Arrow pointing up for Arizona Cardinals’ Michael Floyd
Jul 29, 2013, 6:54 PM | Updated: 6:54 pm
Michael Floyd entered the NFL with some fairly high expectations.
Selected by the Arizona Cardinals 13th overall in 2012, the former Notre Dame star caught just 45 passes for 562 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie.
His numbers were certainly disappointing, but Floyd did pick things up down the stretch and, well, the quarterbacks attempting to throw him the ball were not exactly of a high caliber.
Quarterback play is not something Floyd can control, but he can — and has — worked to improve his own game.
“I’m a lot more comfortable out there,” Floyd said. “My head is on straight this year.”
Floyd said his knowledge of the game and the playbook has grown, which allows the game to come easier to him now.
“Getting in and out of your breaks fast because you know those [defensive backs] are quick to react to certain movements,” Floyd said of what he’s worked on the most. “Just making sure I keep my pad level down and getting in and out of breaks.”
And speaking of breaks, Floyd and the Cardinals may have received one with quarterback Carson Palmer.
The veteran passed for 4,018 yards and 22 touchdowns with the Raiders last season and is slated to be the Cardinals’ fourth different Week 1 starter in four seasons. However, unlike Derek Anderson, Kevin Kolb and John Skelton, Palmer has a reasonable amount of success under his belt.
“The experience is great,” Floyd said of his new quarterback. “And also his leadership on the field and off the field is really good for me.”
The hope is the combination will be really good for the Cardinals, too.