The Cardinals' crowded wide receiver room is arguably the most difficult decision Arizona have to make before Sunday's cuts to the 53-man roster. But running back isn't far behind.
ESPN's Josh Weinfuss recently projected the Cardinals' final roster, keeping four at running back: Jeremiyah Love, Tyler Allgeier, Bam Knight, and James Conner.
"Figuring out who to keep in this room will be one of the Cardinals' toughest decisions. Knight continued to look consistent and reliable during camp and the preseason, but Conner did not take a single 11-on-11 snap during camp. There's always a chance that Conner gets moved before the season, but if not, he'll be part of the running back committee," Weinfuss writes.
That would spell the end for Trey Benson, the Cardinals' third-round selection in 2024.
Trey Benson is on thin ice in Arizona
Despite Benson's talent, it seems like a more straightforward decision than Arizona's complicated wide receiver room.
Love and Allgeier were brought in this offseason to fix a running game that ranked 31st in rushing yards last season. Conner could potentially be traded but also took a pay cut to remain here. Meanwhile, Knight seems less on the roster bubble with each passing week.
Knight entered this competition with an advantage in having a previously established relationship with Mike LaFleur dating back to their New York Jets days. He's also maximized the opportunity with his play at camp and in the preseason.
Benson hasn't had the same fortune as he continues to recover from a knee injury.
It would be diminishing returns for the Cardinals to keep Benson on top of Knight and Conner. They could consider trading Benson, though it's unlikely to net anything of significant value.
Ultimately, it could be in Arizona's best interest to simply cut Benson, moving on from this running back logjam with a room that is both deep and talented. Their deadline to decide is Sunday at 6 p.m. ET, when rosters must be cut down to 53.
Arizona does still have one final preseason game left to play, Friday against the Green Bay Packers. While that may help resolve other positions like at wide receiver, it's a different level of significance at running back due to Benson's injury.
It's becoming increasingly likely that Benson's time in Arizona is coming to a close. If that is indeed the case, at least he should have suitors around the league to give the 24-year-old a chance to get healthy and benefit from an increased role elsewhere.
Add us as a preferred source on Google