ARIZONA CARDINALS

Cardinals re-sign running back Andre Ellington to one-year deal

Mar 13, 2017, 1:04 PM | Updated: 3:21 pm

Arizona Cardinals running back Andre Ellington (38) is hit by New Orleans Saints defensive back Del...

Arizona Cardinals running back Andre Ellington (38) is hit by New Orleans Saints defensive back Delvin Breaux (40) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

In what may come as a bit of a surprise, the Arizona Cardinals announced on Monday they have re-signed running back Andre Ellington to a one-year contract.

Ellington has been with the Cardinals since the team chose him in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL Draft, but a promising rookie season paved the way for a bumpy last three years.

In 2013, Ellington ran for 652 yards and three touchdowns while also catching 39 passes for 271 yards and one score.

The following offseason, head coach Bruce Arians talked about building the team’s offense around the running back, but injuries and inconsistency prevented Ellington from really taking hold of the role.

The 5-foot-9, 199-pound Ellington began the 2015 season as the team’s lead back, but suffered a knee injury in Week 1 and took a back seat to Chris Johnson and David Johnson when he returned.

In 2016, Ellington’s role on offense was minimal, with him tallying just 96 yards on 34 carries and catching a career-low 12 passes for 85 yards. He was the team’s primary kick returner, averaging 16.3 yards on 10 returns.

Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

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