The Arizona Cardinals offensive line gets back a critical player they lost a season ago. Center A.Q. Shipley is coming off a torn ACL he suffered in training camp in 2018, which sent Mason Cole into action immediately as a rookie.
He and Cole will battle for the starting job but Shipley has the definite edge in experience and NFL knowledge.
He appears to have the early edge. The locker room itself tells that story. Shipley’s in right in the middle of what should be the starting lineup, flanked by starting guards Justin Pugh and J.R. Sweezy, who are flanked by tackles D.J. Humphries and Marcus Gilbert. To the left of Humphries’ locker are Max Garcia and the Cole.
So as of now, Shipley appears to lead the position battle.
He commands the respect of his teammates and young players see something somewhat magical in his knowledge.
“The man is one of the smartest guys I’ve ever seen in my life,” second-year tackle Korey Cunningham said of Shipley, according to C.J. Holmes of The Athletic. “He’s just like a wizard – he knows the answers to questions before Coach gets done asking them. Even out there on the field, he’s seeing stuff before it happens. Playing with him is like having a coach right there beside you.”
If Shipley and the rest of the projected starters do in fact start, it will be a veteran line with Humphries being the least experienced of the group, playing in his fifth season. Their experience will help a rookie quarterback and a group of rookie receivers.
Shipley, the leader of the line, will be right in the middle of it.
Cole was praised for his steady play as a rookie and the fact he played every single snap, but Shipley, despite physical limitations, has no plans of giving up the starting job right now.
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