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Which Arizona Cardinals are under the most pressure this year?

Marshall Faulk asks his weekly question.

By Jess Root
Christian Petersen

The Arizona Cardinals expect to be a postseason team this season. They have put a lot of pressure on themselves to do well in 2014. But who on the team is under the most pressure?

Let's go with a couple of players.

One is quarterback Carson Palmer. His contract voids after the Super Bowl, making a free agent. The team drafted Logan Thomas. He isn't young anymore. He carries the reputation of not being a winner. Plus, the league is set up where quarterbacks have to perform for the team to do well. As such, Palmer is under pressure to be better than a season ago. He had 22 interceptions in 2013. That can't happen again.

But there is one player under more pressure to perform -- cornerback Patrick Peterson.

Peterson's offseason talk and new contract making him the highest paid cornerback in the league and in history put the pressure on him.

He has said on multiple occasions that he is the best in the game. He and Richard Sherman had some Twitter exchanges. General manager Steve Keim said Peterson could "redefine the position."

Now that Peterson has his money, he has to perform. Richard Sherman opened the season by not getting targeted once. Peterson was targeted six times according to Pro Football Focus, allowing a touchdown. The inconsistencies that he had last year need to be ironed out.

Can he do it? He has the talent. On a defense that is missing many players from last season, he will need to play at the same level he talks.

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