3 reasons why Cardinals RB Chase Edmonds will be a Pro Bowler in 2021
By Sion Fawkes
Strength of the running game
The running game served as the strength of the Cardinals offense in 2020 when they finished seventh in the league, having averaged 139.8 rushing yards per matchup. However, they played behind a mediocre offensive line.
For 2021, All-Pro center Rodney Hudson will anchor the middle of the unit, and joining him is D.J. Humphries, the latter of whom had also played at a Pro Bowl level in 2020 despite the snub, and Justin Pugh, who has made his mistakes in the past, but he’s still a solid option as a guard.
Add in Kelvin Beachum, Brian Winters, and if Josh Jones gets it together, Arizona has a much more solid offensive line rotation than they did in 2020. As good as the running game was for the Cardinals overall in 2020, a better offensive line will provide even more opportunities for Chase Edmonds as the team’s No. 1 running back next season.
We’ve already discussed Edmonds’ potential, given his production on the ground in 2020 with so-so play at the line. This year, the unit has a mixture of proven players and depth that, even if they have a hard time staying healthy upfront, Edmonds should still reap the benefits.
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Look for Edmonds to threaten at least 1,000 rushing yards, or now that Arizona has another game on the schedule, 1,062 rushing yards, in 2021. And as the RB1, expect him to increase his production in the passing game by a substantial margin with more opportunities to do so. This type of output can most definitely lead to a Pro Bowl season.