James Conner believes his 2023 season is the floor, not the ceiling moving forward
Cardinals running back James Conner is coming off his first career 1,000-yard season. The young running back brings a physical element to a rushing attack that ranked fourth in the NFL in rushing yards (2,365) and second in yards per attempt (5.0). Despite only playing in 13 games, he averaged 80.0 yards and led the team with 1,205 yards from scrimmage.
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For Conner, he believes the 1,000-yard season is the floor, not the ceiling for the production he brings to the Cardinals offense moving forward.
“That’s the floor,” Conner told Cardinals ESPN beat writer Josh Weinfuss earlier this week. “I want that to be the lowest I rush for in my career going forward.
The key for him to make that the new standard will come down to health. Those 13 games are the second most he’s played in a single season, trailing the 15 games from his first year in Arizona. An MCL sprain cost the Cardinals’ starting running back four games in 2023.
At 6’1” and 233 lbs. Connor has more than enough size to wear down defenses on early downs in the running game. His success also translates to the team’s ability to score. When Conner produces at least 80 yards rushing, the Cardinals have scored at least 20 points. Third round pick Trey Benson is likely to serve as his primary backup, there should be more than enough capable players to keep him fresh throughout games and allow him to perform at his best when on the field.
