The Arizona Cardinals are expected to address the offensive line this offseason. After a terrible year of play and injuries on the line in 2018, they should be players in free agency.
However, their plan of attack in free agency might go different directions and that is because of the positional flexibility of Justin Pugh, whom they signed last offseason to a five-year contract.
Pugh played right guard last season for Arizona. It was the first time he had played right guard. While with the New York Giants, he started at both left guard and right tackle.
Many would say his best play was at left guard.
The Cardinals, leaving Pugh at right guard, have holes to fill at left guard and right tackle. Because he could play either guard position, they don’t have to target a player who has played on either side of the line at guard. He could also move over to tackle if they shore up both guard spots, although there is a possibility that Korey Cunningham could start at right tackle in 2019.
There have been no reports yet of the team considering a position change for him, but a move to left guard could make sense. He played well there for the Giants and he was not particularly effective at right guard last season.
Whether he moves or not remains to be seen and perhaps it has not even been considered, but his ability to play and start at multiple positions could impact the way the Cardinals approach free agency and the draft.
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