Kliff Kingsbury Talks David Johnson, Kenyan Drake's Roles in Cardinals Offense

After the 2016 All-Pro didn't log a single carry in the team's Week 11 defeat to the San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury denied David Johnson has been benched in favor of Kenyan Drake. 

Speaking to reporters Monday, Kingsbury said the Cardinals' backfield situation is fluid and that Johnson "is a part of this offense." But the coaching staff will rotate in the running back they believe best suits the given situation.

"Week to week, game plans change," Kingsbury said, per the Arizona Republic's Katherine Fitzgerald. "I thought David had his best week of practice, and the way the game went, like I said after the game, it felt like Drake was the hot hand, and we rode with him."

Kingsbury added: "I wouldn't use the term 'bench.' We're going to play the guy that we feel like gives us the best chance at that time. Game plans change, and roles will change."

Drake carried the ball 16 times for 67 yards against San Francisco. After the game, Kingsbury told reporters he had planned to lean on Drake rather than Johnson based on the Cardinals' previous matchup with the 49ers. Drake had 110 yards and one touchdown on the ground as Arizona lost 28-25 in Week 9.

When Johnson was struggling to meet expectations in 2018, it was easier to question his usage by first-year head coach Steve Wilks, who worked on defense prior to taking the job.

Johnson had 82 rushing yards and six receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown when the Cardinals tied with the Detroit Lions in Week 1, and he appeared to be turning things around. Instead, his season has gone in the opposite direction.

Johnson simply doesn't look like the player who led the NFL in yards from scrimmage in 2016.

Utilizing a diplomatic tact is the right move for Kingsbury because Johnson isn't going anywhere for at least the remainder of the year. His contract will make a separation difficult in the offseason as well.

Were the Cardinals to cut Johnson before June 1, they'd absorb a $16.2 million cap hit and add $2 million to their salary cap, per Over the Cap. Even as a post-June 1 cut, he'd still count for $13.2 million in dead money in 2020 with $1.1 million in cap savings.

Going with the "hot hand" makes sense if it puts the Cardinals in the best position to win, but the strategy also risks possibly alienating Johnson if he continues to be stuck behind Drake in the depth chart.