Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman D.J. Humphries tore his ACL in Week 17 and has been placed on the Injured Reserve list. Though this will have a minimal impact on the 2023 season with one week remaining, the severity of the injury could keep Humphries sidelined in 2024 as well.

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters Wednesday that Humphries would miss the rest of the season and pointed out that it was a significant loss for the team.

“It’s a blow for anybody,” Gannon said. “For us as a team, he’s a captain, one of our premier players. It’s a part of the sport that is really hard. You guys know how I feel about the players and what they put into this, the sacrifices they make. Him being who he is, it’s tough to swallow.”

The offensive tackle exited the team’s Week 17 game against the Philadelphia Eagles in the third quarter after blocking for running back James Conner. The Cardinals went on to win the game.

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Humphries, an eight-year veteran and 2021 Pro Bowler, has dealt with a litany of injuries throughout his college and professional careers as an offensive tackle. After signing his second three-year extension with the Cardinals in 2022, he missed the last month of the season with a back injury. Since getting drafted out of the University of Florida in 2015, he has only played three full seasons in the NFL.

ACL injuries are notoriously difficult to return from quickly, especially in the NFL, where players at every position require extraordinary mobility to compete. Because Humphries suffered this setback so late in the 2023 season, it’s possible that he could miss significant time in 2024 as well.

If Humphries is sidelined as long as some expect, the Cardinals will be without a captain and key quarterback protector as they attempt to rebuild after a forgettable 2023 season. Though the team exceeded expectations, due in part to subtly strong performances from the likes of Humphries, the team was never a serious playoff contender at any point.

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