D.J. Humphries and the Arizona Cardinals always had a relationship that was, well, complicated. It’s hard to find a player who better personified the high-stakes gamble of the NFL draft. One minute he’s the "bust" who couldn't even get active on game day; the next, he’s the blindside protector for a franchise quarterback and the emotional heartbeat of the locker room.
He stayed in the desert for nine seasons. Think about that. In a league where the average career lasts about as long as a lease on a Honda Civic, Humphries was a fixture. But the end was messy. It wasn't some graceful ride into the sunset. It was a cold, calculated business decision triggered by a pop in his knee on a New Year's Eve in Philly.
The "Knee-Deep" Days and the Long Climb
When the Cardinals took Humphries 24th overall in 2015, the expectations were massive. He was this athletic freak out of Florida who was supposed to step in and keep Carson Palmer clean.
Instead? He sat. For 16 straight games.
He was the only first-rounder that year who didn't play a single snap. Bruce Arians, never one to mince words, famously nicknamed him "Knee-Deep" because he said the kid needed a knee in his rear end every day to keep him motivated. Honestly, it looked like he was heading for the "what if" pile of draft history.
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But something clicked.
By 2016, he was starting. By 2019, he was the unquestioned leader of the offensive line. He wasn't just a body; he was a personality. If you watched any Cardinals mic’d up segments during the Kyler Murray era, Hump was usually the guy screaming, laughing, or getting the guys fired up. He became a Pro Bowler in 2021. He was the guy who protected the $230 million investment behind center.
That Brutal Release in 2024
The NFL is a "what have you done for me lately" business, and for D.J. Humphries Arizona Cardinals fans, March 13, 2024, was a wake-up call. The team released him.
Why? It was a perfect storm of bad luck and math.
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- The ACL Tear: On December 31, 2023, during a win against the Eagles, Humphries' knee gave out. A torn ACL at age 30 is a nightmare.
- The Cap Hit: He was scheduled to carry a massive $22.9 million cap hit for the 2024 season.
- The New Regime: GM Monti Ossenfort and Coach Jonathan Gannon were rebuilding. They had Paris Johnson Jr. waiting in the wings to move to left tackle.
Monti Ossenfort called the move "brutal." You could tell the team actually liked the guy, but they couldn't justify paying $22 million for a tackle who might not be 100% until halfway through the season. It’s the kind of move that makes players realize they're just numbers on a spreadsheet eventually.
Life After the Desert
People thought he was done. Humphries even mentioned in interviews that he got texts from people saying, "What a great career you had!" basically acting like he’d already retired.
He didn't.
He spent most of 2024 rehabbing like a madman. He eventually signed a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs in November 2024 once he was medically cleared. He even got to see some action late in the season, protecting Patrick Mahomes and getting a taste of that winning culture.
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By June 2025, he moved on again, signing with the Los Angeles Rams. It’s been a bit of a journeyman's path lately—a hamstring issue slowed him down in late '24, and he’s been more of a depth piece for the Rams in 2025.
D.J. Humphries Career Snapshot
- Drafted: 1st Round (2015) by Arizona.
- Cardinals Tenure: 2015–2023 (9 Seasons).
- Accolades: Pro Bowl (2021), 4-time Team Captain.
- The Injury: ACL tear (Week 17, 2023).
- Total Cardinals Starts: 98 games.
What Most People Get Wrong
There's this narrative that Hump was "injury-prone." Is it true? Kinda, but it's nuanced. He did miss chunks of 2017, 2018, and 2022. But he also had a stretch from 2019 to 2021 where he was an absolute ironman, starting 48 out of 49 possible games.
The real tragedy of his time with the D.J. Humphries Arizona Cardinals wasn't the injuries themselves; it was the timing. If that ACL tear happens in October, maybe the Cardinals keep him. If he’s 26 instead of 30, they definitely keep him. But at 30, with a huge salary, the NFL doesn't wait for you to heal.
Moving Forward: Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're following Hump's career now or looking at how the Cardinals are rebuilding their line, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Watch the Rams' Depth Chart: As of early 2026, Humphries is hitting free agency again. He’s a "wait and see" veteran. Teams looking for a short-term left tackle fix will be calling him for training camp depth.
- Cardinals O-Line Shift: The Cardinals have fully transitioned to the Paris Johnson Jr. era. They’ve focused on getting younger and cheaper, which is why you see them targeting O-line heavily in recent drafts.
- The Legacy: Don’t let the release sour the memory. Humphries is one of the better first-round picks the Cardinals have had in the last decade, especially considering the "bust" labels he fought off early on.
He’s still out there, probably still the loudest guy in whatever locker room he lands in next. He proved the "Knee-Deep" critics wrong long ago, and even if he's not in a Cardinals jersey anymore, his fingerprints are all over that organization's culture from the last decade.