Marion

Grice

The undrafted rookie from Buffalo surprisingly ran ahead of sixth-round pick Marion Grice. After this performance, he’ll stay there. The 5'8/203 Sprolesian back was electric as he tore through the Cowboys’ Swiss Cheese defense. Of course, regular season snaps will be almost impossible to come by with Ryan Mathews, Danny Woodhead and Donald Brown on top of the depth chart. Grice finds himself on the roster bubble.

Grice was thoroughly outplayed by undrafted rookie Branden Oliver (7-64-1), which has also been happening in camp. It’s why Oliver was the fourth back through the rotation Thursday night and Grice was fifth. Draftniks won’t be surprised. Grice’s Combine numbers were lackluster and his lack of lateral agility was glaring. He’s been pushed onto the roster bubble by Oliver.

Passed on the depth chart by UDFA Branden Oliver, Grice slogged to 35 yards on 14 carries in San Diego’s preseason opener. We were unimpressed by Grice’s tape at Arizona State, and his Combine measurables underwhelmed as well.

Grice drew some loose comparisons to a poor man’s DeMarco Murray, as an upright runner who doesn’t do well to avoid contact. He’d going to have a tough time finding the field on offense as the No. 4 back should he make the Bolts.

Grice (6-foot, 208) spent two seasons with the Sun Devils after transferring from JUCO, rushing for 1,675 yards and 25 scores on 294 carries (5.70 YPC). Grice’s calling card is versatility, as he tallied 91 receptions in 2012-2013. Lacking ideal burst, Grice ran forty times of 4.68 and 4.69 at ASU’s Pro Day with a 32-inch vertical and 9-foot-7 broad jump. Grice is a linear, upright runner short on lateral agility whose game tape resembles a poor man’s DeMarco Murray. He has a chance to become a solid No. 2 or 3 NFL back who probably wouldn’t embarrass himself as a short-term starter. It’s just not a great landing spot for Grice behind Ryan Mathews, Danny Woodhead, and Donald Brown.

Grice was given ample opportunity to carve out a role in Arizona’s thin 2014 backfield, but failed to do so. The 2014 sixth rounder will search for practice squad work.

Ellington missed almost a week with the injury, but he returned to practice on Monday and is nearing 100 percent. Rookie David Johnson (hamstring) and second-year back Marion Grice (hamstring) are not expected to play.

Grice suffered a shoulder injury in late August, but was already expendable following the Cardinals’ offseason additions of David and Chris Johnson. Grice will probably be released with an injury settlement later on.

Arizona also cut RB Robert Hughes. Both players were re-signed in January after spending time on the practice squad in 2015. Grice has recorded 70 yards and one touchdown on 22 touches since entering the league as a sixth-round pick in 2014.

With the return of Stepfan Taylor (calf), Grice returned to No. 3 on the depth chart. That’s where he’ll remain going forward.