Could the Cardinals’ RB surplus be the Packers’ gain?

It’s the middle of the offseason, and the Green Bay Packers already have some uncertainty at running back.

With Josh Jacobs currently under investigation for domestic violence, his status for 2026 is up in the air. If he can’t go, that leaves Green Bay’s running backs room with Chris Brooks and MarShawn Lloyd as the next men up.

For a team eyeing another postseason run under head coach Matt LaFleur, having either pace the ground game seems like a big nonstarter. Lloyd has just six carries and 15 yards to his name, while Brooks has 41 and 395 in three seasons of work. Those numbers combined are a far cry from any of Jacobs’ seasons as a pro.

Having a legit backup plan for any potential Jacobs absence is key. And it just so happens, one (or two) could be residing in Arizona.

Across the NFL, no team saw a bigger boost at running back than the Cardinals. They went out and signed veteran Tyler Allgeier before snagging another RB1 candidate and No. 3 overall pick Jeremiyah Love this past draft.

The room doesn’t stop there, though. James Conner is coming off a season-ending foot injury, but he is still around and has been Arizona’s RB1 since 2021. Trey Benson dealt with his own injury issues and failed to take the RB1 reins when Conner went down but is young and has flashed potential in the past. Bam Knight brings experience from three different NFL stops.

If a team is on the prowl for a rostered running back, Arizona is the best place to start. And that’s before mentioning the brotherly connection at head coach between Mike and Matt LaFleur, or previous knowledge defensive coordinator and former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon has on the room.

Because if anything, the Cardinals have options.

Of the players not named Love and Allgeier, who should serve as Arizona’s one-two punch, Conner is naturally a top trade candidate given his NFL resume. Averaging 4.4 yards per carry across his five seasons in Arizona, Conner has totaled 3,763 yards and 38 touchdowns on the ground.

He’s up there in age (30) but represents a solid one-year option for a team like the Packers.

That being said, where is he health-wise? Conner has yet to take part in Arizona’s organized team activities, though has been seen working with trainers off to the side during the open portion of practices.

A similar feeling surrounds Benson. Much like Conner, the young running back continues to work his way back from his own season-ending injury, albeit a knee issue, that wrecked his second season as a pro. With Conner going down with his foot injury, Benson was trending toward RB1 for the rest of the season until he was injured the following week.

The inconsistencies were there even before the injury, though.

He presents a young option that can still be molded at the NFL level. But can a team really trust him to carry the workload? He’s got just 92 carries for 451 yards and a touchdown in two seasons of work.

Either way, Conner and Benson present two avenues the Packers could consider. And that’s before mentioning their contracts.

Conner is in the final year of contract and carries a cap hit of $4.8 million with $2.1 million in guaranteed money. Benson, meanwhile, is entering the third year of his rookie deal and counts for $1.6 million against the cap in 2026 and $1.9 million in 2027.

From a financial standpoint, both are far from breaking the bank.

Which other teams could kick the tires on a Cardinals running back?

Aside from the Packers, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are two more teams who could feel obligated to pick up the phone and check the temperature of Arizona’s running back situation.

Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Bhayshul Tuten make up the biggest names in Jacksonville’s backfield following Travis Etienne’s departure to New Orleans. Tampa Bay’s Bucky Irving is dealing with a shoulder injury that has kept him from participating in OTAs. His return timeline is murky at best, with head coach Todd Bowles telling reporters he expected Irving back by the “summer or fall.”

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