Cardinals’ shift to Mike LaFleur’s offense raises a hard roster question at running back

The Arizona Cardinals’ offseason storyline is not just about who will call plays under new head coach Mike LaFleur. It is also about how many high-utility running backs Arizona can keep while installing a specific style of offense. In a June 7 analysis for Yahoo Sports, Barry Shuck argues that the Cardinals should consider trading one running back to create roster clarity and extract value as LaFleur builds his offense around power rushing, frequent pre-snap movement, and multiple back talents.

Arizona’s current backfield depth, as described in that piece, includes James Conner (31), Tyler Allgeier (26), Bam Knight (25), Corey Kiner (24), Trey Benson (23), and Jeremiyah Love (21). The argument is that the room is effectively “too many” for a team that normally carries three running backs unless one becomes a clear special-teams differentiator. Shuck’s read is that Kiner and Knight would need a defined special-teams role to remain on the 53-man roster, which would narrow the top three regular backs to Love, Allgeier, and Benson or Conner.

LaFleur’s offensive fit, again from the Yahoo analysis, is central to the roster question. The scheme is described as heavy on pre-snap motion and wide-zone concepts, paired with jet sweeps, bootlegs, play-action, short passing, and a consistent emphasis on giving running backs clean lanes. That approach, the piece notes, demands a competent offensive line, reliable production from multiple tight ends, accurate quarterback play, and running backs who can function as athletes rather than just downhill rushers. In other words, if Arizona wants to run this offense efficiently, it needs two trusted runners (plus a true backup) more than it needs six interchangeable depth backs.

Where the trade talk gets pointed is at Conner. Shuck frames Conner as the logical candidate to move because, while he can still contribute at his age, he is coming off a foot injury that eliminated his 2025 season and carries the “first notation” of being 31. The analysis also treats Benson as valuable but less bankable in the immediate term, noting that Benson’s pro opportunities were limited by a meniscus injury that required surgery after Conner went down in Week 3, leaving the rookie third option with uncertainty. That combination, in the author’s view, makes Conner the piece most likely to be traded “out of the desert” to get something in return before the depth chart resolves itself.

The case for Conner is not built on a lack of production. The Yahoo breakdown lists Conner’s career profile as 110 NFL games and 84 starts, 1,393 attempts for 6,065 rushing yards, and 60 rushing touchdowns, along with 289 receptions and 12 receiving touchdowns. It also emphasizes his receiving production as part of what makes him compatible with LaFleur’s wide-zone offense, which uses short passes and play-action to stress defenses and keep rushers involved. In this framing, trading Conner is less about doubting his ability and more about Arizona deciding it cannot keep every productive archetype on the roster at the same time.

The broader context is that Arizona is trying to change the character of its offense after three seasons under head coach Jonathan Gannon and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. The Yahoo piece describes the Cardinals’ 2025 output as total offense ranked 19th, passing offense 7th, and running offense 31st, with 2024 and 2023 showing a similar pattern of passing trending up while the run game lagged at critical points. With LaFleur arriving as the new head coach in February 2026, the Cardinals’ roster decisions in June can be read as an effort to match the talent to the scheme they intend to run, especially if they want the offense to be less volatile and more identity-driven.

Shuck also points to a market for a “capable running back” trade, listing teams that, in his view, could need help: the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, and New York Jets. Those teams are presented as particularly relevant because they would not be direct NFC West opponents. Still, this is an opinion argument, not a report that Arizona is actively shopping Conner. What to watch next is whether the Cardinals’ offseason roster planning keeps Conner at the center of their running attack, or whether Arizona quietly starts testing trade interest as LaFleur’s staff finalizes how many backs it truly wants to carry into training camp.