The Arizona Cardinals report to training camp on July 22 and begin the process of preparing for the regular season, forming the roster and determining starting jobs and roles on the team.

Leading up to the start of camp, we will take a look at every player on the offseason roster, their background, their contract, their play in 2024, questions they face and their roster outlook.

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This focuses on running back Michael Carter.

Michael Carter background, 2024 season

Carter enters his third year but second full season with the Cardinals. Originally a fourth-round pick in 2021 by the New York Jets, he was waived in November 2023 and the Cardinals claimed him. Finishing the 2023 season, he was the Cardinals’ backup running back to James Conner and 149 yards on 6.8 yards per carry.

However, last season, after the Cardinals drafted Trey Benson in the third round, Carter didn’t earn a spot on the roster out of training camp. Benson was the main backup running back. Carter wasn’t as good as Emari Demercado to be the third-down back and isn’t the special teams player that DeeJay Dallas is.

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He spent the year on the practice squad until late in the season when injuries hit and he was signed to the active roster. He rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown on 3.7 yards per carry and caught 11 passes for 57 yards.

Michael Carter 2025 contract details, cap hit

Carter is scheduled to make $1.17 million against the salary cap and will count $1.27 million against the cap.

Questions he faces, roster outlook

Carter finds himself in basically the same situation as last offseason.

Can he prove he is valuable as a third-down back or on special teams? To make the team, he will need to beat Benson, be better than Demercado to be the third-down back or be able to supplant Dallas on special teams.

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As things stand, he likely will be in the same situation as a season ago, he will be on the outside looking in.

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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Cardinals 2025 training camp roster preview: RB Michael Carter