isn’t really in danger of losing his spot on the roster, but he is the most likely to lose his spot in the starting lineup.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1362]

OL Kelvin Beachum never had doubt about continuing NFL career after 2022

“There was never a doubt in my mind that I was going to continue playing,” he said on the Ross Tucker Football Podcast this week.

After the 2022 season concluded, some wondered if Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Kelvin Beachum would retire. He was finishing his 11th NFL season and is 33 years old. He played and started in all 17 games last season for Arizona.

That speculation never came from him. He never considered retiring.

“There was never a doubt in my mind that I was going to continue playing,” he said on the Ross Tucker Football Podcast this week. “There are still some things I need to prove, still some goals and aspirations that I want to be able to accomplish and I haven’t been able to do those things yet.”

Beachum is proud of the fact that, as a former seventh-round pick and the last offensive lineman selected in the 2012 draft, he has played as long as he has.

What are some of his goals? He wants to play in a Super Bowl. He wants to continue to compete and start.

The Super Bowl goal is interesting because he chose to re-sign with the Cardinals, who are projected to win the fewest games in the league in 2023 right now.

He knows “those things take time.”

When Beachum appeared on my podcast, he told me he was thinking about playing four of five more years.

“More than anything, I’m in love with the process,” he said.

Players know it is time to move on when they don’t feel the desire to put in the work it requires to play at the highest level. That is not the issue for Beachum.

“I enjoy the process of getting ready to play football,” he said.

Playing on Sundays is “icing on the cake.”

Beachum is projected to start at right tackle for the Cardinals for a fourth straight season in 2023.

Maybe he can play long enough to see this team get to where he would like to play — in the big game.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=663413913]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbw7fa4ahbvdd03 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

The best bargains and most underrated players in 2023 NFL free agency (so far)

Everybody wants to talk about the big-name signings, but here are the best bargains of the 2023 free agent class so far.

There are people in the NFL — especially people who have endured one or more instances of top-heavy free-agency spending — who will tell you that if you want to contend for a Super Bowl, the bottom third of your roster will be just as important as the top third at some point in time. Yes, you want optimal performances from the best and brightest, and if you get it, that’s great. But one of your star players will probably miss time with an injury. Another star might be involved in a contract dispute. And it’s entirely possible that the big-ticket free agent your team brought in for the gross national product of Estonia is actually a bad fit for what his new coaches would like him to do.

It happens all the time. To counter all of these little nightmares, it’s wise to find the best bargains in any free-agent cycle — those players who may not be marquee names, but whose performances on the field makes them important to you.

Especially when things go wrong up top.

There are still quite a few talented players on the open market, so we’ll be adding to this list as we go… but for now, here are the free agents either re-signing in their old homes or going to new locations who will impact their rosters much more than you may think.

POLL: React to re-signing of OT Kelvin Beachum

The Cardinals bring back right tackle Kelvin Beachum for two seasons. Tell us what you think of the move.

The Arizona Cardinals’ first move in free agency was to bring back right tackle Kelvin Beachum. He gets a two-year deal worth a little more than $5 million.

He will make the veteran minimum salary both seasons but has a signing bonus of more than $2 million and has playing time incentives of more than $1 million in 2024.

He is in line to start at right tackle for the fourth straight season for the Cardinals and the price is reasonable if he is a backup.

He played and started every game in 2023, the only offensive player to do so.

What do you think of the move?

[polldaddy poll=11937399]

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=663413913]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbw7fa4ahbvdd03 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

Kelvin Beachum’s 2-year deal worth $5.15 million

The Cardinals get their starting right tackle back on a bargain of a contract.

The one move in free agency the Arizona Cardinals have made thus far is agree to a new two-year deal with right tackle Kelvin Beachum.

That deal is quite reasonable for a starting tackle.

The contract is two years and worth $5.15 million.

Reporter Aaron Wilson has the details of Beachum’s deal.

He gets a $2.095 signing bonus and will make a fully guaranteed $1.165 million in salary. It is the league minimum. That gives him $3.26 million in total guarantees this year.

His 2024 salary will be the minimum as well, at $1.21 million. It is not guaranteed. He can also make another $1.24 million in playing time incentives in 2024.

He will make $20,000 in per-game roster bonuses.

His cap hit, assuming there are no voiding years on the back end of the contract, will be a little more than $2.2 million this year.

Assuming he is the starter this year again, it is a bargain.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1368]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbw7fa4ahbvdd03 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

OT Kelvin Beachum returning to Cardinals on 2-year deal

The 12-year veteran gets a two-year deal. He was the only offensive player for Arizona to start all 17 games last season.

It took until Monday evening, but the Arizona Cardinals have made a move in free agency, although it isn’t what fans would consider a significant move.

According to The Score’s Jordan Schultz, right tackle Kelvin Beachum is re-signing with the team on a two-year contract.

Beachum enters his 12th NFL season and 2023 will be his fourth with the Cardinals.

He was the only offensive player last season to start all 17 games.

Beachum, a guest on the podcast recently, was looking for a multi-year deal, to play on natural grass and get market value. He gets at least two of the three, as the numbers for his contract have not been reported as of the time of publication.

Beachum’s return gives the Cardinals a steady leadership voice in the locker room and secure the right tackle job.

The Cardinals will have D.J. Humphries at left tackle Beachum back at right tackle. What is left to determine is who will play interior positions.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=663413913]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbw7fa4ahbvdd03 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

PODCAST: Kelvin Beachum talks free agency, Kyler Murray, digging a well in Zambia

Kelvin Beachum was a guest on the podcast with Jess Root.

Soon-to-be free agent offensive lineman Kelvin Beachum joined me on the show on Thursday and we talked about a lot of different things.

Primarily, the interview was to promote his trip to Zambia, raising funds to drill a third clean water well with World Vision.

Donate to the cause to make the dream a reality.

He also talks about his impending free agency, last season, his young offensive line teammates and comments he made about QB Kyler Murray.

Enjoy the show with the embedded player above or by subscribing to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform, so you never miss a show. Make sure as well to give it a five-star rating!

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=663413582]

Kelvin Beachum says Kyler Murray needs to ‘be a man and grow up’ to be great

Offensive lineman Kelvin Beachum was very blunt about what Kyler Murray’s next steps as a quarterback needs to be. He needs to lead more.

One of Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray’s teammates didn’t mince words when he was asked what the franchise quarterback needs to do to be great.

Much has been said about Murray’s demeanor, maturity, dedication, practice habits and how he is as a teammate. Before 2022, he was on the precipice of greatness.

After a difficult 2022 for the entire team, what does Murray need to be great?

Offensive lineman Kelvin Beachum was very blunt about it.

“Grow up. Be a man and grow up,” he said on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.

“It’s not complicated,” he continued. “You’ve got to be a leader of men, period.”

Beachum, one of the most respected leaders on the team, didn’t say Murray wasn’t a leader and didn’t say he was a bad teammate.

“He’s maturing,” he said. “It’s not a completed process.”

The talent in unmistakable.

“He has all the tools. He can throw it on one leg. He can throw it a mile. He can run faster than anybody else on the field,” he said.

He also was clear Murray is a leader.

“I didn’t say he lacked the leadership,” he explained. “I just think he needs to grow up a little bit, and I think that if he has the willingness and the ability to grow up, he’s going to be just fine.”

Basically, he says Kyler isn’t done. He needs to continue to improve in this facet of the position.

“You’re the face of the franchise. You’ve got to lead more,” he said.  “You’ve got to lead in every single capacity of leadership and that’s what they look for in a franchise quarterback.”

That is on the field. It is off the field. It is in the locker room. It is in team appearances. It is in the community.

Murray has been more present in Tempe at team headquarters this offseason than in previous years. He is rehabbing here.

With millions of dollars tied up in bonuses for participating in the offseason program, we can expect he will be part of offseason workouts, unlike last year.

Is any of this a surprise?

Not really. We have heard what people have said about Murray. Some of it is accurately portrayed. Some of it is blown out of proportion.

But it is eye-opening to hear it said so bluntly.

Will Murray “be a man and grow up?” we have seen a little more out of him each year. There is no reason to think that won’t continue to happen.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=3568]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbw7fa4ahbvdd03 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

Kelvin Beachum seeking fan support to drill clean water well in Zambia

Beachum has funded two of the three wells himself. He seeks support for a third.

Offensive tackle Kelvin Beachum, who has spent the last three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals and is set to become a free agent, has been passionate throughout his career about helping the community and the world.

In his latest project, he is seeking fan support.

This month in March, Beachum is traveling to Zambia, a country in Africa, to drill clean water wells. He has funded two of them with World Vision.

He is reaching out to fans for help with a third.

“The need for clean water access is urgent,” said Beachum in a press release. “Children and elderly are dying at an unbearable rate because of diseases associated with inadequate water supply, sanitation and hygiene. Access to clean water should be a basic human right. My hope is by building wells we can give people the opportunity to keep their families healthy and safe for years to come.”

The goal is to raise $15,000. The goal will allow Wolrd Vision to drill a deep well and fit it with a hand pump. One well can provide 2,800 gallons of clean, life-sustaining water every day for as many as 300 people.

You can contribute to the campaign here.

It is one of many initiatives Beachum has off the field.

He has been named NFLPA Community MVP winner five times. No other player has received the honor that many times.

Beachum is passionate about ending hunger, providing clean water access, advocating for education equity, and encouraging minority youth to pursue STEM disciplines while addressing the digital divide.

Beachum is scheduled to be a guest on the podcast this week where he will talk about this initiative and more.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbw7fa4ahbvdd03 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

4 Cardinals listed among top 100 2023 free agents

Zach Allen, Byron Murphy, Kelvin Beachum and Will Hernandez are all among the top available free agents this offseason.

Free agency is a couple of weeks away and the Arizona Cardinals have a number of decisions to make. They have a bunch of soon-to-be free agents at important positions.

Pro Football Focus ranked the top 100 players scheduled to be free agents.

The Cardinals have four players listed.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.