The Cardinals have filled another hole in the rankings as GM Steve Keim tries to free the team in concept to go in which direction the talent they take.
The Cardinals on Tuesday agreed to sign a one-year contract with veteran full-back James Conner, which offers a possible bigger rugby competition with alleged frontrunner Chase Edmonds in the team’s attack.
The move will not prevent the Cardinals from drafting a running rugby. But it does give them the flexibility not to have to choose one out of necessity.
Conner, 6 feet-1 and 233 pounds, spent his entire four-year career in Pittsburgh, even reaching a Pro Bowl for the Steelers in 2018. It was his best season, with 973 yards and 12 touchdowns he rushed and added 55 catches. for 497 yards and another score. Conner’s position coach that season was James Saxon, who is the current Cardinals coach.
In 2020, Conner rushed 721 yards and six touchdowns and 35 receptions for 215 yards in 13 games.
But Conner has also been hurt in his career and has had an injury in his three seasons as a starting lineup with 13, 10 and 13 games. NFL Network reported Conner was operated on to repair a “minor turf-against-type injury,” but that he would be fully recovered by June. Conner took a physical Monday, so injuries were sustained.
Conner will not necessarily have the same workload in Arizona as he has had in his career. Edmonds, who has only started four games in his first three years and has had no more than 97 runs in a season, played well when he got reps. Edmonds had 448 yards on 97 cars last season, as well as 53 receptions for 402 yards.
At 5-9, 210, Edmonds could, if necessary, be the three-back, with Conner providing such occasional relief, as well as more between-the-tackles in short garden situations.
The Cardinals have three other backs alongside Edmonds and Conner: the seventh round of 2020, Eno Benjamin, the undeveloped rookie Jonathan Ward, and former training group Khalfani Muhammad.