It is fair to label Adams a crossroads player for 2023. The uniquely deployed Seahawks safety went down during the 2021 season with a labrum tear and did not make it through a game in 2022, suffering a torn quad. Adams, known more for his box presence than coverage chops, did well to secure a then-safety-record contract (four years, $70 million) in 2021. The Seahawks trading two first-round picks to the Jets for the once-disgruntled defender has been a bust. Seattle now has Julian Love in place as Adams insurance, though it will be interesting to see how the team will use Love, Adams and Quandre Diggs this season. 

In addition to the Bengals not having three of their starting offensive linemen in the narrow AFC championship game loss to the Chiefs , they were without their top cornerback. Awuzie suffered a torn ACL during a Halloween loss to the Browns, removing a key piece from the Bengals defense. Cincinnati will be counting on the veteran boundary corner to return and work alongside Mike Hilton again, with 2022 second-rounder Cam Taylor-Britt set for a bigger role alongside the veterans. 

Barrett missed most of last season’s Tampa mess, going down with a torn Achilles in Week 8. This removed the top Buccaneers pass rusher from the equation. As the Bucs offense struggled to find its previous Tom Brady-era form, Barrett’s absence — after the team had let Jason Pierre-Paul walk in free agency — made matters tougher on defense. The former NFL sack leader played an essential role in Tampa Bay’s 2020 Super Bowl title, applying frequent pressure on Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes. As Todd Bowles moves onto a hot seat, he will need his longtime edge anchor to be near 100% at 30 this year.

The dreaded Lisfranc injury wrapped Bateman’s season after six games last year. The Minnesota product had shown potential to be a dependable starter, but he will return to a dramatically reshaped Ravens receiving corps. Baltimore has since signed Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor and used its first-round pick on Zay Flowers. Baltimore has now drafted three first-round receivers during the Jackson era. The second of those, Bateman, has already missed 16 games as a pro. The Ravens will go into 2023 with their top two veteran wideouts bringing major injury questions.

Plagued with receiver injuries and an overall issue staffing that position, the Ravens authorized a surprising payment to Beckham, who missed all of his age-30 season due to the ACL tear he suffered in Super Bowl LVI. While Beckham showed game-breaking skills remained in that Rams-Bengals decider, he has sustained two ACL tears since October 2020. OBJ, who will turn 31 in November, is nearly seven years removed from his most recent Pro Bowl. The Hall of Fame is likely off the table. But he parlayed his Rams form into a surprising $15 million guarantee from the Ravens, who will count on renewed health.

Four of the Broncos’ five starting O-linemen missed extensive time last season, adding to the shocking tumble Russell Wilson took. The most notable of the injuries came in Week 5, when Bolles — Denver’s left tackle starter since 2017 — suffered a fractured fibula. The Broncos have been one of the league’s most injury-prone teams over the past few years, but Bolles had never missed more than three games in a season since being chosen in the first round. The Broncos will count on Bolles to reprise his role in what could be a make-or-break season for the up-and-down blocker.

The Raiders are really banking on Josh McDaniels familiarity. After cutting a player (Derek Carr) who had missed three games due to injury in nine years, Las Vegas added the game’s most injury-prone QB. Finishing just two of his past five seasons, Garoppolo has been sidelined for 33 games since his September 2018 ACL tear. After an injury-plagued 2021, Garoppolo suffered a foot fracture last year. Although rumors persisted that Garoppolo could surmount the December injury and make a late-season return, he did not. The ex-Patriot’s March surgery led to a revised Raiders contract and a precarious QB situation. A soon-to-be 38-year-old Brian Hoyer is Garoppolo’s backup. 

During a 2021 season that featured many Packers Pro Bowlers suffering major injuries, Gary submitted a belated breakout effort. A November 2022 ACL tear halted that momentum. The former first-round pick is now going into a contract year on the heels of that setback. Gary spent two seasons behind Za’Darius and Preston Smith, limiting his rookie-contract production. But the Packers now expect the Michigan alum to work as their top edge rusher. Likely set to see their offensive capabilities reduced post-Aaron Rodgers, the Pack will need Gary to shake off this injury. 

The Jets could have featured a rare intrasquad Offensive Rookie of the Year race, but Hall’s October ACL tear left eventual OROY Garrett Wilson alone in that effort. Before he went down, the second-round pick looked like a game-changing running back. Normally a 1 p.m. staple, the Jets now have a schedule flooded with Aaron Rodgers-driven primetime cameos. Hall’s recovery, then, will generate more attention than it otherwise would have. The Iowa State product will be a key part of the Jets’ first Rodgers offense. With a sizable skill gap between Hall and his backups, the Jets need their starter to stabilize their run game. 

Although this list usually covers players who missed much of the previous season, Hamlin’s injury had the rare effect of canceling a game and halting virtually every other NFL proceeding in January. The collision with Tee Higgins causing cardiac arrest made Hamlin’s recovery the NFL’s defining storyline for a period. The hit caused commotio cordis, an extremely rare condition caused by chest trauma, but Hamlin is expected to be ready for Week 1. The inspirational safety might not start this season, as he subbed for an injured Micah Hyde in 2022, but whatever contributions he does make could galvanize the Bills.

Injuries ransacked the Cardinals offensive line last season, doing so after the team signed off on starting three 30-somethings up front. Humphries was not among that trio, but the 29-year-old left tackle went down with a back injury midseason and missed the “Hard Knocks” portion of the year. The Cards have given Humphries two contract extensions to protect Kyler Murray. Humphries had bounced back from early-career injury trouble, but Arizona traded up to draft Ohio State O-lineman Paris Johnson. While Johnson makes more sense as right tackle Kelvin Beachum‘s heir apparent, Humphries is now a ninth-year player on a rebuilding team.

Damar Hamlin only became a starter because of Hyde’s September neck injury. That issue ended Hyde’s season, though he had resumed practicing during the Bills’ playoff run. The veteran safety will be back ahead of his age-32 season and will once again team with Jordan Poyer, who unexpectedly re-signed in free agency. Hyde and Poyer are entering their seventh year together as Buffalo’s starting safeties. Back-line reliability had been a pillar of Buffalo’s rebuilding effort. The Bills missed Hyde last season but look set to see an unexpected reality unfold — Hyde, Hamlin and Poyer playing together. 

The NFL’s injury kingpins saw their high-priced cornerback go down after just five games. Jackson, who had already missed time because of late-summer ankle surgery, suffered a patellar tendon rupture in October. This is a difficult injury to surmount, and it should not be considered a lock the ex-Patriot is on the field with his Chargers teammates in Week 1. The Bolts gave Jackson a top-10 cornerback contract in 2022 but did not see top-notch play. The former undrafted free agent now must attempt to recapture his New England form — something other corners have struggled with post-Bill Belichick — after a rehab effort.

Jackson made the smart move to abandon his quest for Deshaun Watson-level guarantees and take the Ravens’ best offer. Securing $135 million fully guaranteed proved savvy for a quarterback whose career duration likely will not match most of his peers’. The run-oriented QB is also coming off a second straight injury-shortened season, injecting some risk for the Ravens’ now-long-term bet. Jackson suffered what he called a grade 2 PCL sprain in Week 13 and, despite being expected to return before season’s end, sat out the rest of the year. Whether the absence was contract-related or not, Jackson must rebound after missing 11 games over the past two years.

Kupp went down a bit before the Rams transitioned from underwhelming Super Bowl champ to completing the worst Super Bowl title defense ever . But the All-Pro slot receiver represented just about the only effective component of the Rams offense last season. Losing Kupp to a high ankle sprain in Week 10 left the Rams without much in the way of chain movers. Kupp underwent surgery and missed Baker Mayfield‘s memorable stay. The Rams have since traded sunk-cost Allen Robinson, and they did not make any notable additions at receiver. They will again rely on Kupp, who is heading into his age-30 season, to carry their aerial operation. 

Harpooned by injuries on a Chargerian level over the past two seasons, the Titans played all of 2022 without their top edge rusher. Landry suffered a torn ACL in practice days before Week 1, opening the floodgates for another malady-riddled Tennessee slate. Player unavailability represented one of the factors the Titans fired GM Jon Robinson. Landry was one of Robinson’s top moves, going from second-round pick to the team’s outside linebacker cornerstone. As other moves (Cam Wake, Vic Beasley, Jadeveon Clowney, Bud Dupree) failed, Landry kept the setup afloat. He will resume his career under a new regime. 

The change from “Darius” to “Shaquille” did not have much of an opportunity — for non-Colts fans, that is — to sink in last year. The three-time All-Pro missed 14 games, seeing multiple injuries shut him down during a disastrous Colts campaign. Leonard, who underwent summer 2022 back surgery to address a 2021 issue, suffered a broken nose and a concussion last year. He then had a second back operation done to end a lost season. The star linebacker is one of several Colts mainstays in limbo, as a once-veteran-fueled team transitions to a raw quarterback (Anthony Richardson). Leonard is going into his age-28 slate.

Metchie missed all of his Texans rookie season because of a leukemia diagnosis, but the former Alabama starter also needed to rehab a torn ACL suffered in the previous national championship game. Declared cancer-free, Metchie has recovered from the knee injury and is expected to debut for the Texans, who certainly need help at receiver after trading Brandin Cooks. Houston drafted Metchie in the 2022 second round, doing so after the ex-DeVonta Smith/Jaylen Waddle sidekick totaled 1,142 receiving yards in 2021. 

Miller’s Thanksgiving knee injury was not initially believed to be an ACL tear; the future Hall of Fame pass rusher expected to return late last season. But a rare exploratory surgery revealed a tear. This both ended Miller’s season and changed the Bills’ trajectory. Absent their star sack artist during a rough season on the injury front, the Bills struggled down the stretch. Their homegrown defensive ends could not produce much without Miller (eight sacks in 10 full games) leading the way. Buffalo did not make a notable D-end addition this offseason. Miller, now 34, will be expected to recover from a second career ACL tear and pick up where he left off.

Murray took a step back down from his Pro Bowl level, and his December ACL tear provided the final touch for a freefalling team to make sweeping changes. The oft-criticized QB is likely to spend part of this season on the sidelines, as the Cardinals have made their rebuild intentions clear. Murray’s talent may interfere with this mission, one that could involve two top-five picks in 2024. The Cards have perhaps the NFL’s worst roster, and the regime that drafted Murray is gone. Some big-picture decisions will need to be made involving the former No. 1 overall pick soon, providing a reason to follow a potentially dreadful Cardinals team.

The Broncos’ injury woes began early in training camp last year. Patrick, the most dependable of their wide receivers, suffered an ACL tear and missed all of last season. This came not too long after Patrick signed a three-year, $30 million extension. The Broncos missed the big-bodied target’s presence during a turbulent 2022 slate. The former undrafted free agent, who has been needed more often due to injuries to higher-profile Broncos at the position, eclipsed 700 receiving yards in 2020 and ’21. The Broncos used a second-round pick on Marvin Mims this year, crowding their receiver room. But Patrick still figures to have a role.

A revelation for a 49ers team that had no other choice following Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo’s injuries, Purdy is rehabbing a torn UCL. The seventh-rounder’s elbow injury removed the drama from the NFC championship game early and prompted the NFL to adjust its rulebook. The league reinstated its emergency third QB rule because of the 49ers catastrophe. Purdy’s rehab is expected to run up against Week 1. It will be interesting to see how the 49ers play it, now that they have other options. Will Lance or Sam Darnold — each a former No. 3 overall pick — show enough to alter Purdy’s path back to the lineup?

Having played through injuries for most of his career, Stafford ran into trouble that kept him off the field. The Super Bowl-winning QB had already dealt with a nagging elbow injury for much of 2022, and he suffered a spinal cord contusion during a wildly disappointing Rams season. Stafford, 35, said he is healthy again, but he now leads a team that scaled back its win-at-all-costs mantra this offseason. The Rams have numerous rookies surrounding their remaining Super Bowl pieces on the depth chart, but Stafford is under contract for four more years. The 15th-year QB’s place looks a bit strange on the ’23 Rams.

The Chargers lost Slater and Joey Bosa during a Week 3 loss to the Jaguars. While Bosa returned, Slater did not make it back. The rookie-year Pro Bowler saw a biceps tear end his second season early. The promising left tackle has said he has been fully healthy for months, giving the perennially injury-prone Chargers a boost. Slater fill-in Jamaree Salyer showed enough the Bolts are prepared to make him a starter — at left guard. A weakness before Slater arrived in 2021, the Chargers O-line now looks to have the makings of an upper-echelon unit. It will need Slater healthy to live up to that potential.

The Packers have not seen their two first-round cornerbacks on the field together too often. After Jaire Alexander missed almost all of the 2021 season, Stokes went down with two ailments last year. The 2021 first-rounder sustained knee and foot injuries in the same November game; each required surgery. Stokes is no longer assured of a starting spot, with the Packers preferring Rasul Douglas on the outside and Keisean Nixon in the slot. Stokes will not practice until at least training camp and will need to form a rotation of sorts with Douglas, whom the Packers unsuccessfully tried in the slot last season.

While Tagovailoa made a substantial imprint on the 2022 season, he did so for multiple reasons. The Dolphins quarterback only finished 12 games, suffering either two or three concussions during a concerning season. Miami’s offense cratered without its emerging passer, who still finished with a top-five QBR figure. Tagovailoa’s health also led to enhanced concussion protocols, though the new system missed his Christmas Day head injury. The Dolphins offense hummed regularly with Tua at the controls, but concussion trouble threatens to derail his career. This will be a pivotal year for the league’s lone southpaw QB1.

Had Tannehill not missed two stretches with an ankle injury, the Titans probably prevent the Jaguars’ late-season playoff surge. Tennessee went 1-4 without its starter, with the win featuring Malik Willis completing six passes against the Texans. Tannehill, who underwent ankle surgery late last season, had successfully changed the injury-prone narrative that defined his Dolphins stay. But the four-year Titans starter may be auditioning for other teams this season. The Titans traded up for Will Levis in Round 2 and have Tannehill in a contract year. The three-time playoff starter should still be needed in 2023, but for how much longer?

The 2020 season provided a clear demarcation line for Thomas, who is attempting to come back from two lost years. Formerly Drew Brees‘ top weapon, Thomas went from back-to-back first-team All-Pro seasons to being one of the league’s top injury question marks. The eighth-year veteran has played three games over the past two years, doing so after his multi-injury 2020 hindered the Saints. A foot injury wrapped Thomas’ 2022 season early. The NFL’s single-season reception record holder re-signed with the Saints and received $6 million guaranteed. But this will be a dice roll for New Orleans, which could certainly use its ex-ace wideout to aid Derek Carr.

The Jets lost so many tackles that two in-season additions need to start. The unstable season up front included Vera-Tucker sliding from guard to tackle, but that effort — which had Vera-Tucker across from Duane Brown at right tackle — ended with an October ACL tear. Expected to shift back to his natural guard position, Vera-Tucker will join Breece Hall in returning to a wildly different Jets team. The 2021 first-round pick will go from fairly anonymous (to non-Jets fans) starter to essential Aaron Rodgers protector in Year 3. Considering the Jets’ tackle issues, they will need Vera-Tucker to provide interior stability.

Nathaniel Hackett’s historically disastrous Broncos season largely unfolded without Williams, who suffered ACL and LCL tears in Week 4. The bulldozing running back showed immense promise as a rookie, landing multiple scepters as an “Angry Runs” mainstay . Denver’s run game struggled in the weeks following Williams’ 2022 injury. After ominous early-offseason rumors, however, the former second-round pick is on track to be ready by Week 1. This will be a boon to Sean Payton’s first Broncos offense. Williams is ticketed to team with free agency addition Samaje Perine in Payton’s latest two-back partnership.