Training camp can be a dreaded experienced for NFL veterans, but it can also bring hope for an undrafted player to prove he belongs in the league or for young veterans to convince their franchise they are ready to make an impact. More specifically, training camp can often allow a would-be bust show everyone his failed first season doesn’t define his career.
There are quite a few players that will at least aim to turn the corner in their careers, because if they can’t, this training camp could very well be their last. Let’s take a look at several big names that haven’t lived up to the hype just yet and may need big camps to earn a guaranteed role (or even a roster spot) in 2015:
Robert Griffin III, QB, Washington Redskins
Few young quarterbacks are going to be under the microscope as much as RG3, especially when it comes to projected starters. After an absolutely sensational rookie season that had him looking like a superstar, RG3 has been a shell of who we all thought he was. He’s entering year two of Jay Gruden’s system and is supposedly improving, but if his athleticism and confidence don’t both return, his run in the league as a starter could be coming to an end.
Geno Smith, QB, New York Jets
There’s no doubt Smith has shown flashes of being a solid weekly starter in his first two seasons, but horrid decision-making and turnovers have damaged his reputation. The Jets have finally surrounded him with stellar talent on offense, however, so the beleaguered passer is running out of excuses as he prepares for camp.
Johnny Manziel, QB, Cleveland Browns
It sounds crazy that a quarterback’s career could be over after exactly six quarters as a starter, but that’s the brutal reality Johnny Football could be facing in Cleveland. Already looked at as a boom or bust prospect coming into the league a year ago, laziness, cockiness and rehab have crushed any optimism surrounding the tiny passer. If Manziel is going to salvage a career in the pros, he may need to leap frog Josh McCown and win the Browns starting quarterback job in August.
Doug Martin, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Muscle Hamster was a beast as a rookie in 2012, and has since trended downward in horrific fashion. He deserves a mulligan for 2013, when a freak labrum injury robbed him of his health. He’s also played behind a weak offensive line throughout his career, but there’s no doubt the jury is still out on whether or not his awesome rookie run was a fluke. With Charles Sims waiting to take over behind him, Martin may have to enjoy an awesome camp to hold onto his starting job.
Bishop Sankey, RB, Tennessee Titans
Sankey was awful as a rookie in 2014, as he struggled with production and simple fundamentals. Sankey needs to put in a ton of work to hold onto the starting gig in Tennessee and already looks like a bust. If rookie running back David Cobb supplants him, he could be on his way out of the league just a year after getting drafted in the second round.
Andre Ellington, RB, Arizona Cardinals
Ellington is an extremely explosive and versatile offensive weapon, but 2014 may have shown everyone he’s not made to be a featured NFL runner. A small stature contributed to injuries and weak inside running, as Ellington played well under 100% in year two and ended the year with a paltry 3.3 yard per carry average. David Johnson was drafted to push him, and if Ellington can’t fend him off, his days as a leading man could be numbered.
Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee Titans
Hunter was supposed to bust out in 2014 due to big size and great athleticism, but inconsistency, poor quarterback play and a lacerated spleen held him back. He now has some off field issues to deal with and the team brought in several wide receivers to increase competition. If Hunter can’t beat the odds and make a huge impression in training camp, a promising career could be over before it ever really got started.
Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
C-Patt stormed the league as a rookie, as he busted out several big plays in the return game and flashed ability as a receiver. That raw talent didn’t translate in 2014, when he turned out to be a bit of a bust due to an inability to master his routes and beat coverage. Shaky quarterback play was partially to blame, but even with Teddy Bridgewater improving in 2015, Patterson may be too buried with the addition of Mike Wallace to make much of an impact. If he wants to be an impact player in Minnesota, though, he may have to find a way to make it work this season.
Tyler Eifert, TE, Cincinnati Bengals
Eifert’s gotten a raw deal through two NFL seasons. He’s played in a fairly run-heavy offense, has Andy Dalton as his quarterback and dislocated his elbow right away in week one in 2014. Then the Bengals drafted two rookie tight ends behind him and suddenly he might be facing a make-or-break season. The weird thing is Eifert is a terrific talent who could thrive in the right situation. Unless he makes it happen in 2015, though, that situation may not be with the Bengals.
Got another young veteran that could be facing a make-or-break training camp? Tell us about him in the comments below!
