Key Players Returning From Season-ending Injuries to Watch This Season
Like any other sport, injuries are an unfortunate part of the game of football. Some injuries that occur can be major and have devastating affects on players and the outlook of their team’s season. Here are five key players to watch this season who are returning from major injury.
Javonte Williams, RB, Denver Broncos.
Williams, a 2021 2nd round pick out of the University of North Carolina, shown signs of potential during his rookie campaign when he rushed for 903 yards on just 203 rushing attempts, averaging roughly 4.5 yards per carry. There was a lot of anticipation surrounding Williams and the Broncos prior to the 2022 campaign. However, Williams’ promising campaign was cut short in a Week 4 game against the Las Vegas Raiders, when he suffered a torn ACL, abruptly ending his season and the Broncos finished with a disappointing 5-12 record. Head Coach Sean Peyton stated that Williams is at 100 percent and should be ready to go Week 1. Denver’s Week 1 matchup is coincidentally against the Raiders, the same team Williams got inured playing, so the return will serve as a “full-circle” moment for his recovery process. If Williams can bounce back from last year’s devastating injury and build off his strong rookie campaign, he can help the Broncos bounce back from a disappointing 2022 campaign.
2. Jamal Adams, S, Seattle Seahawks
In 2020, the Seahawks traded for Adams, who was 25 and coming off of a first-team all-pro season in 2019 with the New York Jets. The sixth overall pick out of LSU had lived up to his pre-draft hype and was rewarded with a 4 year, $72 million contract in 2021. However, Adams suffered a torn labrum in 2021 and a torn quad in Week 1 of 2022, effectively ending his season. Adams, now 27, looks to return to his form and joins a young, talented Seahawks defense led by the likes of Tariq Woolen, Uchenna Nwosu, Quandre Diggs, Julian Love, Jordyn Brooks, the return of Bobby Wagner, the newly signed Dre’Mont Jones, and the team’s highly-touted first round draft pick Devon Witherspoon. It will be interesting to see how Adams, who is widely known for his ability to blitz and presence inside the box, fits in with this Seahawks defense, as the team looks to build off of their surprise playoff birth in 2022 and assert themselves as contenders in the NFC in 2023.
3. Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets.
Through seven games, the ascending Jets were off to a surprising 5-2 start off the backs of a strong defense and rookie Breece Hall bursting onto the scene with 463 yards, 4 rushing TDs, and averaging nearly 6 yards per carry. Hall was making a strong case for the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award and the Jets were making a push to potentially contend for a playoff spot for the first time in 12 years. However, the good times came to and end, as hall suffered a season-ending torn ACL injury Week 7 against the Denver Broncos. The Jets dropped eight of their ten remaining games en-route to a disappointing 7-10 record. The Jets made an all-in push this past offseason by trading for Hall of Fame QB Aaron Rodgers, and adding WRs Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, and Mecole Hartman to accompany the reining OROY Garrett Wilson. The signing of Devlin Cook, along with the impact torn ACLs have on many running backs have made people question the impact Hall will have in the Jets offense. Nonetheless, despite these transactions, I fully expect Hall to play an instrumental role on a Jets team that looks to potentially contend for a loaded AFC West and make a deep playoff run.
4. Von Miller, OLB, Buffalo Bills
There is no doubt that Miller, a Super Bowl champ, defensive player of the year, and perennial all-pro, will be a sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Fame and will go down as one of the greatest defensive players the game has ever seen. Accordingly, in 2022, the Bills signed him to a six-year, $120 million dollar deal, as the team looked to get over the hump and dethrone the Kansas City Chiefs, who had eliminated them from the playoffs the previous two seasons. The Bills hoped Miller would be the reliable edge rusher the Bills defense needed. Miller got off to a strong start with his new team in 2022, recording 8 sacks before a season-ending torn ACL injury. Miller’s absence greatly impacted the Bills’ defense down the stretch and the team’s promising 13 win campaign with Super Bowl ambitions came to a screeching halt, as the Bills were soundly beaten at home by the Cincinnati Bengals. Miller, now 34, looks to return to the field and help the Super Bowl-starved franchise and fanbase finally get over the hump.
5. Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons
The first draft pick of the Arthur Smith/Terry Fontenot era in Atlanta was to draft Pitts fourth overall out of the University of Florida in 2021, making him the highest drafted tight end in NFL history. Consequently, the expectations for Pitts were sky-high and Pitts responded during his rookie campaign. As a 21 year-old rookie tight end, Pitts recorded 1000 yards, joining Mike Ditka as the only rookie tight end to do so, despite recording only 1 touchdown and facing constant double teams, due to the absence of Calvin Ridley and the lack of quality WR depth for the Falcons in 2021. In 2022, Pitts recorded just 28catches for 256 yards, and 2 TDs, as a torn MCL injury in Week 12 against the Chicago Bears ended his season. Pitts’ sophomore slump can largely be attributed to the transition of having Matt Ryan in 2021, to having Marcus Mariota in 2022, as he led the NFL in off-target passes (32 percent). Despite the team trading for tight end Jonnu Smith, signing WRs mack Hollins and Scotty Miller to accompany second-year WR Drake London, and drafting RB Bijan Robinson, Pitts still looks to be an integral part in the Falcons’ offense with second-year QB Desmond Ridder, who is perceived as an upgrade from Mariota.
Damar Hamlin, S, Buffalo Bills
Anyone familiar with the NFL and the sports world in general knows the story involving Damar Hamlin. Hamlin was drafted in the sixth rounds out of Pittsburgh by the Bills in the 2021 NFL Draft. He was thrusted into the starting role after a season-ending injury to starting safety Micah Hyde. In the 13 games he started, he recorded 1.5 sacks with 63 tackles, and 2 pass breakups. However, in a Monday Night game against the Bengals, Hamlin made what appeared to be a routine tackle before falling to the ground on his own, having CPR performed on him by medical staff on the scene. The shocking turn of events resulted in the game being postponed and Hamlin being rushed to the hospital. He was eventually able to return home later that week. Despite the shocking injury, Hamlin has decided to continue his NFL career and is the odds-on favorite to win AP Comeback Player of the year due to his unideal circumstances and inspiring story for others. Hamlin may not have a starting role in the Bills’ defense with Hyde returning, but his return to the field is nonetheless admirable.