7 Arizona Cardinals that must bounce-back in 2019

David Johnson – RB

David Johnson is awesome. We know that, every NFL defensive coordinator knows that, your grandma even knows that. But he was a bit more awesome in 2016, specifically, when he broke records en route to a 2,000 scrimmage yard season and an All-Pro nod.

Since then, Johnson has dealt with a season-ending injury and failed to rush for 1,000 yards in 2018, but earned a massive, heavily guaranteed contract extension. Though his past production warranted his three-year, $39 million contract, his success since hasn’t.

Many expected Johnson to take off running last season. But he didn’t quite do that. Instead, he rushed for his lowest yards per carry (not including 2017) for his career at 3.6 and had a career-low in scrimmage touchdowns with just ten.

However, next year I’d be willing to bet that Johnson won’t be on this list. Although he had year t forget last season, it’s hard not to blame improper use by the coaching staff and lack of quality linemen. In 2019, I expect him to return to 1,500+ scrimmage yard form; he’s in the ideal offense for his elusive playstyle, will have a full off-season to rehab, and will play with a better offense.

But, if Johnson doesn’t perform up to his lofty expectations, well, his future in Arizona could be in doubt. It’s hard to hear because he’s a fantastic player, but we haven’t seen the same David Johnson that excited the NFL landscape in 2016 in a long time. Hopefully, he changes that.