The Arizona Cardinals have hired Ohio State offensive line coach Justin Frye to fill their OL coaching vacancy after losing Klayton Adams to the Dallas Cowboys. Frye’s arrival marks his first NFL coaching role, and his connection to Ohio State could influence the Cardinals’ draft strategy.
Under general manager Monti Ossenfort, the Cardinals have already selected two Ohio State players in the first round of the past two drafts: left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. With Frye now on staff, could another Buckeye join the fold?
Arizona is in need of a long-term solution at right tackle, as starter Jonah Williams is entering the final year of his contract and has dealt with injuries. One potential target is Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons, who is recovering from a torn ACL but is expected to be ready for training camp. Simmons was recently mocked to the Cardinals in an ESPN draft projection.
“The Cardinals are unsettled at offensive tackle; Kelvin Beachum is set to become a free agent, and Jonah Williams played only six games this season because of injuries,” wrote ESPN’s Jordan Reid. “Simmons was making a play to be this draft’s OT1 prior to getting hurt, not surrendering a pressure or sack in the six games he played.”
While Simmons is a prospect the Cardinals might have considered regardless of Frye’s hiring, Frye’s firsthand knowledge of Simmons could provide valuable insight into the player’s character and work ethic—factors that are crucial to Arizona’s decision-makers, including head coach Jonathan Gannon.
“We’ve been intentional in our mind about what we want Arizona Cardinals players to look like,” Gannon said. “The more guys you have who are like-minded about how they go about their business, the respect level is there, the accountability level is there, and those guys typically connect with each other very easily.”
The Cardinals won’t draft Simmons solely because of Frye’s connection, but Frye’s familiarity with the Ohio State product could help Arizona make a more informed decision as they look to bolster their offensive line for the future.
