MINNEAPOLIS — The chilly will not hassle Arizona Cardinals operating again James Conner this weekend.
Hours earlier than he and the Cardinals boarded a aircraft to Minnesota for Sunday’s recreation towards the Vikings, Conner signed a two-year extension that can hold him in Arizona by way of the 2026 season, the group introduced.
A supply instructed ESPN’s Adam Schefter the deal is price $19 million.
Conner, whose base wage was $4.235 million in 2024, was set to be a free agent after the season. His $9.5 million common annual wage will make him the seventh-highest-paid operating again by annual worth.
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Already at 705 dashing yards, the 29-year-old Conner is on tempo for his second straight 1,000-yard season, which might be the one two of his eight-year profession. He has 4 100-yard video games this season and 5 dashing touchdowns.
Conner has been a key a part of Arizona’s offense since he arrived in 2021, however he has taken one other step beneath offensive coordinator Drew Petzing.
“I’ve full belief in James,” coach Jonathan Gannon mentioned earlier this season. “I do know Drew does, the offensive workers does and the offense does. He is an asset that we’ve got that not lots of people have.
“He does quite a bit for us not simply on the taking part in facet [but] the psychological, the management facet and the lead-by-example facet. This man’s in there earlier than anybody’s in there engaged on his legs in the present day. That is who he’s as an individual at his core. He simply retains the primary factor the primary factor, and he goes about his enterprise, and he works, man. It is comforting.”
The Cardinals are 5-1 in video games when Conner has hit 100 yards from scrimmage this season however 1-4 when he hasn’t.
Conner has supplemented his 705 dashing yards with 288 receiving yards. If he hits 1,000 yards from scrimmage, he would be the first participant in Cardinals historical past to hit that mark in every of his first 4 seasons with the group.
Since Conner signed with Arizona in 2021, solely 5 gamers have scored extra touchdowns than Conner’s 40 over that span.
Gannon mentioned within the offseason that if there was one participant his oldest little one ought to observe and watch, Conner can be among the many finest choices. Gannon has lauded Conner’s work ethic on and off the sphere, stating a number of instances how nicely he takes care of his physique all through the season.
And Conner’s influence goes past the teaching workers.
“You may’t put a price ticket on what JC means,” quarterback Kyler Murray mentioned. “Now, I may go on and on about him, however nice dude, nice teammate, nice chief, nice participant.
“I do not suppose he will get the credit score that he deserves, however the guys in that room, they perceive what he’s.”
