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Former third-round pick Trey Benson is proud of what he accomplished as a rookie, but knows he can do more. As he prepares for his second season in 2025, the Arizona Cardinals running back believes he and James Conner can form one of the best backfield duos in the league.
Benson was scarcely used in 2024, but believes he is in for an increased role. Still just 22, Benson thinks he can form an elite one-two punch with Conner in 2025 to give the Cardinals “two RB1s.”
“I feel like I’ll get more opportunities and help James out more,” Benson said, via NFL.com. “I feel like we can have two RB1s on this team, and that’s my mindset this year, is two RB1s.”
While Conner posted his second consecutive 1,000-yard season with the Cardinals in 2024, Benson took just 63 carries for 291 rushing yards and one touchdown. However, he averaged a respectable 4.6 yards per carry, the same as Conner.
Arizona will begin the season with Conner as the starter, but the opportunity for Benson to catch up to him will be there. Conner turned 30 in May and is preparing for his eighth season in the league. While yet to show any signs of decline, running backs tend to peak around 28, followed by a steep downhill drop-off.
After playing two seasons at Florida State, Benson called his rookie season just his third year “playing for real.” He noted how difficult the adjustment was for him, but believes he is now ready to hit the ground running. Benson took a year to get his footing in college before taking off and hopes his professional career follows a similar path.
Conner and Benson are the Cardinals’ clear top two running backs, but the room still has several other intriguing names. The versatile Emari Demercado returns as a change-of-pace back, with former New York Jets standout Michael Carter also still on the roster. Pass-catching specialist DeeJay Dallas rounds out the five backfield options on Arizona’s offseason roster. Each one of them is a returning member from 2024.
Even if it is not Benson, the Cardinals will likely need another player to step up behind Conner in 2025. The team sees the most potential in Benson, its former Day Two draft selection.
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