While every NFL team enters each season optimistic about their rosters from top to bottom, there’s always one player who’s facing the most pressure ahead of the upcoming campaign.
Ahead of 2024, the list of players here are facing one of the following: Returning from a season-ending injury, entering a contract year, or needing a breakout campaign to guarantee they have a future in the league.
We recently identified the hot-seat player on every NFL team entering the 2024 season; today, let’s zero in on which NFC players fit this description.
NFC Players Under the Most Pressure This Season
Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray, Quarterback
Murray can breathe a sigh of relief knowing head coach Jonathan Gannon has his back for the upcoming year, and by getting Marvin Harrison Jr. to throw to via the NFL Draft.
However, Murray hasn’t stayed healthy the last three seasons, including not starting until Nov. 12 in 2023. This season is perfect for Murray to prove he can return to elite status with Harrison Jr. now on his side.
Atlanta Falcons: Kirk Cousins, Quarterback
It’s hard to imagine that a $180 million passer is on the hot seat. But Atlanta opted to take Michael Penix Jr. in the top 10 of the draft, which creates a highly-scrutinized QB situation ahead of training camp.
Cousins is also trying to come back from his Week 8 Achilles injury.
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Carolina Panthers: Bryce Young, Quarterback
Year 2 will either see the 2023 No. 1 pick take significant leaps or continue to crash. There’s no in-between for Young.
The Dave Canales hire already speaks to Carolina’s emergency attempt to rejuvenate Young after a disastrous NFL debut.
Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams, Quarterback
Now we get into the subsequent top overall selection. Chicago is putting a lot on the line by trading for Keenan Allen, then trading away Justin Fields to clear room for the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Williams.
The USC star will be expected to ignite the Bears right away and prove he’s an instant upgrade at QB in the Windy City.
Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott, Quarterback
While this seems like an every-year scenario for Prescott, the heat underneath him is starting to crank up due to his contract situation entering camp. Plus, there are Cowboy fans growing restless about his postseason performances, as he’s yet to take Dallas to the NFC title game in his nine-season career.
Detroit Lions: Jameson Williams, Wide Receiver
The NFC runner-up Lions took a swing in 2022 by trading up in the draft to nab Williams. But the 12th overall pick has since underwhelmed. He only caught 24 passes last season and faces a make-or-break Year 3.
Green Bay Packers: Eric Stokes, Cornerback
We have our first defensive player facing the hot seat. The 29th overall pick of 2021 has started in a combined 11 games over the last two seasons. He’s also snatched just one interception across 25 total starts and hasn’t delivered a pass breakup since his rookie season.
Oh, Stokes is in the final year of his rookie deal, too.
Los Angeles Rams: Tutu Atwell, Wide Receiver
While the Rams feature an embarrassment of riches at WR, Atwell has yet to put up the production that made him the Rams’ first pick of 2021 before their Super Bowl run.
The former second-rounder did deliver his best production in Year 3, but he’s on the final year of his rookie deal and also has Demarcus Robinson vying for WR3 duties next to Nacua and Cooper Kupp.
Minnesota Vikings: Sam Darnold, Quarterback
Darnold has managed to stay in the league for seven seasons after being selected third overall, but he’s never stayed healthy in any of those campaigns. The Vikings, even with rookie J.J. McCarthy on board, present his fourth and potentially final NFL chance as a starting quarterback.
New Orleans Saints: Derek Carr, Quarterback
Even in the Big Easy, Carr continues to face scrutiny. He’s entering his 11th season and has no playoff wins. Plus, he doesn’t have Jameis Winston as his backup.
But the Saints have built themselves as a playoff-or-bust team. Changes could come soon if Carr doesn’t lead New Orleans to a winnable NFC South crown and claim one playoff win.
New York Giants: Daniel Jones, Quarterback
Jones somehow staved off being traded or cut by the Giants. But that only means heightened pressure to perform, as he enters Year 3 of being in Brian Daboll’s offense.
One more underachieving season could mean the Giants enter the Quinn Ewers or Shedeur Sanders sweepstakes ahead of the 2025 draft.
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Philadelphia Eagles: Cam Jurgens, Center
As strong as Philly’s draft was, the Eagles didn’t draft a center until the sixth round. This means Cam Jurgens is first up in replacing a decorated Eagles legend in Jason Kelce.
If Jurgens is anywhere near Kelce’s level, this offense will dominate and show they won’t miss a beat post-Kelce.
San Francisco 49ers: Drake Jackson, Defensive End
The 49ers drafted Jackson in the second round in 2022 with the intent of giving Nick Bosa some dynamic help. Jackson has never crossed past three sacks since his selection. He also has had to settle for rotational duties with zero starts. Year three becomes the season that decides his SF future.
Seattle Seahawks: Tre Brown, Cornerback
The former fourth-round selection in 2021 snatched a career-best two picks last season. Brown, though, is getting buried in a CB room that has Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon. Artie Burns also remains in the same building.
Lastly, Brown is in the final year of his rookie deal.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Zyon McCollum, Cornerback
The towering 2022 fifth-rounder has a prime opportunity to overtake CB1 duties in Tampa. Super Bowl winner Carlton Davis is gone, and the third-year player looks to be first in line with Jamel Dean aging. The Bucs will be relying on McCollum in the starting lineup, so we’ll see if the 6’4″ CB can take advantage of his increased opportunity.
Washington Commanders: Phidarian Mathis, Defensive Tackle
Mathis has had limited production in his first two NFL seasons with zero sacks and just eight career tackles — not the kind of numbers expected out of a second-round selection.
But now, Mathis has Super Bowl winner Dan Quinn on board as his head coach, with the chance to finally ignite his career.
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