With new signings and stars on the rise, there a few players who are facing a bright spotlight going into the new season
As a new football season approaches, it is evident that players want to do well and have their team to succeed. Some face the pressure of breaking records and lifting the Lombardi Trophy. Other players have an extra layer of pressure due to other circumstances. But as we head into the 2019 season, here are 5 players, in no particular order, who are undoubtedly going to be facing the heat.
QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Last season, every time Mahomes stepped on the field, another record was broken. By the end of the season, his name was listed next to guaranteed Hall of Famers Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. What’s more impressive, is that it was only his second season. In one year, he took the Chiefs to the AFC Championship game and lost only because they were facing the New England Patriots. Not to mention, he took the Chiefs as far he did while losing a major part of their offense along the way with Kareem Hunt’s sudden departure from the team in November. Now with Hunt gone and Tyreek Hill having his own set of off the field issues, Mahomes could be losing another weapon. Hunt and Hill were both huge contributors to Mahomes’ success. This season, the question on every one’s mind is simple: Will Mahomes be a one-hit wonder or will he continue to dominate without all of his weapons?
RB Le’Veon Bell, New York Jets
Bell is a unique name on this list. This is due to the fact that his numbers have nothing to do with it. Last year, Bell spent most of the season on Twitter. He was seemingly taunting the Pittsburgh Steelers over the fact that he took contract negotiations to a practically unheard-of level by refusing to report to camp. This also included openly meeting with other teams during the season. Most players want the issue resolved quickly and want to get back on the field. Bell easily took a year off leaving some to question if his love for the game is driven by anything other than money. Now that Bell has settled in Jersey, all eyes are going to be on him. Before Bell’s prima donna tendencies took center stage, he was easily one of the best running backs in the league. But a year off from intense team workouts are going to have an effect. The question will be whether or not Bell can actually to perform at the level he believes he’s at.
QB Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Murray is another unique name on this list. This is going to be his first season in the NFL. He comes with an impressive college resume, including 2018 Heisman Trophy winner. He was also drafted with the number one overall pick. There is a certain level of pressure that comes with each of his titles. Draft rankings tend to be brought up multiple times throughout one’s career so the higher you are, the higher the pressure. Murray is coming in with as much talk behind him as Patrick Mahomes did. The difference is that Mahomes sat on the bench for a year and studied under/with Alex Smith. Murray has no such luck in Arizona. He is going to have a trial by fire. Plus, Murray is on the shorter side for a QB. Drew Brees is one of the shortest quarterbacks in the league which makes his success so remarkable. The same rules will apply to Murray who is even shorter than him. The question will be if this college hotshot can live up to his hype.
RB Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints
Some fans may think this is an odd choice given Kamara’s solid track record. His numbers easily place him among the top five running backs in the league. But those numbers came with a small and powerful caveat: Mark Ingram. In instances when Kamara was tired or couldn’t get the job done, Ingram stepped in and usually did so successfully. The Saints offense relied on the one-two punch of their running backs but with Ingram now suiting up for Baltimore, the bulk of the runs fall on Kamara. The question is whether or not Kamara’s dominating performance at running back will continue with a heavier workload.
QB Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns
All Browns fans practically worship the ground in which Mayfield walks on. It’s been a long few seasons without a win and Mayfield broke the streak in his first NFL game. Then he went on to win 6 more. The formally 0-16 Browns found themselves 7-8-1 and on the verge of a winning season for the first time since the 2014 season. This year for Cleveland, there is more firepower on the field; most noticeably Odell Beckham Jr. Along with Odell, new signee Kareem Hunt will be making his return in Week 10. The Browns organization is giving Mayfield everything he needs to succeed. The question will be two-fold. The first is whether or not he will continue to show success. The second is whether or not he’ll lead the Browns to a position where they could be a frontrunner in the AFC North because the division is very much up for grabs this year.
Regardless of how these players rise to the challenge, the 2019 season will be one to watch.
