Arizona Cardinals: Examining how Chris Johnson would fit

After begging for attention from the DeMarco Murray-less Dallas Cowboys, Chris Johnson earned his first offer of the offseason from the Arizona Cardinals, who are need of running back depth with rookie David Johnson out with a Grade 2 hamstring injury, as per the always plugged-in Mike Jurecki. Johnson’s injury combined with Andre Ellington‘s constant injury woes last season mean that the Cardinals are in need of depth, and the argument can be made that CJ?K is the best available player on the market.

ALSO ON SPIN ZONE: Where Does Ellington Rank Among Best Backs?

He’s certainly the biggest name, and that’s even including the likes of Steven Jackson and Knowshon Moreno, who was solid back in 2013 in the Denver Broncos extremely RB-friendly offense (because, back then, they had an excellent offensive line to support their back).

More from Arizona Cardinals

ESPN’s Dianna Marie Russini reported today that the Cardinals are targeting Johnson as a veteran addition to their backfield with their current RB named Johnson injured, and, as anyone with a working knowledge of the NFL would expect, the Cards deal is of the one-year variety.

It’s unclear what the financial terms are for Johnson, but it’s safe to say that the former Tennessee Titans superstar will have to take a rather barren contract in order to latch on somewhere. He didn’t look bad as the New York Jets No. 2 running back last year with a decent 4.3 yards per carry to his name, but Johnson is a declining player at the age of 29 after the wear-and-tear he’s built up. He’s still productive, but he just isn’t as effective as he used to be.

That said, he did, as per Pro Football Focus, put up 2.61 yards after contact per carry on the Jets pass-challenged offense last year, and, if he chooses to accept the Cardinals deal, he would benefit from a massive quarterback upgrade compared to the QBs he’s played with during his career. Throw in dynamic pass-catching options like Michael Floyd and John Brown and the ever-consistent Larry Fitzgerald, and Johnson, who will get to work with two young backs, would find himself in a low-pressure environment.

As for the maligned Cardinals offensive line, it is a rising unit thanks to the offseason additions of powerful run blocker Mike Iupati and first-round rookie D.J. Humphries, who is looking to challenge Bobby Massie for the starting right tackle job. Even if Johnson doesn’t like what he sees on the right side of the Cards line, he should at least be happy that they have Iupati and left tackle Jared Veldheer.

Of course, the most compelling reason for Chris Johnson to sign with the Cardinals is the fact that they were a playoff team last year and will be even better on offense with a healthy Palmer, upgrades on the line, a presumably healthy Ellington, and a potential breakout season from Brown. Their defense might suffer without Todd Bowles calling the shots, but that may be offset by the returns to health/form from Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu in the secondary.

S-Jax is the kind of powerful back who can consistently pick up yards on the ground, and the Atlanta Falcons offensive line made him look worse than he actually was. Meanwhile, Moreno is a well-rounded back who can play on all three downs and was the best of the three back in the 2013 season. However, I like the fact that the Cardinals are going after Johnson, since he brings an intriguing blend of experience, past production, and potential home-run ability to the table for this offense.

Of course, Johnson’s recent body of work and rock-the-boat ways will prevent him from being guaranteed a roster spot out of training camp, especially since David Johnson will return at some point. Adding a bigger back in Jackson might have made more sense for an Arizona Cardinals offense that has two explosive backs who can play on third downs and might lacking for consistency, but the fact of the matter is that CJ?K probably has more tread in his tires at this point in time.

Nov 9, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back Andre Ellington (38) is pursued by St. Louis Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins (21) at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Rams 31-14. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

If I were Johnson, I would take this opportunity, because it’s the best one available. Bruce Arians stated yesterday that the Cardinals could be looking for another running back, so it’s clear that they’ve been worried about their health and depth at the position. They have young talent, but adding a veteran who can bring the kind of spark they are looking for makes sense. Johnson has a chance to carve out a role here, and without any legitimate opportunities elsewhere, he needs to take this shot, even if the terms are modest.

At this point in the offseason, pickings are slim even at the running back position, so Johnson is as good of a fit as the Cardinals were ever going to find on the open market. Ideally, they would have liked a bigger back, but, in all honesty, they had to go with the best available guy, and that guy seems to be Johnson as opposed to Moreno, Jackson, or Pierre Thomas, who would never fit the Cards need for a pure rusher.

Next: Where Do Cards WRs Rank Among NFL's Best?

More from NFL Spin Zone

Home/Arizona Cardinals