Though it's possible for David Johnson to increase his average from 23.3 touches per game to 30, it could come at a price.
Three running backs who averaged more than 28 touches per game were injured the following season. Four were injured in the year after that -- including Larry Johnson and Edgerrin James.
Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer believes in trying to get Johnson 30 touches a game, but he's also a realist.
"I think getting him 30 touches is the plan until he's sore or he loses a little bit of flexibility or whatever it may be as things pop up during the season," Palmer said. "Ideally that's great. I think that's the plan. If something changes, like it can in this game, and you have a hamstring or shoulder or the thing that comes up, the plan changes, but it's a great plan to start with."
James Wilder was the last RB to average over 30 touches per game with 30.8, the story said. Cards HC Bruce Arians said there is a difference between Johnson accomplishing the feat vs. Wilder from back in 1984 - Johnson won't run the ball 30 times. Arians was quoted as saying there's a big difference between "catching 10 passes than running the ball 30 times." Arians added that getting the ball in Johnson's hands and creating space makes a big difference, too, when it comes to wear and tear on the body.
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