Thompson Signs With Cardinals : Football: Rookie running back from Indiana ends holdout, could play against Rams.

Rookie running back Anthony Thompson, the last of the Phoenix Cardinals’ training camp holdouts, agreed to contract terms Wednesday.

Thompson, a second-round draft pick from Indiana and the 1989 Heisman Trophy runner-up, was expected to arrive here sometime today. He has missed 30 days of camp so far.

Cardinal Coach Joe Bugel said Thompson could possibly play in Saturday night’s exhibition game against the Rams at Anaheim Stadium.

“Maybe. It’s catch-up time for him,” Bugel said. “The good thing about Anthony is that he’s a magnificently conditioned kid. He’s probably in better condition than any rookie around.”

But another rookie, running back Johnny Johnson, a seventh-round pick from San Jose State, is Phoenix’s starter and has a team-leading 121 yards in 23 carries.

“He’s been the most pleasant surprise of training camp,” Bugel said of Johnson. “He’s doing a good job of running inside and outside. He’s the one guy on offense who’s done a super job.”

As a junior in 1988, he was one of three Spartan football players to compete for the basketball team after a midseason player defection. Johnson started the last 12 games, averaging 11.2 points and 6.5 rebounds.

“I don’t want Johnny Johnson out of the lineup right now,” Bugel said. “We know he can play every down. We need to see what Anthony Thompson can do. He needs some repetitions.

“I want him to come in here and work himself into good physical and mental condition and we’ll take it from there. There’s no challenge between Anthony and Johnny Johnson right now. This will just give us two excellent running backs.”

The 5-foot-11, 207-pound Thompson set a school career record with 5,299 rushing yards at Indiana. It’s the second-highest total in Big Ten history behind the 5,589 yards of former Ohio State great Archie Griffin, a two-time Heisman Trophy winner.

Thompson and his two representatives--agent Marvin Demoff and family adviser Dr. Dan Grossman--reportedly met with Cardinals’ chief negotiator Bob Wallace in Las Vegas, an agreed-upon neutral site, to work out a contract Tuesday night. The deal was struck Wednesday morning.

Phoenix was offering Thompson a two-year, $1.1 million contract with Thompson seeking a two-year, $1.32 million deal.

Financial figures of what Thompson agreed to were not disclosed, in keeping with team policy.

Thompson flew to his home in Bloomington, Ind., to collect some belongings Wednesday afternoon before heading for Phoenix and was not available for comment.