Big Red
Well-known member
- Mar 16, 2019
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Analysis: Kenyan Drake was the team's workhorse last season and came to close to surpassing 1,000 rushing yards. However, his rushing average dropped from a fantastic 5.2 yards per carry with the Cardinals in 2019 to 4.0 last year. Drake made $8.4 million on the transition tag in 2020 and is likely aiming to secure a multi-year deal in free agency, but it's unknown if that will be with the Cardinals.
D.J. Foster, a scheduled free agent, has the versatility desired in a backup running back, and would be cheap if the Cardinals wanted to re-sign him like they did last offseason.
The emergence of Chase Edmonds gives the team some options in free agency. Edmonds averaged 4.6 yards per carry a season ago and added 53 receptions for 402 yards and four touchdowns. Edmonds has averaged 4.8 yards per attempt in coach Kliff Kingsbury's scheme and will be a big part of the formula next season. At 5-foot-9 and 210 pounds, some question his ability to be a lead back, but Kingsbury said last week that "we have all the confidence in the world in Chase and him being able to be the bell cow if that's how this plays out."
Even if Edmonds does receive the majority of the snaps at running back in 2021, the Cardinals would need another player to complement him. While second-year players Jonathan Ward and Eno Benjamin would love to be in that mix, they have yet to prove themselves at the NFL level, so a veteran free agent addition would make sense.
Some of the big names scheduled to hit the market include Aaron Jones, Chris Carson, James Conner and Leonard Fournette. A between-the-tackles runner would seem to pair best with Edmonds' skillset. The draft would be another option to add a running back.
Notable past free agent running back signings: Chris Johnson (2015); Rashard Mendenhall (2013); Edgerrin James (2006); Emmitt Smith (2003); Mario Bates (1998).
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