This offseason, the Arizona Cardinals selected Jeremiyah Love with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and signed former Atlanta Falcons 1,000-yard rusher Tyler Allgeier to a two-year, $12.25 million contract. As a result, nine-year veteran James Conner may be on the trading block.
With training camp approaching, here are three organizations that could pursue the former Pro Bowl running back.
3 Teams That Could Trade for James Conner as Training Camps Approach
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are seemingly all in entering 2026. This offseason, they traded the No. 10 overall pick in the NFL Draft for superstar defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II. The front office also added safeties Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger, along with defensive linemen Boye Mafe and Jonathan Allen.
On the offensive side of the ball, Cincinnati already has its core pieces in place, with Joe Burrow under center and Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on the outside. Current RB1 Chase Brown has also emerged as a key weapon over the past two seasons. However, the Bengals’ overall running game ranked near the bottom of the league in the majority of the metrics last season.
Conner, who averaged 4.6 yards per carry and scored 8 rushing touchdowns while healthy in 2024, could give this Bengals offense another guy to lean on. The veteran’s ability to handle early-down work and proven success near the goal line would complement Brown nicely and give the Bengals a more balanced rushing attack.
Tennessee Titans
Everything the Titans’ front office has done this offseason has been geared toward making life as easy as possible for second-year No. 1 overall pick quarterback Cam Ward. Notably, they signed wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson and selected Carnell Tate fourth overall in this year’s draft. They also hired one of the most sought-after coaches on the market, Brian Daboll, to call the offense.
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator
The passing attack is expected to be much improved in 2026 under these new circumstances, but the running game remains questionable. The current backfield features Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears. While both are solid contributors, they are somewhat limited in what they can offer in their respective roles.
Conner, meanwhile, would add another element to this backfield as a true bruiser. He would help take pressure off Ward both in the pass-blocking game and in the red zone. Additionally, at 31 years old, he would provide a veteran presence to this extremely young Titans offense.
San Francisco 49ers
Time and time again, the 49ers have attempted to sign, draft, and trade for running backs to take some of the load off All-Pro Christian McCaffrey. Last preseason, they traded a sixth-round pick for Brian Robinson Jr. Still, head coach Kyle Shanahan continued to rely heavily on his lead back. McCaffrey saw 311 carries compared to Robinson’s 92.
One offseason later, with Robinson now a member of the Atlanta Falcons and McCaffrey another year older, San Francisco could once again look to add a reliable option behind him. Conner, who ranked 10th among running backs in 2024, according to the PFSN’s impact metrics, would complement the former Offensive Player of the Year well.
Having drafted Isaac Guerendo in the fourth round in 2024, Jordan James in the fifth round in 2025, and Kaelon Black in the third round in 2026, acquiring Conner seems far less likely. Then again, Shanahan is known to rely on proven veterans, and the two-time Pro Bowler could provide the 49ers with exactly that.
