Vince Marotta Report: Arizona Cardinals offer RB Chris Johnson a contract

If Andre Ellington is healthy, he’s your top guy, and as frustrating as it is not to have third-round draft pick David Johnson at this point – he remains out with a hamstring injury and Arians said he could miss another week – when those guys are healthy, it would get awfully crowded in that backfield.

Arizona has offered “CJ2K” a one-year contract, according to ESPN.

Outside of last season with the Jets, Johnson has rushed for over 1,000 yards every season of his career.

The Arizona Cardinals, apparently displeased with their current stable of backs, have reportedly offered a deal to veteran ballcarrier Chris Johnson. He was a cap casualty after the 2013 season.

Ellington put on pads for the first time since Week 13 of last season, and while his practice participation was limited with his hamstring still less than 100 percent, he’s on the comeback trail.

Bruce Arians stated yesterday that the Cardinals could be looking for another running back, so it’s clear that they’ve been anxious about their health and depth at the position.

The Cardinals could decide to stick with the group they have. But the injury won’t keep him from returning to the field. As Arians said Monday, he’s still unproven. However, I like the fact that the Cardinals are going after Johnson, since he brings an intriguing blend of experience, past production, and potential home-run ability to the table for this offense. “Obviously, he sees something we don’t”. Throw in dynamic pass-catching options like Michael Floyd and John Brown and the ever-consistent Larry Fitzgerald, and Johnson, who will get to work with two young backs, would find himself in a low-pressure environment. “We need as much help as we can get”. He wasn’t given the starting job, and the numbers weren’t awful for the usage that he did end up receiving. That season was last year with the Jets, and he is more than capable of getting back to that level of play and becoming a legitimate 1,000-yard back with the Cardinals.