Tag: Eno Benjamin

2nd-year RB Eno Benjamin must capitalize on opportunities this year

Arizona Cardinals RB Eno Benjamin was inactive all 16 games last season. RB coach James Saxon said he will have to take advantage of opportunities this offseason.

The 2020 season was disappointing for those who felt that former Arizona State running back Eno Benjamin might have some sort of impact during his rookie season with the Arizona Cardinals. However, he was inactive for all 16 games as a rookie.

The pandemic meant no preseason and limited offseason reps and that made it nearly impossible for him to do anything.

This year, he will have a shot to make an impact.

He will have to capitalize on his opportunities, says running back coach James Saxon.

Saxon was a guest on the team’s weekly radio show, the “Big Red Rage,” and he spoke briefly about Benjamin.

“He’s got great ability,” Saxon said. “It’s going to be time for him. He’s just going to have to take advantage of whatever opportunity he gets. Maybe it’s one play here, maybe it’s 10. He’s going to have to be prepared to be available, No. 1, and, No. 2, to be able to execute properly the thing we’re going to ask him to do.”

Host Paul Calvisi noted how during the offseason program Eno’s effort was noticeable. He attacked every drill full speed, whether it was on offense or special teams.

From what I saw of some of the practices, I can confirm this. He is making an effort to be noticed.

Head coach Kliff Kingsbury said last season Benjamin had to be able to make more of an impact on special teams to crack the rotation.

With training camp and the preseason coming up, we will see if he can do that.

2020 undrafted rookie running back Jonathan Ward was able to do so last year, getting significant time on special teams.

Saxon believes in Eno.

“He’s an exciting young player,” he said.

He is certainly a player to watch in August.

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4 young Cardinals players who need to stand out in offseason, preseason work

These players were hurt by no preseason last year and now have an uphill battle to make the team.

The Arizona Cardinals will get some offseason work in OTAs and mandatory minicamp, unlike in 2020, and should have a preseason this year. Some young players were hurt by the lack of them a year ago.

Now, with new additions to the roster, some players find themselves on the roster bubble as OTAs begin.

What they do with their practice reps and in the preseason will be critical.

Who are those who really need a good offseason and preseason?

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Potential plans at RB for Cardinals this offseason

Arizona still has a hole to potentially fill in alongside Chase Edmonds at running back – here are some ways they can do that.

The Arizona Cardinals still have a few glaring holes on the roster, though Steve Keim has said they will not panic in terms of filling out the roster. One of those holes is at running back.

There are many ways they can “not panic” to fill their need at running back,  even with them saying that they think that Chase Edmonds can handle the load.

Here are a few ways that they can do that:


Potential plans at RB for Cardinals this offseason

Arizona still has a hole to potentially fill in alongside Chase Edmonds at running back – here are some ways they can do that.

The Arizona Cardinals still have a few glaring holes on the roster, though Steve Keim has said they will not panic in terms of filling out the roster. One of those holes is at running back.

There are many ways they can “not panic” to fill their need at running back,  even with them saying that they think that Chase Edmonds can handle the load.

Here are a few ways that they can do that:


Arizona Cardinals 2020 redraft doesn’t change every pick

We make the Cardinals’ 2020 draft selections with the benefit of hindsight.

A year later, we can look at the Arizona Cardinals’ draft class and wonder if they made the right selections. The Cardinals didn’t get many contributions from their rookie class. Linebacker Isaiah Simmons played a limited role. Running back Eno Benjamin was never active. Linebacker Evan Weaver spent the year on the practice squad. Tackle Josh Jones played very few snaps all season. Defensive linemen Leki Fotu and Rashard Lawrence missed time with injuries and got some playing time.

Should the Cardinals have made other selections?

Let’s go back to each pick in last year’s draft and do a redraft.

Cardinals positional needs and review: Running back

We break down the roster at the position and gauge the needs this offseason.

The Arizona Cardinals are in the offseason and are evaluating what to do to improve and address the roster in 2021.

Over the next several days, we will look at each position group, how it did in 2020, who is on the roster moving forward and what the Cardinals need at the position moving forward.

We have looked at the quarterback position already. We move on to running back.


Special teams play has been Eno Benjamin’s obstacle to playing time

The Cardinals appear to be stashing him for next year.

Many Arizona Cardinals fans were excited when the team selected running back Eno Benjamin in the seventh round of the NFL draft. He, of course, played for Arizona State and put up big numbers.

He has not yet had the opportunity to play or even dress for a game. He has been inactive for all of the team’s eight games this season.

With Kenyan Drake out last week, some hoped he would get an opportunity.

Head coach Kliff Kingsbury explained it to reporters on Wednesday. It doesn’t really have anything to do with his talent.

“I would say more than anything just being able to contribute on special teams,” he explained. “When you’re in that third back slot where he’s at this point, it’s hard to be up if you’re not participating in that phase. He’s a talented runner. I thought he had a really nice camp. We like his future here, and we’re still just kind of bringing him along at this point.”

D.J. Foster has been a core special teams player for multiple seasons. Rookie Jonathan Ward has contributed on special teams. Whether Benjamin simply isn’t being given the opportunity or isn’t as good at it as Foster or Ward, it sounds like the Cardinals are essentially stashing him for next year, when Kenyan Drake likely leaves in free agency, and he can be the No. 2 back behind Chase Edmonds.

In the meantime, if Benjamin is going to get any playing time this season, it will have to be by being able to be counted on in the special teams unit.

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Brett Hundley, Eno Benjamin inactive for Cardinals vs. 49ers

Chris Streveler gets to back up Kyler Murray.

The Arizona Cardinals released their first inactive list of the season on Sunday leading up to their Week 1 game against the San Francisco 49ers.

There are a couple of surprises.

This year, teams will play with 48 active players. They can have a 55-man roster if they promote up to two practice squad players for the game. However, the Cardinals stayed with 53 players and then had five players inactive.

Their inactives are:

  • RB Eno Benjamin
  • QB Brett Hundley
  • OL Josh Jones
  • OL Josh Miles
  • S Deionte Thompson

Perhaps the biggest surprise on this list is Hundley, who normally backs up starting quarterback Kyler Murray. However, Kliff Kingsbury is a big fan of newcomer Chris Streveler. Hundley is listed on the depth chart as the No. 2 quarterback on the team but Streveler could have a role on special teams. If he plays on special teams, that is the reason why he is active over Hundley.

If Murray were unable to start, Hundley probably would be the guy to replace him.

Benjamin, a seventh-round pick, is inactive over D.J. Foster, who was promoted to the active roster after receiver KeeSean Johnson was placed on the COVID-19 reserve. Foster will have a role on special teams.

Teams must have eight offensive linemen active on gameday. Justin Murray, Max Garcia and Lamont Gaillard will back up the starters.

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Jonathan Taylor led the country in this PFF statistic last season

On Thursday morning, Pro Football Focus released a ranking on Twitter for the most runs of 15 plus yards since the 2018 season in college football.

This ranking was led by former Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor who earned 64 carries of over 15 plus yards in the last two seasons. The ability to break off long runs will surely be appreciated at the next level, and Taylor’s explosive speed was proven in his blazing 4.39 40 yard dash time that led all running backs at the NFL combine.

On Thursday morning, Pro Football Focus released a ranking on Twitter for the most runs of 15 plus yards since the 2018 season in college football.

This ranking was led by former Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor who earned 64 carries of over 15 plus yards in the last two seasons. The ability to break off long runs will surely be appreciated at the next level, and Taylor’s explosive speed was proven in his blazing 4.39 40 yard dash time that led all running backs at the NFL combine.

Taylor was followed in this stat by the notable names of JK Dobbins from Ohio State with 38, Chuba Hubbard from Oklahoma State with 40, Eno Benjamin from Arizona State with 41, and Travis Etienne from Clemson with 59. Hubbard and Etienne will return to college football for next season, but the other three running backs were all selected in this spring’s NFL Draft.

These statistics on Jonathan Taylor from PFF keep showing how rare of a talent that Taylor was for Wisconsin, and leads me to believe that he will continue his excellence at the next level.

Eno Benjamin could be the Cardinals’ gem of the draft

The future of the Cardinals running back position is in question, but Eno Benjamin might be their draft gem that will come in and compete.

The future of the running back position for the Arizona Cardinals is in question, as Kenyan Drake is playing this season on the one-year transition tag tender and Chase Edmonds has just two years left remaining on his rookie contract. However, seventh-round pick Eno Benjamin, a running back selected out of Arizona State, might just be the Cardinals’ gem of the draft. 

Benjamin was projected to get drafted as high as the third round, but he fell all the way to the seventh, giving him great value for the Cardinals. In three years for the Sun Devils, Benjamin racked up nearly 3,000 rushing yards with 27 touchdowns. He not only put on an impressive showing in the run game, but he was a reliable asset in the receiving game, recording over 600 yards and four touchdowns. These stats might not be impressive, but it shows just how capable Benjamin is in the passing game.  He is everything you want in an NFL running back. He could develop into a reliable asset in the passing game for the Cardinals. 

Eno Benjamin has the talent to not only come in and compete, but also be in the Cardinals backfield long-term. Even though receiver Brandon Aiyuk, drafted in the first round by the San Francisco 49ers, was the top weapon for Arizona State quarterback Jayden Daniels, Benjamin played a crucial role in that offense. He was the heart and soul of that run game and was a leader for the Sun Devils offense. 

Now, with every rookie comes weaknesses and one of the biggest ones for Benjamin was his consistency in the passing game. This is an area where Benjamin will need the most grooming. To start, he is not the most diverse route runner. He needs to have more of an expanded route tree for the Cardinals to feel confident in using him in the passing game. 

Benjamin is also more of a chip blocker, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if he relies on that skill, he will have a tough time getting by with it in the NFL, as he might have to face guys like Aaron Donald and Nick Bosa twice a year. 

Unlike several running backs in this draft class, Benjamin’s 4.57 speed is not something that will wow you. He is not a running back that is tough to catch down the field. However, Benjamin’s shiftiness is a unique trait of his that should translate well into the NFL. 

Benjamin is also a bit undersized, standing at 5-foot-9 and 207 pounds. But that doesn’t seem to affect his game much, as he is still a powerhouse in the run game and will still make defenders pay.  

Isaiah Simmons might have been the Cardinals’ steal of the draft, but they are really getting something special in Eno Benjamin and for the future of their run game. He has all the tools and skillset to help the Cardinals succeed.  

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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