6 Arizona Cardinals Who Need to Have a Breakout Year

With two more preseason games, there are still some questions left with regards to the Arizona Cardinals and the upcoming season.

Sure, we know who the quarterback is, and we also know that Larry Fitzgerald will be the No. 1 receiver for a long time. 

But with the memory of an ugly 5-11 season still fresh in the back of our memory banks, there are Cardinals who need to step up in order for the fans to completely forget the disaster that was last year.

But who are these guys? And do we have any standouts in camp who could make an impact on Arizona's quest for their third division title in four years?

Let's figure out who will be in line for a breakout year.

Stewart Bradley, Linebacker

There is nothing like coming off a great year and then succumbing to an assortment of injuries to question someone's value. 

Enter Stewart Bradley. 

He is projected to be the answer at linebacker to give the Cardinals the much needed depth at a position that needs a strong leader. 

At 6'4", 258 pounds, Bradley loves the fact that the Cardinals play a 3-4 defense because it gives him some different options at the position. And Coach Whisenhunt loves the fact that Bradley will do anything the coaching staff asks of him.

Is he worried about the fact that 2010 was a horrible season for him? Not at all. But when you sign a contract for five years and $30 million, there is a certain level of expectations.

This year, expect Stewart not only to meet those expectations but exceed them.

O'Brien Schofield, Linebacker

Speaking of a man coming off an injury, O'Brien Schofield wasn't even supposed to be a factor in his rookie season after a horrible injury at the Senior Bowl in 2009.  

But in the latter half of the year, Schofield played but not nearly to the extent of his abilities. This year will be different, according to Schofield, and we believe it.

Having racked up a sack last week against the Packers, Schofield knows he has the ability to be a potent pass-rusher but understands that he has a lot to learn.

“I want to get better in coverage, because for me pass-rush is a given. That’s why I’m here,” said Schofield. 

He does have his issues in coverage but expect the speed of the game to slow down for him. He is going to be a difference maker in the defense under Ray Horton's new scheme, so expect the Cardinals defense to be better than that 31st ranking of last year.

Early Doucet, Wide Receiver

This may be one you can file as a no-brainer, but honestly this could be a make or break year for Doucet. It was two years ago when he had the fantastic game against the Green Bay Packers. 

Unfortunately, for a guy who was supposedly going to replace Anquan Boldin as far as production, it just hasn't happened. He's oft injured, and we see him on the sidelines more than we see him on the field. 

This year with Larry Fitzgerald being the No. 1 and Kevin Kolb ready to throw at him at least 60 percent of the time, look for Doucet to be a solid No. 2 receiver if, and this is a big if, he can stay off the injury list.

He's a bruising sort of receiver who does remind you of Boldin, and Cardinals fans have to hope that this is the year where we see the type of numbers that will help all those in Arizona forget Boldin, because last year did nothing to erase his memory.

But let's face it—there are a couple of wide receivers on the roster as of now who could really push Doucet for playing time. Stephen Williams and DeMarco Sampson have had good camps and both have the size that puts you in the mind of a Plaxico Burress type.

Like it or not, Doucet has to prove his worth this year or soon find himself on a Kansas City Chiefs roster.

Kevin Kolb, Quarterback

This is a risky choice here, but the quarterback position was so bad last year that it has to be mentioned. 

If quarterback play doesn't improve, you can expect the Cardinals to be in the same sort of straits as last year. Sure, I like their chances with Kevin Kolb better than Derrick Anderson or Max Hall, but what happens if Kevin Kolb doesn't pan out? Who are the other options?

John Skelton? Maybe, but he still has a ways to go. Richard Bartel? Well, he's had a decent camp and has led the Cardinals to at least preseason touchdown drives (more than we can say for Kolb), but he doesn't seem like he's ready to be anointed as Moses.

Let's try to focus on what Arizona does have—the 60-million-dollar man, Kevin Kolb. I'm not saying gloom and doom at all. In fact, I believe Kolb will have a very good year, but what does worry me is if he's injured. 

The positive spin to Kolb is that he frequently looks to Larry Fitzgerald's side of the field which is exciting. Regardless of single coverage or double teaming, Fitzgerald gives you an 80 percent chance of catching the ball. As their chemistry grows, expect some frequent web gems and top 10 plays on SportsCenter and a few W's in the win column.

Beanie Wells, Running Back

Of course we couldn't forget this one. Beanie Wells has waited for this moment for a long time. He's wanted to get more carries and be "the guy."

With Tim Hightower being traded to the Washington Redskins, Beanie is now that guy. Should Cardinals fans worry? 

Absolutely.

Not because Beanie is not capable of being a great running back—we have seen bursts of explosiveness the last two years and even this preseason (goal-line stand withstanding in the Oakland game) he has shown that he can help the run game for the better.

Here is the not-so-good side of Beanie being the guy—he is a fumbler. I hate to admit it, but some of his fumbles have come at the most inopportune times for the Cardinals. We know fumbles irritate Coach Whisenhunt to no end. If Wells can't get this under control, he won't be carrying anything. 

The second reason Wells doesn't give you that warm and tingly feeling is that he does get injured quite a bit. The season-ending injury of Ryan Williams doesn't make you feel better either, knowing that your running back depth is extremely weak. The Cardinals will have to look on the free-agent market to get someone else in their backfield but, until then, Beanie will be the answer.

I really like LaRod Stephens-Howling in the backfield as well. Sure, he is small and light, but his speed will really keep some defenses off balance. With his seemingly diminished role as kick returner (thanks NFL), he could see a fair amount of touches.

But the important thing is, Beanie got his wish. You are "the guy" now. Show us what you can do.

The Intangible Ones

The aforementioned five guys need to have breakout years, but that's not going to get the Cardinals over the hump alone.  

These guys here will have to make an impact as well, but we can't expect them all to do it at the same time. 

Look at the tight end position. Rob Housler is having a great preseason and could look to complement veteran tight end Todd Heap quite well. With Kolb loving his tight ends, you could see more production that the Cardinals have had in years out of the position.

Rookie Patrick Peterson looks to make an impact and should start at Week 1 but, if not, the Cardinals seem pretty strong at cornerback right now.  A.J. Jefferson has been a pleasant surprise and Greg Toler is coming along well. Having Peterson start right from Week 1 may not be necessary but will enhance the defense if he does.

WR DeMarco Sampson has been very good in camp and preseason games, but we did see last year with Stephen Williams that you need more than just a good camp to be successful in this league. However, the 6'2" receiver has made some amazing catches that have the coaching staff less worried about bringing in a vet at the receiver position.

Punter Ben Graham has to be better than his performance last year. Granted, the Cardinals offense didn't do him any favors with field position, but they need more punts to be inside the 20 than outside of it. Look for the Cardinals to bring in competition to push him.

Darnell Dockett has to be a leader on the field and not just social media. His funny tweets do make us laugh, but his performance on the field should not. I'm not saying he has been slack on the field, but he has to make more noise in the opponent's backfield than last year which will be more difficult in defensive coordinator Ray Horton's schemes. I still expect Dockett to destroy the opposition. Calais Campbell has to be more dangerous as well. With his height and ability, sack totals should not just increase but skyrocket like the price of gold.

All in all, everybody has to play their role in order for this to be a successful year.