Cardinals Made Telling Decision on Bam Knight’s Roster Chances

ARIZONA — One of the Arizona Cardinals' more intriguing roster battles may have been solved over the weekend by a ball-carrier who didn't even play.

As the Cardinals work their way into final roster cuts, the organization has a few difficult conversations approaching. Spots such as running back, receiver, defensive line and cornerback carry the most weight in those conversations.

There's still one preseason game to be played, though Bam Knight's absence against the Dallas Cowboys over the weekend was more than telling. In a game where the Cardinals essentially sat their starters, Arizona opted not to dress Knight — who is battling for RB4 duties.

"‘Bam’ (has) played in this league quite a long time. I mean I had him in New York. It's like I've told you guys with (running) backs—it's hard to evaluate in practice. Well ‘Bam’ – it's not hard to evaluate ‘Bam.’ I think you guys saw that in the first game when we were in Canton, and even last year knowing his running style," Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur said after the game.

"(We) just wanted to make sure that we were taking care of him at this point and kind of where we're at in the running back room.”

The Cardinals have established names in Jeremiyah Love, Tyler Allgeier and James Conner already in the mix. Some would believe that's enough for Arizona, though the probability of carrying a fourth running back lurks.

Knight was set to battle with Trey Benson this preseason, though Benson has largely been unavailable for 11 v 11 drills due to his knee injury. That's set the table for Knight to impress, and that's exactly what he's done thus far.

"The depth in that room is amazing," Cardinals offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett said of Arizona's running backs during camp.

"I mean, some veteran guys that I have so much respect for, a young guy that's still a rookie, and even my experience with Bam in the past, everybody's been doing such a good job."

What could really push Knight's chances of making the roster over the top would be his ability to contribute to special teams, especially after ace player Joey Blount was lost for the season due to injury.

Knight likely won't get many opportunities to prove himself offensively — not with a deep room – though wearing multiple hats is the best way to ensure you're capable of making the final roster.

Nothing is set in stone, but it's tough not to feel strong about Arizona's running back room.