The Arizona Cardinals were faced with an unfortunate situation while trying to improve to 3-0 against the San Francisco 49ers. Not only did they drop their first game of the season, but star running back James Conner was carted off the field due to injury.
Everyone circled around him, wondering about the severity of his injury. Ultimately, it proved to be season-ending.
What Does James Conner’s Season-Ending Injury Mean for the Cardinals?
Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon confirmed on Monday, September 22, that Conner was done for the season. Arizona now has its work cut out for it as the 30-year-old will not return this season due to a foot injury that requires surgery. The injury occurred when his right leg was awkwardly twisted while being tackled by Jordan Elliott and Marques Sigle.
Three games will go down as a career low for Conner, who had worked through a few significant injuries in the past. He tore his MCL back in 2017, had lingering knee issues and an injury to his other ankle in 2018. Following that brutal stretch, he consistently played in 13+ games with the Cardinals.
Conner is a difference maker, having hit 1,000+ yards in back-to-back seasons for the first time in his career. Arizona finally seemed to be putting everything together, but now they’re forced to take a massive step back. QB Kyler Murray can use his legs, but one man cannot win the game. Without Conner, the Cardinals’ depth will be questioned.
How Solid Is the Cardinals’ Running Back Room Heading Into the Season?
As it stands, Trey Benson, Emari Demercado, and Bam Knight are listed as the Cardinals’ running backs. Benson will assume RB1 duties for the time being. His spot could go to Demercado, depending on his performance in the next few weeks. Regardless, it’s up to Benson if he proves to be a true RB1 in the NFL.
The Cardinals selected Benson, 23, No. 66 last season. He appeared in 13 games, finishing with 63 carries for 291 yards. His yards per carry has gone up from 4.6 to 6.0 in a small sample size this season. The Florida State graduate has played in all three games this season, but impressed with eight carries for 69 yards in Week 1.
Benson was targeted six times in the Cardinals’ 27-22 win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 2. He had more receiving yards (30) than rushing yards (14) that week, proving he can be a viable pass-catching option.
Demercado, who will be competing for the spot, had 280+ yards in each of his first two seasons. He reached 58 carries in his rookie season, but that number fell to just 24 last year as the team drafted Benson. Even though he ran the ball just 24 times last year, it’s hard to look past a guy who averaged 9.3 yards per carry.
