TEMPE, Ariz. -- Bruce Arians was clear this week that rookie running back David Johnson wouldn’t be handed a job in the Arizona Cardinals' backfield rotation.
“There’s no hand-me-downs just because he’s 6-1, 225,” Arians said. “That’s the good part. He runs fast and catches the ball. He should be able to find (a) niche somewhere.”
Johnson can, and it might not take much.
Johnson was drafted by a team with a deep well of reserves at running back. Kerwynn Williams and Stepfan Taylor impressed after Andre Ellington went down in Week 13 at Atlanta last year. Marion Grice struggled to pick up the offense but showed glimpses here and there. So, Arizona wasn’t in desperate need to find a running back who could cut outside and take off. They have those.
Arians was nearly dismissive of a question about needing a second running back to take the load off Ellington’s shoulders.
“We’ve got plenty of running backs,” he said.
What they didn’t have last year after Jonathan Dwyer was arrested and placed on the non-football injury list was a running back who could get the short yards and dominate in the red zone. Johnson was drafted to fit that need but he can also work his way into the rotation as Ellington’s primary backup.
After Ellington’s 660 rushing yards in 2014, there was a significant drop-off in production. Williams was second on the team with 246 yards on 53 carries in just five games. Taylor had 208 yards on 63 carries.
This is where Johnson can find a hole to break through.
If he’s productive on the ground, eating yards with his powerful build, then he’ll get playing time. But he can hold on to his role as Ellington’s backup by being consistent in other areas.
According to Pro Football Focus' Signature Stats, there wasn’t a steady pecking order in the rotation. Though it was clear that Ellington was the No. 1 option, Grice led the team in elusiveness (51.5 elusive rating), Williams was the leader in yards after contact per attempt (2.51), fullback Robert Hughes led Arizona in yards per route run (3.5) and Williams was the best returning blocker among the group (100 percent efficient) but Taylor had a pass-blocking efficiency rating of 98 after blocking for one-third of all passes he was on the field for last season.
Ellington had the best breakaway percentage among returning backs.
Consistency is where Johnson has a chance to make his mark. If he can rank among the top two, potentially top three, in elusiveness (which he has the speed for), yards after contact per attempt (which he has the size to do), breakaway percentage (which he won’t be expected to do), yards per route run (which he will be expected to do) and pass-blocking efficiency (which he’ll have to do in order to see the field), then Johnson will have a very good shot at being the back Arians turns to when Ellington needs a break or Arizona goes to a two-back set.