Cardinals Sign RB James Conner to One-Year Deal


The Cardinals have found their replacement for Kenyan Drake in 2021.

The Cardinals signed running back James Conner to a one-year contract on Tuesday. 

The terms of Conner's deal have yet to be disclosed.

Conner, 25, spent his first four NFL seasons with the Steelers. He ran for a career-high 973 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2018, but his production has fallen off in recent seasons. Conner ran for just 721 yards on 169 carries last year before undergoing toe surgery in the offseason, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport

Conner is expected to split carries with fourth-year running back Chase Edmonds in 2021. Edmonds posted a career-high 6.1 yards per carry last season, and he added 53 receptions for 402 yards. Edmonds shared the backfield with Kenyan Drake last season before Drake signed with the Raiders in March. 

Arizona finished third in the NFC West in 2020 at 8–8. The Cardinals enter 2021 seeking their first playoff appearance since 2015.

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