Offensive Lineman · Arizona Cardinals

Paris Johnson Jr.

No. 70 · 4th season

The Cardinals locked him up. He already knows what he's worth next.

The Arizona Cardinals just paid $19 million to keep Paris Johnson Jr. through 2027. Johnson is not pretending that settles anything.

Left tackle is one of the most demanding jobs in football — the person whose whole purpose is protecting the quarterback's blind side, the side a passer can't see. The best ones are worth a lot. Johnson, still early in his career, is already being trusted with that job in Arizona.

The Cardinals exercised their contract option, which locks Johnson in for the next few years. But Johnson has made clear he is thinking about what comes after — a long-term deal somewhere in the range of $40 million. His reasoning is direct: the players he protects on every snap earn around that much. He figures his value should follow.

That logic is going to be hard to dismiss. A quarterback is only as safe as the person in front of them, and Johnson knows exactly who he's standing in for.

The real negotiation hasn't started yet. This is just Johnson telling you where it ends.

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