The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers kick off the NFL’s 100th season on Thursday night after one of the more bizarre off-seasons in recent memory.
The peculiar start to Antonio Brown’s Raiders career, running back holdouts and a Houston Texans trading spree are just some of the dramatic moments we’ve seen.
Sometimes lost in that drama is the fact these players still have a lot to prove on the field in the 2019 season.
Whether it’s rebounding from a tough injury, trying to earn a big payday, returning from a contract holdout or getting over some off-field issues, this season provides those players with an opportunity to change the narrative of their careers.
[relatedlinks]
Here is a look five players who have the most to prove heading into the 2019 season and how they can overcome the expectations placed on them.
Le’Veon Bell, New York Jets
After holding out for the entire 2018 season, Bell is back in the NFL and has a lot of making up to do. The New York Jets running back was held out of pre-season action in order to avoid injury, which makes sense considering he was signed to a four-year, $52.5-million deal with $35 million guaranteed.
Many are wondering whether the former Pro Bowl running back can still be the dominant dual threat out of the backfield.
In his final season with the Steelers, the 27-year-old rushed for 1,291 yards and nine touchdowns while adding 655 yards and two touchdowns through the air. His 1,946 yards from scrimmage in 2017 were second in the NFL behind only Todd Gurley, and Bell has averaged nearly 130 yards from scrimmage per game in his career.
What makes this season tough for Bell is not having the same level of supporting cast as he did in Pittsburgh, and being asked to take some pressure off sophomore quarterback Sam Darnold’s shoulders.
While he is one of the more consistent dual threats in the league, he has a lot to prove to his new team and the rest of the NFL. Only time will tell whether he is ready for it.
Antonio Brown, Oakland Raiders
If there’s a player who should be looking to leave his off-season drama behind him, it’s Brown.
From his messy departure from Pittsburgh, to getting frostbite from a cryotherapy machine, to his battle with the NFL over his helmet, to calling out the Raiders on Instagram, Brown isn’t shying away from the spotlight this summer, regardless of the impact his actions have.
The Oakland Raiders are crossing their fingers and hoping Brown is committed to being on the field and ready to contribute this season, but there are still plenty of questions that remain even if he is: Can Brown and Derek Carr get on the same page? Will AB be able to sustain the production he put up with Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh?
Brown put up 1,297 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns (a career high) on 168 targets in 2018 while going through some reported off-field issues with Roethlisberger and Mike Tomlin. It is tough to expect the 31-year-old to better the 1,834 yards he recorded in 2015, but if he is motivated to prove people wrong, Oakland’s gamble will have been worth it.
Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers
When Garoppolo had that remarkable start to his career with the San Francisco 49ers, the team believed they found their quarterback of the future. After throwing 1,560 yards and seven touchdowns to lead San Fran to wins in his five starts in 2017, the 49ers signed Garoppolo to a five-year, $137.5-million deal.
Jimmy G. looked primed for a breakout 2018 until he tore his ACL in Week 3, missing the rest of the season. Now Garoppolo is back under centre for the 49ers this season, but has had an up-and-down pre-season.
While it’s tough to evaluate a quarterback’s play in pre-season and training camp, expectations change when you are signed to one of the richest contracts in NFL history. His future will ultimately be decided by how many wins he leads the 49ers to.
Since the contract was front-loaded, San Francisco can cut Garoppolo by April 1, 2020 without having to pay him anything, and he would only count as $4.2-million dead money next season. But considering how tough it is to find an elite quarterback, you’d expect the 49ers to give Garoppolo ample time to prove himself, and he’ll have to prove he’s worth keeping around.
Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles made a big statement this past off-season, signing Carson Wentz to a four-year, $128-million extension despite the former No. 2 pick’s last two seasons ending in December — suffering a torn ACL in 2017 and then suffering a stress fracture in his back that halted his 2018 campaign.
Not only did the Eagles show faith in their starting quarterback with his extension, but they also let Nick Foles go to the Jacksonville Jaguars, taking away the insurance behind Wentz.
It’s now time for the 26-year-old to reward some of that faith with a healthy season and find his 2017 form — an MVP-calibre season in which he had 3,296 yards, 33 touchdowns and only seven interceptions in 13 games.
Wentz has the talent to do that again, but he’ll need to prove he can stay healthy.
The team provided more weapons for Wentz, re-acquiring DeSean Jackson and trading for Jordan Howard. Philadelphia also drafted Penn State running back Mile Sanders. Having a stable running game and a top-three offensive line in the league should put Wentz in a better position to remain healthy this season.
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
One thing that makes Prescott different from every other player on this list is that he hasn’t yet had his big payday, but many don’t think he is worth what he is reportedly asking for.
According to NFL Network’s Jane Slater, Prescott is looking for a deal that pays $40 million per year, which would put him ahead of Russell Wilson as the league’s highest-paid quarterback.
Is Prescott worth getting paid alongside the likes of Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, or Roethlisberger, who have each won a Super Bowl? Prescott threw for 3,667 yards, 23 touchdowns and four interceptions last season, which was an improvement on a down year in 2017, but it wasn’t enough to take Dallas to the next level.
It’s also going to become tougher for the Cowboys to hand out monster contracts after making Ezekiel Elliott the league’s highest-paid running back and still needing to extend Amari Cooper, who won’t come cheap either.
The Cowboys will want to see some progress from Prescott before making that commitment, and he’ll have his best opportunity in 2019 to show Jerry Jones he would be worth every penny he asks for.
