Kingsbury: Cardinals’ David Johnson ‘looked great’, O-line could stick

TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury wouldn’t go as far as assuring an active David Johnson for his team’s Sunday game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

All signs, however, point to the dynamic running back giving his injured ankle a go on the road against former Cardinals coach Bruce Arians and Co.

“He looked great,” Kingsbury said of Johnson’s Monday practice work after a long weekend off.

“He’s come a long way. Obviously the game speed and conditioning is different but we’ve liked what we’ve seen.”

It’s been two weeks since Johnson played only a handful of snaps with a bum ankle against the New York Giants and three since his last full game.

Since he was last healthy, the Cardinals running backs room has been like a turnstile with Chase Edmonds taking over right after Johnson’s injury, the team signing free agents Alfred Morris and Zach Zenner, then Arizona’s trade for Kenyan Drake after Edmonds injured his hamstring.

Before Drake tallied 162 all-purpose yards in Arizona’s 28-25 loss to San Francisco on Thursday, Johnson warmed up before he sat out the home game.

Drake and Johnson will likely form a one-two punch for the Cardinals this week if Johnson is able to play.

“We got to find a way to utilize both of them,” Kingsbury said.

“I think we’ll be smart with how we use (Johnson) and make sure we don’t give him the ball 40 times, anything like that,” the head coach added of Johnson’s role whenever he returns. “Just get his game conditioning back. Like what I see so far and hopefully he’ll contribute Sunday.”

O-line change could stick

There is no certainty starting right tackle Justin Murray will be able to play in Tampa Bay due to a knee injury, but the Cardinals might not be panicking about that as things stand.

That’s because left guard Justin Pugh became the team’s third starting right tackle this year and performed admirably.

Pugh earned the second-highest offensive grade (79.4) given out by Pro Football Focus after Arizona’s loss, only coming in behind Drake. In third was Pugh’s replacement at left guard, Mason Cole, who earned a 68.1 rating.

Kingsbury said Murray’s status is “day-to-day,” though there is progress with his knee.

The head coach also told Bickley & Marotta during his Monday interview on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station that he’s not adverse to staying with last week’s starting offensive line.

“If that is a group that allows us to be the most effective, that’s the group we’ll play,” the head coach said.

Extra points

— Kingsbury reiterated Monday that rookie receiver Andy Isabella is on pace in terms of his development, but his 88-yard touchdown catch won’t necessarily be enough to thrust him into more playing time.

— As for running back Chase Edmonds’ health, Kingsbury still believes he won’t play against the Buccaneers due to a hamstring issue. “He’s coming, he’s coming. Probably not this week but he’s progressing,” the head coach said.

— On Bruce Arians, the Bucs head man and former Cardinals coach who Kingsbury has met a few times: “He’s a great offensive mind. Been a big fan of his, how aggressive he is, he cuts it loose.”

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