Michael Floyd expected to be ‘breakout player’ for Cardinals

Wide receiver Michael Floyd might be in for a strong sophomore campaign in the NFL with quarterback Carson Palmer taking over for the Arizona Cardinals.

by James Brady

Jul 14, 2013, 4:32 PM UTC

Christian Petersen

The Arizona Cardinals are expected to be a better team with quarterback Carson Palmer, but most still expect them to end up at the bottom of the NFC West. What the team really needs is a few players to break out, and the team's official website included wide receiver Michael Floyd on a list of players that have the potential to do so in 2013-14.

Last year's No. 1 draft pick looked better at the end of last season but more importantly clearly had a better handle on himself and his role this offseason - even with a brand-new offense. Floyd has been an important target during OTAs and minicamp and there is little question the coaches are prepping him to take on a large load.Larry Fitzgerald isn't going anywhere, but with Palmer behind center and Fitz drawing the defense, Floyd has the potential to have a pretty big season under Arians' offensive scheme.

Floyd definitely didn’t perform up to expectations last season, catching just 45 of 86 passes thrown his way for 562 yards and two touchdowns, with an average of 12.5 yards per reception. Floyd was supposed to be an instant factor on offense with Larry Fitzgerald drawing coverage away, but he fell short in his role.

Then again, when the quarterbacks throwing to you include Kevin Kolb, Ryan Lindley and John Skelton, it's somewhat difficult to make an impression. Floyd will be given every opportunity to succeed this coming season, and it starts and ends with Palmer.

Palmer will turn 34 years next season and has nine years of wear on him. Last season with the Oakland Raiders, he threw for 4,018 yards with 22 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He posted a completion percentage of 61.1, which is much better than any quarterbacks the Cardinals have had recently.

How well Arizona’s offense performs in general is anybody’s guess, but Palmer is expected to get the receivers the ball in a much more efficient manner, provided the league’s worst offensive line can keep him upright for any significant amount of time. It wouldn’t be surprising at all to see Floyd emerge as a receiver who can put up 1,000-plus yards each season.