The Rookie Wall: How Arizona Cardinals veterans are helping first-year pros

This is D.J. Humphries’ ninth training camp with the Arizona Cardinals and considering how awkward and salacious his rookie season went with the franchise, he almost can’t believe he’s spent nearly a decade in the NFL.

“If you would have told me in 2015 that I was going to see nine camps, I would have laughed at you probably,” the veteran left tackle and former first-round pick out of Florida said. “It’s definitely wild to even be here.”

Humphries’ rookie season was hell. He was ostracized and made sport of by his then-head coach, Bruce Arians, who immediately hung the nasty nickname of “Knee Deep” upon the rookie tackle, meaning that’s how far the coach felt he had to stick his foot into the first-year pro’s behind to get him to learn something.

Humphries hasn’t forgotten, and when it comes to fellow veteran players on the Cardinals’ roster two weeks into camp, they all have their own personal stories of hiccups, regrets and sordid stories from their first season in the league.

But here’s the thing: Humphries and many of those other veterans have been more than willing to share their rookie stories with first-year pros and other young players about what it was like for them and how they’ve been able to grow and prosper following their indoctrination into the NFL.

For a franchise like the rebuilding Cardinals, that can only be a positive development, right?

“That’s the main thing. That’s the biggest part about it,” Humphries said. “It’s knowing what that felt like and knowing what that realization feels like when you figure out that you’re not doing it right and you figure out that your s--t does stink. That’s the big deal, so I just make sure I’m able to be there for those guys and kind of guide them through that.

“Whether they’re reacting like I would have reacted in 2015 or whether they’re way ahead of the curve from where I would have been, it’s just always about being there, being that voice of reason for them.”

Two years ago, linebacker Zaven Collins got the not-so-subtle message from veteran safety Budda Baker.

“Budda will hold everybody accountable,” Collins said. “I remember the first time out here. It was my rookie season and I messed up a simple play. And I mean, he was calling me every name in the book. I remember that day vividly. But it wasn’t because he was trying to be harsh to me. It was because he was trying to make me better.

“That’s something that Budda brings to the team, for sure. Even if he doesn’t have an idea about your position, he’s going to try and make you better and that’s by being competitive.”

Everyone’s tried to make the “Rookie Wall” easier for Cardinals’ draft picks and undrafted rookie free agents over the years, players from Larry Fitzgerald and Kurt Warner to Adrian Wilson and Carson Palmer and many, many more.

There’s dealing with the “Wall” itself, such as players learning how to adjust to playing only 10 or 12 games in college a year and then having to perhaps appear in as many as 20 or more games at the next level, from three preseason games and a 17-game regular-season schedule and possibly, playoff games to boot.

Cardinals first-year coach Jonathan Gannon wouldn’t go into specifics, but he said he has the answer to keep his younger players aware of what they are about to face.

“Educate them,” he said. “It’s, ‘You guys are going to hit the rookie wall. Here’s what you do when you hit it.’ ”

But how do NFL rookies, in general, get educated to avoid the potential pratfalls and mistakes that can doom a career or at least get it started off on the very wrong foot?

According to Humphries, it’s about sharing the message about what he went through and how to persevere and rebound into becoming a professional. That’s why, in his view, it’s important to tell his story to every young prospect who comes through the doors at Cardinals’ headquarters.

“Yeah, everybody,” he said. “That’s one thing I’ve never acted like didn’t happen. I make sure that’s the first thing you know about me because, of course, people meet me now and they think like, ‘Man, you’ve always had this figured out.’ And it’s like, ‘No, bro. This is a long time coming. I’m still figuring it out every day.’

“I’m still taking that mentality through every day to make sure that version of myself is always there and making sure I can keep showing the young guys everything. Even guys that could be a little bit older but are going through a rough patch or something like that. Being that voice of reason is big for me.”

One Cardinals rookie that Humphries has particularly chosen to take under his wing and teach is first-round draft pick Paris Johnson Jr., the sixth overall pick out of Ohio State who is projected to be Arizona’s starting right tackle ahead of last year’s starter, veteran Kelvin Beachum.

Thus far, Johnson has made a strong showing in training camp and he’s had multiple moments of blowing prospective pass rushers on the edge off the line with prejudice and pain. At times, he’s been reminiscent of tackle Michael Oher in the motion picture “The Blind Side,” moving defender 10, 15 and 20 yards downfield.

Ask Johnson, and he will tell you his inspiration, in part, comes from the tutelage of Humphries.

“Since the first day I came in, he talked to me,” Johnson said. “He texted me the night of the draft and I made sure I had his number saved. From the first day we got out to practice together and when I first came for the mini-camp, he was showing me different things I could do with my stance, do with my steps, doing things to load my power and with my hands, just doing all that stuff.

“The wealth of knowledge he’s willing to share with me as a vet, it’s incredible. You hear a lot in college that a lot of vets don’t really like to help the younger guys, but his thing was like the second the knowledge comes he wants to pass it on to me and (fellow rookie) Jon (Gaines II), so I think that’s special.”

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Quarterback Kyler Murray was a big proponent of the Cardinals drafting Johnson and even though he’s not been able to work with him on the field as he continues his rehab and recovery from ACL surgery, he’s done his own part to try and help foster Johnson’s growth and development.

“Paris has been a five-star since high school, always been great at football,” Murray said. “In my mind, usually if you’re always good at football, you’re going to continue to be good if you do the right things and you work hard and you stay true to yourself. I see that with Paris.

“A lot of guys come in and are kind of wide-eyed. One thing I told him is, ‘Just be you. Obviously, you’re going to have these expectations and stuff, but don’t come in here like you’re not who you are.’ It’s been good and I see the confidence. He’s got a lot of confidence, he knows who he is, and he’ll grow each and every week, getting better, so it’s been exciting to see.”

All rookies are a little bit different, Gannon says. Some of them like to follow around one specific veteran and some like to pick and choose their spots. Others, he said, might like to keep to themselves and “kind of have it figured out at the point right now what works for them.”

“We facilitate some of that,” he added, “but a lot of that is trial and error and individualized. I know this, the football character of our rookie class is very, very high and I think that will help them in the long run and it will help our team.”

Read more: Cardinals GM: Every decision team makes 'has an eye to the future'

If Colt McCoy has a message for the rookies on the roster — and there are 19 of them overall at present — it’s about embracing the moment and trying to enjoy the ride while it lasts.

“I think back to my rookie year where I had (quarterback) Jake Delhomme,” McCoy said. “He’s one of my favorite people I’ve ever been around. I just remember the joy he had playing at an older age. He had been to a Super Bowl, he’d been a Pro Bowler, and he showed up to work every single day with a smile on his face and guys were just sort of attracted to that.

“I think about that. As you get older, it’s a joy to play this game. It’s fun. It can be very, very challenging at times. There’s a lot of pressure to it. There’s a lot of things that go on and you’re under a microscope. … We’re all going to make mistakes. But go out there and play your best, lead by example and have fun. And as you’re learning a new system, the days get challenging. But we’re building a team and we’re building a culture and you’ve always got to remember this is a joy, this is fun, and I’m proud that I still get to do it and have this opportunity.”

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Cardinals veterans helping rookies adjust to the NFL