• The Jets’ Breece Hall will be looking to return to form: Hall totaled 1,359 yards from scrimmage in 2024, but his performance was marred by lapses in focus. His six fumbles ranked second-most among running backs, and his eight dropped passes tied for the most at the position, two key factors behind his career-low 62.0 PFF grade.
• The 49ers badly missed Christian McCaffrey in 2024: The 49ers will need Christian McCaffrey at full strength and playing at his usual high level if they hope to return to the postseason in 2025. After ranking inside the top four qualified running backs in both rushing and receiving grade in 2023, McCaffrey was limited to just four games last season due to a series of lower-body injuries.
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Estimated Reading Time: 17 minutes

Every team enters the 2025 NFL season with at least one player they’re counting on to rebound after a disappointing 2024, whether due to underperformance, injury or a mix of both. From veterans looking to regain form to young talents aiming to fulfill their potential, here’s one bounce-back candidate for each team ahead of the new season.

JUMP TO A TEAM:

ARZ | ATL | BLT | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAX | KC | LVR | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WSH

On the surface, the Cardinals extending a player who earned just a 58.0 PFF grade last season may not seem wise. However, Baron Browning found his groove as a pass rusher after being traded to Arizona and could be poised for a return to his 2023 form. From Weeks 10 through 18 last season, Browning ranked 16th among qualified edge defenders with a 77.3 pass-rush grade. He also ranked sixth among that same group with an 18.6% pass-rush win rate. A full season of that level of production would significantly improve the outlook of Arizona’s pass rush.

Alford was the fourth-most targeted cornerback in the 2024 regular season, and it contributed to a dip in his production. Playing almost exclusively from the slot, his coverage grade dropped from 72.8 in 2023 to 55.9 last season. A major factor was a career-high 12 missed tackles in coverage. However, he also set a personal best with nine pass breakups. With improved consistency and tackling, Alford could return to his 2023 form.

The loss of Patrick Queen clearly affected Roquan Smith early last season, particularly in coverage. Through Week 10, Smith ranked outside the top 60 qualified linebackers in both overall and coverage grade. Like the rest of Baltimore’s coverage unit, he turned things around down the stretch, earning an excellent 81.8 coverage grade from Week 11 onward. If he can carry that momentum into 2025, Smith should return to the level of production he delivered during his first two seasons in Baltimore.

Buffalo Bills: EDGE Joey Bosa

Injuries have hampered Bosa in each of the past three seasons, culminating in a career-low 61.1 PFF grade in 2024. His run-defense performance remained in line with his career norms, but his pass-rush effectiveness declined significantly. Given his injury history and the fact that he’s entering his 10th NFL season, Bosa could benefit from a more rotational role on a Buffalo defensive line that added considerable depth this offseason.

Horn’s 2024 season had its ups and downs. On the positive side, he played over 1,000 snaps for the first time in his career and earned a team-high 80.9 run-defense grade. However, he also posted a career-low 59.1 coverage grade. He wasn’t helped by a defense that ranked near the bottom of the league across the board. The improvement of his supporting cast — including the addition of safety Tre’Von Moehrig — should benefit Horn as much as anyone.

There were serious questions earlier this offseason about D’Andre Swift’s standing in Chicago after a difficult first year. However, the Bears didn’t make any splash moves to replace him, and he now reunites with Ben Johnson while running behind a revamped offensive line. Though it came on a relatively small sample of carries, Swift posted a career-high 83.2 rushing grade in 2022, his final season in Detroit. His familiarity with Johnson and the Bears’ offensive line upgrades should set the stage for a more efficient 2025 campaign.

Stone was brought to Cincinnati to stabilize the safety unit, but he never found his footing in Lou Anarumo’s defense, finishing with a career-low 53.7 coverage grade. However, his performance improves when isolated as a single-high free safety — a role that could better suit him under new defensive coordinator Al Golden. Golden’s Notre Dame defense ran more single-high looks than any other college team last season, making the fit a promising one for Stone in 2025.

The idea of Greg Newsome II bouncing back from a rough 2024 season is straightforward — he’s played at a higher level for most of his career. His career-low 54.0 coverage grade last year followed a 76.7 mark across his first three seasons. Two key factors in the decline were a career-low three pass breakups and a career-high 24.3% missed tackle rate. Cornerback production is notoriously volatile, and things couldn’t have gone much worse for Cleveland’s secondary in 2024. Newsome’s track record alone makes him a strong bounce-back candidate.

A bounce-back from Dak Prescott could signal a return to the postseason for Dallas in 2025. After earning a career-high 90.0 PFF grade and finishing second in NFL MVP voting in 2023, Prescott followed it up with a career-worst 67.2 passing grade last season. The Cowboys’ lack of offensive balance and wide receiver depth played a role, but Prescott also posted a career-high 4.7% turnover-worthy play rate. With improved health and the additions of Tyler Booker and George Pickens, Prescott will have every opportunity to return to form in 2025.

Hufanga was limited to just seven games last season due to injury and posted a career-low 57.8 PFF grade. If fully healthy, he appears to have landed in an ideal spot with Denver. Hufanga is most comfortable operating around the box as a traditional strong safety, while his new teammate, Brandon Jones, is one of the league’s top pure free safeties. Jones’ 89.8 coverage grade ranked third among qualified safeties in 2024. Together, they have the potential to form one of the NFL’s best safety duos.

Detroit Lions: DI DJ Reader

Over the past nine seasons, Reader has established himself as one of the NFL’s premier run stoppers. However, he’s coming off a year in which he posted career lows in overall and run-defense grades. He was tasked with his heaviest workload since 2021, especially after Alim McNeill suffered a season-ending injury. With McNeill returning and first-round pick Tyleik Williams joining the rotation, Reader could thrive in a more balanced role with a reduced snap count in 2025.

Love simply didn’t progress the way the Packers had hoped in 2024. For the first time in 23 years, the team selected a wide receiver in the first round — Matthew Golden — to better support Love in the passing game. Golden’s blazing speed should be a factor on vertical throws, but his ability to run safeties off could prove even more valuable. In 2023, Love earned an 87.8 passing grade on intermediate throws. That number dropped to 65.7 in 2024, ranking 35th out of 43 qualified quarterbacks.

Harris’ 2024 season was derailed by a preseason calf injury that kept him sidelined until Week 15. During Houston’s 2023 playoff run, he had begun to carve out a role as a coverage specialist within the linebacker corps, earning a 72.2 coverage grade, a top-25 mark among NFL linebackers that year. He may not return to a full-time starting role in 2025, but regaining that form would be a valuable boost for a defense that struggled to get similar production from Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’o To’o last season.

Ward recorded a career-low 58.2 coverage grade in 2024. The 49ers allowed him to depart in free agency, and he landed in Indianapolis, where he should be a good fit in Lou Anarumo’s zone-heavy defense. Ward’s 66.3 zone-coverage grade last season was more in line with his career norms, and during his standout 2023 campaign, he earned an 86.5 coverage grade, 10th among qualified cornerbacks.

Inaccuracy, injuries and coaching instability derailed Trevor Lawrence’s 2024 season. He finished with a 73.8 passing grade and a career-worst 3.9% turnover-worthy play rate while missing seven of Jacksonville’s final eight games. Since then, the Jaguars have overhauled their leadership structure, signed multiple veteran offensive linemen and assembled what could be one of the league’s most dynamic receiving duos in Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter. If Lawrence returns to full health, he’s well-positioned for a strong bounce-back campaign in 2025.

A fractured fibula disrupted Pacheco’s 2024 season early on, and he didn’t quite look like himself after returning. He posted a career-low 65.2 rushing grade and forced just seven missed tackles on 96 carries. He was also a minimal factor in the passing game. That pass-catching role may shift to rookie Brashard Smith moving forward, but with a full offseason to recover, Pacheco is a strong candidate to bounce back as a runner in 2025.

Down the stretch of the 2023 season, Koonce looked like the pass-rush complement to Maxx Crosby that the Raiders had long been searching for. From Weeks 10 through 18, he ranked ninth in the NFL with an 84.9 pass-rush grade. Unfortunately, he didn’t play a single snap in 2024 after suffering an injury just before the season began. Koonce re-signed with Las Vegas on a one-year deal, aiming to bounce back and secure a more substantial payday next offseason.

Tuipulotu’s pass-rush production remained relatively steady in 2024, but his run-defense performance saw a notable drop. After earning an outstanding 88.4 run-defense grade in 2023, that number dipped to 65.3 last season, contributing to a decline in his overall grade. He’ll have every opportunity to bounce back in 2025 as the Chargers’ unquestioned starter off the edge following Joey Bosa’s departure to Buffalo.

Labeling Matthew Stafford a bounce-back candidate may seem odd, given his 24 touchdowns and just eight interceptions in 2024. However, his 73.3 passing grade was his second-lowest over the past nine seasons, and his 3.7% turnover-worthy play rate was his highest since 2017. For a veteran quarterback like Stafford, elite pass protection is essential — and the Rams didn’t provide it last season, finishing with the NFL’s third-worst pass-blocking grade. The difference was stark: Stafford earned a 90.6 passing grade from a clean pocket, compared to just 33.3 under pressure. If the Rams can keep him upright behind a healthier offensive line, Stafford could help lead another deep playoff run in 2025.

Miami’s instability at quarterback appeared to impact Jaylen Waddle’s production more than any other offensive weapon. He recorded at least 99 receiving yards in three games — all with Tua Tagovailoa under center — but failed to top 57 yards in any other contest. His 71.5 receiving grade was the lowest of his career by a significant margin. As is often the case with the Dolphins, Waddle’s 2025 outlook is closely tied to Tagovailoa’s health. If the quarterback stays on the field, a bounce-back season should be well within reach for Waddle.

Hargrave played just 104 snaps in 2024 before a torn triceps sidelined him for the remainder of the season. In the three years prior, he posted a 92.4 pass-rush grade, a 13.2% pressure rate and a 16.6% pass-rush win rate, all of which ranked in the top four among qualified interior defenders over that span. He now joins a Minnesota defensive front that finished 29th in pass-rush grade from interior defenders last season. Hargrave should have plenty of opportunities to make his presence felt in 2025.

Barmore appeared to be a rising star in 2023 after posting an 84.9 pass rush grade. Unfortunately, he missed most of last season due to blood clot issues, appearing in only four games. By all accounts, he should be cleared to play by Week 1 this season and could form a dynamic defensive tackle duo with Milton Williams, who led the position in pass-rush grade last season. For a team that ranked 30th in interior pass rush grade last season, New England is in a very good spot up front, especially if Barmore plays like he did in 2023.

Most of Isaac Yiadom’s career has been defined by consistently below-average coverage play. The notable exception came in 2023 with the Saints, when he posted a career-high 80.4 coverage grade and recorded 11 pass breakups. His 82.5 zone coverage grade ranked among the top 20 in the NFL that season — a promising indicator for his potential fit in new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley’s zone-heavy system.

Miami let Holland walk in free agency after he posted a career-low 57.1 coverage grade in 2024. However, his 91.3 coverage grade since 2021 still ranks tied for fifth among qualified safeties, highlighting his overall consistency before last season. Holland thrives as a deep-roaming free safety in single-high coverages, a promising fit under new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, whose defense ranked sixth in single-high usage during the 2024 regular season.

Hall totaled 1,359 yards from scrimmage in 2024, but his performance was marred by lapses in focus. His six fumbles ranked second-most among running backs, and his eight dropped passes tied for the most at the position, two key factors behind his career-low 62.0 PFF grade. With a promising young offensive line and limited pass-catching depth in New York, Hall has a clear opportunity to establish himself as a true workhorse back and earn the full confidence of Jets leadership in 2025.

Huff’s first season in Philadelphia couldn’t have gone much worse. He lost his starting job by Week 9 and was a non-factor during the Eagles’ Super Bowl run. His 15.0% pass-rush win rate marked a steep decline from his production with the Jets. However, with Philadelphia losing edge defenders Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham this offseason, Huff will have another opportunity to prove he can provide meaningful pass-rush value in 2025.

Queen’s best stretch of NFL play came alongside Roquan Smith in Baltimore, but his first season in Pittsburgh resembled the inconsistencies of his early career. He earned a 56.8 PFF grade in 2024, ranking outside the top 60 qualified linebackers. While he showed some improvement down the stretch, Queen continued to struggle against downhill rushing attacks. A new partnership with rookie Payton Wilson could help stabilize his performance and potentially spark a return to form.

The 49ers will need Christian McCaffrey at full strength and playing at his usual high level if they hope to return to the postseason in 2025. After ranking inside the top four qualified running backs in both rushing and receiving grade in 2023, McCaffrey was limited to just four games last season due to a series of lower-body injuries. When healthy, he remains a game-changing presence wherever he lines up. San Francisco is counting on him to remain that kind of difference-maker for at least another season or two.

Now 33 years old, DeMarcus Lawrence should fit comfortably into a Seattle edge defender rotation that includes Boye Mafe, Uchenna Nwosu and Derick Hall. Just two seasons ago, Lawrence ranked second in the NFL with a 92.2 run-defense grade while also contributing 48 pressures to Dallas’ pass rush. His 2024 season was cut short after just 167 snaps due to a fractured foot. Even if Lawrence now profiles primarily as a run-stopping specialist, he’ll be a valuable addition to a Seahawks defense that ranked 19th in run-defense grade last season.

Tampa Bay struggled to defend the middle of the field in 2024, due in part to injuries and a dip in production from star safety Antoine Winfield Jr. He posted a career-low 50.8 coverage grade and, for the first time in his career, failed to record an interception. Still, Winfield is an easy bounce-back candidate in 2025. He was the NFL’s highest-graded safety just one season prior and ranked sixth in coverage grade that year.

Sneed fell short of expectations in his first season with Tennessee after the team traded a third-round pick and signed him to a contract extension. He appeared in just five games before a season-ending quad injury and posted a 36.8 coverage grade, fourth-worst among qualified cornerbacks in 2024. Fortunately for the Titans, Sneed brings a strong track record from his time in Kansas City, where he earned a 79.5 coverage grade and recorded 20 pass breakups across the previous two seasons.

Samuel’s production dropped off significantly down the stretch in 2024, as Brock Purdy struggled behind a leaky 49ers offensive line. By season’s end, Samuel had posted a career-low 72.1 receiving grade and averaged just 1.60 yards per route run. He was traded to a more favorable situation in Washington, where he’ll join an ascending quarterback in Jayden Daniels and an offense that ran the sixth-highest rate of screen passes in the NFL last season — a perfect fit for Samuel’s skill set.