Running back Trey Benson was named the one player the Arizona Cardinals should cut before the 2026 season by Bleacher Report's Moe Moton.
It's certainly a position Arizona has an excess of after signing Tyler Allgeier and selecting Jeremiyah Love No. 3 overall this offseason. Not to mention, veteran James Conner even took a pay cut to stay with Arizona.
Could Cardinals keep Bam Knight over Trey Benson?
Benson, a former third-round pick in 2024, suddenly finds himself battling for RB4 duties with Bam Knight. Benson already appears to be losing that battle as well, putting him on thin ice approaching the August 30 deadline to cut rosters down to 53 players.
For one, Knight can provide value elsewhere as a kickoff returner. If he's able to contribute on special teams, Knight will be able to carve out a niche role between that and third-down back.
Benson may be the more talented option in a vacuum compared to Knight; he also has more overlap in skill set with those ahead of him on the depth chart. That should be a sign for running back-needy teams around the league to monitor Arizona's roster decisions this August.
Trey Benson suffers untimely "flare-up"
Unfortunately for Benson, the likelihood of that becoming a reality seems to be increasing due to untimely injuries. Head coach Mike LaFleur said that Benson experienced a "flare-up" in his surgically repaired knee.
While he added that he doesn't expect it to be a multi-week concern, the Cardinals will bring him along cautiously. That's the right long-term approach on any running back in general, though it comes at an inopportune time as Benson could be fighting for a spot.
He's been relatively effective during his time with the Cardinals. So who knows, maybe getting cut could be a blessing in disguise for Benson if he were to go on to flourish in an increased role elsewhere.
Benson could benefit from a change of scenery, increased role
It always seemed like that opportunity was going to come in Arizona, especially with an injury-prone Conner now 31 years old. Benson was legitimately good enough to take the keys to the running back room, that is, had injuries been turned off like the Cardinals were playing Madden.
Injuries were unfortunately a key factor in the Cardinals ranking 31st in the league in rushing yards per game, ultimately leading to their decision to address the running back position so heavily. Say what you will about the opportunity cost of the running back position, but the Cardinals are undeniably getting younger, deeper, and more talented at the position.
We caught a glimpse of that in Thursday's preseason win over the Las Vegas Raiders, where Love took advantage of his 11 carries to finish with an efficient 58 rushing yards. Hopefully that's the new era in Arizona, a balanced running game with a creative passing attack orchestrated by LaFleur, who now has the Cardinals at 57 total points scored through two preseason games.
Unfortunately for Benson, it appears he's the bigger loser of the Cardinals' logjam at the position. At just 24 years old, he has shown enough that he should draw interest if they do ultimately cut him. The timing was never quite right for Benson in Arizona. He could have better luck if he were to continue his NFL journey elsewhere, an outcome that's becoming increasingly realistic.
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