Trey Benson: Everything you need to know

Benson (knee) faces even more added competition in the Arizona backfield after the Cardinals used the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 Draft on Jeremiyah Love on Thursday, Darren Urban of the team's official site reports. Along with Love, who projects to vault right to the top of the depth chart at running back, the Cardinals also signed Tyler Allgeier and restructured James Conner's contract over the offseason. Benson has never played a single regular-season snap on special teams in his career but may have to learn if he's going to stick in Arizona. The more likely outcome may be that Benson is traded to a team in need of backfield depth before Week 1. The 2024 third-round pick has a career 92-451-1 rushing line, good for a strong 4.9 yards per carry.

Benson (knee) faces increased competition for touches in 2026 after the Cardinals signed Tyler Allgeier and restructured James Conner's contract, Darren Urban of the team's official site reports. Benson could potentially be the odd man out of a big-bodied 1-2 punch featuring Allgeier and Conner, as Donnie Druin of SI.com reports, though Benson's big-play potential could make him effective in a change-of-pace role. The 2024 third-round pick had a big opportunity last year following Conner's season-ending foot injury, but Benson then suffered a meniscus injury in Week 4, ultimately missing the rest of the season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery at the beginning of October. While the exact split of Arizona's 2026 backfield remains to be seen, Allgeier and Conner have established themselves as more consistent rushers than Benson, who will need to prove his health and then compete for a roster spot under new head coach Mike LaFleur.

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said Wednesday that Benson (knee) will not be activated from IR, ruling him out for the remainder of the 2025 season, Darren Urban of the team's official site reports. Benson had his 21-day practice window opened late November, and he initially managed limited on-field activity before being downgraded to consistent non-participant status. Instead, Bam Knight, Emari Demercado (ankle) and Michael Carter will handle Arizona's backfield reps for the remainder of the 2025 campaign. Carter, a 2024 third-round pick, had initially seemed primed for a substantial opportunity after starting running back James Conner (foot) went down to season-ending injury Week 3. Ultimately, however, durability concerns on Benson's part now make his expected role murky for the 2026 season, which will be the last year of Conner's contract with the Cardinals.