Which Cardinals running back is the most likely to be traded in 2026?

Who’s on the trading block Benson or Conner?

The answer seems quite obvious, Conner is in his 30s and is coming off a horrific season-ending injury last year. Ossenfort could look to get his contract off the books and take back minimal value because of the injury history and age. Despite those facts, the front office reconstructing his deal earlier in the offseason shows that they still see value in Conner.

He recorded four straight years of seven-plus rushing touchdowns, including 15 in 2021. Conner’s 1000+ rushing season in 2023 and 2024 hints that the tank isn’t completely empty. Last season was the outlier, and despite underperforming in the first two weeks before his injury, Conner provides plenty of value for the roster. He is a locker room guy and carries knowledge that could be bestowed onto the younger running backs, like Love, to help their development.

That sadly means that Benson is the most likely candidate. Despite being just 23 years old, the former third-round pick might’ve run out of time to prove himself. In his first two seasons, Benson ran for only 451 rushing yards on 92 carries. The 4.9 yards per attempt would place him near the top of league. Benson still has value, add in his age and two years left on his contract, and a team would be willingly to pay a much higher price than Conner.

The Cardinals likely don’t get an equal return on their investment on the third-rounder, but a fourth or fifth-round pick wouldn’t be out of the question for a player of Benson’s caliber. The franchise will likely wait till June 1st to trade Benson to better absorb the dead money that will come in any potential trade.