- C.J. Stroud is in line for a bounce-back: Stroud made an immediate impact as a rookie, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year and leading the Texans to a playoff victory. Despite a slow start, he finished that season ranked 13th among quarterbacks in PFF overall grade (83.2). However, in his second year, Stroud took a slight step back, earning a 78.9 overall grade, 14th at the position during the regular season.
- Mike Onwenu looking to reclaim form: Onwenu, who had never ranked outside the top 30 at his position and cracked the top 10 in each of his first three seasons, slipped to 34th in 2024 with a 65.2 PFF overall grade. His run-blocking also regressed significantly, falling to 57.5 after never earning below a 70.0 grade in his first four seasons.
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Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes
Just as some players exceed expectations each season, others fall short. But a disappointing year doesn’t always signal a permanent decline. Several players are well-positioned to rebound. Here are seven who struggled in 2024 but are strong candidates for a bounce-back season in 2025.
QB C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
Stroud made an immediate impact as a rookie, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year and leading the Texans to a playoff victory. Despite a slow start, he finished that season ranked 13th among quarterbacks in PFF overall grade (83.2). However, in his second year, Stroud took a slight step back, earning a 78.9 overall grade, 14th at the position during the regular season.
While there were flashes of brilliance, particularly late in the year, inconsistency kept him from breaking into the top 10 in 2024. That said, there’s reason for optimism heading into 2025.
Despite a playoff loss to the Chiefs, Stroud closed the season on a high note, earning an 85.3 PFF overall grade — his best of the year — in that game. It’s a promising sign for a potential breakout in his third season.
RB Breece Hall, New York Jets
Although his career is generally trending upward, Hall has a chance to turn things around in a big way — and the timing couldn’t be better, as he enters a contract year.
After finishing eighth among running backs with an 82.4 PFF overall grade in 2023, Hall saw his performance dip significantly in 2024. He ultimately earned a career-low 62.0 grade, which ranked 49th out of 59 qualifying backs.
The biggest drop-off came in the passing game. Hall led all running backs with an 88.9 PFF receiving grade in 2023, finishing second in both receiving yards and yards per route run. But in 2024, his receiving grade plummeted to 47.5, 58th among 63 qualifiers. His efficiency also dropped, with 1.22 yards per route run (16th at the position) and eight dropped passes, the second-most among all running backs.
Cutting down on drops alone could spark a rebound, but a rebuilt offensive line and an offense that may lean more on the run game offer further reasons for optimism. Hall appears poised for a strong bounce-back in 2025.
WR CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
Lamb’s dip in production during the 2024 season can partly be attributed to missed time, as he played in only 15 games for the Cowboys. After leading the NFL with 135 receptions in 2023, he finished the 2024 campaign with 101 catches for 1,194 yards, his lowest output since his second year. His 77.3 PFF overall grade was also his lowest since his rookie season, ranking 29th among 133 qualifying wide receivers.
In the two seasons prior, Lamb earned a combined 91.8 PFF receiving grade, fourth-best at the position, and led the league with 89 explosive plays (receptions of 15 yards or more), ranking second among wideouts.
The addition of wide receiver George Pickens from Pittsburgh should benefit Lamb in 2025, as Pickens is likely to command defensive attention and give Dallas one of the top No. 2 options in the league. Coupled with a fully healthy season from quarterback Dak Prescott, Lamb is well-positioned to return to elite form.
G Mike Onwenu, New England Patriots
Given offseason expectations and the state of the roster, it was no surprise that the New England Patriots fielded arguably the worst offensive line in football in 2024. While struggles were anticipated, Mike Onwenu was expected to remain a bright spot on the right side. Instead, the fifth-year veteran, who split time between right guard and right tackle, had the worst season of his career.
Onwenu, who had never ranked outside the top 30 at his position and cracked the top 10 in each of his first three seasons, slipped to 34th in 2024 with a 65.2 PFF overall grade. His run-blocking also regressed significantly, falling to 57.5 after never earning below a 70.0 grade in his first four seasons. The last time he posted an overall grade above 80.0 was in 2022, when he played exclusively at one position.
With veteran right tackle Morgan Moses now on the roster, Onwenu is expected to return to a full-time role at right guard, a shift that could help him recapture his previous form.
EDGE Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders
Between the 2021 and 2023 seasons, Crosby earned a PFF overall grade above 90.0 each year, consistently ranking among the top four edge defenders. Over those three years, his combined 93.1 overall grade ranked third at the position, trailing only Myles Garrett and Micah Parsons. His 18.6% pass-rush win rate and 15.9% pressure rate both ranked sixth.
However, Crosby took a step back in 2024, posting a 74.3 overall grade, 25th among 119 qualifying edge defenders. His pass-rush win rate dropped to 12.6% (42nd), and his pressure rate declined to 13.4% (29th).
Still, at just 28 years old entering the 2025 season, there’s no reason to believe Crosby’s decline will continue. In fact, the Raiders’ improved offense, bolstered by the additions of Geno Smith and Ashton Jeanty, could create more favorable game scripts, putting Crosby in better positions to impact games defensively.
LB Matt Milano, Buffalo Bills
After logging over 1,000 snaps in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Milano managed just 544 combined snaps over the past two years. His 2023 campaign was cut short after five games, and an offseason injury delayed his return in 2024 until Week 13. He appeared in seven games last season and reminded fans of his potential with a standout performance in the wild-card round against the Broncos, earning an 86.3 PFF grade.
Milano recorded PFF overall grades below 45.0 in three of his seven appearances, including a rough showing in the AFC championship game against Kansas City. For context, he had just two such games across 17 outings in 2022. Despite these post-injury struggles, Milano, who just turned 30, remains capable of playing at a high level. Before the injuries, he was widely regarded as one of the NFL’s top linebackers.
CB Rasul Douglas, Free agent
Douglas is somewhat of an outlier on this list, as he is currently without a team. However, it’s widely expected he will sign before the season begins. His underwhelming 2024 campaign may help explain why he remains unsigned. Douglas posted a 53.9 PFF overall grade, 102nd out of 116 qualifying cornerbacks, and his 51.6 coverage grade ranked 103rd.
This performance resembled his early-career struggles in 2019 and 2020, but from 2021 to 2023, Douglas reestablished himself as one of the league’s top cornerbacks. During that span, he ranked among the top 30 in PFF grade each season. His 83.0 overall grade over those three years ranked 10th at the position, while his 86.1 coverage grade ranked eighth. He also allowed a passer rating of just 61.2, second-best among 121 qualifying cornerbacks during that period.
Despite his disappointing 2024 season, Douglas’ recent track record and the fact that he turns just 30 at the start of the season make him a strong bounce-back candidate for any team needing veteran cornerback help.
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