The NFL offseason of 2024 has been marked by significant contract extensions and challenging injury recoveries for several key players. Only Christian Wilkins, Derrick Brown, Travis Etienne Jr., Breece Hall and Nick Chubb achieved consensus All-American status. Each individual person faces different personal situations as they build their careers.
In March 2024, Christian Wilkins, the Miami Dolphins number one quarterback at the time, agreed to a four-year $110 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders. His breakout season came to a screeching halt on October 6, 2024, when he experienced a Jones fracture in his left foot. This injury caused him to miss the last 12 games of the season. As he continues to recover from the injury, Wilkins has been sidelined during the team’s minicamp, raising concerns about his readiness for the upcoming season.
Derrick Brown too had a major miss on the 2024 cycle. The defensive tackle underwent surgery last week to repair his torn left meniscus, an injury he sustained during Carolina’s season opener against the New Orleans Saints. This injury has forced him to miss the rest of the season. Despite this difficult backdrop, Brown signed a four-year $96 million extension. During the 2025 minicamps, he went through walk-throughs. He hasn’t been fully cleared for practice either, putting his status in doubt as the new season looms.
By comparison, Travis Etienne Jr. found it difficult to carry over his success from prior years. Etienne truly blossomed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, accumulating two straight 1,000-yard rushing campaigns. In 2024, he fizzled out, culminating with a season that produced only 558 yards and two touchdowns. He struggled with his performance sinking to a career-low 3.7 yards per carry. As the Jaguars transition to a more run-oriented offense, Etienne will be eager to rebound in 2025.
Most notably, Breece Hall — who had a phenomenal rookie season — took a noticeable step back in 2024. Last season, Hall was second on the rushing leaderboard, just behind Christian McCaffrey. This season he saw his rushing yards, receptions and touchdowns all decline significantly. He may be poised for a resurgence in 2025 under new head coach Aaron Glenn, who appears to favor a committee approach to the running game.
For Nick Chubb, the road back has been no easy to travel. Entering the 2023 season, Chubb was victim to a devastating knee injury. … all the while making a dramatic return for the Cleveland Browns in 2024. His return was brief, as he mustered just 332 yards in eight games. Unfortunately, in Week 15 he broke his foot, ending his season. This year, Chubb agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Houston Texans. He’s looking forward to starting this new chapter of his career and getting back to his peak form.
Outside of these injuries and extensions, one player was able to serve as quarterback virtually every game. Clark’s been a fixture, playing all 17 games for a third-straight year. He was unable to live up to his gaudy numbers from 2023. Clark finished that season with a career-high 7.5 sacks and a selection to his third Pro Bowl. He wasn’t able to continue that excellent momentum after that golden first season.
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