Whether it’s a young player who has yet to live up to expectations or a veteran who hasn’t matched the level of his contract, several players every year have much more to prove than others.
Here are the players with the most to prove on offense and defense for each team in the NFC West.
Arizona Cardinals
Offense: Kyler Murray, quarterback | There are not many quarterbacks in the NFL facing a bigger “show me” season than Murray. He is not playing for his job this year because he is locked in as the starter. He is not playing for a new contract because he is signed to a long-term deal worth more than $250M. Murray is, however, playing for his future in Arizona and his reputation as a franchise QB.
The 2022 season was a nightmare for Murray, who had a big regression in his play and then a season-ending knee injury. He must prove he is healthy, for one. Murray’s salary-cap hit goes up to $51M next season. If the season heads south, the Cardinals have the draft capital to be in contention for Southern Cal QB Caleb Williams, a potential No. 1 overall pick.
Defense: Isaiah Simmons, linebacker | Simmons was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft but hasn’t shown he’s worthy of that spot. The Cardinals have already soured on him by opting not to pick up his fifth-year option. That is going to make him a potential free agent after this season, which means he’s playing for a new contract. A big year could land him a new deal — either in Arizona or elsewhere. In three seasons, he has just 7.5 sacks and seven forced fumbles.
Los Angeles Rams
Offense: Cam Akers, Running back | The Rams are going to rely on Akers to be a big producer, but he has a lot to prove as a full-time starter. He came on strong in the second half of the 2022 season, rushing for over 100 yards in each of his final three games, but he has never been counted on to be a full-time starter over a 17-game season.
If QB Matthew Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp return to form in the passing game, they should open opportunities for Akers on the ground. He must take advantage.
Defense: Robert Rochell, cornerback | When the Rams traded cornerback Jalen Ramsey this offseason, it created a huge hole in their secondary. There might not be a bigger weakness on their defense than corner. The Rams brought in Ahkello Witherspoon as competition for Rochell, but he is not starter material. If Rochell doesn’t beat out him or Derion Kendrick for a starting spot, he probably doesn’t have a future in Los Angeles.
San Francisco 49ers
Offense: Brock Purdy, quarterback | When injuries devastated the quarterback room last season, the 49ers turned to Purdy, a seventh-round rookie and final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He more than held his own, leading the team to a 7-0 record (including playoffs) in games he started and completed.
The 49ers believe that had he not been injured in the NFC Championship Game, they would have played in the Super Bowl, not Philadelphia. If he recovers from a torn UCL in his throwing elbow, Purdy is slated to start. He only has seven NFL games on his résumé, and every defensive coordinator on San Francisco’s schedule has had months to break him down on film and find weaknesses.
Defense: Drake Jackson, defensive end: A second-round pick in 2022, Jackson had a promising start to his career with three sacks in his first six games. He looked like a great bookend to Nick Bosa, the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, on the other side of the D-line. But that early stretch would prove to be the high point of Jackson’s season as his production plummeted. By the end of the season, he was not even getting a helmet on game days. Jackson called the experience “humbling.”
Seattle Seahawks
Offense: Geno Smith, quarterback | Not even the most optimistic Seahawks fan could have predicted the type of season Smith had in 2022. He outplayed former franchise QB Russell Wilson, a flop in Denver, and helped lead the Seahawks to a stunning playoff berth. But now Smith — who signed a contract extension in the offseason — must prove 2022 wasn’t a fluke. His play tailed off late in the season, with only one of his final five regular-season featuring a passer rating higher than 91.
Defense: Devin Bush, linebacker | The Seahawks needed to make big changes to a defense that allowed 361.7 yards per game in 2022 (26th in the league). Seattle started by overhauling its linebacker room. The Seahawks brought back Bobby Wagner following a one-year stint in Los Angeles and signed Devin Bush, a first-round bust with the Steelers.
Wagner, even at 33, should give the Seahawks strong play. Bush, however, is a wild card. A knee injury in 2020 started the downturn of his career. Bush, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, was never the same after that. He is not only fighting for playing time in Seattle. Bush might also be fighting to show he’s still an NFL player.
