The Arizona Cardinals recognize the need for a running back with their signing today of Chris Johnson. With the health of Andre Ellington proven to be shaky at best in his career and the sheer lack of proven moments from others on the roster it was clear that the franchise required at least some back up plan that has had big time moments at the highest level such as Johnson has proven to be capable of.
The issue with this is just how many more moments can the former Tennessee Titan actually provide. The 29 year-old running back has seen a huge decline in his game over recent memory. At this point Johnson’s nickname of “CJ2K”, which is a reference to his 2009 campaign where he ran for more than 2,000 yards that season, seems more so as a desperate clinging to good times. It is almost like watching a Rolling Stones concert and watching the group try to perform like they were still in their twenties again as they struggle to keep their flickering light of fame from dying out.
Since that season Johnson has only broken the 1,200 yard mark twice and has scored 28 touchdowns as a rusher out of the backfield, which is not even double his fumble numbers that sit at 15. Last season with the nightmare that is the New York Jets, Johnson saw incredibly limited playing time behind Chris Ivory as he went on to only start six games and only carried the ball 155 times where his average per season was near the 290 mark. Perhaps Johnson’s biggest highlight during his tenure as a Jet was when he said his opinion of quarterbacks Geno Smith and Michael Vick meant nothing because “I don’t even be in the game, so I don’t know.”
Johnson will likely only be given until the end of training camp to earn a backup job with the Cardinals. More than likely he earns the spot if third round rookie David Johnson continues to be hampered by his hamstring injuries. Should Johnson end up on the final 53-man roster come Week 1 of the season, the nickname “CJ2K” should be shelved for the time being. Perhaps something more realistic. Something like “CJ1K” or “CJ.5K” as a start.
If he can at least provide either of those it should help with the struggling rushing game that ended up being 26th in the league last year and add another weapon from the backfield to a team that seems flanked with intermediate and deep threats in receivers Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd and John Brown. The Cardinals next preseason match up is against the Chargers on August 22nd in University of Phoenix Stadium.