Pick it up, Guys! 7 NFL Players Who Desperately Need to Get on Track

Bucky Brooks

NFL Analyst

While a slow start is not a death sentence for players who stumble out of the gate, blue-chip players work with their coaches to find various ways to get their production and performance back on track.

For certain players who were being counted on to make huge contributions to their respective teams, some so far have underwhelmed in 2025.

In taking a long, hard look at the All-22 coaches’ footage through the season’s quarter point, these seven guys desperately need to get back on track:

Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens

It is hard to knock the “King” for his stellar production (49 carries for 284 yards and three scores) when he is tied for the NFL lead with four 20-yard-plus runs as a 31-year-old RB1. However, Henry’s fumbling woes have contributed to the Ravens’ woeful start and made the two-time rushing champ a paranoid runner within the crowd. The veteran’s newfound timidness has diminished his effectiveness, as he has finished with 50 or fewer rushing yards in each of the past three games. Given his impact as a super-sized workhorse with a devastating stiff-arm, Henry’s inability to secure the ball with one hand has robbed the Pro Bowler of his greatest superpower.

Geno Smith, QB, Las Vegas Raiders

As Pete Carroll’s handpicked QB1, Smith was expected to stabilize the position for the Raiders as a high-end “game manager” with big-play potential. The veteran has been a major disappointment, with seven interceptions through four games (most in the NFL) and an abysmally low passer rating (79.1) that ranks near the bottom of the league. Smith’s inconsistencies and blunders have put the Raiders behind the eight-ball despite playing well enough to sit at .500 or better at the quarter-pole. If the veteran can regain his Pro Bowl form and play the kind of “winning football” (minimum turnovers and efficient passing) that made Carroll hand him the ball as the Raiders’ new franchise quarterback, the Silver and Black can climb back into the race as a playoff contender.

Sauce Gardner, CB, New York Jets

The All-Pro has been mired in a slump since the beginning of 2024, with his sloppy technique leading to 10 penalties (nine accepted) last season. The disturbing trend has continued with Gardner leading the Jets with four penalties (three accepted) and ranking among the top five in penalties for cornerbacks this season. While he has suggested the referees are picking on him due to the Jets’ losing ways, the veteran’s inability to cover without holding makes the team’s four-year, $120 million commitment to the former first-rounder look like another bad investment.

Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

The second-year pro was expected to play as a top-five wideout as the Jaguars’ No. 1 option in a playmaker-friendly offense directed by Liam Coen. Despite the team’s best efforts, Thomas has just 12 catches through four games and has struggled with drops despite being the team’s most targeted receiver (32). With an abysmal 37.5% catch rate revealing the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of building the passing game around the second-year pro, the pressure is on Thomas to break out of his slump and re-emerge as the WR1 that was expected to compete for All-Pro honors in 2025.

Jawaan Taylor, OT, Kansas City Chiefs

Part of Kansas City’s offensive woes stem from the veteran’s struggles on the edge, as the league leader in penalties (7). Taylor’s penchant for pre-snap fouls (3) and holding penalties (4) is part of a trend that has seen the veteran amass 42 penalties since 2023. Those staggering numbers overshadow his effectiveness as a pass protector due to the drive-killing effect of the penalties. Though Andy Reid remains committed to his starting right tackle, Taylor must fix his issues to help the Chiefs get back on track as a high-powered offense.

Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints

The former first-rounder has failed to spark the Saints’ offense despite possessing the route-running ability and big-play potential to flourish as a WR1 in Kellen Moore’s system. Olave is averaging just 7.1 yards per catch despite being targeted on 43 passes (26 catches) as the focal point of the passing game. Though Moore has attempted to get the ball into the fourth-year pro’s hands by any means necessary, Olave’s production has not forced opponents to tweak their scheme to account for his whereabouts, opening up the field for his teammates. With minimal contributions from their WR1, the Saints’ offensive woes will continue until Moore finds a way to unlock Olave’s talents.

Elgton Jenkins, C, Green Bay Packers

The veteran utility man was expected to make a smooth transition to the pivot, but has struggled mightily as the Packers’ starting center. Jenkins has allowed two sacks and five pressures, per PFF, after surrendering just one sack and 16 pressures in 2024. The seventh-year pro’s struggles are one of the biggest disappointments for a team operating with a “Super Bowl or bust” mentality, given the superior talent on their roster. Although Jenkins can utilize the bye week to get back on track and turn things around, the veteran must play better for the Packers to re-emerge as title contenders by season’s end.

Bucky Brooks is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He also breaks down the game for NFL Network and as a cohost of the “Moving the Sticks” podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.

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