Former NFL executive pegs Arizona Cardinals for eight wins

Ask a handful of NFL experts how the Arizona Cardinals will do in 2013, and you’re likely to get a handful of different answers.

However, most seem to believe that, at the very least, they’ll be improved from a 5-11 2012.

NFL.com analyst Gil Brandt, who was once an executive with the Dallas Cowboys, is one of those experts.

“I just think that they have a chance to be an 8-8 football team,” Brandt told Arizona Sports 620’s Doug and Wolf Friday.

Brandt, who has been touring various NFL training camps, said he noticed how upbeat Cards camp was, which may go to show how the players are buying into new coach Bruce Arians’ system. He wrote about his reasons for thinking that for NFL.com earlier in the week, said his belief in Arizona is based in the team’s entire offseason.

“I think everything that they’ve done: the hiring of a new coach, the drafting of the players they drafted — especially the Honey Badger — have been a real plus for this team,” he said.

Brandt says he understands there are question marks facing the Cardinals, including along the offensive line and in the running game, but believes those will not be issues this season.

“I think they’ve made some good offseason moves, which should help their football team,” he added.

Included among those moves is the addition of quarterback Carson Palmer, who Brandt believes will be very successful in the desert.

“I do think that Carson is really good,” Brandt said, before turning his attention to the receivers Palmer will be throwing to. “I think [Michael Floyd] seems to have lost some weight and he looks a lot better.

“And I tell you what, a lot of teams would like to have (Andre) Roberts as their second receiver, not their third receiver.”

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