The Arizona Cardinals may look at Jermaine Gresham or Zach Miller as free agent options with John Carlson retiring at tight end and this comes as Bruce Arians added David Johnson at running back in the NFL draft and there is a good chance he could start alongside Andre Ellington and after the team took JJ Nelson to give Larry Fitzgerald depth at wide receiver.
The Cardinals came into the offseason with a major need at running back, as they ranked near the bottom in rushing yards per game last season. Ellington was banged up for part of last year and the team was reportedly targeting Melvin Gordon as an option in the first round. Gordon was off the board by the time the team had a selection and Arians later added Johnson in the third round. Johnson was one of the most productive backs in college football last season and he could challenge Ellington to start.
According to Pro Football Talk, Carlson is set to retire after playing 12 games for the Cardinals last season, leaving a void at tight end in Arizona. The Cardinals may look at free agents on the market heading into offseason workouts, with players like Jermaine Gresham and Zach Miller as options according to Charles Robinson at Yahoo Sports. Gresham is coming off of back surgery, but he is expected to be ready by training camp. Carlson has 210 career receptions and he previously played with the Vikings and Seahawks.
The team has Troy Niklas as well as Darren Fells on the roster and now they could look at Gresham. Gresham has been a solid tight end during his career with the Bengals and he comes in after making 62 catches for 460 yards and five touchdowns last season. The back surgery is the first major injury issue in his career and his best season came in 2012 when he had 64 catches for 737 yards and five scores. Miller is another option and he comes in after playing in just three games with the Seahawks last season.
Johnson rushed for 1553 yards last season and he also added 38 catches for 536 yards and as a third round pick he is going to get a real look from Arians. Johnson has rushed for at least 1000 yards in three straight season and he scored nearly 50 touchdowns on the ground during his four year career with Northern Iowa. Arians could use Johnson as a dual threat and he provides a good option if Ellington's foot trouble continues.
Nelson should also get the chance to contribute, as the team has Larry Fitzgerald, John Brown and Michael Floyd at the top of a solid receiving corps. Arians likes to pass a lot and with four receiver sets being used, Nelson has the chance to stretch the field. The team took Gerald Christian in the seventh round of the draft and while he is a tight end and can help replace Carlson, the Cardinals will need more than that. The Cardinals are hoping that Carson Palmer can stay healthy for the season after he went down in the middle of the year in 2014.