Analyst: Cardinals Need to Draft RB

The Arizona Cardinals need to grab their running back of the future, according to Pro Football Network.

ARIZONA -- The Arizona Cardinals are in prime position to add talent to a few different spots once the 2024 NFL Draft commences on April 25.

With two first-round picks - and six in total after three rounds - Arizona hopes to have landed some serious firepower on both sides of the football as their rebuild under general manager Monti Ossenfort continues.

There's a few immediate needs that come to mind for Cardinals fans - WR, CB and EDGE being some of the more prominent ones.

According to Pro Football Network, Arizona should also be looking to snag their running back of the future. The Cardinals were placed third in their list of teams who should be looking to add a fresh face to the running back room.

"James Conner set new career highs in rushing yards (1,040) and yards per attempt (5.0) in 2023, but the Cardinals have to face reality. Conner turns 29 in a couple of weeks and has more than 1,300 career touches to his name. He’ll also become a free agent in 2025," wrote Dallas Robinson.

"Arizona saw flashes from 2023 UDFA Emari Demercado and acquired Michael Carter off waivers from the Jets last season. But even in a best-case scenario, Demercado and Carter are high-end third-down backs. The Cardinals need a foundational RB of the future, but they also have a ton of roster holes to fill in the draft."

Conner is indeed in the final year of his deal, and Arizona could be hoping to extend him pending his preferred price tag. For a position that's been devalued over the years, it's become easier for teams to look towards the draft to find fresher - and cheaper - sets of wheels at the position.

While Arizona shouldn't prioritize a running back, the Cardinals could indeed look at fresh faces in the middle rounds. For an offense that looks to establish the run first under OC Drew Petzing, having a capable running back in the fold is vital to open everything else up.

Carter - 24 years of age - flashed some good things in the desert after arriving last year, though it's unknown if the Cardinals can rely on him or Demercado moving into the future.

Arizona's rushing attack dropped significantly when Conner has missed time due to injury, and that speaks more to the depth behind him more than anything.

The Cardinals took Top 30 visits with Washington's Dillon Johnson and Kentucky's Ray Davis ahead of the draft.