AP

A year ago, running back Chris Johnson selected the Cardinals because he thought he’d get a chance to re-establish himself as a complement to/replacement for Andre Ellington. Chris Johnson has now returned to the Cardinals for entirely different reasons.

Even though the Cardinals are poised to make 2015 third-rounder David Johnson the workhorse back, Chris Johnson wanted to return to Arizona primarily because of the team’s status as a potential title contender — and because of head coach Bruce Arians.

As a source with knowledge of the situation explained it to PFT, whatever Arians is selling, Chris Johnson is buying. The eight-year veteran also is looking for stability after playing for three teams in thee seasons.

So instead of joining his fourth NFL team in the hopes of becoming the guy once again, Johnson is happily accepting a backup role in search of something more than the ability to run the ball more than 1,000 times.

He could have waited for an injury or some other opportunity. He didn’t want to wait. He wanted to return to the Cardinals quickly, and that’s the kind of attitude that could help the team get over the top in 2016.