This offseason, the Arizona Cardinals selected former Florida State star rusher Trey Benson with the 66th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, further solidifying their running back room. Arizona selected Benson to become the successor to starting rusher James Conner, but with the intent for him to operate in a reserve role as a rookie. However, Benson could become an impactful offensive playmaker as early as Week 1 following the release of a veteran rusher on Tuesday.
With the NFL’s roster cut deadline rapidly approaching, the Cardinals will cut running back Michael Carter. Carter signed a four-year, $3.8 million deal with the New York Jets in 2021. The 25-year-old could become a candidate for the practice squad this season, either with the Cardinals or another NFL team.
Arizona Cardinals Sever Tie with Veteran Rusher
![Arizona Cardinals Announce Stunning Release of Veteran Running Back Ahead of Week 1 - (Breaking) 1 Arizona Cardinals, Kyler Murray](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/USATSI_22260415-scaled.jpg)
On Tuesday, the Arizona Cardinals decided it was best to move forward without running back Michael Carter on the 53-man roster. According to team insider Johnny Venerable:
The Arizona Cardinals have CUT RB Michael Carter Jr.
Brutal
After recording eight carries for 38 yards in nine games with the New York Jets last season, the AFC East squad posted Michael Carter to waivers. The Arizona Cardinals selected Carter off waiver ahead of their road matchup against the Houston Texans, with the North Carolina product appearing in six games. The former fourth-round pick finished his first year with Arizona, posting 22 carries for 149 yards. He played primarily behind star rusher James Conner.
From 2021 to 2022, while a member of the Jets, Carter started 21 games while appearing in 30 contests, recording 1,654 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns. The Cardinals opted not to play Carter in the preseason finale, with the five-foot-eight rusher accumulating nine rushes for 50 yards and a touchdown across two exhibition games this offseason. However, Carter’s strong preseason performance did not lead to a roster spot, with Arizona keeping starter James Conner, rookie Trey Benson, two-year pro Emari Demercado, and fellow veteran DeeJay Dallas. Demercado averaged just 4.1 yards per rush attempt with the Cards last season while rushing ten times for 24 yards this preseason.
![Arizona Cardinals Announce Stunning Release of Veteran Running Back Ahead of Week 1 - (Breaking) 2 1236737489.0](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/1236737489.0.jpg)
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