Arizona Cardinals: Team needs to be smart with David Johnson

SEATTLE, WA – DECEMBER 24: Running back David Johnson /

The Arizona Cardinals have the NFC West’s best running back and will use him a lot in 2017

We love ourselves some David Johnson. The Arizona Cardinals also love David Johnson. Let’s hope that love also includes being smart about his use this upcoming season.

Johnson has relayed his goals for the upcoming season and wants to perform even better than he did in 2017. We all hope he does.

He will get his 25-30 touches week in and week out. That is, as long as he stays healthy. We saw what happened in week 17 last season. The Cardinals and Johnson dodged a bullet.

Had it been the middle of October or November when he sustained his injury against the Los Angeles Rams, he would have missed a month or month and a half of football. Be the workhorse, but be smart.

The Cardinals do have other weapons. The team can use guys like Andre Ellington or Kerwynn Williams behind him. Let’s also not rule out a guy like Elijhaa Penny or rookie T.J. Logan producing either.

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Then there is the receiving core. The team should have another great season in the air. Johnson will also be a huge part of that as well.

Certainly you don’t want to see the Cardinals be too careful. Sometimes that is when injury occurs. Football happens. When it does however, the hope is the Cardinals have a plan.

A good, smart team will have a plan in place if the top guy goes down. Last season Johnson was the top guy in the run game and was a major contributor in the passing game.

So, while we all want to see Johnson exceed what he accomplished in 2016, which was great in itself. We also want this team to make it back to the postseason.

The only way that will occur is if the Cardinals have a healthy Johnson. At the very least have a strong backup plan in place if God forbid something does happen.

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