FRIDAY, 5:43pm: Johnson is headed to Arizona on Sunday to work out for the Cardinals and take a physical for the team, reports Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (via Twitter). It sounds like there’s a decent chance the two sides could reach an agreement if all goes well.
TUESDAY, 9:02am: In search of some depth at the running back position, the Cardinals have interest in one of the most notable names on the free agent market. According to Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Arizona has offered Chris Johnson a one-year contract, and the veteran back is mulling the team’s offer.
We heard on Monday that Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians wasn’t overly thrilled with the play of his running backs so far this summer, and intended to discuss outside options with GM Steve Keim. The ground game was a weak spot in Arizona last season, as the team’s leading rusher, Andre Ellington, totaled just 660 yards, averaging 3.3 yards per carry. No other Cardinals back had more than 250 rushing yards.
Nonethless, the Cardinals head into the preseason with Ellington poised to bounce back, and third-round rookie David Johnson joining Stepfan Taylor and Kerwynn Williams as potential complements to Ellington. As Russini notes (via Twitter), Chris Johnson wants to go a situation where he knows he’ll make the team, and there’s no guarantee of that in Arizona.
Johnson, who turns 30 in September, is now six years removed from his 2,000-yard season, which came back in 2009. Last season for the Jets, Johnson ran for just 663 yards, the first time in his career he recorded fewer than 1,000 yards in a season. However, he averaged a respectable 4.3 yards per carry in 2014, and claims to be in great shape this year after being shot in a drive-by shooting during the offseason. It would be a surprise if he remained unemployed by Labor Day.
Interesting landing spot. Cardinals already waited and bought low on Jermaine Gresham, and now they could do the same thing here.
Not sure how much CJ would offer as a bell cow anymore, but he can certainly still bring something to the table in a more limited role, and he and Ellington could make a surprisingly effective tandem.
Would seem like CJ and Ellington bring a lot of the same qualities to the table. But it sounds like this is going to happen.