Cardinals add former Falcons running back to their 2021 roster

The Arizona Cardinals have decided to sign running back Ito Smith, who spent the 2020 season as a member of the Atlanta Falcons.

Things appear to be set at the top of the running back depth chart for the Arizona Cardinals heading into the 2021 season.

Chase Edmonds is expected to get the majority of the workload with James Conner also getting some opportunities in the backfield each week. Behind these two on the depth chart is where Arizona is still figuring things out.

Eno Benjamin and Jonathan Ward have been battling for the No. 3 running back job this summer, and on Saturday, the Cardinals went ahead and added another person to the competition.

Arizona Cardinals sign former Atlanta Falcons running back Ito Smith

As they continue to figure things out with their roster before the 2021 season begins, Arizona has made a switch in their running back room.

On Sunday, the Cardinals announced the signing of free-agent running back Ito Smith. Along with the addition of Smith, Arizona released running back Khalfani Muhammad and cornerback Lorenzo Burns.

Smith was a fourth-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in the 2018 NFL Draft. He spent the last three seasons in a Falcons uniform where he accumulated a total of 689 rushing yards (3.9 average), 55 catches, 314 receiving yards, and six touchdowns.

During his college career at Southern Mississippi, the 5-foot-9, 195-pound Smith racked up a total of 49 touchdowns in four years.

He’s got an uphill battle in front of him if he wants to make the Cardinals roster. But he will have three preseason games this month to prove that he belongs in Arizona.

It’s possible that he might end being someone the Cardinals keep on their practice squad this year. This way, Arizona can make sure they have an experienced running back readily available if Edmonds or Conner has to miss any time during the upcoming season.