Running back James Conner underwent surgery this offseason to address a turf toe-type injury (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). This would help to explain his prolonged and ongoing stint in free agency. 
[RELATED: Cardinals Meet With Conner]
The good news is that Conner’s injury was “very moderate,” according to sources who spoke with Rapoport. Apparently, this took place off of the field while Conner was “riding in a recreational vehicle.” He’s expected to be at 100% health by June, so he should be good to go in advance of training camp.
The Cardinals recently met with the Steelers free agent, a sign that his market is picking up. He’s coming off of a quietly productive year that ended with 721 yards on the ground and six scores, plus 35 grabs for 215 yards. If not for a positive COVID-19 test that cost him some time down the stretch, Conner might have cracked 1,000 yards.
Conner’s best work came in 2018, when he ran for 973 yards and 12 touchdowns with a 4.5 yards per tote average. He was still pretty efficient this past year though, posting a 4.3 ypc.
RBs are becoming the cheap labor of the NFL. Teams typically regret paying the RB as soon as they do so now.