DECEMBER 5: Details of Conner’s contract have emerged via OverTheCap. The deal includes $10.39MM in total guarantees, including $8.25MM of fully-guaranteed money. Conner’s $6.75MM signing bonus and his $1.5MM guaranteed salary in 2025 are both fully guaranteed, with an additional $2.14MM of 2025 salary that becomes fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the league year.
The contract also includes $100k in workout bonuses and $510k in per-game roster bonuses in both 2025 and 2026, as well as a $1MM roster bonus due on the fifth day of the 2026 league year. Connor’s 2024 salary cap number rose to $11.24MM to account for the $2.25MM prorated portion of his new signing bonus. His cap hit will be $6.5MM in 2025 and $10.25MM in 2026.
Overall, the deal rewards Conner for his success this season with solid guarantees while the structure minimizes risk for the Cardinals if his effectiveness dips next year. Conner can be released after the 2025 season with just $2.25MM in dead money while saving $8MM against the cap.
NOVEMBER 30: James Conner is sticking in Arizona. The impending free agent running back has signed a two-year extension with the Cardinals, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The deal is worth $19MM. The extension will keep Conner in Glendale through the 2026 campaign.
The 2025 campaign will represent Conner’s age-30 season, a milestone that teams have generally been wary of investing in. While the RB missed time in each of his first three seasons with the organization, he’s still topped 1,000 yards from scrimmage each year. He’s collected 35 touchdowns over that span, including an 18-score campaign during his debut in Arizona.
Conner has avoided the injury bug for the first chunk of the 2024 campaign, and he’s continued to produce. In 11 games, the 29-year-old has collected 993 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns. As Schefter notes, the Cardinals are 5-1 when Conner reaches 100 scrimmage yards…and 1-4 when he doesn’t. The team continues to be especially reliant on their RB1, and he should continue to be a focal point over the next few seasons.
The former third-round pick started his career as Le’Veon Bell‘s backup in Pittsburgh. When the starter sat out the 2018 campaign due to a contract dispute with the Steelers, Conner literally and figuratively ran with the job. Conner finished his sophomore campaign with 1,470 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns. Thanks in part to injuries and a drop in efficiency, Conner’ was barely able to match his 2018 numbers to his 2019 and 2020 outputs; between those two campaigns, the RB collected 1,651 scrimmage yards and 13 scores.
The Cardinals were somewhat taking a chance on Conner during the 2021 offseason, signing the RB to a one-year deal. His 18-touchdown performance earned him a new three-year pact with the organization, so today’s extension represents his third contract with the Cardinals.
The front office could have been preparing for a post-Conner backfield when they selected running back Trey Benson in the third round of this year’s draft. The Florida State product will move forward as high-end insurance behind the oft-injured starter.
Nikhil Mehta contributed to this article.
Great move by AZ, Conner was going to be one of the few free agent RB’s this cycle. Nice move locking up the run game.
Most underrated back in the league.
Not sure he holds that title but he’s consistent, a hard working unselfish team player and a guy that won’t be getting arrested for doing something idiotic. Those types of players are getting harder to find in the NFL now.
Especially after his health challenges while at Pitt (overcoming Hodgkin’s lymphoma). Representing Erie, PA with heart and a lot of class.
I’d be curious to hear who you think is the most underrated back? Conner has been so consistent since getting to AZ. He came on a one year deal. A late signing at that. No other team was willing to give him a chance. Dude can run, catch and block. He’s a 3 down back.
I agree Conner is a very good RB but my definition of underrated would be a guy who is not getting the opportunity to be a starter, a guy deserving of a larger work load than he is currently getting. I’ll let you decide who that might be.
I like your take on underrated backs. I guess to me Conner is one of the most underrated starters. I feel could start for many teams. Your take on the other hand is a solid take and that would have to get me thinking a bit. I like the kid out in TB Bucky. Not sure if I’d say he’s the most underrated. I felt Zeus was last year but he proved me wrong this year. Terrible year.
He will he 30 in May?
Is this a guy you extend?
He’s younger than Henry and we see what kinda year he’s having. I feel Conner has gotten better as he’s aged. He’s fun to watch.
Henry is a hall of fame player – not sure thats the milestone I would compare to. He is the exception.
Not comparing him to Henry. Just saying some backs get by the older they get. Ameer Abdullah still playing and cranking out plays at his age (31). Had a great return In yesterday’s game. Some backs can play well past 30. I think Conner is one of them.
Eh, it’s only for two more seasons. He’s a solid all-around back. Also only has about 1,300 carries under his belt.
Dude has been awesome, and that Arizona running offense is a great place to be. Funny how he’s been so much better than the first round back drafted to replace him in Pittsburgh (which yes, has to do with scheme).
Scheme is a bogus excuse for a RB in my opinion. If you have the talent you should be able to utilize the blocking the OL is providing. It’s not rocket science.
You’re partially correct, but scheme has a huge effect on the effectiveness of blocking, for one thing. Barkley’s talent hasn’t changed, but he’s vastly better in a better scheme with more talent. Predictability of play calling and lack of misdirection also have a huge impact. As a Jets fan, I can tell you Hall is often put in positions to fail.
I think it goes without saying that if the OL is terrible at run blocking a RB is going to struggle no matter what scheme the OC dreams up.
But different schemes can accomplish more or less with the same talent. Arizona doesn’t exactly have top tier offensive line talent, but the scheme maximizes it.
You made my point. Unless you’re an AZ fan you can’t name 2 OL on the team. People know Paris Johnson Jr because of his draft last year. I believe both starting guards were un-drafted.
He’s performed well even for that price that’s good business on both ends imo
Yup. Its both a reasonable risk and a justifiable reward.
Much respect for Connor from Pittsburgh. He’s been healthier and a better fit as a Cardinal than he was as a Steeler, and it’s all effort all the time with him.
He played a half game as a defensive end at Pitt before he went pro because injuries thinned out depth. Truly does give everything he has to the game and his team. I’ll always root for him.
That’s cool as hell.
Cardinals learned from the Giants’ not paying a QB “to handoff to a RB” lol
Now the Giants don’t have said QB or RB…worked out well lol
I can’t tell what’s more surprising: that Conner is only 3 years younger than Bell, or that the former has a higher career YPC than the latter
Aging like a fine wine…