5 Arizona Cardinals Players Poised for a Breakout Campaign in 2015

As a team, the Arizona Cardinals had a breakout year in 2014. Despite facing a rash of injuries and losing the top two quarterbacks on the depth chart, the Cardinals managed to produce an 11-5 regular-season record and earn a playoff berth.

Unfortunately, the Cardinals' rise ended in the opening round of the playoffs. As a wild-card team, Arizona was forced to travel to play the 7-8-1 Carolina Panthers. The end result was a 27-16 loss and an early ticket home.

The stage is set, however, for the Cardinals to be a perennial contender in the NFC. Head coach Bruce Arians has instilled a tough and competitive culture that should keep them one of the more interesting teams to watch for the immediate future.

The Cardinals proved a season ago that even an injury-weakened roster is playoff-ready. All it should take to get to the next level is for a few select players to step up and take their place in the spotlight.

Fortunately, the stage is also set for a handful of important Cardinals to break out individually in 2015. Over the next few pages, we will examine them.

CB Jerraud Powers

Tom Gannam/Associated Press

Cornerback Jerraud Powers spent the 2014 season as Arizona's No. 3 corner behind Patrick Peterson and Antonio Cromartie and performed well. 

With Cromartie back with the New York Jets, Powers should have an opportunity to compete with Justin Bethel for the No. 2 job. Last season, Powers ranked 47th overall among cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus.

Though he is a six-year veteran, he spent his first four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and has never really had the type of standout season that demands attention. Last year, however, he grabbed a career-best three interceptions to go with 10 passes defended, 53 tackles and one forced fumble.

If Powers does win the No. 2 job heading into the regular season, he will have a chance to make his name as a member of one of the league's top cornerback duos. 

TE Troy Niklas

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

The Cardinals drafted former Notre Dame tight end Troy Niklas in the second round of last year's draft. However, injuries limited him to just seven appearances and two starts during the regular season.

Only three of those appearances came with starting quarterback Carson Palmer in the lineup.

Assuming Palmer and Niklas are both healthy this season, expect big production from the second-year tight end.

At 6'6" and 270 pounds, Niklas has the size to create serious mismatches all over the field. He hauled in 32 passes for 498 yards and five touchdowns in his final collegiate season and should produce similar numbers when healthy.

Starting tight end John Carlson announced his retirement this offseason, so the job of receiving tight end should be Niklas' to lose.

WR John Brown

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Wide receiver John Brown had a strong season as a rookie in 2014, grabbing 48 passes for 696 yards and five touchdowns. However, he has room to improve his production in 2015.

One of the biggest reasons we should see some better numbers from Brown this season is the return of Palmer, who only appeared in six games last season.

Though Palmer has been limited during OTAs this offseason, he has been a participant. 

"I know he can hand it off. He does all the bootleg drills in warm-ups so the rest of it he can handle. The seven-on-seven, we blitz enough in that and we give him enough looks so he's getting prepared," Arians said of Palmer, per Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com.

Brown ranked 62nd overall among wide receivers as a rookie last season, according to Pro Football Focus. It will be interesting to see just how far he can climb in Year 2 with a healthy Palmer under center. 

DB Tyrann Mathieu

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Defensive back Tyrann Mathieu finished the 2013 season on injured reserve with a knee injury and was limited to just 13 appearances and six starts in 2014.

Despite playing through injuries last year, he managed to rank 42nd overall among safeties, according to Pro Football Focus. He produced 38 tackles with four passes defended and one interception.

His 2015 season could be even better.

According to Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910, Mathieu appears to be rounding into his pre-injury form:  

"

#AZCardinals believe Tyrann Mathieu is back to the player he was before the injuries, impressive in drills, running & cutting much better.

— Mike Jurecki (@mikejurecki) May 11, 2015"

LB Alex Okafor

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

As a team, the Cardinals produced just 35.0 sacks in 2014, 24th in the NFL. Eight of those sacks came from second-year linebacker Alex Okafor.

To be fair, last season might have been considered a breakout year for Okafor, as he logged just one game appearance and one tackle as a rookie in 2013. However, Okafor is still far from a household name.

He can work toward becoming one by improving as a pass-rusher in 2015.

The offseason acquisition of linebacker Sean Witherspoon and the drafting of second-round defensive end Markus Golden should help improve Arizona's defensive front and make things easier on Okafor.

A healthy Palmer and an improved offense should place more pressure on opposing offenses to score. This in turn should lead to more passing downs and more sack opportunities for the former Texas standout.

Double-digit sacks should be a real possibility.