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5 questions facing the Cardinals in training camp

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

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Adversity was a common theme for the Arizona Cardinals last season. They lost key players on both sides of the ball, and yet somehow managed to match a franchise high in wins and advance to the playoffs.

This offseason brought forth further changes in Arizona, the most notable of which being the departures of defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and cornerback Antonio Cromartie.

Here are five questions facing the Cardinals heading into training camp.

Who will be the No. 3 quarterback?

The Cardinals were 6-0 with Carson Palmer as their starting quarterback in 2014 and will be a much better team with him back in their lineup, providing his surgically repaired knee holds up.

Palmer's recovery from a torn ACL has, by all accounts, gone swimmingly so far. The 35-year-old was full-go for the start of mandatory minicamp and has been moving and throwing well. However, given Palmer's age and injury history, the Cardinals will need to ensure they have depth at the position.

Drew Stanton, who also had his 2014 season cut short by a knee injury, will handle backup duties, leaving Logan Thomas, undrafted rookie Phillip Sims, and Chandler Harnish to battle it out for the No. 3 job. Head coach Bruce Arians has not been pleased with any of the three thus far, so they'll have their work cut out for them in camp.

How will the defensive scheme change under Bettcher?

The Cardinals didn't have to look far to find Bowles' successor, opting to promote outside linebackers coach James Bettcher from within to maintain a sense of continuity.

Bettcher has said that the defensive scheme will stay largely the same, which means blitzing should continue to be a big part of the Cardinals' game plan. But as is the case with any coaching change, there figures to be some tweaks here and there.

Will the losses on defense hurt the Cardinals?

Bowles and Cromartie weren't the only high-profile members of Arizona's defense to leave this offseason. Defensive tackles Darnell Dockett and Dan Williams are also gone, and the future of suspended linebacker Daryl Washington remains up in the air. Larry Foote is back, but in a different capacity as assistant linebackers coach.

The Cardinals don't appear to be too concerned about the loss of Cromartie, as they opted against adding a replacement in free agency or the draft. That means it will likely be Jerraud Powers stepping in as starter opposite Patrick Peterson, though his ability to play in the slot or at outside corner does provide the team with some options.

After being decimated by injuries last season, adding depth on defense was a must for the Cardinals. They did so by signing Sean Weatherspoon, LaMarr Woodley, Corey Peters, and Cory Redding, and drafting Markus Golden, Rodney Gunter, and Shaq Riddick.

Is Brown ready to break out?

John Brown, a third-round pick out of the relatively unknown Pittsburg State, was the talk of last year's training camp and followed it up with an impressive rookie performance, catching 48 passes for 696 yards and five touchdowns. His production tailed off towards the end of the season, but that likely had a lot to do with the injuries at quarterback.

Heading into his second season, Brown added 10 pounds to his upper body to help improve against press coverage and has shown an obvious chemistry with Palmer, particularly on deep routes. Palmer also noted during minicamp that he has noticed "something different" about Brown this offseason.

Brown is currently third on the depth chart, but with the statistical decline of Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd entering the final year of his rookie contract, he could be thrust into a more prominent role in the near future.

Can Ellington stay healthy?

After showing flashes in his rookie season, many expected Andre Ellington to have a breakout year in 2014. Instead, he averaged a mere 3.3 yards per carry and was slowed down by injuries for much of the season.

The Cardinals drafted David Johnson in the third round and have likened his skill set to that of Ellington, but view him more as insurance than a candidate to take over the starting running back role. Of course, that could change if Ellington struggles this season.

The good news is that Ellington is back to 100 percent and was showing off his elusive quickness during OTAs and minicamp.

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