After two weeks of free agency, teams have made a number of moves. The Arizona Cardinals have mostly re-signed their own free agents. One of the first deals they made was a three-year, $21 million contract for running back James Conner.
He was a critical piece of the offense, especially in the second half of the season. He was second in the NFL in touchdowns and led the Cardinals in rushing and yards from scrimmage.
However, the deal has been met with some criticism.
ESPN analysts were asked to react to free agency and give their thoughts on the best and worst signings.
For Field Yates, Conner’s deal was a head-scratcher.
I’m thrilled for Conner, who just kept finding the end zone last season and emerged as a leader for the Cardinals. The part that I’m more skeptical of is the money involved, as Conner’s deal makes him the 10th-highest paid back in the league. That felt like a premium for a player who finished 27th in the league in rushing yards and 43rd in yards per carry.
The Cardinals have not been afraid of paying their top running back premium money. They paid David Johnson and then Kenyan Drake in 2020.
Conner’s contract doesn’t exactly match his 2021 production because he was not the featured back. He shared the offensive load in 2021 with Chase Edmonds.
The Cardinals paid him that much to be the No. 1 back and workhorse for them over the next couple of seasons.
He will get more touches and will be a featured part of the offense.
If he can take that shared load that produced more than 1,100 total yards and 18 total touchdowns and turn that into more than 1,500 of total yards and 10-15 touchdowns, that deal will look just fine.
[listicle id=466997]
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
Latest show:
Previous shows:
and