Cardinals RB James Conner Addresses Contract Talk

Arizona Cardinals RB James Conner offered this to say entering the final year of his deal.

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (6) during organized team activities at the Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center on May 28, 2024. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY

ARIZONA -- Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner is entering the final year of his contract with the organization.

Conner - one of the leaders of the team - could easily have sat out voluntary OTA's and carried his absence into the deeper depths of summer as his future in the desert is unknown beyond 2024.

That's not him, or how he does business.

It's easy to spot Conner's impact on the field. He's coming off his first 1,000-yard season as a running back and was very much the motor of Arizona's offense when available.

Off the field and in the locker room, Conner has emerged as a team leader. The role is nothing new for the Pitt product, but entering the final year of his contract, he's setting an example to everyone else on the roster.

"It's a great responsibility. It's an honor and a privilege to be in a leadership role here. It's just who I am. I just want to turn things around out here," Conner told reporters.

"We got a great football team, we're coached really well, so we want to have that reflect on our record, and our play this season, so I just feel like I got to speak up."

Conner is nearing 30 and Arizona just drafted Trey Benson, the second running back off the board in the 2024 NFL Draft. Conner told reporters he'd love to stay in Arizona, but he also understands the business aspect of the NFL:

"It'd be awesome to finish my career here, but no, nothing changes. If anything, it's time to turn it up even more going into my last year of the deal. Thankful I got the chance to see the last year of it, so I'll go into it, give everything I got this year and see what happens next year. Hopefully [I will] stay but I understand the business."

- James Conner

The Cardinals will again lean on their rushing attack to keep the chains moving. Conner - even with Benson in the mix - will again be utilized early and often as Arizona looks to improve from their 4-13 record last season.

Conner looks to improve, too.

"That's the floor. I want that to be the lowest I've rushed for in my career going forward. Definitely got a lot of work to put in. But that's the floor, not the ceiling," said Conner on improving from last season.

If he's able to take another step, his future paycheck (whether here or elsewhere) will reap those rewards.