Arizona Cardinals Training Camp Preview: Offensive Line

After a busy offseason, training camp is here - Arizona Cardinals football is upon us.

Let's dive into what each position will look like for the Cardinals in 2025, continuing with the offensive line. Arizona has five returning players who made at least five starts, giving it some continuity heading into this season.

You can read our quarterback camp preview here, while the running back position can be found here, the wide receivers here and the tight ends here.

As arguably the most important position group, the Cardinals' offensive line will be critical for the teams success, so let's take a look at who will be protecting Kyler Murray in 2025.

Starters: Paris Johnson Jr. (LT), Evan Brown (LG), Hjalte Froholdt (C), Isaiah Adams (RG), Jonah Williams (RT)

Nov 3, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. (70) against the Chicago Bears at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Cardinals’ starting group is composed of five guys who got regular playing time last season, with Isaiah Adams being the only one to not start Week 1- although he too saw a lot of action last year.

Will Hernandez is the only real loss on the offensive line, giving Arizona a chance to repeat the success it found last season, while also having a real possibility of getting even better.

Paris Johnson Jr. will start at left tackle, widely considered to be the most critical position on the offensive line. The former sixth overall pick in 2023 has started all 31 games he’s played in with Arizona, with his upcoming third season looking like he could breakout into one of the most productive tackles in the league.

Standing at 6-foot-6, 313 pounds, Johnson has great size, and his instincts are some of the best in the NFL. His potential is there; he just has to go out there and show what he’s capable of.

Lining up to Johnson Jr.’s right will be Evan Brown, as he’ll assume left guard duties for the second year in a row. He was on a one-year deal in 2024, but after signing a new two-year contract, Brown will remain on the starting line for Arizona.

He’s 6-foot-3, 320 pounds and was very productive for the Cardinals last year. As a veteran who’s been around the NFL since 2019, he should be solid once again for Arizona in 2025.

At center, Hjalte Froholdt is projected to start once again, as he’s started all 17 games the past two seasons for the Cardinals and should do so once more in 2025.

Froholdt has been with Arizona since 2023 and signed a two-year extension ahead of last season. The 6-foot-5, 310-pound lineman has been in the NFL since 2020, but he found his spark in Arizona and is looking for another successful season with the Cardinals this fall.

Shifting to right guard, Isaiah Adams looks to impress in his first season as a full-time starter. He was drafted in the third round of the 2024 draft by Arizona and started five games a season ago, but this year is expected to get the full opportunity to start.

He showed why he was worthy of a third-round pick a year ago, but as a young player he still has things to figure out. At 6-foot-4, 315 pounds, size isn’t an issue, allowing Adams to prove that he can be a productive starting guard in the NFL.

Finally, Jonah Williams is projected to start at right tackle after suffering two knee injuries last season. In his first season with Arizona, he started six games but couldn’t sustain a full year of success due to being placed on IR at the start and then near the end of the campaign.

After four solid seasons with the Bengals, Williams has proven he can be a very productive tackle, so 2025 looks to be the season that the 6-foot-5, 312-pound tackle shows Cardinals fans what he’s made of.

MORE: Cardinals Confident in Paris Johnson's Position Change

Backups: Kelvin Beachum (LT), Hayden Conner (LG), Jon Gaines II (C), Royce Newman (RG), Christian Jones (RT)

Moving on to the second unit of linemen, Arizona will certainly need these guys if injury strikes, but even if the Cardinals are given a clean bill of health, the wear and tear of the season will give each player some snaps here and there.

Kelvin Beachum is one of the longest-tenured players on the roster, both with the Cardinals and in the NFL as a whole. His career started in 2012, while he came to Arizona in 2020, starting the majority of games since then. The 6-foot-3, 306-pound veteran won’t be on the starting line to start this year, but he could certainly still make an impact.

Someone with exactly zero NFL experience is expected to be the backup left guard, though, as Hayden Conner will look to impress in his rookie season. The 6-foot-6, 314-pound lineman out of Texas was drafted in the sixth round by Arizona, meaning he should make an impact in the future, with the possibility of getting some action in 2025 as a rookie.

Moving over to center, Jon Gaines II is projected to be the backup there. Drafted in the fourth round in 2023, Gaines II was sidelined for the entirety of his rookie season due to injury, while he played in 13 games in 2024. He hasn’t gotten any major opportunities yet, but the 6-foot-4, 303-pound third-year center is the next in line at the position.

Now at right guard, Royce Newman is slated to be the backup in his fifth season in the NFL. He’s been with Green Bay and Tampa Bay, with his most recent season including just one game played for the Buccaneers. At 6-foot-5, 310 pounds, he has potential, but he’ll have to prove it if he gets a shot in his first year with the Cardinals.

Rounding out the backups, Christian Jones looks to be the second-string right tackle in his second season in the league. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2024 draft out of Texas and appeared in just two games due to injury, although he started the season finale. With a fresh year ahead of him, the 6-foot-5, 305-pound tackle could prove his worth in 2025.

Dark horses: Curtis McClendon (T), Jake Curhan (G), Nick Leverett (G)

Next, here are three guys who aren’t starters or backups but could possibly make the active roster if they impress in camp and the preseason.

Curtis McClendon is a tackle who I think could surprise people. He went undrafted in 2023 out of Chattanooga and bounced from the Raiders to the Seahawks’ practice squads. The 6-foot-6, 325-pound lineman has great size and played in four games for Seattle last season as he looks for his first real opportunity with the Cardinals.

Jake Curhan has a good amount of experience, as his tenure in the NFL dates back to 2021, when he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Seahawks. In his most recent season, the 6-foot-6, 316-pound Curhan played 10 and started two games for the Bears. He could certainly make the Cardinals roster, making him a perfect dark horse.

Finally, Nick Leverett also has some good experience from around the league and could be a surprise option to make the roster. He went undrafted in 2020 but played with Tampa Bay from 2021-23 and even started 10 games in 2022. The Cardinals picked up the 6-foot-3, 310-pound guard after he was released by the Patriots last fall. After one game with Arizona in 2024, Leverett attempts to make a name for himself this season.

Other players on the training camp roster: Sincere Haynesworth (C), Josh Fryar (T), Valentin Senn (T), Jeremiah Byers (T)

Rounding out the offensive linemen on the training camp roster, these four guys are long shots to make the Week 1 roster but still deserve a mention.

Sincere Haynesworth is a center who went undrafted in the 2024 draft and spent last season on the Saints’ practice squad. He’s 6-foot-1, 300 pounds and went to Chattanooga before his time in the NFL.

Josh Fryar comes in as an undrafted free agent out of Ohio State. He had a solid career there and has good size at 6-foot-5, 320 pounds, but it’ll be an uphill battle for him to make the roster this season.

Valentin Senn is another undrafted rookie from the 2025 class, as he joins the Cardinals after a career at UConn. Senn is 6-foot-7, 310 pounds and is the tallest player on the roster, giving him an advantage he’ll need if he wants to make the 53-man roster.

Another undrafted 2025 rookie finishes the list, as Jeremiah Byers out of Florida State is a 6-foot-4, 320-pound tackle who is looking for his first shot at a spot on an NFL roster.

Position outlook

With a starting group that has not only experience but experience with each other, the Cardinals should expect to have a productive year out of their offensive line.

Paris Johnson Jr. could blossom into a star this year, while the rest of the four expected starters have proven to be rock solid for Arizona. This led to the Cardinals’ OL being one of the league’s best in 2024, so I expect more of the same in 2025.

While it’s never the flashiest unit, the offensive line could make or break the season, as with a QB in Kyler Murray, pocket space and time will be key. Arizona’s running backs also depend on the line, meaning that essentially the entire offensive game builds off the line blocking well and efficiently.

I think the Cardinals are in very good shape with a starting unit that all started at least five games for Arizona a year ago, plus a second unit that looks to be eager to prove themselves. There are options if injury strikes.

With skill and depth, the offensive line is poised for a solid season even if its production is largely overshadowed by skill positions.