Rashard Mendenhall (knee tendinitis) returned to practice Tuesday.

It's unclear if he'll be ready for Friday's preseason opener. Mendenhall will almost certainly miss further practice time before camp is through, but it's not a particularly big concern. Ryan Williams' (knee) status is far more worrisome. The Cards are going to have an extremely tough time moving the ball on the ground this season.

Rashard Mendenhall is battling tendinitis in his surgically-repaired knee and is going to need a "couple days off."

Mendenhall won't participate in Saturday night's "Red and White" scrimmage, but he is tentatively expected to return to practice Monday. These kinds of things can linger, so it wouldn't shock us if Mendenhall missed more than the next two days. The Cardinals kick off their preseason schedule next Friday night, and Ryan Williams (knee) is already questionable for the exhibition affair.

Coach Bruce Arians said there's "no doubt" Rashard Mendenhall is the Cardinals' No. 1 running back.

During OTAs and minicamp, Mendenhall ran as the clear feature back. Arians appears to have zero interest in giving Ryan Williams, Stepfan Taylor or Andre Ellington a legit chance to compete. "He took me personally to a Super Bowl, and I know what he can bring to the table as a runner and a pass protector and also a receiver," Arians said of his former first-round pick in Pittsburgh. "He's an every-down player. And I think he's looking forward to having an outstanding season."

Rashard Mendenhall has "clearly" been the No. 1 running back at Cardinals OTAs and minicamp.

Darren Urban of the Cardinals' website anticipates Rashard Mendenhall starting at tailback in Arizona this year.

Coach Bruce Arians has referred to Mendenhall as a "legitimate big-time threat every time he touches the ball," and he'll enter camp ahead of Ryan Williams on the depth chart. We certainly wouldn't rule Williams out of the competition, but Mendenhall is a safer bet. Both backs could have fantasy value in 2013.

One NFL front office man told the National Football Post that Rashard Mendenhall is "physically superior than any running back available in the draft."

The NFP's Dan Pompei suggests Arizona may have gotten "a steal" in Mendenhall, who will play 2013 on a one-year, $2.5 million deal. Mendenhall is still only 26 years old and ran a 4.45 forty coming out of Illinois at a rocked-up 5-foot-10, 225. Reunited with former Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, Mendenhall is a sleeper for solid RB2 value in fantasy leagues this season.

Cardinals coach Bruce Arians believes Rashard Mendenhall is a "legitimate big-time threat every time he touches the ball."

Arians knows Mendenhall well from their time together in Pittsburgh. "He's a big back who never has to come out of the game," Arians said. "He has a 230-pound body with 180-pound feet." Arians has lavished praise on both Mendenhall and Ryan Williams this offseason, but Mendenhall's history with his former coordinator is going to give him a big leg up in camp. Arians favors a feature-back approach, so the No. 2 runner isn't going to be in line for a lot of snaps.

Steelers GM Kevin Colbert believes Rashard Mendenhall was never at 100 percent in 2012.

Mendenhall is no Adrian Peterson. He tried to return to action nine months after his ACL tear, but lacked burst and lateral quickness. He averaged just 3.56 yards per carry, had some trouble with his Achilles' tendon and got benched. If Mendenhall is going to win the feature-back job in Bruce Arians' scheme, he's going to need to prove his health.

Coach Bruce Arians referred to newly signed Rashard Mendenhall as a three-down back Wednesday.

"As a running back he's the total package," Arians said. "He's a big, strong, every-down back with speed who can pass block and also catch the ball." Arians knows Mendenhall well from their time together in Pittsburgh. He's also on the record saying he prefers to ride one running back. Mendy will have to beat out Ryan Williams to earn the job, but he might have an early leg up thanks to his history with the coach.

Cardinals agreed to terms with RB Rashard Mendenhall, formerly of the Steelers, on a one-year contract.

The addition throws a wrench into Ryan Williams' 2013 fantasy football outlook, though the two young backs will likely wage a camp battle. Cardinals coach Bruce Arians believes in true feature backs as opposed to committees, evidenced by his Mendenhall usage in Pittsburgh and Vick Ballard in Indy last year. Mendenhall is only 26 years old, and will be a full season removed from his ACL tear in 2013. Once compared to Edgerrin James by Arians, Mendenhall will probably shape up as a middle-round fantasy pick behind a weak Arizona offensive line.

Free agent Rashard Mendenhall is "en route" to visit the Cardinals.

It throws cold water on the notion that he's about to sign with Denver, as players often never leave visits. The Cardinals also have a major need at running back, and new coach Bruce Arians knows Mendenhall well. Mendy could easily make the desert his new home.

Profootballtalk.com reports the Broncos are likely to sign free agent Rashard Mendenhall.

The Cardinals and Dolphins are also interested. Mendenhall's market has been surprisingly strong coming off a down year after tearing his ACL in 2011. Mendenhall averaged 3.6 YPC on 51 totes last season. If Denver lands him, it likely means Willis McGahee will be released.

In addition to the Broncos and Dolphins, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports the Cardinals are interested in free agent Rashard Mendenhall.

We connected the Arizona-Mendenhall dots before based on his history with new Cardinals coach Bruce Arians, but this is the first substantive report. The Cards may envision Mendenhall as a fallback option should they miss out on free agent Reggie Bush. Mendenhall is 25 and played under Arians for four seasons.

The Denver Post reports that free agent Rashard Mendenhall is drawing interest from the Broncos.

Perhaps Mendenhall's market will be stronger than anticipated. The Dolphins have also shown a solid amount of interest, and we suspect the Cardinals have some too with former Steelers OC Bruce Arians now running the show. Per Denver beat writer Mike Klis, the Broncos' level of interest in Mendenhall is "hard to gauge." The addition of Mendenhall would likely lead to Willis McGahee's release.

NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah is "hearing a lot of buzz" about the Dolphins being interested in free agent Rashard Mendenhall.

It would be an odd fit for a team reportedly enamored with Lamar Miller, and terrible news for Daniel Thomas. Mendenhall would be an upgrade on Thomas, but not a viable replacement for Reggie Bush. Mendenhall has just 77 catches in 57 career games, and is not an asset as a pass protector. Giving Mendenhall touches at the expense of Miller would be counterproductive.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette suggests Arizona as a possible landing spot for free agent Rashard Mendenhall.

New Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians was Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator during the first four years of Mendenhall's career. Much like incumbent Beanie Wells, He fits Arians' profile as a power runner that is rarely used in the passing game. Mendenhall will come cheaply after struggling in just six appearances last season.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reiterated that free agent Rashard Mendenhall is not expected to re-sign with the Steelers.

Nearly a month ago, the paper put Mendenhall's odds of returning at "not good," and those seem to have only gotten worse or stayed the same. Mendenhall, 25, would probably be best to sign a one-year, prove-it deal to rehab his market after a disappointing season coming off a torn ACL. The Steelers have just Baron Batch under contract in the backfield.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wonders if the Steelers are transitioning to a zone-blocking scheme in 2013.

OC Todd Haley and new OL coach Jack Bicknell Jr. have expressed their desire to get away from offensive linemen "who get huge and then they can't bend and move," while they intend to find players "who can move, run and have the quickness off the ball 'to get into people.'" Pittsburgh is expected to make little-to-no effort to re-sign impending free agents LT Max Starks and RG Ramon Foster, while they are also poised to cut LG Willie Colon. The move to a zone-blocking scheme would suit a guy like impending free agent Rashard Mendenhall, but it would be bad news for power runners like Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman.

The Steelers' website confirms that free agent Rashard Mendenhall's return to Pittsburgh is "unlikely."

Mendenhall was suspended for a week in 2012 after not even showing up for a game against the Chargers. "Any time a player doesn't show up for a game, that's unacceptable," GM Kevin Colbert stated after the season. "There's no circumstance, other than obviously a family emergency or something of that nature which would have been predetermined to be excusable."

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette sets the odds of the Steelers re-signing free agent Rashard Mendenhall at "not good."

The Post-Gazette points to a laundry list of off-field woes Mendenhall endured during his Steelers career. He was also plagued by injuries in 2012. Although Mendenhall possesses the talent to be a rock-solid feature back, we'd be surprised if he got contract offers along those lines. Still just 25, Mendenhall might be smart to sign a one-year, "prove-it" deal, giving him a chance to repair his image and stay healthy before pursuing a bigger payday in 2014.