TEMPE — Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson didn’t hold back on Monday. In the first NFL preseason game of his career, the running back was rather reserved.
But one week, two training sessions together and nine games against the Indianapolis Colts later, things are going better for Benson.
With an improvement of 43 yards on those nine attempts, Benson seemed much more comfortable in the NFL backfield.
An early 19-yard run – which could have been much more – played a big role, as did a 20-yard gain deep in Colts territory that was nullified due to a holding call.
“After the first one, I thought, ‘OK, I can compete with the big guys,'” Benson said Monday. “It was pretty cool to do those runs, but I have to finish them and show how fast I am.”
“Every time we practice, it gets slower and slower for me every day,” the freshman added. “The guys in the running back room continue to get behind me and motivate me every day. Without those guys, I would probably have a tough time. But the guys in that room are an elite group.”
Getting more and more repetitions is of great importance for Benson’s further development before the regular season.
They will also likely play a big role in how the pecking order within the running back team develops behind starter James Conner.
Trey Benson’s additional work with Marvin Harrison Jr.
Playing time and input in the RB room were not the only influences that affected Benson’s continued growth at the NFL level
The time Benson spent with fellow rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. also made an impression on the running back, especially in terms of punctuality.
The extra work Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson has put in alongside WR Marvin Harrison Jr. is paying off (even if the RB was a little late at times):
“Marv is a good guy. He takes me to a level I never thought I would be at.” pic.twitter.com/0ASJTV7zd2
— Cardinals Corner (@AZCardsCorner) 19 August 2024
“When I first got here with him, he was all about work. I’m all about work, too, so I was like, ‘I’m going to spend some more time with him,'” Benson said. When minicamp was over, we worked overtime and drove to LA. We even worked overtime here. We always got up at 7 a.m. — sometimes I’d be a little late (7:15 a.m.) and he’d get on my nerves. … He’s pushing me to a level I never thought I’d have.”
“He’s a different guy. He takes care of his business,” the running back added. “And that’s how I want to be. You have to be around guys who take care of their business because you adapt and then take care of your business.”
