2020 NFL Draft: Five teams that should target RB D’Andre Swift
By John Newman
Arizona Cardinals
Although the Air-Raid Offense of head coach Kliff Kingsbury does not rely too heavily on a feature back, the Arizona Cardinals could use a serious dual-threat running back like Swift. The Cardinals, like the Chiefs, could always use a strong check down threat like Swift, who can make a big play out of nothing every game.
The Cardinals will potentially lose both Kenyan Drake and D.J. Foster during free agency this offseason. Running back David Johnson said during the 2019 season that he was unhappy with how he was being used in the new Kingsbury offense. The former 2015 third-rounder ran only 94 times this season, the lowest amount in any season of his (excluding his 2017 injury year), along with one of the least productive seasons in his career, according to ESPN.
The Cardinals may have an elite running back on a big contract for next season, but don’t be surprised if they keep their options open in the early rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Johnson’s contract makes it prohibitive to release him and his injury history makes it unlikely the Cardinals could find a trade partner. But if general manager Steve Keim decides Johnson is bad for morale or simply doesn’t want a player speaking badly about his usage to the media, the Cardinals could decide to move on from the once elite running back.
The Air-Raid offense Kingsbury is trying to install in the desert requires big-time playmakers and unorthodox offensive schemes to gain yards on offense. A running back who can double as a wide receiver could be useful for a team in such a predicament.
The Cardinals have some serious work to do in the draft, overhauling their offensive line, along with replacing the (potentially) retiring Larry Fitzgerald. But if Keim and Kingsbury decide they’d rather have a couple of big playmakers instead of one hall of famer, Swift would make an excellent match with Kyler Murray in the backfield.
While it would make sense for the Cardinals to work on other sections of the team in the early rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft, don’t be surprised if the Cardinals make sure to keep a close eye on Swift during the Combine this year.