Texas WR Isaiah Bond among Bleacher Report’s breakout players for 2024

“Bond should immediately become the No. 1 option for Quinn Ewers in a rebuilt Texas offense.”

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian struck gold in the transfer portal this offseason. Continue reading “Texas WR Isaiah Bond among Bleacher Report’s breakout players for 2024”

3 players who could have bigger roles for the Saints in 2024

The New Orleans Saints are going to be looking for players to take a step up in 2024, here are three prime candidates to do so next season:

The New Orleans Saints had a tough 2023 campaign, while finishing 9-8 they struggled immensely with consistency and ended up losing the division. However, there were some flashes of high-quality play from younger players, especially those who may not have had a ton of playing time overall.

These types of players are critical to the success of the Saints, as many have started off in a limited role but ended up becoming high-value players. In this article, we will be discussing three players who could end up with bigger roles for the Saints in 2024, why they could see this increase, and whether or not they are likely to break out due to this uptick in snaps.

So without further ado, let’s start with our first player:

6 Colts who exceeded expectations in 2023

These Colts exceeded expectations in 2023.

The Indianapolis Colts were one win away from competing in the playoffs but instead find themselves sitting at home with the majority of the league preparing for the 2024 offseason.

Even though it was a decent surprise the Colts were in a position to compete for a playoff spot considering the amount of injuries along with the addition of a rookie head coach working with a backup quarterback, there were plenty of bright spots who helped get Indy to that position.

Here are six Colts who exceeded expectations during the 2023 season:

5 potential breakout players for the Commanders this season

We look at five potential breakout players for the Commanders in 2023. Who are your picks?

Every season, new stars emerge across the NFL. Some are expected, some are not. Every NFL team has breakout players. Which player for the Washington Commanders will have a breakout season in 2023?

Second-year wide receiver Jahan Dotson is a popular choice. Many outlets call Dotson a potential breakout candidate for 2023, and even Dotson agreed.

Since Dotson is such a popular choice, we look at five other Commanders who could be potential breakout players in 2023.

Benjamin St-Juste could be on the verge of a big season in 2023

St-Juste enters his third NFL season in 2023.

When the Washington Commanders selected Minnesota cornerback Benjamin St-Juste in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft, many fans said, “Who?”

The 6-foot-3 St-Juste quickly turned heads in his first offseason. During OTAs and through training camp, other defensive players noticed St-Juste and head coach Ron Rivera praised him at every turn.

On more than one occasion, Rivera compared St-Juste to former All-Pro cornerback Charles “Peanut” Tillman. Anytime you receive a comparison like that, others take notice.

Unfortunately, St-Juste’s rookie season was cut short after nine games due to concussions.

In 2022, St-Juste played slot cornerback throughout the offseason. He began the 2022 season inside, but once Washington moved around its secondary and St-Juste moved back to outside cornerback, he looked like a different player. St-Juste was physical, used his length well and competed on every snap with some of the NFL’s best wide receivers, including Justin Jefferson.

St-Juste won his share of those battles.

Again, injuries cut St-Juste’s season short; this time, he missed five games.

The Commanders added cornerback Emmanuel Forbes with a first-round pick in April’s NFL draft, giving them three legitimate starting cornerbacks for 2023.

St-Juste has been standing out in camp early this summer. Is this the year he gets noticed on a national level?

Jarrett Bailey of Touchdown Wire believes so, naming St-Juste to his 2023 NFL All-Breakout team.

St-Juste brings a versatility to the Commanders’ secondary that allows them to move him around and try different things. He spent extended time both on the perimeter and in the slot in 2022. Now, with Emmanuel Forbes coming in to compliment both he and Kendall Fuller, all of these guys are going to make each other better.

St-Juste finished sixth in the NFL in lowest reception percentage in 2022. With added help in the secondary, as well as a more defined role, the Minnesota product could have a breakout year.

It’s a shame St-Juste was injured in the Week 11 win over Houston last season because he was close to becoming a household name at cornerback. 

Perhaps that happens in 2023.

Who does PFF view as Commanders’ breakout player in 2023?

Kam Curl’s value was evident during the time he missed in 2022.

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Who is a potential breakout player for the Washington Commanders in 2023?

Quarterback Sam Howell comes to mind, of course; that depends on who you talk to, as some think Howell is the NFL’s worst starting quarterback, while there are others who are high on his potential.

What about third-year wide receiver Dyami Brown? Howell’s former college teammate had a huge game against the Tennessee Titans in Week 5 last season and was rarely used again.

According to Pro Football Focus, which names one breakout player for every NFC team in 2023, that player is Washington safety Kamren Curl.

Wait, what?

We could argue that Curl broke out as a seventh-round pick during his rookie season in 2020. Now in line to receive a contract extension, Curl has quietly become one of Washington’s most valuable defensive players, and his absence was evident in the five games he missed for the Commanders in 2022.

Here’s PFF’s explanation on Curl:

Similarly to Neal, Curl’s breakout would be him being able to play an entire season at the level he’s shown before. Curl was PFF’s second-highest-graded safety in 2022 (82.9), but he has yet to play more than 900 snaps in a season and ranked 58th among safeties in snaps played in 2022 (727).

Athlon Sports names Texas QB Quinn Ewers as one of its top breakout candidates

“Ewers is one of the top quarterback recruits of the modern era.”

If Quinn Ewers does win the quarterback competition for Texas, he will have no shortage of offensive weapons at his disposal. Continue reading “Athlon Sports names Texas QB Quinn Ewers as one of its top breakout candidates”

Inside Texas lists six breakout candidates ahead of the 2022 season

Eric Nahlin chose three potential breakout stars on both sides of the ball.

The Texas football roster changed dramatically this offseason. Continue reading “Inside Texas lists six breakout candidates ahead of the 2022 season”

Every NFL team’s potential breakout player for the 2022 season

Our NFL Wire editors examined one potential breakout player for every team ahead of the 2022 season, with big expectations for #Chiefs’ Mecole Hardman:

There’s no underestimating the transition from college football to the NFL, where it takes some players time to fully adjust to the size and speed of the pro game.

It’s why rookies rarely thrive and why we see some substantial jumps for young players over the course of a few years.

There are a number of players around the league who are primed to make a leap this season due to their situation and/or opportunity following what’s been a whirlwind of an NFL offseason, which has featured its share of change among NFL rosters.

From second-year quarterbacks to talented, young wideouts, our NFL Wire editors examined one player from every team poised for a breakout year in 2022.

Every NFL team’s potential breakout player for the 2022 season

Our NFL Wire editors examined one potential breakout player for every team ahead of the 2022 season, with high expectations for Saints LB Pete Werner:

There’s no underestimating the transition from college football to the NFL, where it takes some players time to fully adjust to the size and speed of the pro game.
It’s why rookies rarely thrive and why we see some substantial jumps for young players over the course of a few years.
There are a number of players around the league who are primed to make a leap this season due to their situation and/or opportunity following what’s been a whirlwind of an NFL offseason, which has featured its share of change among NFL rosters.
From second-year quarterbacks to talented, young wideouts, our NFL Wire editors examined one player from every team poised for a breakout year in 2022.