Last season Jordan Love had a pivotal season in his career. Even halfway through we didn’t know which way it was going to go.
Love struggled in his first season as the Green Bay Packers’ starting quarterback, but then he caught on. He went from a question mark in early November to a tie for the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history this summer. His four-year, $220 million deal should be a lesson for any player whose careers find themselves at a crossroads this season.
Here are 10 top players facing a crucial season.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson
Here are the stakes: Either Watson plays well this season, or we can talk about how the Browns traded him as the worst player in NFL history. And his contract is one of the worst in NFL history. Watson has failed to match what Cleveland gave him in a trade or his fully guaranteed $230 million contract. He has legitimate excuses, but they’re going to wear thin in Year 3 if he plays poorly again. He’s coming off shoulder surgery and that could hurt him, but the Browns can’t wait forever to see a return on their investment. If Watson struggles again, the Browns will have to figure out what to do with him and his ridiculous contract. The Browns have the type of roster that can win a Super Bowl. They need their quarterback at that level, too.
Carolina Panthers CB Jaycee Horn
The question for Horn isn’t so much talent, but health. Horn missed 25 of 34 regular-season games in the 2021 and 2023 seasons. He’s played well when he’s been on the field, and the Panthers picked up his fifth-year option, which speaks to his ability. But durability is also important, and this is the season Horn needs to show he can stay on the field.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold
Darnold couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity. The former third overall pick in the draft didn’t pan out with the Jets or Panthers, but those were subpar environments. After a season as a backup for the 49ers, he’ll be the Vikings’ unquestioned starter after JJ McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury. The Vikings have the cast in place to back Darnold up and have expressed confidence in him. At 27, it’s now or never for Darnold to become a viable NFL starting quarterback.
Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins
We know Higgins is a good player. We’ve seen it. But the stakes are high this season. You can’t rule out the Bengals bringing Higgins back, but it seems unlikely. That would mean this is a real contract year for Higgins. The problem is that he just had his worst season with just 656 yards. If he plays like he did earlier in his career, he’ll get a mega deal in free agency. Another bad season under 700 yards and that price will drop significantly. Financially, there’s a lot at stake for Higgins this season.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith
Smith enjoyed a career resurgence in 2022, signing a three-year, $75 million contract in 2023, taking a step back to play behind a battered offensive line, and then his status with the Seahawks in 2024 was similarly uncertain. The Seahawks brought Smith back after guaranteeing most of his 2024 salary, but a different decision will be made in 2025. Smith’s cap hit in 2025 is $38.5 million, and he will receive a $10 million roster bonus due on the fifth day of the league year, according to Spotrac. Smith turns 34 in October, which isn’t too old for a quarterback, but it’s another factor in his future. And if Smith plays like he did in 2022, the tables will turn and he’ll be the one asking for a raise. It’s a big year for the Seahawks’ relationship with Smith.
New Orleans Saints OT Trevor Penning
Things aren’t looking good for Penning right now. The 2022 first-round pick was forced into the starting lineup when Ryan Ramczyk’s knee injury knocked him out for the season. Penning hadn’t been successful at left tackle, so he was moved to the right side. He then struggled in the season opener, leaving the Saints’ coaches wondering what had happened. Penning won’t have much patience to clean things up and be a productive part of the Saints’ line.
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones
The Giants were looking for quarterbacks in the NFL Draft, couldn’t find one, and Jones held on. But it’s clear now that Jones is on his last legs in New York. He could have a good season and become the Giants’ quarterback of the future again. He’s only 27 years old. But it has to happen this season. Jones is coming off a torn ACL, which makes it even more difficult. Jones threw two interceptions in his first preseason work, which was alarming, but he’ll have every opportunity to make up for it once the regular season starts.
Carolina Panthers OT Ikem Ekwonu
The Panthers were bad last season and Ekwonu was one of the reasons. After a solid rookie season, the sixth overall pick in the 2022 draft struggled last season. He allowed 11 sacks, the third-most in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus
“I feel like I didn’t take advantage of the resources I had last year. I feel like I kind of piggybacked on that rookie season,” Ekwonu told the team’s website during the offseason.
“I don’t want to talk too much about last year, honestly, but it was obviously a very humbling experience.”
A team can’t spend the sixth pick of the draft on a lineman and make him feel like a liability. Ekwonu needs to bounce back this season.
Las Vegas Raiders DE Tyree Wilson
The NFL doesn’t have much patience. Even highly drafted players can quickly be forgotten. Wilson was the seventh pick in last year’s draft, but had just 3.5 sacks as a rookie and didn’t start a single game. He also wasn’t drafted by this regime. Worse for Wilson, Malcolm Koonce’s breakthrough last season has diminished his chances of getting snaps. Wilson needs to capitalize on every snap he gets to avoid being left behind.
New York Jets DE Will McDonald IV
McDonald is another 2023 first-round pick hoping to not be forgotten. He had just three sacks last season. This offseason, Bryce Huff left the Jets in free agency, they traded John Franklin-Myers, and Haason Reddick held out and requested a trade. That means McDonald will have to take a step forward. The team was hoping McDonald would gain weight, but he hasn’t as much as expected, which could be a concern. It doesn’t matter whether McDonald doubles or triples his sack total from his rookie season.
