Second-year RB Trey Benson envisions a bigger role and more opportunities for him in the run game in 2025.
The Arizona Cardinals had one of the league’s top rushing attacks in 2024, led by James Conner’s nearly 1,100 yards. Trey Benson, a rookie drafted in the third round last year, contributed more in the second half, although missed the final three games with an ankle injury.
The clear backup to Conner, he finished his first NFL season rushing for 291 yards and a touchdown on 4.6 yards per attempt. He also had six receptions for 59 yards.
In Year 2, Benson believes he will make a much bigger impact.
“I feel like I’ll get more opportunities and help James out more,” Benson said during mandatory minicamp this past week. “I feel like we can have two RB1s on this team, and that’s my mindset this year is two RB1s.”
Head coach Jonathan Gannon has spoken highly of Benson in terms of the type of playmaker he and the team believe Benson can be.
He added about seven pounds in the offseason and wants to add some power and force to his already elite speed, trying emulate more how Conner runs.
Getting more from Benson would be huge. Conner is now 30 years old and, while he has had consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, he has never played every game in a season in his career and set a career-high in rushing yards (1,094), total yards (1,508) and in touches (283).
Imagine Conner and Benson combining for 1,500 rushing yards and 1,800 total yards from scrimmage with double-digit touchdowns. That, combined with the production the Cardinals should get from tight end Trey McBride and receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., and that offense could be lethal in 2025.
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