• Several key players returning from injury will shape the 2025 NFL season: Stars like Christian McCaffrey, Aidan Hutchinson and Dak Prescott are expected to resume pivotal roles after missing significant time in 2024, with each returning to teams that struggled in their absence.

• The health of these players could swing playoff races and redefine team ceilings: From Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion concerns in Miami to J.J. McCarthy’s long-awaited debut in Minnesota, each comeback carries major implications for roster stability, offensive firepower and postseason potential.

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Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes

With OTAs kicking off this week, teams and fans are officially shifting focus from offseason roster building to preparation for the 2025 season.

For players recovering from major injuries, OTAs mark a pivotal milestone in the rehab process. For some, it’s their first time navigating a serious setback. For others, it’s a familiar road they hope leads to full recovery and renewed impact.

Here are 10 key players aiming to bounce back from injury-riddled 2024 campaigns.

McCaffrey missed the first eight games of the 2024 season with bilateral Achilles issues, then later suffered a posterior cruciate ligament injury to his right knee against Buffalo, landing him on injured reserve and ending his season.

Without their All-Pro running back, the 49ers struggled, finishing 6–11 after winning 35 games from 2021 to 2023.

In 2022 and 2023, McCaffrey was the most complete back in football, earning 90.0-plus PFF grades in both seasons while forcing 155 missed tackles, the most in the league during that span. Last month, he reported having “zero restrictions” as the 49ers began their offseason program.

He’ll be a critical piece for a San Francisco team looking to reassert itself in the NFC after three straight conference title game appearances.

2. ED Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions

Hutchinson was in the midst of a historic campaign before suffering a fractured tibia and fibula in Week 6 against Dallas. The Pro Bowl edge rusher was operating in rare air, recording 72 pass-rush wins — the most ever by a defensive player through the first six weeks of a season in the PFF era. Remarkably, he achieved that total in just five games, as Detroit had a bye in Week 5.

Now fully recovered, Hutchinson enters 2025 as a top Defensive Player of the Year candidate and a cornerstone for a Lions team aiming to repeat as NFC North champions.

The Cowboys missed the playoffs for the first time since 2020, largely due to Dak Prescott missing the final nine games of the season with a hamstring injury suffered in Week 9. Prescott has since stated that he’s “close to 100%,” leaving little doubt he’ll be ready for the season opener in Philadelphia.

Prescott was at his peak in 2023, earning a 90.0 PFF grade, fourth among 38 qualifying quarterbacks. He led the league with 38 big-time throws while limiting mistakes, posting a career-low 2.0% turnover-worthy play rate.

To support his return, the Cowboys added wide receiver George Pickens via trade from the Steelers. Paired with All-Pro CeeDee Lamb, Pickens brings a dangerous vertical presence, having logged 39 contested catches over his first three seasons — one of the highest marks in the league.

Rice suffered a torn ACL in Week 4 against the Chargers on a fluke play, when quarterback Patrick Mahomes inadvertently collided with his knee while both chased a fumble. At the time, Rice led the NFL with 24 receptions and ranked second with 288 receiving yards, a breakout start that was abruptly cut short.

The Chiefs still reached the Super Bowl, but their offense clearly lacked the same punch without Rice. As a unit, they finished just 15th in PFF receiving grade (75.3) and struggled to generate the explosive plays that have defined their identity in recent years.

With OTAs underway, the Chiefs are expected to take a cautious approach to Rice’s recovery. If all progresses smoothly, he should be ramped up during training camp and could be ready to return at full strength by Week 1.

The Dolphins appeared to be a team on the rise after securing their first 11-win season since 2008, but momentum was quickly halted in Week 2 when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was diagnosed with his third concussion in two years. Later in the season, a hip injury sidelined him for the final two games, bringing his total games missed to six — another frustrating chapter in what has been an injury-marred career in Miami.

Tagovailoa’s best and only fully healthy season came in 2023, when he started all 18 games, including the playoffs. He led all quarterbacks that year with an 88.6 PFF passing grade and logged 36 big-time throws on 600 attempts, doubling his previous career high from 2022.

With a roster already facing depth concerns, the Dolphins can’t afford another season derailed by quarterback injuries. Tagovailoa’s health will be one of the defining factors in Miami’s 2025 campaign, and another extended absence would raise serious questions about his long-term viability as the franchise’s $212.4 million investment.

One of the most intriguing storylines of the 2025 season will be how the Vikings look with J.J. McCarthy under center. The former first-round pick missed his entire rookie campaign after suffering a season-ending meniscus tear in the preseason opener last August. Sam Darnold stepped in admirably in his absence, guiding Minnesota to a 14–3 record and earning a career-best 80.7 PFF grade — 13th among 42 qualifying quarterbacks.

At Michigan, McCarthy was one of the nation’s top signal-callers in his final season, posting an elite 90.6 PFF grade and ranking sixth in adjusted completion percentage (80.0%).

Now healthy, McCarthy steps into a favorable situation in Minnesota with strong skill-position talent and an upgraded offensive line. Despite playing in a stacked NFC North, the Vikings currently sit at +100 to surpass 8.5 wins this season, per FanDuel Sportsbook — a bet that could hinge on how quickly McCarthy finds his footing.

Godwin was off to a strong start in 2024, tallying 50 receptions for 576 yards and five touchdowns, before a dislocated ankle in Week 7 ended his season prematurely. Despite the injury, the Buccaneers reaffirmed their commitment to the veteran wideout, signing him to a three-year, $66 million extension ($44 million guaranteed) during free agency in March.

A pillar of consistency throughout his eight-year career in Tampa, Godwin has never earned a PFF grade below 75.7. He led all wide receivers in 2019 with a 90.7 grade, the year he posted career highs in both receiving yards (1,333) and touchdowns (nine).

Entering 2025, the Buccaneers boast one of the league’s strongest receiving corps, featuring Godwin, future Hall of Famer Mike Evans, and first-round pick Emeka Egbuka, the dynamic rookie out of Ohio State.

Olave’s 2024 season was cut short by a pair of concussions, one in Week 6 against Tampa Bay and another in Week 9 versus Carolina, ultimately limiting him to just eight games. Given the circumstances, the Saints made the decision to shut him down for the remainder of the year.

Despite the setback, the former first-round pick out of Ohio State has already established himself as one of the league’s top young receivers. Olave topped 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons, and in 2023, he ranked among the top 25 wideouts in yards per route run (2.07), contested catches (10) and yards after the catch (355).

His return to full strength will be crucial for a Saints offense that’s expected to start rookie second-round quarterback Tyler Shough. To support the transition, New Orleans also brought back veteran Brandin Cooks — originally drafted by the team in 2014 — to bolster the depth behind Olave.

While the loss of Tua Tagovailoa understandably dominated headlines in Miami last season, the Dolphins also suffered significant blows on defense. Bradley Chubb missed the entire season while recovering from a torn ACL suffered in December 2023. And then Jaelan Phillips was lost for the year in Week 4 after tearing his ACL, his second major injury in less than 12 months, following a torn Achilles in November 2023.

Chubb was in the midst of a career-best season when he went down, earning an 88.8 PFF grade, 12th among 112 qualifying edge defenders in 2023. He set personal highs in total pressures (70), pass-rush grade (84.9), run-defense grade (71.1) and coverage grade (88.5).

Phillips was an ascending star before injuries derailed his progress. In 2022, his second NFL season, he posted a 90.1 pass-rush grade and made a massive leap in run defense, improving from a 44.8 grade as a rookie to 74.8.

With promising young pass-rusher Chop Robinson, who ranked among the top 20 in pressures as a rookie, already in the mix, the potential return of a fully healthy Chubb and Phillips could give Miami one of the most dangerous edge units in the league.

The Raiders made a major investment in Christian Wilkins in March 2023, signing him to a four-year, $110 million deal, making him the second-highest-paid defensive tackle in the league. Unfortunately, Wilkins appeared in just five games last season before suffering a season-ending Jones fracture in his foot. There is speculation that he may require a second procedure, which could delay his return well into the 2025 season.

Prior to the injury, Wilkins was one of the NFL’s most durable interior defenders. He logged a league-high 1,990 snaps across the 2022 and 2023 seasons among defensive tackles and hadn’t missed a game since 2020. His best play came in 2021 and 2022, when he consistently ranked among the top 10 interior defenders in the league.

To shore up depth, the Raiders selected Tonka Hemingway (South Carolina) in the fourth round and JJ Pegues (Ole Miss) in the sixth. While both rookies could contribute, the defense — which ranked 30th in team grade last season (57.3) — will desperately need Wilkins back in the lineup to return to form.