Edgerrin James’ Career Over Quite Soon

Let me preface this piece by saying that my only source for this information is myself. This is pure conjecture, but based upon things we've seen this season. Still, I don't believe Edgerrin James career will continue past this season.

He lost his job yesterday to Tim Hightower, a rookie from Richmond. Hightower proceeded to put together a vintage Edge game ... as long as you are going back to 2005 for Edge. J.J. Arrington played backup and piled up over 100 total yards. Considering how easily the Cards disposed of the Rams, I don't see any reason Edge is even needed on the active roster anymore, and he said this change has been a long time coming.

Moving forward, I just don't see Edge finding a new job. The Cardinals won't have a single reason to retain him heading into next year. This season, there were a bunch of different injuries and weird backfield situations which enabled Shaun Alexander and Cedric Benson to eventually find jobs. It took a while, though. Next year, the job market for running backs will be just as crowded, and the tread on Edge's tires is much more significant than that of Benson, for example.

The myriad of young running backs who are capable of carrying the load, with an infusion of talent from college coming again in 2009, will render Edge a very unpopular commodity in the off-season. I do not see him being on an active roster come opening day. Sure, there's the slight chance he may get added to an injury-riddled backfield by mid-season, but he'll never be relevant again. You can take that to the bank. He's done. The speed has seriously dwindled, he rarely catches passes out of the backfield which he used to do with regularity, and he doesn't see the end-zone very often at all. He can still block and hold onto the football, but those skills can be learned.

It doesn't seem long ago that he was a studly rookie in Indy, ably replacing Marshall Faulk in what was becoming a high-octane Colts offense. Now, he's nothing more than an afterthought on his last legs. This is the life of an NFL running back. Chewed up and spit out in a decade.

Edgerrin James' Career Over Quite Soon originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.