The Arizona Cardinals are one of the more unpredictable teams this offseason. After parting ways with Kyler Murray, the organization is headed toward a new beginning and is willing to take some risks along the way.
However, the quarterback position wasn’t the only area on the roster that needed improvement. As a result, the Cardinals brought in Tyler Allgeier on a two-year deal. Now, their running back rotation is looking far deeper.
Arizona Cardinals Running Back Depth Chart
Last season, the running back room for the Cardinals was nothing short of atrocious. No single player ranked inside the top-40 of PFSN’s RB Impact, with their availability becoming an even bigger problem for the team.
Michael Carter led the team in games (13) and carries (92), with neither mark giving a wildly optimistic outlook. As a result, no running back crossed the 400 rushing yards on the season, making the position vitally important for an upgrade.
Thankfully, with a two-year, $12.5 million deal, Arizona may have done exactly that by bringing in former Atlanta Falcons star Tyler Allgeier. Now, the depth in the backfield looks far more complete, giving the franchise a real chance of having a strong ground game.
Tyler Allgeier
The newest member of the roster, Allgeier, also has the most raw statistics among the group. A former fifth-round pick for the Atlanta Falcons, an explosive rookie season saw him put up 1,035 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
However, sharing snaps with a verifiable superstar in Bijan Robinson severely hurt his production over the last three seasons, as he failed to cross the 700-yard mark in each of them. He did, though, turn into a lethal end zone threat, recording eight touchdowns in less than 200 carries last season.
For the Cardinals, his upside is greater than any other running back option on the roster, making his per-year average of $6.25 million an easy pill to swallow.
Trey Benson
Perhaps the biggest question mark in this entire experiment, Trey Benson could have been the starting running back for the Cardinals after being taken in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
A solid rookie season, where he put up 291 yards on 4.6 yards per carry, paved the way for Arizona to give him more opportunities last season. But he only lasted four games before injuries derailed his momentum.
Now, the hope is that he can come back healthy and maintain his level of production on the court, which would give the Cardinals, who are likely to be without a top-flight option under center, a legitimate running duo.
Michael Carter
The most available member of the running back group for the Cardinals last season, Carter came into the league as a fourth-round pick for the New York Jets and spent less than three full seasons with them before being traded to Arizona.
With the franchise, his run has been limited to backup opportunities. However, last season, he had a chance to make a bigger impact but was unable to truly stand out, averaging 3.6 yards per carry.
Emari Demercado
An undrafted free agent signing for the Cardinals, the upside with Emari Demercado is undeniable. In his three years with the franchise, he’s tallied 819 rushing yards on an absurd 6.5 yards per carry, while also adding 324 yards through the air.
He has not been given a long leash or many opportunities to showcase his talent. But the production is there, and with a larger runway in 2026, he could become a hidden success for the franchise.
