The Facts: With Rashard Mendenhall due to hit the open market, GM Steve Keim talked up Stepfan Taylor, a 2013 fifth-round draft pick, as a complement to scatback Ellington.

Diehards Line: Keim reiterated his preference for a tandem attack because Ellington isn't built to handle a heavy workload. ... As for Mendenhall, the veteran struggled through knee and toe injuries and was inconsistent while Ellington was a revelation. The Cardinals clearly don't want to expose him too much, but he's clearly more than a third-down back. Although small, (5-9, 199), he's tough and knows how to avoid taking big hits. It will be interesting to see how the workload is divided if Mendenhall moves on.