Arizona Cardinals: Five predictions for 2016
Here is my version of the most outlandish predictions on this upcoming season for the Arizona Cardinals.
Five bold predictions for the Arizona Cardinals this year
1. Carson Palmer will win league MVP honors
Last year, Cam Newton ran away with this award, but Palmer was in contention for most of the season. However, he didn’t finish strong enough for the honor. The team will return every offensive starter this year. With another year under their belts within Bruce Arians’ system, Palmer’s numbers will surpass his career numbers of last year, which will put him in position to be the odds-on favorite to win MVP.
2. The Arizona Cardinals will win a wild card spot
Yes, that means that they will not win the NFC West. I predict that the West will be won by the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks will have a healthy running game, a healthy Jimmy Graham, and an available Kam Chancellor, which should catapult them to another division title.
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3. Chandler Jones will have a minimum of 18 sacks
This isn’t too big of a stretch for Jones, considering that he had 12.5 sacks last year with the Patriots. Combined with the fact that Jones will see less double teams this year and the Cardinals will be playing with the lead more times than not. Jones will have countless opportunities to rush the quarterback en route to a career year.
4. This will be Michael Floyd’s last year with the Arizona Cardinals
It’s no secret that Floyd is entering the final year of his contract and will make more than $7 million this season. It is the fifth-year option the team picked up last year that comes with first-round draft pick contracts. Floyd will have plenty of opportunities to shine this year as one of Palmer’s favorite targets. Last year, Floyd came on late after a slow start, but look for him to have a big season this year, which will put him in position to ask for a long-term deal that the Cardinals can’t afford to offer him.
5. David Johnson will surpass 1,500 yards rushing
Although the hype on Johnson this off-season has gotten a bit out of hand, the potential is there. Johnson, a converted wide receiver in college, wasn’t even on the Cardinals’ radar for their first running back choice in the 2015 draft. Johnson fell in the Cardinals’ lap when Detroit drafted Ameer Abdullah in the second round before the Arizona Cardinals had the opportunity. The two running backs’ careers will continue being compared, but Johnson’s ceiling seems to be a few feet higher as they enter their sophomore campaigns.
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