Has the Arizona Cardinals roster improved from 2021?

The Arizona Cardinals currently have many options in the running back room. 

There are seven running backs on the Cardinals’ roster as of the writing of this article. However, by the time the season begins, that number will most likely be cut down to four. Which four will be an intriguing question as the team works through training camp.

In 2021, James Conner and Chase Edmonds split the majority of snaps at the position and filled very different roles on the team. Notably, Conner flourished in the red zone and became a touchdown machine for the Cardinals, with 15 rushing touchdowns on the season.

Edmonds left the team in free agency for a deal with the Miami Dolphins, but Conner was re-signed to a 3-year, $21 million contract during the offseason.

Eno Benjamin and Jonathan Ward have been on the squad for a few years now and have floated around the bottom of the depth chart, although both have shown flashes in limited snaps.

Keaontay Ingram was drafted out of USC and has garnered some attention at rookie mini-camp. After a stint with the Kansas City Chiefs, Darrell Williams was added through free agency.

Williams is intriguing, and his 5-foot-11 and 224 pounds size puts him in the category of more extensive running backs similar to Conner. He was productive last season as a Chief, with over 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns from scrimmage.

Better, Equal, or Worse?

Currently, it looks like the Cardinals will utilize a combination of Conner and Williams to make opponents pay with bigger backs that can throw their weight around and run downhill.

Williams seems like an upgrade over Edmonds in many ways, and the depth of Benjamin, Ward, and Ingram make the running back position one of the deepest on the team.

There are few worries from this group, and it certainly seems the running backs have gotten Better.