Rather than the Arizona Cardinals hitting the panic button in Week 4 with injuries hitting the top two running backs, general manager Monti Ossenfort sees it as an opportunity.
For the time being, a Week 4 game against a quickly spiraling Tennessee Titans club will allow Arizona to evaluate its running back depth that, in some order, could include third-stringer Emari Demercado, practice squad elevation Michael Carter and perhaps even surprise 53-roster appointee Bam Knight.
“You build in depth on your practice squad, right? And that’s why Mike Carter has been a valuable piece for us, and he’s played a lot of snaps for us over the last couple years, and he’s going to now,” Ossenfort told Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke.
“There’s other considerations that come into that with timing … James Connor’s going to be down for the year. We’re going to get Trey Benson back. So, you know, there (are) reinforcements coming. And so, it’s a balance,” the general manager added. “It’s a balance when it comes to roster building of, you know, what you have in-house, what you have on the practice squad, what is behind door No. 2 outside the building, along with … when do you expect injured players to return?”
The Cardinals lost James Conner for the season a week before their Thursday loss to the Seattle Seahawks, where backup Trey Benson’s first big opportunity ended with a meniscus injury that has put him on injured reserve.
Head coach Jonathan Gannon didn’t commit to naming anyone a starter for the game Sunday against the Titans — he said all three of the candidates have their roles — but the likely bet is on either Carter or Demercado.
Carter didn’t make the 53-man roster to begin the regular season but was retained on the practice squad. He made his debut last Thursday and took just one carry in four snaps.
Demercado got 26 snaps last week and had a catch for a seven-yard touchdown as Arizona made a brief comeback from two touchdowns down before losing on a last-second field goal.
They will get their chance to perform thanks to Ossenfort’s patience in choosing the in-house options over aggressively jumping on waiver claims or midseason trades.
“Sometimes you have players that have experience and have played before and have contributed. And other times, it’s younger players or guys that are getting their first opportunities,” Ossenfort said. “And so, you know, we’ve been hit here in the last couple weeks, the corner room and now the running back room.
“That’s why we build the roster and create depth. There’s opportunities for other guys that some of them have had before and some, this will be their first time, and we’re excited to see them play.”
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