NFL: 5 players who could bounce back big from rough seasons in 2023

Things don’t always go as planned, but that doesn’t mean future plans are forever diminished. Sometimes a bump in the road is just a bump in the road — that goes for NFL players, too. There are talented players every year who have down seasons before bouncing back and making the most of their career. Here are five players who could hit a big season in 2023 after taking some time away after a rough 2022 season.

Kyle Pitts, TE, Falcons

Kyle Pitts had a monster rookie season for the Falcons, eclipsing 1,000 yards receiving and immediately establishing himself as one of the more talented pass catchers in the NFL. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to carry that performance into his second season, but that wasn’t entirely his fault. He and former Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota really struggled to get on the same page before Pitts suffered an MCL injury that knocked him out for the remainder of the season.

Still, Pitts is going to be a huge factor in the Falcons’ offense this year, being one of their “Big 3” that they’re counting on along with wide receiver Drake London and rookie running back Bijan Robinson. Pitts still has the talent that had him touted as one of the best tight end prospects of all time, now it’s time for him to get back to his rookie year form of turning that talent into production. Barring injury, he’ll be back on the field with plenty of chances to have a monster third year.

Matthew Stafford, QB, Rams

The entire Rams organization needed a break after last season. They were injured, didn’t have a ton of depth and limped their way to the end of the season with Baker Mayfield as their starting quarterback. This team probably won’t be competing for a Super Bowl in 2023, but they can certainly get back to looking like a functional NFL team this season — that includes Matthew Stafford.

When Stafford was healthy last season, he still looked like a quality starting quarterback capable of winning games, but the team around him really struggled. This season, he’ll be getting Cooper Kupp back along with interior offensive lineman Steve Avila, the 36th overall pick in this year’s draft. Stafford won’t be playing with the same level of supporting cast he did when the Rams won the Super Bowl, but it’s better than last season. If any of their receivers past Kupp can develop into a legitimate secondary option, the Rams offense may actually be a tough out.

Regardless, this should be a bounce-back campaign for Stafford, even if it doesn’t result in a playoff berth for the Rams as a whole.

Najee Harris, RB, Steelers

Najee Harris has had to produce in less-than-ideal circumstances during his short NFL career. Poor offensive line play paired with mostly poor quarterback play has led to him getting crushed at the line of scrimmage in ways that hopefully haven’t negatively affected his development as a former first-round running back.

The vision should be a bit clearer for Harris this season. Kenny Pickett will be entering his second year in the NFL and hopefully picking up on tricks that will make the Steelers’ passing game more dangerous. The Steelers also spent a first-round pick on Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones who profiles as a high-upside player along the offensive line. It may not be the most ideal situation for Harris, but it’s a better spot than he was in last season where he averaged 3.8 yards per carry and struggled to get loose for big gains. Time for Harris to make the best of what has been a rough situation for him so far.

Isaiah Simmons, DB, Cardinals

Isaiah Simmons might finally be freed. After being miscast as a linebacker in the early portions of his pro career, Simmons is making the move back to defensive back, where arguably his best work came during his time at Clemson. Simmons functions best as an overhang defender who can be an enforcer in the slot, compared to the inside linebacker spot that has exposed the part of his game that still needs a lot of work. Simmons still needs reps to fully transition toward being an NFL defensive back, but the traits to make that work are still there.

Chase Claypool, WR, Bears

If there was any time for Chase Claypool to finally actualize his athletic potential on the field, it’s now. The Bears are invested by way of trading the 32nd pick in the 2023 draft for him, and he didn’t do a whole lot as a member of the team last season. In seven games with Chicago, Claypool caught only 10 passes for 140 yards and no touchdowns. That production is going to need to improve if he wants a long-term contract from Chicago or any other team.

Claypool is still the athletic phenom who looked like he was going to be a dominant deep threat early on with the Steelers, but he hasn’t progressed much since then. Entering his second year with the Bears, along with D.J. Moore joining the team, might be the reset he needed to turn things around.