It was just a year ago that the running back depth on the Arizona Cardinals lacked firepower. Rashard Mendenhall retired prematurely after just one season in the desert. Stepfan Taylor and Kerwyn Williams were serviceable at best.
Andre Ellington was coming off an injury-riddled season. Head coach Bruce Arians made the mistake of thinking Ellington could be an every-down back. He was wrong, the at the time, 2nd year back wasn’t big enough to take the pounding.
It was time for reinforcements. David Johnson was drafted out of Northern Iowa. Veteran back Chris Johnson was brought in for minimal money, one of the shrewdest and most brilliant moves of the 2015 offseason.