From an embattled quarterback in San Francisco to a mediocre player at the same position for the defending champion Denver Broncos, there are a few different signal callers that have a lot to lose during training camp.
While that’s definitely going to be the primary focus of the NFL world this summer, there are players at other positions that also stand to lose a lot during camp.
Can a certain running back in Tennessee prove last year was a fluke while staring the reigning Heisman winner in the face?
In a pass-first league, EDGE rushers have become prominent figures on defense. There’s a couple that stand to lose a whole heck of a lot should they not perform this summer.
These are among the seven NFL players with the most to lose as training camps begin around the league.
1. Colin Kaepernick, quarterback, San Francisco 49ers
Despite missing most of the team’s off-season activities, this struggling signal caller enters training camp with an opportunity to win the starting job. It’s seemingly a fresh start under first-year head coach Chip Kelly.
Though, it also must be noted that reports from Santa Clara indicate Blaine Gabbert might have the upper-hand in the battle (more on that here).
However this turns out, Kaepernick must find a way to show that the past two seasons were a mirage, not a pattern. The former Super Bowl quarterback put up just six touchdowns compared to five interceptions in eight starts a season ago.
The interesting dynamic here is that Kaepernick requested a trade following this substandard performance. Now, having to prove himself to a third coaching staff in as many years, the onus is clearly on this embattled quarterback to show his worth.
Magnifying things further, San Francisco can get out from under Kaepernick’s deal should he fail to live up to his talent on the field. If that happens, his days as a starting quarterback would clearly be over.
2. DeMarco Murray, running back, Tennessee Titans
There’s a lot to look at when it comes to analyzing Murray’s struggles with the Philadelphia Eagles a season ago. His numbers were somewhat weighed down by a disastrous early-season performance that saw him put up 47 rushing yards on 29 attempts in his first three games.
It’s also important to note that the Eagles’ offensive line didn’t necessarily do Murray any favors here. After all, the 2014 NFL Offensive Player of the Year averaged just 2.1 yards per carry before contact.
Now in Tennessee following a surprising trade from the Eagles back in March, Murray has an opportunity to prove that 2015 was an exception to the rule.
The primary issue here for Murray is that he’s going to be tasked with competing against reigning Heisman winner Derrick Henry for the starting job in Nashville.
Considering Tennessee exhausted an early second-round pick on the Alabama product, there’s no reason to believe the team’s brass isn’t sold on him as the long-term option.
If Murray’s ability to make an impact were limited due to a less-than-stellar performance during training camp, it would then lead to many believing that last season was more than a short-lived struggle.
3. Jason Pierre-Paul, defensive end, New York Giants
Entering a contract year after signing a one-year deal to remain in New York, Pierre-Paul is banking on a huge performance.
He’s going to need it in order to hit the open market next March with the expectation of earning the money many figured he’d collect last year prior to the unfortunate fireworks accident.
This two-time Pro Bowl performer tallied just one sack in eight games after making a highly inspirational return to the field.
And while those in New York are likely rooting for him, an equally substandard performance this season will lead to yet another minimal payday for the pass rusher next spring.
4. Jimmy Graham, tight end, Seattle Seahawks
As we covered earlier this month, a patellar tendon rupture is one of the most-difficult injuries to recover from. That’s the situation Graham finds himself in after suffering the serious injury in November of last year — his first in Seattle.
Expectations are that Graham will be able to return by Week 1, but without any further progress during training camp itself, there are definitely going to be lingering questions about his ability to make an impact this season.
These questions are only magnified by the fact that Graham tallied just 48 receptions and two touchdowns in 11 games last year.
Were his ridiculous Madden-like numbers a product of the New Orleans Saints system under Sean Payton? That’s also a question many have following last season’s performance.
As the highest-paid tight end in the NFL, Graham needs to prove that he’s not only ready to return healthy, but can make an impact in Seattle’s passing game. If that doesn’t happen, the Seahawks can cut him loose following the 2016 campaign without having to pay him a penny more.
5. Jabaal Sheard, defensive end, New England Patriots
Following the trade of Chandler Jones to the Arizona Cardinals, this veteran pass rusher is going to be asked to step up big time in New England.
Sheard, a second-round pick of the Cleveland Browns back in 2011, put up a heck of a performance in New England last year. He recorded eight sacks to go along with four forced fumbles in situational duty.
Now tasked with taking on a full-time role this year, Sheard has the opportunity to prove his worth as an every-down EDGE rusher. Should that happen, the Pittsburgh product will likely earn a huge payday in free agency next spring.
6. Melvin Ingram, outside linebacker, San Diego Chargers
In today’s pass-first NFL, EDGE rushers are among the most-important players in the league. They provide an obvious counter against quarterbacks being able to toss the ball around the field. They can create havoc on the outside, forcing offenses into a multitude of mistakes in the process.
This was San Diego’s thinking when it made Ingram a first-round pick back in 2012. Unfortunately for both the Chargers and the player, it did not work prior to last season. In his first three years in the NFL, Ingram recorded a grand total of six sacks.
The good news here is that Ingram put up a breakout performance in 2015, recording a team-high 10.5 sacks while pretty much playing a full-time role.
Now entering a contract year, Ingram must prove that last season was not a fluke. That starts during training camp when he will look to cement his status as the face of the Chargers’ front seven.
Remember, 6.5 of Ingram’s sacks came in the final five games last year. He also proved to be a liability in coverage. Without more consistency and an ability to actually show he’s a better all-around player, Ingram likely won’t earn the cash he believes he’s worth next March.
7. Mark Sanchez, quarterback, Denver Broncos
There really isn’t anyone of notable football intellect out there that can conclude Sanchez has been anything more than a mediocre quarterback throughout his seven-year career.
That didn’t stop the defending champs from trading for Sanchez with the hope that he would resurrect his career as a starter. It’s an unfathomable conclusion to draw. Relying on someone of Sanchez’s ilk just months after hoisting the Lombardi.
With all that said, this obviously wasn’t Denver’s first choice. It attempted to re-sign Brock Osweiler before last year’s part-time starter took the cash to go to Houston. The Broncos then engaged in ill-fated negotiations with San Francisco for the aforementioned Colin Kaepernick.
Now, with the NFL season itself about six weeks away, reports are circulating around Broncos’ camp that Sanchez might not even be guaranteed the starting gig. Instead, that job might go to a second-year quarterback Trevor Siemian who has yet to attempt a regular season pass in the NFL (more on that here).
Should Sanchez somehow blow what is a golden opportunity, his days of being considered anywhere near a starter-caliber quarterback would surely be over. This opportunity starts, and could potentially end, during training camp.