Sep 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Medical personal tend to Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (6) during the second half against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Season-Ending James Conner Injury May Lead To Cardinals-Saints Trade

Originally posted on New Orleans Saints on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Sep 23, 2025 3:06 PM ET

The Arizona Cardinals were riding high coming into Week 3, but a crushing injury to starting running back James Conner will slow the momentum down a bit. Conner suffered a season-ending ankle injury as the Cardinals lost to the San Francisco 49ers.

Timothy Rapp of Bleacher Report recently dove a little deeper into the injury and its impact on the Cardinals' season.

"Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner will reportedly miss the rest of the season after suffering an ankle injury during Sunday's 16-15 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter," Rapp wrote. "Conner had to be carted off the field after suffering the injury.

"Given how serious Conner's injury looked, it's possible he's facing a lengthy stint on the sideline. That should leave Benson in line to receive the majority of the snaps and touches out of Arizona's backfield. He rushed for 291 yards and a touchdown in 13 games during his rookie season last year. As for the Cardinals, the team came into Week 2 undefeated and looking to build on high expectations for the 2025 season. Losing Conner for the rest of the season will somewhat damper those hopes."

With Conner out for the year, the Cardinals could begin looking for potential trade targets to replace him.

Alvin Kamara might be perfect trade candidate for Cardinals

One option for the Cardinals to look into is veteran New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara.

Kamara's prime is seemingly over, and he doesn't provide much to the Saints team as it's currently constructed. The Saints aren't going to contend for a Super Bowl anytime soon. They're hardly competitive in regular season games.

New Orleans will likely look to sell in the coming weeks, and the veteran running back is likely going to be one of the first players thrown on the trade block.

The Cardinals could offer a pick swap or a fifth-round pick to make a deal for Kamara work. He would provide a solid veteran alongside Trey Benson moving forward, which should keep Arizona's hopes alive in the NFC.

For the Saints, it might be tough to cut ties with a player who's meant so much to the team, but that's the business aspect of the game.

More NFL: Crushing Nick Bosa Injury May Lead To Huge 49ers-Saints Trade

This article first appeared on New Orleans Saints on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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