Player With Something to Prove from Every Team in the NFC
As football season looms just under a month away, there are plenty of stand-out players that each team holds, guys that continue to perform at an exceptional level. There will also be guys who take steps up to a different level or whose performance will regress. Players in contract years or players playing their first season for a different team can often be expected to perform at a high level. With that being said, here are guys who are looking to prove something from the NFC in the 2024 National Football League season.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys Running Back Rico Dowdle
The Cowboys took a huge hit to their offensive production when Tony Pollard left to go to the Tennessee Titans, and while they did bring back Ezekiel Elliott, Dowdle will need to take a step up in his game. With just 89 touches, 361 yards, and two touchdowns, Dowdle hopes to elevate his game to be a potential 800-yard rusher with much more red zone production.
Philadelphia Eagles Center Cam Jurgens
One of the most important positions that no one truly realizes is center. Jason Kelce left a lasting legacy for generations to come with how he led the Eagles offensive line with true grit and determination. Jurgens hopes to follow in Kelce’s footsteps and lead this Eagles offensive line.
New York Giants Quarterback Daniel Jones
Jones went down with an ACL injury against the Las Vegas Raiders last season after receiving a four-year, 160-million-dollar contract. He needs to truly make a step up in his game this year, or he could be replaced next year via the draft or a trade. The pressure is on; it’s on Jones to succeed or plummet.
Washington Commanders Quarterback Jayden Daniels
The Washington Commanders have had a revolving door of quarterbacks as no one seems to truly stick and be a good fit for them. It was thought that maybe Sam Howell could be that guy, but they moved on from him when they traded him to the Seattle Seahawks and drafted Daniels. Daniels, the 2023 Heisman winner, has already been turning heads with the duality of his game through the air and on the ground and hopes to be the franchise guy moving forward.
NFC North
Green Bay Packers Left Tackle Rasheed Walker
After releasing their former all-pro David Bakhtiari this offseason and paying Jordan Love to be the next franchise guy in Green Bay, someone will need to do the blindside blocking, as it seems to be one of the more crucial positions in the National Football League today. Walker has huge shoes to fill with Bakhtiari’s dismissal but hopes to somewhat mirror what he did in Green Bay.
Chicago Bears Quarterback Caleb Williams
One of the most talked about prospects ever, Williams, looks to make an immediate impact this year as the number one overall pick. He hopes to translate the talent he had at USC and Oklahoma to the NFL immediately with weapons all around him. The Bears have high expectations of Williams and hope he can help them solve their playoff drought.
Detroit Lions Cornerback Terrion Arnold
The Lions offense was executed to near perfection in the 2023 NFL season, both through the air and on the ground, but on the defensive side of the ball, they could have improved. The edge presence was solved with Aidan Hutchinson, as he had a great impact in his rookie season, and Brian Branch helped at the safety position, but they needed help at the cornerback position. Arnold hopes to be that needed help with five interceptions last season and 63 total tackles in his last season at the University of Alabama. Arnold hopes to be that guy to shut down the opposing team’s wide receiver one.
Minnesota Vikings Quarterback Sam Darnold
The Vikings needed a replacement at quarterback after Kirk Cousins left to go to the Atlanta Falcons and drafted one in JJ McCarthy, but unfortunately, McCarthy will undergo surgery on a torn meniscus and be out indefinitely. Darnold now steps in as the candidate to be Minnesota’s week one starter. Darnold hasn’t proven much yet in the NFL, but with experience under his belt, he hopes to lead the Vikings offense to a step in the right direction.
NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Wide Receiver Jalen McMillan
The Buccaneers have one of the best receiver duos in the NFL with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, but with Evans’ injury struggles, they need a true third guy in the wide receiver room. McMillan hopes to be that guy after being selected out of Washington in the third round. McMillan was overshadowed by the other standout wide receiver out of Washington in Rome Odunze, but with McMillan’s stature at just over six foot and 180 pounds can be a good change-of-pace guy between Evans and Godwin.
New Orleans Saints Wide Receiver A.T Perry
The Saints had hoped that their duo out of Ohio State would be dominant with Michael Thomas and Chris Olave, but after Thomas’ release, they turned their heads to second-year wide receiver A.T Perry. Perry stands at six foot 5 inches and hopes to be a red zone target for whoever is under center for the Saints and improve in his sophomore season.
Carolina Panthers Running Back Jonathon Brooks
The Panthers have yet to decide who will take the lead of their backfield since trading star Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers in 2022. Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders both seem not to be the answer, so they drafted Brooks out of Texas in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. With just over 1100 yards on under 200 touches, Brooks hopes to make the jump from college to professional ball and take the lead of the running backs.
Falcons Wide Receiver Drake London
With the signing of Kirk Cousins, the Falcons now have someone who can get London the ball with consistency. Cousins has shown previously that he loves to exploit his wide receiver one in his past stints with the Commanders and Vikings and hopes to do so with London. London hopes to make that jump to be a 1000-yard receiver and lead this Falcons offense through their air game.
NFC West
49ers Cornerback Isaac Yiadom
The 49ers were dominant last season, taking the NFC with dominance, but their run came just short as they lost in the 2023-24 Super Bowl to the Kansas City Chiefs. One of their weaknesses in this Super Bowl was defending the passing game of Patrick Mahomes as he threw for over 300 yards. Yiadom, with six years under his belt, hopes to fit into this San Francisco defense like a glove and be able to contain the passing game of the opposition as they look to repeat their performance last year.
Seahawks Middle Linebacker Tyrel Dodson
The Seattle Seahawks, throughout the past decade, have been known to be very defensively sound, with the middle linebacker being the head of the defense. Bobby Wagner led by example but has left to play for the Washington Commanders. The Seahawks hope to turn to Dodson as a possible candidate to lead this defense that looks to make improvements after falling just short of the playoffs in 2023. Dodson has not received much playing time in his previous four years but looks to receive an imminent increase in reps and playing time.
Rams Nose Tackle Bobby Brown III
One of the greatest players of today’s generation retired this offseason as Aaron Donald announced his retirement. There is a void that once was always filled for the Rams in the middle of their defensive line. Bobby Brown hopes to build on his 2023 campaign with 31 total tackles in 13 games.
Cardinals Wide Receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
The Cardinals have been one of the teams on a downfall in recent years due to injury and competitions surrounding them rising to the occasion. Kyler Murray had DeAndre Hopkins as a number one option, but after trading Rondale Moore to the Falcons, turned to rookie sensation Marvin Harrison Jr. Harrison was a monster at Ohio State, standing at six foot three inches and possessing breakaway speed had back to back 1200 yard seasons with 14 yards in each of those seasons. He looks to replicate that production at the next level and make a name for himself like his father once did.
