Analyst Believes Tyler Allgeier Made Big Mistake With Cardinals

Running back Tyler Allgeier headlined the Arizona Cardinals' free agency pool of additions after signing a multi-year deal to tote the rock in the desert.

In a free agency frenzy that was more so built around adding depth, Allgeier's arrival was one of the little exciting glimmers Cardinals fans had after displaying exceptional and tough running previously with the Atlanta Falcons.

That should translate well in Arizona, but not everyone agrees Allgeier should have landed with the Cardinals:

What Bleacher Report Said

Allgeier cracked Bleacher Report's list of players who signed with the wrong team this offseason.

Moe Moton: "The Arizona Cardinals have a crowded running back room. They restructured lead tailback James Conner's contract and re-signed Bam Knight, who started in eight out of 12 games last year. Trey Benson has two more terms left on his deal.

"Unless the Cardinals trade Benson, Allgeier isn't a necessary addition to their backfield. Both are limited in the passing game and handle most of their touches on early downs.

"Arizona has a four-man running back platoon, and Allgeier is unlikely to shine with strong competition for snaps."

Why They're Wrong

The Cardinals' backfield needs a bit of context.

James Conner was expected to be a cut candidate this offseason before Arizona re-worked his deal. He's set to turn 31 this offseason and is fresh off a season-ending foot injury. Heavily relying on Conner entering 2026 and beyond wasn't going to be a beneficial outlook.

Trey Benson has been extremely sporadic in terms of opportunity and production. After his first two seasons, it's clear general manager Monti Ossenfort doesn't believe he's capable of producing at high levels.

Bam Knight is a fine rotational back but was more so inked for depth and special teams purposes.

Then, Allgeier arrives.

Allgeier is set to turn 26 within the next couple of weeks and was inked to a two-year, $12.5 million contract. That's both beneficial for player and team when assessing potential future pay days and current market value for runners.

Allgeier, in a worst-case scenario, will find himself splitting duties with Conner in a 1A/1B role. His fit in Mike LaFleur's expected heavy zone scheme makes a ton of sense.

Simply put, even if you want to call Arizona's running back room crowded, it's pretty clear what Allgeier's role and usage would be. He won't be worrying about ball-carriers behind him, nor should he. Allgeier clearly is at the top of the hierarchy entering training camp.

If anybody will shine for the Cardinals' running back room, it's Allgeier.