INDIANAPOLIS — To win in the NFC West, the list of needs might be relatively short.

In addition to a dominant defense and a proven quarterback, Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians believes a bell-cow running back is a requirement.

Arians still views Andre Ellington as a feature back even after a foot injury kept him out for multiple practices every week, curbed his production — 55 yards per game and 660 rushing yards on 201 carries — before he wound up on injured reserve to end the season.

Ellington, who is 5-foot-9, 200 pounds, was a sixth-round pick in 2013 out of Clemson. The Cardinals felt with added weight last offseason he was ready for a starring role.

“I don’t think the eight pounds — it was all upper-body weight — had anything to do with it,” Arians said Thursday at the NFL Scouting Combine of Ellington’s poor production. “He really gutted it up for us. His role, hopefully will expand. We think he’s a great player. He’s still the focal point of our offense and we’ll try to build around him.”

The Cardinals were in desperate straits late in the season, elevating Kerwynn Williams from the practice squad to make it through December.

“We missed Jonathan Dwyer, the bigger back that we had, and we’ll see if we can get somebody to fit that role,” Arians said. “There are still guys that are feature backs. And there’s some of those guys in this draft.”

Arians said the progress of quarterback Carson Palmer, who is recovering at a rapid rate from a torn knee ligament and second reconstructive surgery on his left knee, has the team giddy about the offense entering the offseason.

“Don’t jinx me baby,” Arians said knocking on the podium. “We’ll see how he progresses, whether or not we allow him to do anything this spring. We’re happy with where he’s at.”

Arians said second-year Pittsburgh State wide receiver John Brown would see a major jump in his involvement in the offense. He felt multiple knee injuries limited Larry Fitzgerald’s role and anticipates him playing a larger role. And Michael Floyd is expected to get more chances this year, too, after a year in which Arians said he “left yards on the field by trying so damn hard.”

The first major defeat of 2015 for the Cardinals came on the coaching staff, losing defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to the New York Jets.

While working to rebuild the rapport with his coaching staff, Arians said his major focus in terms of personnel is his linebacking corps.

“Speed. We need speed — at all of our linebacker positions,” Arians said, but believes the Cardinals would be unwise to rely on suspended linebacker Daryl Washington. “I don’t even think about him. He’s not on our roster.”