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5 NFL players entering a massive make-or-break year in 2021

Football fans, rejoice. You have made it through the offseason, training camp and preseason. Now, Week 1 of the regular season is upon us and there will be NFL football scheduled every weekend between now and the off week between the conference championships and Super Bowl.

The 2021 will have plenty of storylines to follow and there will be some players that this season is more important for than others. Whether it is a player coming back after opting out of 2020 or a fresh, new opportunity to showcase skills, there will be players across all teams looking to cement themselves as players in the league.

Some players will be looking to hold onto those spots and their career outlooks could be altered drastically by how things go. Here are five players facing a make-or-break season in 2021.

5. Carson Wentz, QB, Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts are hoping that they can help recreate some of that magic that Carson Wentz had during the 2017 season. Before tearing his ACL in Week 14 that year, Wentz was squarely in the mix for the MVP award. He hasn’t been able to replicate that since, but the pieces are in place for him to do it with the Colts.

Colts head coach, Frank Reich, was the offensive coordinator for the Eagles back in 2017 when Wentz had the best season of his career. In only 12 games last season, Wentz was sacked a league-high 50 times. In Indianapolis, he will be playing behind a strong offensive line anchored by Quenton Nelson.

The skill positions have great talent as well. He will be handing the ball off to Jonathan Taylor, who quickly emerged as one of the best running backs in the game his rookie season. Michael Pittman Jr., T.Y. Hilton and Parris Campbell are a solid trio to be throwing the ball to, when healthy.

If Wentz can’t get on track this year, he could see his time as a starting quarterback going out the window.

4. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Following the 2018 season, JuJu Smith-Schuster looked like he would be among the best wide receivers in the game for a long time. He caught 111 passes for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns as a 22-year old and looked poised to eventually break the bank.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were so confident in him, they traded away All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown. Smith-Schuster was assuming the No. 1 role, but he has yet to replicate that same success he had playing opposite of Brown.

He had more yardage as the No. 2 receiver in 2018 than he had in 2019 and 2020 combined, with only 1,389. The USC product has struggled to stay healthy at times and was met with a cold free-agent market this offseason.

Smith-Schuster re-signed in Pittsburgh on a one-year, $8 million deal. If he can’t prove that 2018 was a fluke as a byproduct of playing behind Brown, he may never get that second lucrative contract he looked to be destined for.

3. Sam Darnold, QB, Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers are taking a chance on Sam Darnold this season. The No. 3 overall pick from 2018 fell well short of expectations with the New York Jets, but a lot of that can be placed on the ineptitude of the organization.

New York never truly gave Darnold a chance to succeed. He had shotty offensive line play, virtually no running game to speak of and the least intimidating receiving weapons in the NFL. Not to mention playing under arguably the worst coaching staff in the NFL his first three seasons.

Some of the blame has to go on Darnold as well, but he will have a chance this season to show that he was worthy of his lofty draft position. He is set up well to succeed in Carolina with an improved offensive line, Christian McCaffrey to hand the ball to and a trio of wide receivers he could only dream of having with the Jets in Robby Anderson, D.J. Moore and Terrace Marshall Jr.

If Darnold struggles this season, Matt Rhule and company will begin their search for a long-term quarterback option in 2022.

2. Jadeveon Clowney, EDGE, Cleveland Browns

Jadeveon Clowney was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. He had some solid seasons playing opposite of J.J. Watt, but he never developed into the superstar many thought he could be.

Clowney has never registered a double-digit sack season, with a career-high of 9.5 coming in 2017. He has done an excellent job setting the edge against the run since he has been in the NFL, but the pass-rushing numbers have just not been there.

In 2020, Clowney hit a new low with the Tennessee Titans. He didn’t register a single sack in the eight games he played, registering only six quarterback hits. The former South Carolina product was met with a cold market, as the Cleveland Browns eventually signed him.

The Browns are the fourth team in as many years that Clowney will suit up for. If he cannot find success rushing the passer opposite of Myles Garrett, he will find it very difficult to land a job in 2022.

1. Daniel Jones, QB, New York Giants

There arguably isn’t a player, let alone a quarterback, in the league heading into the 2021 season as New York Giants signal-caller, Daniel Jones. Jones, who was selected No. 6 overall in 2019, will be under the microscope all season long.

The Giants’ front office upgraded the weapons around him in a major way. Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton and Pro Bowler Evan Engram were already in the fold. Saquon Barkley is looking healthy in his return from a knee injury as well.

Kenny Golladay was the big free agent acquisition, as the team also signed John Ross and tight end Kyle Rudolph. They used their first-round pick on wide receiver Kadarius Toney as well. That gives Jones one of the best skill position groups in the NFL.

The offensive line is a little shaky, but there have been plenty of resources dumped in there as well. If Jones is going to be a franchise quarterback, he will have to rise above the less than stellar offensive line play and start winning some games.

If he is unable to clean up his turnover issues and show significant progress this season, the Giants will be looking for a new quarterback in 2022 with a new general manager likely as well.

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