Free agent running back Chris Johnson has not received a ton of play on the open market. Turning 30 next month, the expectation had to be that this would continue through the preseason.
However, the Arizona Cardinals have reportedly offered the former NFL rushing champion a one-year contact. CBS Sports insider Jason La Canfora is reporting that Johnson is now mulling said offer:
This is an interesting turnabout for a Cardinals team that seemed to be set at running back. Andre Ellington was set to share carries with rookie third-round pick David Johnson in a committee approach that appeared to have produciton written all over it.
Less than two weeks into camp, and the Cardinals have grown worried about that tandem.
Ellington has missed the past week with a hamstring injury, which has to be cause for alarm considering his injury-plagued 2014 season. There's also some worry that the 5-foot-9, 197-pound running back simply can't hold up against NFL defenses over the long term.
Meanwhile, Johnson has also been dealing with a hamstring injury. Though, Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians—always staying in character—had some rather blunt words regarding the rookie from Northern Iowa:
Now you see the issue here, right?
Back in the spring, Chris Johnson was let go by the New York Jets after one season with the team—a season that saw him put up 814 total yards and two scores in 16 games (six starts). It was his first season without compiling 1,000-plus yards since entering the league in 2008.
Should Johnson accept what has to be a near-veteran minimum deal without any guarantees, he will be given a chance to prove his worth during training camp.
At this point, none of these three running backs should be counted on as anything more than bottom-end bench options. Though, both Ellington and the younger Johnson do represent some sort of upside as RB2 options. It's all about how they recover from injuries and perform prior to the start of the regular year.