Arizona

Five Arizona Cardinals players poised for a breakout

Published

2 years ago

June 20, 2024

Five Arizona Cardinals players poised for a breakout

With the NFL offseason in the midst of the only truly slow spot in the calendar, it’s a good time to start taking a look ahead to next season. There’s a lot of optimism around this team lately, so I thought I’d add to it by taking a look at players poised for a breakout in the 2024 season.

Breakouts come in all shapes and sizes. You could have an undrafted player make huge contributions out of seemingly nowhere (think Dennis Gardeck’s 7-sack season back in 2020). Or you could have a young player put it all together like David Johnson back in 2016. Or even an established starter become a star like Kyler Murray making his first Pro Bowl (also in 2020).

I won’t try to predict any “out of nowhere” breakouts—those are so fun precisely because you *can’t* predict them—but I’ve identified a few young players who could be ready to become big contributors and some established starters ready to become stars. Let’s start with a couple players on the defensive side of the ball ready to really contribute to this team.

Note: I’m not considering rookies in this article, as you can’t really “break out” if you haven’t played yet, right?

Young Players Ready to Make a Leap

LB Mack Wilson Sr.

Wilson has taken an interesting path to the desert. He was a 5^th-round pick by the Browns in 2019 and started 14 games as a rookie. But he quickly fell out of favor there and has spent the last two seasons mostly playing special teams with the Patriots. But a lot of scouts liked what they saw out of him on defense, and he certainly caught GM Monti Ossenfort’s eye, as he gave him a 3-year deal worth almost $13M (with $6.5M guaranteed). He figures to slide into one of the starting LB spots, where he’ll bring a unique blend of experience and potential (he’s only 26) to the front seven. Could he be the missing piece DC Nick Rallis has been searching for?

EDGE BJ Ojulari

This one is almost too easy. Ojulari, a 2^nd-round pick last year, dealt with some injury problems last offseason and took a while to get going. He played sparingly until Week 8 (less than 33% of the defensive snaps), but from that point on he played more than 50% of the snaps on defense and totaled 4 sacks (tied for second on the team for the season), 5 TFLs, 6 QB hits, and 1 pass defended without starting a single game. With a starting gig, a fully healthy offseason, improved D-line talent around him, and natural improvement in Year 2, he looks like a double-digit sack guy waiting to happen—something the player himself is already targeting.

WR Michael Wilson

Here’s another 2^nd-year player ready to break out. Unlike Ojulari, Wilson was a starter from the get-go. He played well in his rookie season, even if his final numbers weren’t all that impressive: 38/565/3 TDs. Of course, his QB was Josh Dobbs for most of the season, and then he was injured in a few games when Kyler came back. It took him a couple games to get healthy and click with Kyler, but he went 10/130/1 TD over the final two games of the season. That’s an incredibly small sample size and these numbers shouldn’t be taken entirely seriously as he’ll have more competition for targets this season, but those numbers prorate to 85/1100/9 TDs over a full 17-game season. I don’t think we’ll pass enough for Wilson to really challenge those numbers, but something like 65/900/5 could certainly be obtainable.

Established Starters Ready to Become Stars

TE Trey McBride

This is another no-brainer. And if you wanted to argue that McBride has already broken out, I wouldn’t argue too much. He went 81/825/3 TDs last season with Dobbs, Clayton Tune, and a recovering Kyler throwing him the ball. The 81 receptions are a Cardinals franchise record, and the 825 yards are the second-most in franchise history (behind Jackie Smith’s 1,205 way back in 1967 when the team was in St. Louis). So he’s already one of the best tight ends in Cardinals history. But he should be even better this year with a fully healthy Kyler and an improved offensive ecosystem around him. Many fantasy analysts have him the third TE off the board, and he should challenge for his first Pro Bowl berth this season. McBride is on the very cusp of stardom, and he’ll fully get there in 2024.

LT Paris Johnson Jr.

Yep, another second-year player—that Ossenfort guy must’ve had a pretty good first draft as GM. Johnson’s play wasn’t especially impressive in his rookie year (an average 60 PFF grade, for whatever that means to you), but he did play every single offensive snap, which *is* quite impressive. He also played most of the season at RT instead of LT, which was his projected position coming out of college. Well, he’ll be switching to LT this year and is saying all the right things. The man wants to be the next D.J. Humphries, which is hopefully his floor. If we can get steady LT play for the better part of a decade, we’d take it. But PJJ could—should?—be even better than Hump. And that will hopefully start with him fully coming into his own this year in an all-around improved Cardinals offense.

Final Thoughts

If all of these players break out like they could, it could be a good season of football in the desert. Especially if we get one or two of those “out of nowhere” breakouts. It’s a good time to be a Cardinals fan.

Speaking of which, it’s time for you to weigh in. What do you think of these breakout candidates? Do you have any others in mind? Vote in the poll and drop a comment.

Poll

Which Cardinals player do you think is most ready to break out in 2024?

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LB Mack Wilson Sr.

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EDGE BJ Ojulari

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WR Michael Wilson

(0 votes)
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TE Trey McBride

(0 votes)
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LT Paris Johnson Jr.

(0 votes)
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Other (explain in comments)

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0 votes total

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Arizona

Trump issues rare dual endorsement in Arizona swing district

Published

1 hour ago

January 6, 2026

Press Room

Trump issues rare dual endorsement in Arizona swing district

The president praised both Jay Feely and Gina Swoboda as “Highly Respected America First Patriots.”
The president’s team had not publicly confirmed his endorsement of Swoboda before the Jan. 6 social media post.
The district, which includes wealthy pockets of Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, and north Phoenix, has a hot-and-cold relationship with the president.

President Donald Trump endorsed not one but two Republicans in a highly watched Arizona congressional primary, boosting a new candidate after his first pick met resistance from some in the GOP.

In a Jan. 6 social media post, Trump said he was backing Jay Feely, a former Cardinals kicker and sports commentator who recently switched his campaign into Arizona’s Scottsdale-area 1st Congressional District, in addition to Gina Swoboda, the state GOP chair whose candidacy has divided Republicans despite her securing Trump’s support in October.

The president praised both Feely and Swoboda as “Highly Respected America First Patriots.”

“JAY OR GINA WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” he wrote on Truth Social, the social media platform he owns.

The announcement is a blow to Swoboda, a polarizing figure among Arizona Republicans. Her longtime rivalry with Turning Point, the network of conservative advocacy groups founded by the late activist Charlie Kirk, has shadowed her candidacy, prompting attacks and infighting among Arizona Republicans.

The president’s team had not publicly confirmed his endorsement of Swoboda before the Jan. 6 social media post.

In an interview with The Arizona Republic, Feely said he thought the endorsement came back to his “friendship” and shared values with the president.

“I love what he’s doing. I believe in what he’s doing. I’m committed to the same principles that he and his administration have,” Feely said.

“We wish Gilbert resident Jay Feely well in his latest campaign for Congress, but nothing has changed,” Swoboda campaign consultant Chris Baker shot back in a written statement to The Republic. “Gina Swoboda will be the Republican nominee in AZ01.”

The endorsement will also set back two other high-profile GOP candidates in the race, the ultra-conservative state Rep. Joseph Chaplik and businessman John Trobough, who both told The Republic they, too, had been in touch with the White House.

Though Trump’s endorsement will be a boon in the Republican primary, it could become a liability in the general election. The district, which includes wealthy pockets of Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, and north Phoenix, has a hot-and-cold relationship with the president.

National GOP leaders encouraged him to run in Scottsdale, Feely says

Feely initially launched his campaign in Arizona’s 5th Congressional District, which includes much of Chandler, Queen Creek and Gilbert, where he lives with his family. He billed himself as a home-grown candidate with a “heart to serve,” and a MAGA devotee who has a personal relationship with Trump.

His prospects in that district dimmed after the president endorsed one of his opponents, Mark Lamb, the well-known former sheriff of Pinal County. Early polling showed Lamb with a large advantage in the race.

But Trump took a liking to Feely, encouraging the former football player in a November social media post to “run in a different district, or for a different office.”

Feely followed the president’s advice. He switched his campaign into the Scottsdale district on Dec. 19. Trump’s endorsement followed about two weeks later.

In an interview Feely said national Republican leaders in D.C., and “grassroots leadership” in the Valley, encouraged him to pivot to the Scottsdale seat. He said he spoke several times with House Speaker Mike Johnson on the matter.

“I wanted to do what was best for the team,” he told The Arizona Republic.

“If they wanted me to run in CD1, and they felt like I was the best candidate, and the one that could hold that seat, then I was willing to do that.”

It’s rare but not unheard of for the president to endorse multiple candidates in a single race.

Last year Trump endorsed two congressional hopefuls in a West Valley-area Republican primary, including the eventual winner, U.S. Rep. Abe Hamadeh.

And in Missouri’s 2022 U.S. Senate race, Trump left election-watchers scratching their heads when he endorsed “Eric,” a first name shared by the race’s two front-runners. Both campaigns claimed the endorsement as their own.

For years the Scottsdale-area district has been considered one of the most competitive races in the country. Its incumbent, U.S. Rep. David Schweikert, announced last year he would not seek re-election in 2026, winding down his 15-year tenure on Capitol Hill and setting up a bitter contest for the rare open congressional seat.

Across the aisle, about half a dozen high-profile Democrats are fighting for their party’s nomination.

The candidates have already raised millions of dollars between them, with campaign spending only expected to escalate leading up to the Aug. 4, 2026 primaries. The Nov. 3, 2026, general election will bring millions more expensive television advertisements, mailers, and social media ads to the district, much of it financed by national Republican and Democratic groups wrestling for control over the U.S. House.

Feely has raised more than $1 million, about a third of which he has loaned himself, according to a report filed this fall. His personal financial disclosure shows he is worth at least $15 million, giving him a piggy bank that could help finance a campaign.

Swoboda has raised “quite a bit” of money, said campaign consultant Chris Baker, though her fundraising receipts aren’t yet public.

Rivals slam Feely’s out-of-district residence

Feely’s rivals have slammed him for running in a district where he doesn’t live.

“If Jay Feely wants to travel 50 minutes every day to run in Arizona’s 1st Ccongressional District, where he’s never lived, we will pay for his Uber,” Alfredo Rodriguez, a strategist with the Trobough campaign, wrote in a news release. “Tell him to send us the bill.”

“If Gilbert carpetbagger Jay Feely foolishly thinks he can win in AZ01, then more power to him I guess. But the outcome won’t change – Gina Swoboda will win the Republican primary,” Baker wrote in a statement to The Republic.

Feely said in an interview he has connections to the Scottsdale district, even though he doesn’t actually live there. The district is “about economics” and “represents the entrepreneurial spirit,” he said.

“I’ve invested in companies in this district. My friends and family live in this district. And I want to be an asset to all of them,” Feely said.

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Arizona

Arizona is still growing, but new migration data shows the trend may be shifting

Published

13 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Press Room

Arizona is still growing, but new migration data shows the trend may be shifting

Arizona remains one of the fastest-growing states in the country, but new migration data suggests that growth is starting to level out.

According to the latest numbers from U-Haul, Arizona ranked number seven nationwide for growth in 2025. While that is down one spot from the year before, it marks the sixth consecutive year the state has remained in the top ten.

The rankings are based on more than 2.5 million one-way moving transactions for the Arizona-based company.

What stands out in the data is how close those numbers are.

In 2025, 50.3% of U-Haul’s one-way moves came into Arizona, while 49.7% moved out. In practical terms, that means for nearly every family moving into the state, there is another one packing up and leaving.

That does not mean Arizona is losing population. However, it does suggest the margin of growth is getting thinner than it has been in recent years.

Even with that shift, the greater Phoenix metro area continues to be a major driver of growth. Phoenix ranked fifth nationwide among U.S. metro areas, fueled by job creation and new housing across the Valley.

U-Haul leaders point to continued development tied to major employers, including chip manufacturing and data centers, as well as ongoing residential construction, as reasons Phoenix remains a top destination.

Experts who study migration trends say when in-migration and out-migration numbers get this close, it can be a sign that affordability pressures are starting to play a role, especially when it comes to housing.

The latest data does not point to a mass exodus, but it does show Arizona entering a period of transition, balancing opportunity and growth with affordability concerns.

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Arizona

Barrel Racers Claim Big Wins in First Weekend of Arizona Legacy Races

Published

1 day ago

January 5, 2026

Press Room

Barrel Racers Claim Big Wins in First Weekend of Arizona Legacy Races

The 2026 Arizona Legacy Races in Buckeye, Ariz., are ringing in a new year for futurity horses December 30 – January 6, at the Buckeye Equestrian & Events Center. Formerly known as the MVP Futurity and Greg Olson Futurity, these two races have been a staple in many professional trainers’ schedules for decades. This year, the two events boast $22,000 in added money.

Futurity

Linzie Lindsey and Fame Dancin Yola claimed the Round 1 win with a 17.577 for $1,959. Barbara Merrill rode TKW Eye Am Tess to the 2D win.

After finishing out of the 1D money in Round 1, Loralee Ward and Dark Honey ran the fastest time of the futurity with a 17.030 to claim the Round 2 win. The duo also earned the Futurity Reserve Championship for $1,652.

Lindsey and Fame Dancin Yola finished second in Round 2 with a 17.164, adding $1,603 to their futurity earnings and claiming the Futurity Championship for another $2,019.

Jenna Duhon and PMC AintSheBeautiful earned the Round 2 2D win. In the 2D Average, it was Estella Martin and Quanahs Kingdom claiming the win.

Derby

Round 1 of a very tough Derby went to Jana Bean and Feature This Goodbye with a 17.268. 2025 futurity standout Blissful Version and Lora Nichols finished second in Round 1 with a 17.282, won Round 2 with a 17.032, and claimed the Average win.

“Buddy” and Nichols were in contention for the highest money-earning futurity horse of the previous season, before the cancellation of the last two major events of the season due to EHV-1. By $7 million sire Winners Version, Buddy banked over $300,000 in his futurity year.

Big Paydays

Megan McLeod-Sprague and Jagger | Fernando Sam-Sin/@fsamsin

Megan McLeod-Sprague and Seis Corona (“Jagger”) were hot off the 2025 National Finals Rodeo. The duo won the Roohide Hot Rod with a 17.004 for $1,368. They also earned the Friday Open 1D win for $1,083.

With the first 16-second run of the weekend, Sherry Cervi and MP Meter My Fame won the Saturday Open 1D with a 16.969.

Rita Cheeney and HP Dash Ta Fairfax ran the only other sub-17-second run of the weekend, with a 16.996 that took the top spot in Sunday’s Open 1D.

Nichols and Buddy doubled down on their derby earnings, placing deep in the Open 1D both days, as well as the Roohide Hot Rod, and Big Time Boss.

Youth competitor Tabitha Dyal also had an outstanding weekend, earning Open 1D money Friday, Saturday, and Sunday aboard Slym Shady. She swept the Youth 1D on Slym Shady and earned Open 1D, Open 2D, and Youth 1D checks on Promise Me Fame Guys and Smooth Operraider. Dyal wrapped up her weekend with several checks in the Big Time Boss.