On Wednesday Ken Whisenhunt named Beanie Wells the Cardinals starting running back. While the move didn’t come as a huge surprise to most, seeing as Wells’ main competition the last few years, Tim Hightower, was traded to Washington over the weekend, it sounds like the Ohio State product has earned the job with his work ethic as well.

According to Sports 620 KTAR’s Ron Wolfley, Wells has looked great in practice.

“Beanie Wells looks faster, bigger, stronger, all of it out on the practice field right now,” Wolf told listeners Thursday morning. “If there is one guy that is eye popping it’s Beanie Wells.

“He is in shape right now. I was talking to Beanie yesterday while he was coming off the practice field and he looks thinner than what I’ve seen him before. He’s actually the heaviest he’s ever been. That’s because of the shape he’s in. He got in the weight room and threw it around big time. He’s even leaner now than what he’s ever been before.”

Just looking the part won’t ensure a successful season for Wells. If he hopes to keep his starting job and live up to being a first round selection he’ll have to prove it in games. To do that he’ll have to play more physical.

“The key for Beanie Wells is so simple as I sit here now,” Wolf said. “If he’s going to run the ball Beanie Wells will help himself tremendously if he’ll do what Adrian Peterson does every now and then. That is chose the the ‘third rail’ of rushing the football. You’ve got right. You’ve got left and you’ve got the ‘third rail.’ Run somebody over. Dip the shoulder and rip somebody’s face off.”

Wells hasn’t shown a physical side over his first few years in the league. Maybe a leaner and more muscular build will help him show the ability to run over defenders. Also, maybe knowing that he is ‘the man’ from the beginning of training camp after a tough 2010 will give him extra motivation.

If it doesn’t, second-round pick Ryan Williams will be waiting in the wings just hoping to get an opportunity of his own.

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