Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys
Had Romo been able to stay healthy throughout the season, the Cowboys would have ran away with the division and safely into the playoffs. The year prior, the Cowboys nearly won their playoff game against the Packers (they should have, but that is for another article). The team was ready to come back firing on all cylinders, but the loss of their top-10 signal caller was detrimental. If Romo can stay healthy, the additions of a healthy Dez Bryant and an elite running back in Ezekiel Elliot may make the Cowboys the most lethal offense in the NFL.
Alec Ogletree, Los Angeles Rams
The Rams linebacking corps is devoid of talent. Aside from Ogletree, the only other truly talented player is Mark Barron, who is more of a new age pseudo-linebacker than a true linebacker. With James Laurinaitis no longer on the roster, Ogletree will assume the full time middle linebacker position. He has to be the man up front if the Rams want a formidable corps of linebackers. He has to regain his speed following the injury and become a bit more decisive. The fate of the Rams second level depends on him.
Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers
Without a doubt, Bell is the most talented running back in the league. No other running back blends a poetic, controlled running style with stunning burst and explosion like Bell does. While the offense could theoretically survive fine without him, he adds an indefensible element to the offense and opens up downfield options for Ben Roethlisberger. Bell’s return will make a lot of noise from week one.
Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs finally had an impressive passing attack last season, but the absence of Charles did not allow the offense to truly excel. A healthy Charles is a top five running back in the league, and that is based on a time when he was the only true threat in Kansas City. With a plethora of weapons and play makers now ready to play in Kansas City, Charles has the opportunity the elevate the offense to new heights.
Kelvin Benjamin, Carolina Panthers
Cam Newton has a knack for making receivers look better than they are and creating offense. An aged Jerricho Cotchery recently looked good with Newton and Ted Ginn even credited to his career revival to Newton. Benjamin has issues with drops, but Newton’s ability to consistently create room for his receivers and give them chances will allow Benjamin to produce, even if it is because of target volume. Benjamin is not a great player, but he adds something the Carolina’s receiver group that they were missing last year.
Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens offense was abysmal for a number of reasons last year, but Flacco missing half the season with a torn ACL/MCL played a large part in that. Without a strong running game like the year before, more pressure was on Flacco to perform, yet he did not have help from either the line of his receiving corps. Flacco is known for being a high variance player and he may have been set to bounce back next year anyway, but with how miserable the Ravens backup quarterback situation is, Flacco absolutely has to come back well in 2016.
Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers
Nelson is an integral part to the Packers offense. Aaron Rodgers is certainly the “man” in Green Bay, but Nelson serves as his co-pilot to the Packers lethal aerial attack. The chemistry Nelson has with Rodgers is symphonic and so in tuned that few duos in my lifetime could even sniff what those two have. Of course, Nelson is very talented in his own right, being able to win in every way imaginable, especially in contested situations. His return will directly correlate with the Packers offense returning to dominance.
Dante Fowler, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars sorely need a pass rush. Their defense is predicated on forcing quarterbacks to get the ball out fast and make mistakes, but they lack the ability to get to the quarterback. Fowler is not an exceptional pass rusher, but he is a better edge rusher than any of the other players the Jaguars trotted out last season. It is unlikely that Fowler surpasses five sacks, but considering the year is essentially his rookie season, that is a respectable total.
Kevin White, Chicago Bears
Missing a year for any first round rookie stings, but having a top ten pick miss his entire rookie season is a special sort of pain, especially when he is an offensive play maker. White may be limited in what he can be asked to do, but he is a dynamic yards-after-catch receiver and can win balls in the air. He is the ultimate play maker and the lack of his presence cut deep into Chicago’s offense. His return, especially when paired with an aggressive quarterback like Jay Cutler, should be filled with explosive plays.
Breshad Perriman, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens had zero play makers last season. None of their running backs, tight ends or receivers were threats to turn any play into a touchdown and Flacco was out for half the season. The offense was lacking an element that stressed defenses and forced them to respect the deep pass. Perriman, who ran a blazing 4.24 40-yard ash at his pro day, provides that threat. He can step in and be reminiscent of Torrey Smith’s early years in Baltimore.
