Carson Palmer ‘never expected’ what David Johnson has given Cardinals

Carson Palmer was just being honest.

When running back David Johnson joined the Arizona Cardinals in 2015 as a third-round draft pick from Northern Iowa, Palmer didn’t envision him making the impact he has in such a short time.

It didn’t take long for the veteran quarterback to conclude that Johnson was something special

“I never expected he was going to be what he is today,” Palmer told Alex Marvez and Gil Brandt during the SiriusXM NFL Radio training camp tour stop in Arizona.

But it didn’t take long for the veteran quarterback to conclude that Johnson was something special, capable of not only being a highly effective rusher (with 1,820 yards and 24 touchdowns in two seasons) but also a remarkably talented receiver (with 116 receptions for 457 yards and eight scores the past two years).

‘He catches the ball with his hands, which is rare for a running back’

“You saw it right away,” Palmer said. “He catches the ball extremely well. He catches the ball with his hands, which is rare for a running back. The way he runs his routes is like a receiver and he’s got a lot of touches.

“They’re trying to figure out a way to get him more touches, because he’s that explosive and that dynamic.”