Cards not ruling out shopping for another back

INDIANAPOLIS • Adrian Peterson, Arizona Cardinal? It’s a crazy notion. Running back would seem to be far down the list of draft needs for the Cardinals, especially after handing Edgerrin James a four-year, $30  million contract last offseason.

But new coach Ken Whisenhunt has talked about the need for another back to step in and lighten James’ load after James piled up 337 carries last season. With the explosion of successful teams with two good halfbacks — think New Orleans with Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush, Chicago with Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson, Indianapolis with Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes — teaming Peterson with James isn’t far-fetched.

Subtly feeding into the idea is Cardinals vice president of football operations Rod Graves, who said his goal of free agency is “take the pressure off feeling we have to address a certain position with our No. 1 pick.”

So if Peterson, the former Oklahoma star, is there when the Cards choose fifth overall, he is a legitimate option, especially if the Cardinals lose Marcel Shipp in free agency.

Besides, James has already totaled 2,919 touches in his NFL career and will be 29 before the season starts. Running backs historically slow around age 30 or 31; having Peterson there would be a good safety net.

The idea doesn’t exactly thrill Peterson, this possibility of going to a team with a current established star at running back.

“If I end up in a system like that and that’s how the offense is ran, then there’s not much I can do about it,” Peterson said Friday.

A lot has to happen for Peterson to come to Arizona. To start, Peterson is expected to be drafted before the Cardinals pick. Besides, Graves said he would be comfortable returning to a running back depth chart of James, Shipp and J.J. Arrington, adding the team will try to re-sign Shipp.

“Not only on the field but with his attitude and work ethic, he’s proven to be a valuable asset,” Graves said.

As for Arrington, so far a disappointment in his NFL career, Graves and Whisenhunt have talked about putting him in position to be “the best he can be.”

Added Graves, “We haven’t seen that from him yet.”

The Cards would also have to pay Peterson some serious cash to be a part-timer. And as ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper points out, even if the Cards wait to pick a running back, “you always get (at least) one doggone good one in the third, fourth, fifth rounds each year.”

New running backs coach Maurice Carthon said he would be fine with the status quo. Shipp has earned Carthon’s respect for the way he has handled himself after the Cards signed both Emmitt Smith and James. Arrington reminds Carthon of former teammate Dave Meggett, a player who can “make a big play to get the offense going or give you some momentum.”

Carthon also has talked to James earlier this offseason.

“I talked to Matt Leinart and he told me he could get Edgerrin here in the offseason,” Carthon said about James’ penchant for skipping voluntary offseason work. “I look forward to seeing Edgerrin in the offseason, get him in the playbook. He is a smart player and he has a lot left.”