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Paris Johnson Jr. is one of the most improved NFL players

Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. was named one of the NFL's Most Improved Players of 2024 by Pro Football Focus ahead of Week 5.

This season, Johnson Jr. moved to left tackle after playing right tackle in his rookie year last year. The No. 6 overall pick in 2023 out of Ohio State started 13 games at left tackle for the Buckeyes in 2022, so the move was a natural transition.

PFF gave Johnson an overall grade of 83.5, which ranks him ninth in tackles.

Johnson has demonstrated his elite skills across the board – particularly in run blocking, where he has an 80.6 mark. A nice addition is his pass protection, where he only gave up pressure five times in 129 opportunities.

Although the Cardinals are 1-3, the offense has been solid so far, ranking ninth in EPA per game. Johnson helped guard Kyler Murray and James Conner opened up the rushing lanes was an asset.

What did Kyler Murray say about Paris Johnson Jr.?

At practice on Tuesday, Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray praised Johnson Jr. not only for his play on the field, but also for his leadership skills.

“He’s a younger guy, but he’s coming into his own,” Murray said. “He’s becoming a leader every day. He's very versatile in the sense that he can be a fun guy off the field, but when we're at war, it's time to go.

“He's locked up and you almost can't even talk to him because he's very emotional and super locked up. So I'm excited to see him continue to grow, continue to grow as a leader, but he's a guy we can count on, definitely.”

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