One Player Every NFL Team Needs To Stop Making Excuses For In 2026

Added: 2026-06-03

[00:00:00]Well, we're about a few months away now from the 2026 regular season kicking off, and we're getting more and more excited about watching our favorite players suit up for another incredible year. There will be numerous talented players making names for themselves, while the superstars will continue to dominate on the field. However, each team is going to have one guy who has to prove himself worthy of earning another contract, or else they risk signing with another team in the 2027 off season, if they're lucky. These guys are going to have an uphill battle, but some will reach that mountain top and find success. So, today we're going to dive into one guy on each NFL team who has to prove it in the 2026 season.

[00:00:45]Arizona Cardinals Marvin Harrison Jr.

[00:00:49]Harrison Jr. was drafted by the Cardinals in 2024 with the hopes that he would become their next big deep threat for the team. Unfortunately, he's been a bit of a disappointment as he's dealt with inconsistencies in his second season, nagging injuries, and dropped passes. Harrison Jr. has to rebound under new head coach Mike Laflur and defensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett or else he's going to be labeled as a draft reach moving forward. The Atlanta Falcons Michael Penn Jr.

[00:01:15]Pennock Jr. enters a very crucial year three as he has to rebound from a disastrous 2025 season during which he dealt with an ACL injury and accuracy issues. The Falcons have a new coaching regime and brought him to attack of Aayawoa to compete with Penn Jr. for the starting job. Penn Jr. is going to have to improve his performance under Kevin Sfensky in order to earn the starting job for 2026.

[00:01:36]Baltimore Ravens Rashad Baitman.

[00:01:40]Baitman had a very down year in 2025 catching 19 passes for 225 yards and scoring two touchdowns as he struggled to separate and earn targets on the outside. Baitman must rebound in 2026 under the new coaching regime.

[00:01:53]Especially since he signed a three-year $36.75 million extension in 2025. And with the Ravens drafting Jacobe Lane and Elijah Sarah in the third and fourth rounds of the 2026 NFL draft, the competition is going to get a little fierce. Buffalo Bills Keon Coleman.

[00:02:09]Coleman had a rough year, too, catching 38 receptions for 404 yards and scoring four touchdowns in the 2025 season, which uh is never good for someone trying to make a name for themselves in the league. The Bills recently traded for DJ Moore, which adds pressure to Coleman, who's entering his third year in the league. He has to step it up on the field, become a reliable target for Josh Allen to throw to, and earn the trust of the team's coaching staff.

[00:02:32]Carolina Panthers, Bryce Young.

[00:02:36]Young had a good 2025 season as he led the Panthers to an 8-9 record, first place in the MC South and into the playoffs before they lost to the Los Angeles Rams in the wildard round.

[00:02:46]Panthers picked up Young's fifth year option and he's going to have to continue to prove himself during the 2026 season and expand upon his performance under head coach Dave Canales. If Young can do that and improve his pre-nap reads, well, he'll be rewarded with a nice contract extension and help the Panthers repeat as NFC South champions potentially.

[00:03:03]Chicago Bears Jaylen Johnson.

[00:03:07]Johnson had a rough 2025 season as he dealt with injuries and missed significant time and played in only seven regular season games. Johnson enters a prove a year as he has to stay healthy for the 2026 season and he has the potential to be the team's leader in the secondary and make it a formidable unit. If he can do that, well, the Bears will likely award Johnson with a nice contract extension for 2027. Cincinnati Bengals Miles Murphy.

[00:03:32]Murphy enters a critical year as the Bengals decline the fifth year option on his contract, making him a free agent in 2027. Murphy did break out with 5.5 sacks in 2025, but the Bengals want a larger sample size and to see if he can cause more havoc this coming season.

[00:03:47]Cleveland Browns, Cedric Tilman.

[00:03:51]Tilman is in a contract year for the Browns and has some serious competition at receiver. He's got to prove that he can be competitive during key games. You see, Tilman hasn't had a 1000yard season just yet, and he could easily be traded or released before the regular season.

[00:04:04]His salary is not guaranteed. Dallas Cowboys George Pickkins.

[00:04:11]Because the Cowboys are unwilling to commit to Pickkins long-term, he must prove he is the real deal for the team in 2026. The Cowboys need a full season of professionalism, composed behavior, and being prepared before they can pay Pickkins long term. This man has to show that he is a reliable cornerstone for the team's offense in 2026.

[00:04:30]Denver Broncos Evan Ingram.

[00:04:34]Ingram has a lot to prove for the Broncos in 2026 as his 2025 season did not meet the team's expectations. He caught 50 receptions for 461 yards and scored one touchdown. Ingram had a few drops which were very costly for the team in key games and he was underutilized for most of the season.

[00:04:52]That's going to have to change in 2026 if he wants to return to the Pro Bowl caliber tight end that he once was.

[00:04:58]Detroit Lions O McNeel.

[00:05:02]McNeel has a lot to prove in 2026 for the Lions as he's returning to action from a torn ACL injury that he suffered back in 2024, which saw his run defense take a downturn during the 2025 season.

[00:05:13]The Lions heavily invested in their defensive line for 2026. So, McNeel must compete in proof that he can still be the anchor of the team's interior defensive line. Green Bay Packers Christian Watson.

[00:05:26]Watson enters a make orb breakak year with the Packers as he has to prove to the organization that he can overcome durability issues and be the team's number one wide out moving forward.

[00:05:35]Watson hasn't had a 1000y season quite yet. And if he can produce a strong season while staying healthy, well, he may just be rewarded with a contract extension from the team. Houston Texans CJ Strad.

[00:05:48]Ever since Straoud's rookie season, he has been kind of inconsistent and his stats have slowly declined. In fact, Strad really struggled in the 2025 2026 playoffs, throwing two touchdowns against five interceptions. The Texans have a roster that is ready to contend.

[00:06:03]Straoud has to rebound from two mediocre seasons by managing games more effectively as at the moment the team is being very cautious about signing him to an extension. The Straoud also has to improve his decision-making and mental processing during games if he wants to be successful in 2026.

[00:06:19]Indianapolis Colts Alec Pierce Pierce signed a massive 4-year 14 million contract extension with the Colts and well, he's got to establish himself as the team's true serious threat receiver in 2026. Fans and coaches want to see Pierce become a wide receiver who can become a reliable target that can move the chains on short routes and turn into a scoring machine.

[00:06:43]Jacksonville Jaguars Travis Hunter.

[00:06:47]Hunter has a lot to prove in year two of his career as he is expected to be healthy for the start of the 2026 season and should continue to play both offensively and defensively. Hunter showed great defensive promise and is expected to see a slight increase in production in the secondary, which is something the Jaguars need moving forward. On offense, Hunter can thrive on specific plays designed for him in space during the upcoming season while improving his efficiency.

[00:07:11]Kansas City Chiefs Xavier Worthy Worthy faces pressure in the 2026 season as he had a down year in 2025 and needs to prove to the league that he isn't a one-trick pony. Worthy must improve his physical strength, refine his route running, and develop a better field awareness when tracking deep balls inbounds. He's expected to be healthy for the start of the 2026 season. So, now's his time to really prove it. Las Vegas Raiders Ashton Genty.

[00:07:39]Genty had a good 2025 statistical season, rushing for 975 yards on 266 carries, scoring five rushing touchdowns, catching 55 receptions for 346 yards, and scoring five receiving touchdowns. However, Jensy struggled with his ground game and has to rebound in 2026 by improving his weeding of opposing defenses and speeding up his play under the Raiders new head coach Clint Kubiaak. Los Angeles Chargers Quinton Johnston.

[00:08:05]Johnston must prove it to the Chargers as he has dealt with inconsistencies throughout his playing career. Even though his statistical numbers have improved over the years, the wide receiver depth room continues to deepen as Johnston's competition gets more intense from guys like Vlad Makoni and Trey Harris in the lineup. Johnston does have faith from the front office and his coaches for his development, but still he's got to do whatever he can to become a starter. Los Angeles Rams Emanuel Forbes Jr. Forbes Jr.'s career is an interesting one. He wasn't able to put things together with the Commanders, but he showed promise with the Rams during the 2025 season. However, Forbes Jr. has a history of missing tackles when it matters the most. The Rams declined to pick up Forbes Junior's fifth year option for 2026, making him a free agent in 2027. On top of that, Forbes Jr. has intense competition from Trent McDuffy and Jaylen Watson, both who will likely be starters. Well, he'll be subjected to watching from the bench during 2026.

[00:09:00]Miami Dolphins Malik Willis.

[00:09:03]After releasing to Attack of Aoa, the Dolphins signed Malik Willis to a three-year 67.5 million deal with the team. Even though he has a limited track record from his time as a backup quarterback with the Packers, Willis is expected to become a starter right away with the team that is currently committed to another rebuild after the tag of Aloa experiment failed. If Willis struggles, the Dolphins could use their early first round pick on a new signal caller in the 2027 draft. Minnesota Vikings JJ McCarthy.

[00:09:32]McCarthy had a brutal 2025 season, throwing 11 touchdowns against 12 interceptions and struggling with injuries and inconsistent play throughout the year with the Vikings signing Kyler Murray to the roster.

[00:09:42]McCarthy must prove himself and improve his processing speed, passing ability, and accuracy quickly or else he's going to be benched in favor of Murray. New England Patriots Kahan Bouty.

[00:09:54]Bouty is in a makeorb breakak year for the Pats as he's on the final year of his rookie contract and faces a crowded receiving room with competition from guys like Romeo Dubs, Deario Douglas, M.

[00:10:04]Collins, and AJ Brown, which will potentially make the competition more intense for Boute as he must maximize his efficiency to earn an extension or a new contract from another team. New Orleans Saints Tyler Shock.

[00:10:18]The Saints may have found their next franchise quarterback in Tyler Shuck, who showed promise in 2025 with 221 completions for 2,384 yards and threw 10 touchdowns against six interceptions.

[00:10:29]Chuck must transition the success that he made from his rookie year into his sophomore season as the team has now provided him with some new offensive weapons like Jordan Tyson to work with in 2026.

[00:10:39]New York Giants Kavon Thibido.

[00:10:43]Davido is entering a make orb breakak year in 2026 as he now enters the final year of his rookie contract and he's got to bounce back from a rough injury riddle 2025 season.

[00:10:55]So Thibido is going to have to give it his all for the 2026 season to earn a contract extension or earn a contract with another team in 2027.

[00:11:04]New York Jets Adonai Mitchell.

[00:11:08]Mitchell enters the 2026 season with the most to prove as he must improve on his consistency and faces intense competition from newly drafted wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. Mitchell showed flashes of playmaking abilities during the 2025 season and he's going to have to step it up under new offensive coordinator Frank Reich for the upcoming season. Philadelphia Eagles Nolan Smith.

[00:11:29]Smith enters the final year of his rookie contract with the Eagles and is expected to be healthy for the upcoming season. However, he was recently arrested for both speeding and reckless driving in Twigs County, Georgia. So, Smith is going to have to bounce back from a shortened 2025 season due to a triceps injury and try to record his first double- digit sack season in 2026.

[00:11:48]Pittsburgh Steelers Aaron Rodgers.

[00:11:52]Finally, at long last, it is confirmed Rogers will return to the Steelers, but it will be his final season, and the man's going to have to prove that he's still got it. I mean, he's going to be 43 by the end of the 2026 season. There are reasons to have doubts about him.

[00:12:07]The Steelers roster is currently built to be in win now mode, and they recently traded for Michael Pitman Jr., who should do wonders with Rogers on offense in this upcoming season. San Francisco 49ers Ricky Purscol.

[00:12:20]Persol faces a make orb breakak 2026 season after facing personal adversity and dealing with injuries in the last two years. He's going to have to stay healthy for the 2026 season as he has the potential to record up to 800 plus receiving yards and make the 49ers passing attack a more formidable unit even with the free agent acquisitions with Mike Evans and Christian Kirk on the roster. The Seattle Seahawks Zack Charbanet.

[00:12:43]Although Charban is still recovering from an ACL injury that he suffered during the team's playoff run towards Super Bowl 60, he has a lot to prove for the 2026 season when he returns. As Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III is with the Chiefs and the team drafted Jadarian Price, the pressure is building up around Charbanet as he's also in a contract year with the Seahawks. So, he's got to improve his ball security for the 2026 season when he eventually returns to action on the field. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Acha Egg Buuka Egg Buuka burst onto the NFL scene with a hot start in his 2025 season, but cooled down a bit towards the end of it.

[00:13:18]He caught 63 receptions for 933 yards and scored six touchdowns. With Mike Evans gone, all eyes are going to be on Eggbuka to continue performing and potentially become the team's next number one receiver on the depth chart.

[00:13:30]Tennessee Titans Cam Ward.

[00:13:34]Ward had a rough 2025 season as the Titans really had no offensive tools for him to work with and the team fired then head coach Brian Callahan. With a new coaching regime in Nashville, Ward must improve his field processing, mechanics, and timing under new head coach Robert Salah and defensive coordinator Brian Dable. Plus, that upgraded unit with Wale Robinson on the roster should improve the passing attack. Washington Commanders Jaden Daniels.

[00:14:00]After an impressive rookie season, Daniels had a rough sophomore season as he dealt with a hamstring strain and a dislocated left elbow. Many fans drew comparisons to Robert Griffin III, who also was plagued by injuries during his tenure with the team. Daniels will have to stay healthy in the 2026 season and remain durable for the long haul, as the Commanders are now entering win now mode. But what player are you wanting to see improve in 2026? Let us know in the comment section below. If you like this video and learned a thing or two, then hey, clicking the like button helps us out a ton, and you know, we really appreciate it. If this is your first time coming around to TPS though, then hey, subscribing is a great idea because we put out videos like this every single day. But as always, thanks for watching and we'll see you guys next time.