Fansided

10 favorites to win the NFL MVP Award in the 2016-17 season

By Andrew C. Lovell

Jan 24, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship football game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 24, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship football game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 11
Next
Jan 24, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) signals at the line of scrimmage during the third quarter against the Carolina Panthers in the NFC Championship football game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 24, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) signals at the line of scrimmage during the third quarter against the Carolina Panthers in the NFC Championship football game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 7: Carson Palmer, QB, Arizona Cardinals

Carson Palmer was one of just three players to receive a vote for last season’s MVP Award. Not bad for a 36-year-old veteran coming off a torn ACL in the previous season.

Palmer put together his finest season in his 12-year NFL career, passing for 4,671 yards, 35 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while leading the Cardinals to a 13-3 record and NFC West title.

He might be getting a little long in the tooth, but Palmer is still in an ideal situation. There are several reasons to believe he can post similar numbers to the ones he put up for Arizona in 2016.

The Cardinals boast one of the finest wide receiver corps in the NFL. Veteran Larry Fitzgerald had a resurgent season in 2015, catching a career-high 109 passes for 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns. Fitzgerald is flanked by Michael Floyd and John Brown, two dynamic deep threats. That’s not even to mention Jaron Brown and J.J. Nelson, two youngsters that repeatedly flashed their potential. Second-year running back David Johnson is expected to emerge as the team’s workhorse out of the backfield, but he remains a viable weapon in the passing game for Palmer.

Arizona’s stiffest competition in the NFC West will come from the Seattle Seahawks, but not much is expected from either the Los Angeles Rams or San Francisco 49ers. Palmer appears in line for another strong season.

Next: No. 6: Adrian Peterson

Home/Arizona Cardinals