Every season, a different set of players face a crossroads or have something to prove for a variety of reasons. The most common reasons are related to age, contract or salary cap concerns, injury, poor performance or off-the-field issues.
Edge rusher Jaelen Phillips is a prime example of capitalizing when there's something to prove. He bounced back from two straight injury-plagued seasons in 2025. Phillips had played eight games in 2023 when a right Achilles tear ended his season. He tore his right ACL four games into the 2024 season.
Fortunately for Phillips, a 2021 first-round pick, he wasn't hitting the open market immediately after two straight injury-plagued seasons. The Achilles injury didn't deter the Miami Dolphins from picking up his fully guaranteed fifth-year option for 2025 worth $13.251 million. He played 17 games in 2025.
Phillips helped fill a void created from losing edge rusher Josh Sweat to the Arizona Cardinals in 2025 free agency when the Philadelphia Eagles acquired him from the Dolphins for a 2026 third-round pick ahead of the midseason trade deadline last November. He thrived in Philadelphia. His 41 quarterback pressures (combined sacks, quarterback hurries and quarterback hits) were for the league's sixth most from Week 10 through the end of the 2025 regular season, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Eagles becoming one of the NFL's best defenses coincided with Phillips' arrival in Week 10. A league-best 14.5 points per game were allowed with Phillips in the lineup. Philadelphia had 17 sacks in eight games prior to trading for Phillips. In eight games with Phillips, the Eagles had 25 sacks.
Phillips was able to command a four-year, $120 million contract, averaging $30 million per year with $80 million in guarantees, of which $60 million was fully guaranteed at signing, from the Carolina Panthers in free agency. His $30 million-per-year deal is 57.1% more than the top edge rusher contract in 2025 free agency. It belonged to Sweat who received a four-year, $76.4 million deal, averaging $19.1 million per year with $41 million in guarantees, where $38 million was fully guaranteed.
Twelve players who aren't quarterbacks to keep an eye on during the 2026 season fitting into one of those categories are below.
George Pickens, WR, Cowboys
Pickens took his game to a new level in 2025. This was after his attitude and immaturity prompted the Pittsburgh Steelers to trade him and a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Cowboys for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick. Pickens had 93 receptions, 1,429 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns, all career highs, while averaging 15.4 yards per catch last season. He ranked in the NFL's top 10 in each of these categories. Pickens was named to the Pro Bowl and earned second-team All-Pro honors both for the first time his career. His efforts led to Dallas designating him a franchise player for $27.298 million.
The Cowboys were crystal clear early in the offseason that there wouldn't be negotiations with Pickens about a long-term deal. Pickens took the decision in stride. As long as Pickens continues to have a good attitude about Dallas' decision, he should be in line for a massive payday with the Cowboys or some other team in 2027 provided he doesn't sustain a serious injury during the upcoming season. Pickens would likely be looking to join Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Ja'Marr Chase in the exclusive $40 million-per-year wide receiver club.
Dallas putting a franchise tag on Pickens for a second straight year with the NFL collective bargaining agreement- mandated 20% raise at $32,757,600 wouldn't be a surprise even if it's done just to trade him, especially after Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President Stephen Jones recently expressed doubt about being able to pay two wide receivers at the top of the market. CeeDee Lamb signed a four-year, $136 million contract extension, averaging $34 million per year, with the Cowboys during the 2024 preseason.
Nick Bosa, EDGE, 49ers
An 18.5-sack season in which Bosa earned NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2022 led to him becoming the league's highest-paid non-quarterback with a five-year, $170 million extension, averaging $34 million per year, right before the start of the 2023 regular season after a lengthy training camp holdout. The 19.5 sacks Bosa had collectively over the 2023 and 2024 seasons were only one more than his 2022 total. Bosa's 2025 season was cut short after three games because of a torn right ACL. Previously, he tore his left ACL early in the 2020 season. Bosa has 2027's biggest salary cap number for a non-quarterback at $54,866,753.
Puka Nacua, WR, Rams
Nacua would probably already be the league's highest-paid wide receiver ahead of Smith-Njigba, who received a four-year, $168.6 million deal, averaging $42.15 million per year with a wide receiver-record $120,067,996 in overall guarantees from the Seahawks in March, without off-the-field issues. The 2023 fifth-round pick tried to sneak live streamers into the Rams' practice facility against head coach Sean McVay's wishes late last season. During the livestream, Nacua performed a suggested touchdown dance with a gesture considered antisemitic, for which he apologized. A lawsuit was filed against Nacua in March alleging he bit a woman while intoxicated and made antisemitic statements on New Year's Eve. Nacua spent time during the offseason in a holistic care facility to focus on personal growth and overall behavioral improvement.
A bullet was dodged when Nacua wasn't placed on the commissioner's exempt list to start the season, which is essentially a paid leave of absence. Discipline under the NFL's personal conduct policy remains a possibility.
Nacua, who is making $5.767 million this season in a contract year, is off to one of the most productive starts to an NFL career for a wide receiver. He has 313 receptions for 4,191 yards and 19 receiving touchdowns in the 44 games he has played during his first three NFL seasons. Nacua's 313 receptions are the fourth most ever in this span behind Justin Jefferson (324), Michael Thomas (321) and Amon Ra-St. Brown (315). Only Jefferson (4,825) has more receiving yards through three seasons than Nacua. His 95.3 receiving yards per game are the most in NFL history.
Hall of Fame wide receiver Calvin Johnson named Nacua as the player with the best shot of breaking his single-season record of 1,964 receiving yards a couple of months ago. Nacua led the NFL with 129 receptions for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns, all career highs, last season. Nacua's 107.2 receiving yards per game topped the NFL. He also carried the ball 10 times for 105 yards with a touchdown.
The Rams will need to be comfortable Nacua has turned over a new leaf before making him one of the league's highest-paid non-quarterbacks. Once 38-year-old quarterback Matthew Stafford retires, Nacua is in line to become the face of the Rams' franchise.
Saquon Barkley, RB, Eagles
Some regression was expected after Barkley had a season for the ages in 2024 as the Eagles won Super Bowl LIX. He became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. Barkley's steep drop-off was alarming. An offensive line decimated by injuries was partially to blame, but Barkley's 1,140 rushing yards were a little less than 57% of 2024's 2,005 yards and 54 fewer yards per game. Barkley averaged 1.7 fewer yards per carry while his total touchdowns dropped from 15 to nine.
Running backs typically have a shorter shelf life than players at other positions. For Philadelphia to be most successful under new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, Barkley, who is 29, will need to demonstrate that his 2025 season is just a blip on the radar screen.
Trey Hendrickson, EDGE, Ravens
Hendrickson stayed within the AFC North leaving the Cincinnati Bengals when the Baltimore Ravens pivoted to him in free agency after pulling out of a trade to acquire edge rusher Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders for 2026 (14th overall) and 2027 first-round picks. There were medical concerns about Crosby's surgically repaired left knee.
The Ravens signed Hendrickson to a four-year, $112 million contract, averaging $28 million per year. Incentives based on Hendrickson's sacks each year make the deal worth as much as $120 million.
Hendrickson is coming off an injury-plagued 2025 season in which he missed the last nine games with a core muscle injury that required surgery. He had only had four sacks in the seven games he played last season.
Hendrickson was a beast in his last healthy seasons. He led the NFL with 17.5 sacks in 2024, which tied his career high set in the 2023 season. Hendrickson was the fourth player in NFL history to ever have consecutive seasons with 17.5 or more sacks joining Mark Gastineau, Reggie White and JJ Watt. It's going to be natural to compare Hendrickson's 2026 performance to Crosby's because of the circumstances surrounding how he joined the Ravens.
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Cardinals
Harrison was thought to be a "can't-miss" prospect partially because of his lineage when the Cardinals selected him fourth overall in 2024's NFL's Draft. His father is Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison Sr., whose 143 receptions in 2002 are third most ever in a single season.
Harrison was overshadowed by fellow 2024 first-round pick wide receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. as a rookie. Dropped passes were an issue during a 2025 season plagued by assorted injuries (concussion, appendectomy, heel and foot).
Michael Wilson emerged as a go-to wide receiver target for quarterback Jacoby Brissett during Harrison's absence. He just signed a three-year, $75 million extension, averaging $25 million per year with $47 million in guarantees, where $35 million was fully guaranteed at signing. The Cardinals may not pick up Harrison's fifth-year option for 2028, which should at a minimum be more than $19 million, without him starting to fulfill his enormous potential.
Marlon Humphrey, CB, Ravens
Humphrey was considered as a potential salary cap casualty because he had a surprising regression last season after earning first-team All-Pro honors with a career-high six interceptions in 2024. He had 2026's third highest cap number for a cornerback entering the offseason. Humphrey was on the wrong end of too many big plays in 2025. According to PFF, the 916 yards Humphrey allowed in coverage were the most in his nine-year NFL career.
Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta recently acknowledged that Humphrey had a subpar 2025 season. He expects Humphrey to rebound, which would be timely since the 30-year-old is in a contract year.
T.J. Hockenson, TE, Vikings
Hockenson wisely took a $5.75 million pay cut for 2026 from $16 million to $10.25 million in March rather than enter a saturated free agent tight end market after averaging a career-low 29.2 receiving yards per game last season. There's an opportunity for Hockenson to earn back $3.35 million of the pay cut through incentives and his 2027 contract year was turned into a dummy/voiding contract year in the process.
The Vikings felt the pay cut was warranted because Hockenson's production had significantly declined since having 95 catches for 960 yards with five touchdowns before tearing the ACL and MCL in his right knee 15 games into the 2023 season. In the two seasons after the knee injury, Hockenson has 92 catches for 893 yards and three touchdowns in 19 games.
Riq Woolen, CB, Eagles
Woolen's rare size (6-4 and 210 pounds) and speed (4.26 seconds in the 40-yard dash) for a cornerback didn't outweigh his red flags in free agency. He had nine penalties, including three for taunting, to tie for the fifth most among cornerbacks last season. Inconsistency has plagued Woolen since an impressive 2022 rookie campaign in which he tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions and earned Pro Bowl honors.
That's primarily why he is playing on the one-year, $12 million contract worth up to $15 million he signed with the Eagles. Woolen returning to his rookie form should make him a hot commodity in 2027 free agency.
Rashee Rice, WR, Chiefs
It seemed like the Chiefs had found a No. 1 wide receiver to replace Tyreek Hill, who was dealt to the Dolphins in 2022, after Rice's rookie season. The 2023 second-round pick caught 79 passes for 938 yards with seven touchdowns. He set a record for the most postseason receptions for a rookie with 26.
Availability not ability has been Rice's biggest problem. Rice only played four games during his sophomore campaign in 2024 because of a torn LCL in his right knee, a damage to his hamstring tendon and a posterolateral corner injury.
Rice was limited to eight games last season because of the 2024 injury and his six-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years probation after pleading guilty to two third-degree felonies for his involvement in a March 2024 hit-and-run street-racing crash on a Dallas highway.
Rice began this year's training camp behind the eight ball because of serving the 30-day jail sentence after violating his probation with a positive drug test for marijuana. About a week prior to beginning his sentence, Rice had minor surgery to clean up debris in his right knee. The rehab process was prolonged because of Rice's stint in jail. Given he is in a contract year, the sooner Rice can get back to peak form, the better for himself and the Chiefs, who had a losing record last season at 6-11 for the first time since 2012.
Riley Moss, CB, Broncos
Moss sees plenty of action playing opposite Patrick Surtain II, who is arguably the NFL's best cornerback. According to PFF, Moss was targeted 114 times, which was more than any other cornerback last season. His 19 passes defended tied for the league high with Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson. The 2023 third-round pick was also flagged for pass interference 10 times for an NFL most 2023 penalties yards last season, according to nflpenalties.com. If Moss can cut down on penalties, the three-year, $60 million deal, averaging $20 million per year with $42 million fully guaranteed, Alontae Taylor received from the Tennessee Titans should be his salary floor on the open market next March, considering the Broncos have 2025 first-round pick Jahdae Barron waiting in the wings to replace him.
Rasheed Walker, OT, Panthers
Walker was considered the best young left tackle available on the open market. According ESPN Analytics, Walker, had a 93.8% pass-block win rate to rank 11th among offensive tackles last season. An extremely soft free agent market led to Taylor signing a one-year, $4 million contract worth up $10 million through incentives with the Panthers as a stopgap replacing Ikem Ekwonu, who ruptured the patellar tendon in his right knee during Carolina's wild card playoff game loss to the Los Angeles Rams last season. Ekwonu, who is beginning the regular season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, has incentive to return as quickly as possible since he is playing 2026 under his $17.56 million fifth-year option.
