Who's the next Jalen Hurts or Geno Smith? Here are 5 guys who can play their way into big contracts

Some of the best stories in sports are when a player comes out of nowhere or revives their career to get a second shot at success — and the money that comes along with it. Geno Smith and Jalen Hurts having top-tier seasons last year and getting sizable investments from their teams altered the future landscape of the league. There are a handful of players who are hoping to do exactly what they did to cash in at the perfect time and secure the big-time NFL contracts that are elusive to the majority of the player pool.

Here are five players who can get seriously paid in 2024 with strong seasons this year. A handful of young defenders, a journeyman quarterback and a receiver returning to the field are in position to play their way into a secured future in this league.

Chase Young, EDGE, Washington Commanders

Young, the former second overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, had his option turned down by the Commanders after an injury-plagued start to his career. Young has played in just 12 games over the past two seasons and has just 1.5 sacks and three tackles for loss in that sample size. It has been a few years since Young has played good football, but he’s going to have a chance to get things moving back in the right direction if he can stay on the field this year.

He’s still playing with a host of talented defensive linemen, which will allow him to see advantageous blocking situations. Young needs to prove that he can still be a long-term starter and taking advantage of playing with Pro Bowl-caliber teammates is the first step toward regaining that status as a top defensive player. It’s not like Young has never shown elite talent as a pro; he won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2020 and was the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Month in December of that season. That’s talent worth waiting for, and if Young can get back to being a productive player, he’ll have talent worth paying for.

Jeff Okudah, CB, Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons took a swing on potential when they traded a fifth-round draft pick for Okudah, the third overall selection in 2020. For a team that has struggled to build cornerback depth outside of A.J. Terrell, this was a cheap trade that may pay off down the road — for the Falcons and Okudah. The former Ohio State star had an up-and-down season in 2022, but occasionally he flashed the talent that made him such a highly coveted prospect in the 2020 draft class.

Okudah didn’t have his option picked up prior to his trade to the Falcons, so he’ll be a free agent once the season ends. Okudah will play the entire season at 24 years old and should have a robust market in 2024 if he’s able perform up to his talent level. He still has a lot of football ahead of him and he’s entering a situation where he won’t have too much competition that will be a problem for him. There’s a reason the Falcons had to trade for Okudah — they need him to play right away. He’ll have all the chances he needs this season to prove that he’s worth a big-time contract next year.

Jacoby Brissett, QB, Washington Commanders

There aren’t too many Geno Smith-esque picks to make here in terms of a longtime quarterback having a late breakout, but Brissett is in an interesting situation with the Commanders. He’s currently battling with second-year quarterback Sam Howell for the starting job, which may wind up out of his control if the team opts for a youth movement.

Brissett played the best football of his career for the Browns last season while Deshaun Watson was serving an 11-game suspension. Brissett was a steady hand, ranking 10th in expected points added per play (0.115) among all quarterbacks with at least 320 plays. The Browns may not have won a whole lot of games while Brissett was the quarterback, but he showed some starter potential and now finds himself in a potentially beneficial position with the Commanders.

The wild card here is new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who will hope to replicate some of the success he had in Kansas City with a new team. A lot of dominoes need to fall in place for Brissett to make this happen, particularly winning the starting job, but there is a pathway for him to have a successful season and get a bag. Win the starting job, let Bieniemy rock, throw to Terry McLaurin, get paid. That’s the plan.

Calvin Ridley, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

Ridley is one of the biggest wild cards in the NFL this season. The Jaguars acquired him from the Falcons following his yearlong suspension for gambling in 2022, potentially giving Jacksonville a dominant quarterback and wide receiver duo for the future.

Ridley hasn't played in an NFL game since October 2021, prior to taking time away from the Falcons. His lone year with Arthur Smith and the current Falcons regime was shaky, but before that, Ridley was a bonafide No. 1 receiver talent. When Ridley had to take over for an injured Julio Jones, he put up monster numbers — including eight 100-yard games and four straight 100-yard games in December that season.

By the time the regular season kicks off, it will have been almost two years since Ridley played an NFL game. He’s still one of the most talented WRs in the league, but things still need to play out before the Jaguars can figure out how to proceed with his contract. If Ridley can tap back into the receiver who helped carry a passing game in 2020, he and Trevor Lawrence should tear up defenses this year. That would certainly help his cause for an extension that gets him closer to the market rate for veteran receivers. The talent is there, he just needs to get back to playing.

Patrick Queen, LB, Baltimore Ravens

Queen is most likely playing his last season with Baltimore, but that doesn’t mean he can’t cash in with a huge contract after the season. Queen has had an up-and-down career with the Ravens, prompting them to pass on picking up his fifth-year option that would have tied him to the team for another year. With his contract expiring at the end of next season, Queen now finds himself in a spot where he needs to be the best version of himself to get that payday.

Luckily, Queen is in an advantageous position to do just that. His play improved in a big way following the Ravens’ acquisition of Roquan Smith, who subsequently received a five-year, $100 million contract from the team. Playing with Smith, a talented group of defensive backs and a bright defensive coordinator in Mike Macdonald will at least give Queen the framework he needs to have a consistent season from start to finish.