Cardinals GM Has Honest Response When Asked About RB David Johnson

The Arizona Cardinals took a major step forward during the 2019 NFL season. After drafting Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick, the Cardinals won two more games last season than they did in 2018.

While that doesn’t seem like a great improvement, the team showed flashes of its potential. Murray and company gave the San Francisco 49ers all they could handle – twice.

Both of those games featured a stellar performance from running back Kenyan Drake. Arizona traded for Drake after starting running back David Johnson and backup running back Chase Edmonds suffered injuries.

With Drake’s emergence, questions about Johnson’s future with the team grew louder. After an ineffective 2019 season, some wondered if the Cardinals would move on from the former All-Pro.

Well, those questions have been answered. Cardinals general manager Steve Keim made it clear the team won’t cut Johnson, who carries a hefty price tag into 2020.

“Cutting him is not an option,” Keim said.

It’s not a surprising decision from Arizona, considering Johnson has a higher cap hit if cut than if the team carries him on the roster.

Arizona has plenty of cap space heading into 2020, but the team’s leading rusher, Kenyan Drake, is a free agent as well. Paying two running backs over $10 million per year isn’t a recipe for success in today’s NFL.