Andrew Buller-Russ
The Arizona Cardinals made several changes this offseason, but none were bigger than hiring a new head coach. Along with that, an overhauled roster has arrived, with competition brewing at multiple positions.
Arizona undoubtedly upgraded the roster. The biggest and best move may have been selecting running back Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Love has a chance to be a top-five player at his position, which isn’t a sentiment that can be said about most athletes.
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While the selection of Love surely upgraded the Cardinals’ backfield, it was already a position of strength. The Cardinals already re-signed former Pro Bowl back James Conner, plus added Tyler Allgeier, another 1,000-yard rusher, on a two-year, $12 million contract.
That’s too many good running backs for one team. Chances are, one will be available via trade.
ESPN’s Ben Solak surprisingly suggested that Allgeier could be the one who gets dealt rather than Conner.
“With the drafting of Love, Allgeier becomes an interesting trade candidate. Even in this young NFL offseason, there are teams with fluctuating running backs rooms. Packers RB Josh Jacobs was arrested this week, then released amid an ongoing investigation into domestic violence charges; his status for the 2026 season is in question. Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving is out for the summer and potentially into the fall with lingering shoulder issues. And the Jaguars’ RB room, featuring Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr., is still mighty thin. If the Cardinals want to trade Allgeier, despite signing him to a multiyear free agent contract just months ago, they should have suitors.”
ESPN’s Ben Solak on Tyler Allgeier trade
The Cardinals are operating from a position of strength. They’re also a team with several needs to fill, both now and in the future. Now, they could ship Allgeier off in exchange for a Day 3 pick, or possibly even a couple of them. As Solak noted, there are several teams that could use an upgrade in their backfield.
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