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Beanie Wells, Ryan Williams vie for Cardinals' RB job

Training camp is here. They allow tackling there and everything. Around the League will count down the top 30 position battles to watch throughout the preseason.

No. 10. Cardinals RB: Beanie Wells vs. Ryan Williams

This battle wasn't on my original list. Wells is coming of a career-best season and Williams hasn't taken an NFL snap. And then I saw that Wells was placed on the active/PUP list to start training camp. Williams, coming off a torn patella tendon, is healthy enough to start camp on time.

Wells originally said he had "just a scope" on his knee. That was six months ago. Eventually, he conceded the procedure was a little more complicated. Ken Whisenhunt tried to push Wells along in his recovery.

"(Wells) has got to bust his tail the next few weeks to be ready for training camp because some guys have looked good there," Whisenhunt said in June.

That was Whiz's not-so-subtle message to a talented player he worries about. Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic wrote that there is a perception inside the Cardinals building that Wells needs to be prodded, while Williams may need to be restrained from working too hard.

At this time a year ago, many Cardinals observers believed Williams would pass Wells on the depth chart. The Cardinals took Williams high in the second round for a reason. They were getting tired of Wells. Even after a breakthrough year, Wells can't ease up.

This is a good problem for the Cardinals to have. They should be careful not to rely on Williams too much coming off such serious injury.

Projected winner: Wells should still be ready for the season as the Cardinals starter, while Williams cuts into his carries as a promising backup.

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