Paris Johnson has looked the part of a top-10 pick through the first two weeks of the season.
The Cardinals’ rookie right tackle didn’t allow a single pressure against a strong Commanders defense in his NFL debut, and has yet to give up a sack this season.
It’s rare for a man of his size to have such nimble feet, and Johnson’s movement skills make it easy to see why Arizona was so intent on adding him in the draft.
In his first two games, Arizona Cardinals rookie OT Paris Johnson Jr. has yet to allow a single QB hit.
The former OSU standout has surrendered a mere 2 hurries in 73 pass block snaps.
He has played 100% of the offensive snaps thus far.
Stud.#BirdGang | @PHNX_Cardinals
— Johnny Venerable (@JohnnyVenerable) September 18, 2023
While the first two games were encouraging, here comes a monster test.
Over the next two weeks, Johnson could get a healthy dose of Micah Parsons and Nick Bosa, arguably the two best pass-rushers in the NFL.
But if you think he’s nervous, don’t forget the comments he made about these matchups over the summer.
“I’m willing to say right now, I can’t wait for Nick Bosa,” Johnson said on The Red Sea Report in early May. “I can’t wait for Micah Parsons. I’ve already been studying both of those guys’ tapes.”
“You can’t have a goal to play in the NFL and then be afraid to go against these guys. Like, what? That’s what you want. You say you want to play in the NFL? That’s the NFL for you, and that’s what I’m excited for, because I’ve done well in those scenarios. I’ve gone against dudes where it’s like, ‘That guy? He’s like that now, but he hasn’t played me yet.’ I feel like I thrive in those environments and I can’t wait for games like that.”
The Cardinals do a nice job of helping out their tackles, which is a big difference from the on-an-island days of the Kliff Kingsbury tenure.
However, there will certainly be times when Johnson goes one-on-one against Bosa, Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence over the next two weeks.
The lack of experience is a concern, but if he holds his own, it will be a major step in announcing himself as the real deal at the NFL level.
“I want to attack the guys that I appreciate so much in this game, because I think they’re legends,” Johnson said in May. “I want to go against them. If I’m going to rise up, I’m not going to rise up going against no-names.”
