The Arizona Cardinals signed Running Back James Conner to a two-year $19 million contract extension earlier today. He was slated to become a free agent at the end of the season, but today’s contract extension will keep him in Arizona through the 2026 season. Conner has been a critical piece of an Arizona Cardinals team that has been one of the league’s surprises in 2024. Arizona is tied for the NFC West lead at 6-5 and has the sixth-best rushing attack in the league averaging 140.3 yards per game.
Connor has been a critical part of Arizona’s offense as the team is 5-1 when the star running back has 100+ scrimmage yards. To the contrary, they are 1-4 when he does not muster 100+ yards from scrimmage. Conner has 166 carries for 705 yards this season with five rushing touchdowns. These numbers are in the middle of the pack this season across the league. Will this contract extension end up working out well for both sides?
James Conner Career Summary
Conner debuted with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2017 after being drafted in the third round out of the University of Pittsburgh. He is a two-time Pro Bowler(2018, 2021) and came to the Arizona Cardinals in 2021 after spending the first four seasons of his career in the “Steel City.” He signed a one-year contract with the Cardinals in 2021 and a three-year $21 million contract extension the following offseason. Conner has 5,581 career rushing yards with 56 rushing touchdowns and 10 receiving touchdowns over his NFL career.
Final Thoughts
Conner and the Arizona Cardinals will hit the road tomorrow for a matchup with the 9-2 Minnesota Vikings. Both teams are riding high as Minnesota is on a four-game winning streak while Arizona has won four of their last five games. The Cardinals are looking to get back on track after scoring a mere 6 points last week on the road against the Seattle Seahawks.
Conner had one of the worst games of his career as he had only 8 rushing yards in the 16-6 road loss. The Vikings rush defense will pose a stiff test for Arizona tomorrow afternoon as Minnesota is surrendering a league-best 74.7 yards per game on the ground. Today’s contract news means the Arizona Cardinals will have a veteran running back in their stable for another few seasons as the franchise looks to build on a stellar start to the season.
