Very rarely do NFL teams use a running back as an every-down back any more. More often than not, an NFL team will use a committee of running backs rotating them in the backfield to keep them fresh and prevent them from being worn down.
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Some running backs come along and prove they can shoulder the load and be that featured back, and the Arizona Cardinals think they might have on of those in second-year player Andre Ellington.
“He can do it all,” running-backs coach Stump Mitchell said, via AZ Central. “He’s a great route runner. He’s excellent in terms of vision and the ability to catch and the ability to cut. He’s very serviceable as a pass blocker. He can stay in and be an every-down back, which a lot of teams don’t do nowadays.”
Ellington had a big rookie season, running for 5.5 yards per carry. Part of what makes Ellington appealing as an ‘every-down back’ is his versatility. He can take a hand off, but his explosiveness makes him a threat if he gets involved in the passing game as well.
“Dre can kind of do it all,” quarterback Carson Palmer said. “He can get down there on the goal line. He can find a crease to hit. He can be great on third down. He’s great in the screen game.”