NFC West Breakout Candidates 2015

San Francisco 49ers

Aaron Lynch, OLB: A lot of people might say this is a copout, because he had a very good rookie season, but I think he will be substantially better in 2015. I'm expecting at least double digit sacks, and for him and Aldon Smith to challenge Tamba Hali and Justin Houston for the best pair of edge rushers in the NFL. Lynch is big for an outside linebacker (6'5/270 lbs), but he is surprisingly quick too, and the more pass rush moves he develops in his arsenal, the bigger a threat he will be. 

Eric Reid, FS: Usually I will only do one breakout player, but I can't choose just one player for the 49ers. Reid took a step back in 2014, but that can be partially attributed to the entire team having a rough season. He still has a lot of talent, and could be one of the elite ball hawking free safeties in the NFL. I think he will have over 5 interceptions in 2015, and establish himself as a top 10 safety.

Seattle Seahawks

Ahtyba Rubin, DT: This is the toughest team to predict a breakout candidate for. Most of their defense is playing at such a high level that I couldn't predict one of their sure fire starters to breakout because they have already broken out. Their offense doesn't have any stand out candidates either (there was no way I was picking Tyler Lockett because he's a rookie, but I do think he'll have a great year). Some would say Rubin is too old to break out, or that he has already had his breakout year because he was terrific in 2010 and 2011. He's fallen off in recent years, but he is still a very talented run stuffer, and can be a sneakily threatening pass rusher too. He's behind Brandon Mebane right now, and there is no way he will pass him on the depth chart, but in limited snaps he could be a huge difference maker for a team that struggled up the middle when Mebane went down with an injury last year. I think he'll pick up a few sacks, but he'll have a big impact against the run. The only question is how many snaps he will get.

St. Louis Rams

Brian Quick, WR: He was oh so close to breaking out last season. Barring another injury, Brian Quick passed the eye test last season and he looked like he could be the St. Louis Rams number one guy at receiver. Nick Foles has a good arm, and I expect this offense to try and stretch the field a lot so they can open up more lanes in the run game. While Quick isn't the fastest guy, he's a big (6'3/220 lbs) and strong receiver that can go up and get those 50/50 balls that Nick Foles likes to throw. Quick has the talent, and in a small sample last season he showed that he looks the part too. I'm predicting a 1000 yard 8 touchdown season for a player clearly in a run first offense. 

Arizona Cardinals

Tyrann Mathieu, FS: Part of me was thinking John Brown, but Mathieu is going to explode this season. He had a terrific rookie season, but was hampered last season by a knee injury he suffered at the end of his rookie season. His raw skills are already elite, he just needs to feel comfortable with his knee and he will be unleashed. Arizona lost Antonio Cromartie and has some questions at the second CB spot, so they will rely on Mathieu to play big this year. I'm predicting for him to lead the entire NFL in forced turnovers, and I'm confident that he will establish himself as an elite safety.

Offseason Outlook 2015: San Fransisco 49ers

Offense

Colin Kaepernick has a lot riding on him this season. Possibly more than public opinion realizes. I can't overanalyze what Kaep can or can't do at this point, because over the last two and a half years there has been a lot of good, and a lot of bad. So 2015 is a complete question mark for what to expect from him. With that being said, the 49ers offense actually has a lot of solid pieces throughout it, and '9ers brass has done a good job of surrounding Kaep with talent. At wide receiver, San Fran signed Torrey Smith to reunite with Anquan Boldin. These two have played together before, and they both complement each other very well. Boldin is one of the most reliable pass catchers in the game, with terrific hands and route running ability, and what he lacks in straight line speed, Torrey Smith more than makes up for it. Smith excels under a big armed QB, and with Kaep's arm strength and his elite speed, they will really be able to stretch the field. They also have two potential surprise breakout candidates in Quinton Patton and Bruce Ellington. My money is on Ellington carving out a nice role in the slot, and having a breakout year. At tight end, Vernon Davis is coming off of the worst year of his career since his rookie season in 2006, but he is still obviously a very talented player, and his bad numbers can partially be attributed to his usage and the offense. The '9ers also have Vance McDonald as their number 2 TE, and he is a solid player. On the offensive line, San Fransisco is still in good shape even after losing Mike Iupati. They have an elite left tackle in Joe Staley who is consistently among the leagues best pass blockers, and he can more than hold his own in the run game too. At left guard and center, two young players should be getting the starting nods. Brandon Thomas and Marcus Martin are both talented players, and should be able be reliable starters at left guard and center respectively. San Fran's offensive line is closed out with a very strong right side. Alex Boone is a terrific guard, and the leader of this offensive line. When he was holding out last season, their O-line really struggled and not just at the RG spot, but because of what he brings to the entire line. At right tackle, the '9ers have Anthony Davis who has been a great pro ever since he was drafted and thrust into the starting job. This should be a good offensive line to support a mobile quarterback, and a very young, but potentially very good running game. Carlos Hyde is the presumed starter taking over for Frank Gore after he signed with the Colts in the offseason. Hyde is a big back with surprisingly quick feet, and he should be a solid starting running back in the NFL. San Fran also signed Reggie Bush to complement Hyde as a change of pace, home run hitting running back. Another player to watch out for is Mike Davis. He was drafted in the fourth round, but he's a grinder of a back and can get the job done if Hyde doesn't. Nobody is going to mistake this offense for the Green Bay Packers offense, but there is talent behind a very good offensive line. I'll say it one more time, it is all up to Colin Kaepernick though, because this offense (and team) will only go as far as he will take them. I think they could be a league average offense if Kaep has a good year, but I'm expecting them to be around the 20th best offense, which by the way is still an improvement over last season.

Defense

They lost Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, Chris Culliver and Chris Borland. That hurts, a lot. Are they screwed? No they really aren't. This defense still has A LOT of talent, and they still have a terrific group of linebackers that will lead a very good defense. A lot of football fans don't realize that arguably their best player last season, NaVorro Bowman, didn't play a down of football in 2014. He is a top 5 defensive player when he's healthy, and should be huge for them this season. Alongside him on the inside, Michael Wilhoite or Phillip Wheeler will start, and both of those players are solid veterans. Outside, they have threats. Aldon Smith is one of the best pure pass rushers in football, and if he can stay out of his own way off the field, then he will be a dominant force for the 49ers on the field. Opposite Smith, Aaron Lynch is coming off of a surprisingly productive rookie season for a 5th round rookie. He should continue to grow as a player, and put up substantially better numbers in more playing time. San Fran also has Ahmad Brooks, Eli Harold and Corey Lemonier as added depth, and I expect all three of those players to be involved in this defense in some manner. On the defensive line, it is tough as a general football fan to see the Cowboy hang up his boots, but they have a lot of young talent to replace him. They drafted Arik Armstead in the first round for that purpose, and even though he's very raw he has a very high ceiling and could be great. Entirely focusing on next season, I don't expect Armstrong to have much of an impact, but he should figure to at least get a lot of snaps. In the middle, Glenn Dorsey is also returning from injury, and if he comes back successfully from his injury he is a big upgrade in the middle at nose tackle. Opposite Armstead, the 49ers signed Darnell Dockett who is coming off of a torn ACL himself. When healthy he is a very good player to have upfront, specifically in the pass rushing department. One depth guy to keep an eye on is Ian Williams. In very limited snaps last season, he was very good and he should be great again. The only question with him at this point is snaps, because they have a lot of veteran talent on this team returning from injury. In the secondary, this team is fairly thin at cornerback, but excellent at safety. At cornerback, they have Tramaine Brock who is a good cornerback, and actually a decent option for them as their number one guy. As depth, they have Shareece Wright, Chris Cook and Dontae Johnson who are all solid best case scenario. At safety, they have Antoine Bethea who is coming off of a very good season, and Eric Reid as the starters. Eric Reid took a step back in 2014, but I love his upside and I still think he can be a star. They also have Jimmie Ward who will most likely be playing slot cornerback for them in 2015, and he has good ball skills and could be a great slot cornerback. The 49ers also drafted Jaquiski Tartt who they drafted in the second round of this years draft, and apparently San Fransisco is in love with this kid. I graded him as a solid player (thought he was a round 3-4 guy) but I think he could be a big factor in their defensive plans sooner rather then later. Throughout all the craziness that has been going on in San Fransisco this offseason, their defense still looks solid. The losses are big, but the depth on this defense was always very good and it shows up big time after going through three key retirements and a big free agency loss. The returns of NaVorro Bowman and Glenn Dorsey are huge for this defense, and if it wants to continue to be good it needs both of those players to step up. There are still holes at cornerback, and question marks on the defensive line, but I think this will still be a top 10 defense in 2015. They can flat out bring the heat up front, and a lot of very talented players were either injured, suspended, or had down seasons which puts them in a position to potentially rebound in 2015.

San Fransisco is a weird team in 2015. I have seen a lot of people predicting them to be a bottom 5 team in the NFL, and there is such a negativity after their offseason but there shouldn't be. This is still a good team. A lot depends on their QB, which can be concerning, but this team will be very competitive and tough to beat once again in 2015. I don't think they will make the playoffs, and I feel like they are destined for an 8-8 season (give or take a game), but don't be surprised if they beat some very good teams come fall. There is also a lot of pressure on this new coaching staff. I think losing Jim Harbaugh will hurt them a lot (if they still had Jim and he had control of the locker room, I'd predict a playoff berth), and it will show in the first few games because he was an incredible coach. Who knows? Maybe Jim Tomsula will be good and they won't regret moving on from Harbaugh. Frankly, I can't possibly know that now, and I won't analyze that situation because it would all be bullshit. Purely speaking off of their roster though, this is a good team that will go as far as their QB, which seems to me like an .500 season.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Seattle Seahawks

Offense

THE SEAHAWKS GOT JIMMY GRAHAM! THE SEAHAWKS GOT JIMMY GRAHAM! I know. Probably the most talked about thing this offseason apart from Chip Kelly doing his crazy thing out in Philly. Jimmy Graham is a huge threat to a Seahawks team that doesn't really have a red zone receiving option for Russell Wilson. Don't expect Graham to have the same numbers he did with New Orleans, because he is entering the least productive passing offense in the NFL, but he could end up having a bigger impact on his new team. Even though it's completely obvious and this is very basic analysis, getting the second best tight end in the NFL is huge for a team with few established threats in the passing game. At quarterback, the Seahawks have one of the brightest young stars in football with Russell Wilson. He is easily a top 10 QB in the NFL, and there is an argument to be made that he should be in the top 5. He is mobile, has incredible skills when the pocket breaks down, makes good decisions, and has one of the best pure arms in the NFL too. Unfortunately, there was some regression in 2014 with Wilson (he regressed as a passer), but if he bounces back and improves on his 2013 Super Bowl winning season, then this kid will easily be a top 5 QB. Either way the Seahawks should be handing him a hefty contract soon if they are smart. In the backfield, Seattle has one of the most entertaining, and one of the best running backs in football. Marshawn Lynch is outstanding. As much as Russell Wilson is the star and face of this team, I would say that this offense relies on Marshawn Lynch just as much as Wilson, if not more so. Lynch is the classic power back, and about once a year he runs for one of the craziest 60 yard "bust through the entire team" runs. It's not just about one run with him, he is so consistent and even though defenses stack the box he can break off a touchdown at any time. Literally any time. Watch the two crazy runs he had against the Saints and Cardinals. This offense works so perfectly with Lynch and Wilson too because they help each other so much. This team had 25 rushing yards per game more than the next highest in the NFL, because Wilson and Lynch are terrific off of read option plays, and they both spread out the field for one another. At wide receiver, the Seahawks look better than they have in recent years. I think Tyler Lockett will have a huge impact on this team right out of the gate. He is explosive, has versatility, and is just a flat out playmaker. Russell Wilson will love him, and I wouldn't be shocked to see him lead Seattle in receptions next season. They also have Doug Baldwin who just goes about his business being a very good wide receiver for a run first team. As added depth, they have Ricardo Lockette, Paul Richardson, Super Bowl breakout player Chris Matthews and Jermaine Kearse. In my opinion, I don't think any of those players will be consistent players for them, I'm sure all of them will have a big game or two, but Baldwin and Lockett are going to be the receivers to watch on a consistent basis. Past the skill position players is where I have a problem with this offense. I don't like this offensive line one bit. They have one good established player, and that is Russell Okung at left tackle. Unfortunately, even he has had some injuries and has struggled to stay healthy. From left guard to right tackle, the Seahawks have Alvin Bailey, Lemuel Jeanpierre, J.R. Sweezy and Justin Britt. All of those players are either unproven, or just not very good. Sweezy and Britt (even though they both had bad seasons last year) could be decent, but that's no guarantee. I feel like this is an issue that a lot of people have been overlooking because of the Jimmy Graham trade. Wilson has the ability to mask a lot of issues on the offensive line, and he's been very healthy thus far into his career, I just worry about him holding up behind this offensive line. Especially having to face the St. Louis Rams defensive front twice this year. I really am expecting more moves to at least add some more depth, because they have very little depth behind these underwhelming starters too. Overall, this offense should still be good. If a team has a good defense, it can really help out an offense by giving them better field position, creating turnovers, etc. This is what Seattle has done over the last couple of years, and I expect them to do it again in 2015. In my opinion, the struggles along the O-line cancel out the additions of Jimmy Graham and Tyler Lockett, so I'm predicting the Seattle offense to rank similar to where they were last year, which was around 10th in the league. If Seattle does finish around the top ten, then Seahawks fans should be very happy about that because their defense will be elite again and that is more than enough offense to win with.

Defense

Seattle's defense is elite, and is the favourite to have the number 1 ranked defense by the end of 2015. Should I keep going? Well I may as well start with the Legion of Boom. It starts with Richard Sherman. He is the most talkative (trash talk wise) player in the NFL, but he always backs it up on the field. He is the premier cornerback in the National Football League, and he has games where he shuts down one side of the field. Remember the first game of the season when Green Bay didn't pass to the right side of the field? Yeah, good times. Not saying he can't be beat (Odell Beckham Jr. did it), but he is not only the best cornerback, but one of the best players in all of football. While Sherman gets all the publicity, Earl Thomas might be the most important player on this defense. The best safety in all of football, Thomas is just incredible to watch. He has instincts out the wazoo, terrific ball skills, and insane closing speed too. He really is the perfect player to have manning center field for any football team. He also works perfectly in the Seahawks Cover 3 defensive scheme. His running mate Kam Chancellor is the enforcer of this secondary. He's basically a linebacker with the speed and athleticism of a safety. One play that describes him perfectly, (this is purely off memory so bear with me) Seahawks were playing the 49ers, and Kaep threw a ball near the sidelines, a foot away from the end zone too, and Crabtree (I think?) went up and Chancellor hit him. He hit him so hard that the refs threw a penalty flag. It wasn't an illegal hit, or he didn't show any intent to hurt him, he just destroyed him and got penalized for it. Kam isn't perfect, he's definitely no Sean Taylor back there, but he does his job very well in Seattle's scheme. The Seahawks signed Cary Williams to be their second CB to replace Maxwell, and... Well... Maybe he'll be okay? I thought he was very bad with the Eagles. At times he was a liability in coverage, so I'm not really a fan of that signing to replace a very good cornerback in Byron Maxwell. Jeremy Lane will be their slot cornerback, and he's solid. Nothing special or flashy like the rest of the LOB, but he's fairly reliable. Seattle has quietly (I say quietly because all of the attention is on the LOB) put together a deadly front seven. At linebacker, this team has three very good starters. Bobby Wagner is an incredible inside linebacker, I don't think he's elite yet, but if he shows any more development in coverage, he'll be right up there with Kuechly and Bowman. Seattle also has two very good OLB's in K.J. Wright and Bruce Irvin. Wright is a terrific coverage linebacker, and Irvin is more of a pass rushing LB. On the defensive front, this team showcases two very successful free agent signings. Michael Bennett being one of them, is one of the most versatile defensive lineman in football, and he is a terrific pass rusher too. He can move all around the line, and the Seahawks line him up inside a lot of the time as well as outside. Opposite Bennett, Cliff Avril is another very successful free agent signing. He didn't put up ideal sack totals last season, but he was constantly getting pressures on opposing QB's and still managed to have a huge impact in their pass rush. Inside, Brandon Mebane is coming off of an injury riddled 2014 season, and he looks to bounce back to form. He wasn't great last season even when healthy, but he was sensational in 2013, and if he can recapture that form then he will once again be one of the most vital pieces of their defense. Tony McDaniel will play alongside Mebane, and he's decent. He can struggle at times, but he's not a horrible option, especially on a defense with so much talent. This defense has been the best defense in the NFL for 3 straight years and after 2015 it should be 4. They lost their defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, and that could hurt them as he was loved by players and clearly a very good coach. They also lost a key piece in Byron Maxwell, and that could hurt them more than they think because their number 2 cornerback can be more easily targeted based off of their scheme. That shouldn't matter in the long run, as this defense exhibits strength across the board. Their D-line is strong, their linebackers are very versatile, and their secondary is almost legendary at this point. This is the defense to beat going into 2015. Every team knows it, now it's just a matter of doing it.

Seattle on paper is a ridiculously good team. They are incredibly strong at every single position group on their team, except for WR (which they are young) and offensive line. I have them as the second best team in the NFL, behind the Green Bay Packers. I still do really think their offensive line is an issue, and until they prove to me they can keep Russell Wilson upright I won't think differently. The Seahawks have been to two consecutive Super Bowls, and are one misplay (run with Marshawn!) away from winning both of them. They are one of the elite franchises in the NFL, and they have a historic defense behind them. Pete Carroll is a terrific coach too, and he should once again have no trouble posting one of the best records in the NFC, and returning to the NFC Championship game once again.

Offseason Outlook 2015: St. Louis Rams

Offense

I might be in the minority here, but I love what the St. Louis Rams did during the draft and what direction they are taking their offense in. Todd Gurley is an Adrian Peterson type back that you can build an offense around. He has breakaway speed, terrific power, incredible vision (something Trent Richardson lacked, which is a big reason why he hasn't done well) and can be a good receiver too. The Rams are pairing Tre Mason with him too, and Mason was a very good runner last season. These two could get over 2,000 combined rushing yards next season when just looking at their talent. The Rams made a huge investment in their offensive line throughout the draft. AT left tackle, Greg Robinson is the presumed starter. He had a really rough rookie season in 2014, but he has all of the tools to be one of the most dominant left tackles in football, and he should be much better in his second year. At left guard, the Rams have Rodger Saffold. He's a very solid guard, and can go through very dominant stretches. At center, Tim Barnes takes over for Scott Wells and at this point in Wells' career Barnes is an upgrade. He was solid last season, but should be better with consistent playing time. On the right side of the line, there will be either Barrett Jones or Jamon Brown playing guard, and Rob Havenstein at right tackle. Havenstein is just an enormous human being, and he'll be an impact player in the run game straight away. Right guard will most likely be the weak spot of this line, but Jones and Brown have talent and they could be solid. The most controversial and publicized trade of the NFL this offseason was the Sam Bradford/Nick Foles trade. The Rams got the big armed player in the deal, and this offense could be really good for Foles, or really bad. Foles is terrible under pressure, so if there are still a lot of troubles along the O-line, then this might be a long season for him. With that being said, this offense is clearly turning into a run first offense, and defenses will have to stack the box against Gurley which will really allow Foles to stretch the field. It's a question mark at this point in the offseason, but St. Louis could really benefit from Foles being their QB. At wide receiver, the Rams have depth, but no stellar talent. Kenny Britt continues his career revitalization as he resigned with St. Louis, and Brian Quick can hopefully return from injury and continue right where he left off at, which was seemingly his breakout season. They also have Tavon Austin who has yet to justify his top 10 draft choice, Stedman Bailey who has been okay, but a better kick returner than receiver and Chris Givens who had a good rookie season but has been shaky at best since then. So again, it's not the best situation for the Rams as they don't have a go-to-guy for Nick Foles, but all five of those guys have talent or have shown at least something positive, and they all are young enough to develop and improve their respective games. At tight end, the Rams have another couple solid players in Jared Cook and Lance Kendricks. Cook is the more athletic, better receiver of the two, and he has shown that he can be a solid option across the seams. Kendricks gets moved around a lot in the offense. He is very versatile, and a solid all around player for them. Upper management was smart with the decision to make this a run-centric offense in 2015. They don't have the pure talent to keep up with any of the good passing offenses in the NFC, and they need to have their own game plan for them to win. If they have a good rushing attack, kill some time off the clock, try to limit turnovers and rely on their defense to get stops, this team can surprise people in 2015. I'm predicting a bottom 10 finish on offense, but I think they will have a top 5 rushing attack in the NFL next season.

Defense

The St. louis Rams have one of the most important things a defense can have. An identity. They have invested in their defensive line, and it has paid off in a huge way. Robert Quinn is a bona fide superstar. He is coming off of a subpar season (for his standards), but he should be one of the better defensive players in the NFL in 2015. Opposite Quinn, Chris Long is coming off of a big injury, but when he's healthy he is one of the most consistent defensive ends in football. He is terrific against the run and more than holds his own against the pass. The Rams also have William Hayes as added depth, and he is coming off of a solid season in relief of Chris Long. In the middle, the Rams have the most dominant trio of defensive tackles in the league. Aaron Donald had one of the best rookie seasons for any defensive player, let alone DT, in a long time. He finished the year with 9 sacks, and was a constant disruptor in the opponents backfield. He should already be looked at as a top 5 defensive tackle, and if he shows any development in 2015 he will be the best defensive tackle in the NFL. They also signed Nick Fairley this offseason. Fairley is an interesting case, because if he is inspired and plays with a fire under him, then he is a top 5 defensive tackle in football. If Jeff Fisher can get him to play up to his potential, there is no telling what this D-line can do. They also have Michael Brockers, who despite the Fairley signing, is a very good defensive tackle in his own right. He has stretches where he is absolutely dominant against the run, but he is coming off of a somewhat down season. This defensive line is the equivalent of the Cowboys offensive line, it has a very good chance to be special. At linebacker, St. Louis is solid but not spectacular. James Laurinaitis is a solid inside linebacker. He's a tackling machine and he's good against the run, but he can struggle in coverage. Alec Ogeltree is one of their starting outside linebackers, and he is an intriguing player. Another tackling machine, he is extremely athletic and can make jaw dropping plays but he's also very inconsistent. Hopefully he can have a better all around season in 2015. Opposite Ogletree, Jo-Lonn Dunbar is manning the other spot. He's a decent starter, but not terrific. The Rams also signed Akeem Ayers too. I have no idea if they are going to play him as a linebacker, or an edge rusher, but if they do play him as an OLB then he could steal the starting job from Dunbar. In the secondary, this Rams team is decent all across the board, with no established star players. Janoris Jenkins and E.J. Gaines are their two starting outside cornerbacks, and both of those players are solid young players. They have their inconsistencies (especially Janoris, he often gets caught trying to go for the interception and then can get burned) but they both have shown that they can be starting NFL cornerbacks. In the slot, Lamarcus Joyner enters his second season, in what should be a good one for him. He has the skills and size to be a terrific slot cornerback, and with regular snaps I think he could breakout this season. At safety, a combination of T.J. McDonald, Rodney McLeod and Mark Barron will get most of the playing time. All three of those guys are pretty young, but again they don't inspire much confidence as they all have their flaws and are just average players. The success of this defense relies on two things. First, the incredible defensive line. If this defensive line plays to its ceiling, it will cover up a lot of short comings in the rest of this defense and they will be able to dominate as a unit. Second, Jeff Fisher. He is a good coach, and if he gets this defense playing hard like they often do against better teams (see Seattle and Denver last season), then this team will be very competitive.

I wish I could say that this Rams team will be better than 6-10 or 7-9, but that's where I think they will fall again. I think they will shock a couple of very good teams this season, and often play up to the competition, but also play down to competition below them. I like the direction this team is taking, and their defensive line is so ridiculous. I mean ridiculous enough that I will watch Rams games with the sole intent of watching their D-line. They still lack an overall talent level, and a good QB, to compete for a playoff spot.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Arizona Cardinals

Offense

When Carson Palmer is healthy, this team wins it's as simple as that. They had a bottom third offense last season, but for roughly half the season they were strolling out Drew Stanton or Ryan Lindley who just aren't very good. Carson Palmer on the other hand is a good NFL quarterback, and under Bruce Arians he has shown that he can lead a great NFL team. He has the tools Arians wants in a QB, and they have found a way to limit his mistakes and utilize his big arm. The best way they have done that, is they found him three very good weapons. The trio of Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd and John Brown are really going to turn some heads next season. Fitz is just a reliable star, and even though he didn't put up good numbers last season that can partially be attributed to Carson Palmer's injury. Michael Floyd seemed due for a big time breakout year in 2014, but I think the entire offense going through QB change delayed it. He has all the tools to be a great WR, and I think he'll surpass 1,000 yards with at least 8 touchdowns in 2015. In the slot, I think John Brown is ready to burst onto the scene. He had an up and down rookie season, capped by an incredible touchdown catch against the Rams in week 14. He needs to be more consistent, but he has a very high ceiling and gives the Cardinals three very big threats at wide receiver. At tight end, last years second round pick Troy Niklas should be the starter. He is enormous for a tight end (6'6/270 lbs) and is a great blocker too. If he can be solid in the passing game, he will be an impact player for Arizona. The Cardinals have invested a lot into their offensive line in recent years. At left tackle, they have Jared Veldheer who is coming off of a terrific first season in Arizona. They also just signed Mike Iupati who has incredible talent (especially in pass protection) and should be an anchor for them in the middle. He will really help their run game, but also be a big factor in keeping Palmer upright because their guards were subpar last season. At center, Ted Larsen should take over, and he isn't great but he has the advantage of being beside an elite guard in Iupati that could help take pressure off of him and minimize his role. Opposite Iupati, Jonathan Cooper is looking to get his career back on track. He has been injured, and inconsistent, and this will probably be his last chance to prove he can start, BUT he still has a lot of talent. He is extremely athletic and hopefully he can stay healthy and put together at least a decent year. At right tackle, D.J. Humphries should be the starter. Bobby Massie wasn't bad last season, and he should get regular playing time either inside or as a swing tackle, but Humphries is a more talented tackle. Management has done a terrific job with this O-line and should be applauded for it. In the backfield, Arizona will rely on a combination of Andre Ellington, Stepfan Taylor and David Johnson. Andre Ellington is still their most talented back, and if he stays healthy he should be very good, but don't sleep on David Johnson either. He's a big back, and he has Le'Veon Bell like traits in the passing game (Mike Mayock's words not mine, to be honest I haven't seen much of him yet, just reading scouting reports). This offense could be in a position to surprise people. They aren't thought of as a great offense, but I don't really see a weak spot on this team if Carson Palmer is healthy. Their O-line should be greatly improved, they have two young talented running backs, they have a big armed gunslinger of a quarterback and they have a dangerous trio at wide receiver. I don't think it will be a top 10 offense, but I think it could be top 12 offense, and I think it will be at least a league average offense. Andre Ellington has less pressure on him, because last season he was being compared to Jamaal Charles after 118 carries in his rookie year. If he plays closer to how he did as a rookie, and Palmer stays healthy, this offense will produce. Plus, Bruce Arians. Yeah, the guy can flat out coach.

Defense

This is a special defense. I don't mean it will go down in history as the most dominant defense ever, or they don't use a cool name (that I know of?) like the Legion of Boom, but no matter what changes they go through, they are shutting down opponents. On the defensive line, they lost Dan Williams which could spell trouble for them, but either Corey Peters or Alameda Ta'amu should be srevicable replacements. Both players are solid, and Peters can move along the defensive line so his versatility might lead Ta'amu to start and Peters to be a key rotation player. At one 3-4 end spot, the Cardinals have their best overall player anchoring down the spot in Calais Campbell. Yes, I said best player. I think he is better than Patrick Peterson, Larry Fitzgerald and anyone else on the team. He is an elite defensive end that is dominant in the run game and is a weapon as a pass rusher too. Opposite Campbell, Kareem Martin will probably split reps with Cory Redding. Martin should be the better option as a pass rusher, so in obvious passing downs (3rd and long, etc.) Kareem Martin will probably get a chance to show what he can do in his sophomore season. At linebacker, Arizona is missing star talent, yet they end up getting a lot of production out of their guys anyways. Outside, a combination of Alex Okafar, Matt Shaughnessy and Markus Golden will take up most of the snaps for them. Golden is a hard working guy with a non-stop motor, and the Cardinals are relying on him to have a big rookie season. Inside it's not as bad, as Arizona has Kevin Minter, Sean Weatherspoon and Darryl Sharpton. Kevin Minter was solid last season, but Weatherspoon is my sleeper impact player for this team. If he's healthy, he has a lot of talent and could be huge in replacing Daryl Washington because of his suspensions and unreliability. They are fairly thin at linebacker, but this coaching staff has historically gotten more production then they should out of their linebackers. In the secondary, this team should be pretty damn good in 2015. Patrick Peterson should have a bounce back season. Not that he was bad in 2014, he was very good, but he got burned for touchdowns more than he would like. I definitely think he'll be an elite cornerback again in 2015. Opposite Peterson, Jerraud Powers and Justin Bethal are the options they have. Neither one of those players inspire much confidence, so I'm expecting opposing offenses to attack the slot and 2nd cornerback. At safety, this team has a few very good players. Tyrann Mathieu is the star at safety, and being another year further removed from his knee injury should bode well for him. I wouldn't be surprised if he was a top 3 safety after this season and led the entire NFL in forcing turnovers. He's just that good. Beside Mathieu, the Cardinals have two young safeties in Tony Jefferson and Deone Bucannon. Jefferson will probably start, but Bucannon will play a lot too, and has the size and strength to play linebacker in the nickel defense. I think Bucannon will take a big step forward in 2015, and be the physical presence in the secondary that the Cardinals need. This defense on paper looks worse in 2015. They don't have Antonio Cromartie, they seem very thin on the edge and they also lost Dan Williams at nose tackle. My biggest worry for them is the loss of Todd Bowles as defensive coordinator, but I think them staying in house was smart and all the players should still be very comfortable with this defense. I think they will still be a top 10 defense, and the coaching staff will get the most out of their players like they always do.

The Cardinals were 9-1 last season. They most likely would have won the division if Carson Palmer hadn't have gone down with an injury. Bruce Arians can inspire players, and he is one of the best coaches in the NFL. With that being said, I still think this team isn't as good as Seattle, and they seemed destined for a wildcard playoff berth. I think that what separates this team from Seattle is the depth that Seattle has on defense. Mainly up front, I have concerns about whether this team can still bring the pressure even though they have taken a hit on the edge and up the middle. Arizona is still a very good team, and they will be extremely competitive in every game they play because that is how Bruce Arians coaches his teams.