Bust alert: Eight NFL players running out of time to prove themselves entering 2026 season
Pressure constantly looms over the NFL. Every player, coach, front office member and, who knows, maybe even the cafeteria lady feels it. It can push some toward greatness, but it can also cause others to combust, which is what makes the league so fascinating. Between building a legacy and earning millions of dollars, players either crumble under that pressure or rise to the occasion.
Because of the massive stakes, patience runs thin throughout the league. That can lead teams to cut ties with players they once viewed as franchise cornerstones before ultimately realizing they weren't up for the task. That's the avenue we'll be strolling down here.
In this space, we'll highlight a handful of players entering a sort of make-or-break season in 2026. Either they'll prove to be foundational pieces for their organization or reveal they're not meant for stardom.
The shine has certainly come off C.J. Stroud in recent years. After his stellar rookie season, the Texans quarterback's production has dipped, and he seemingly hit rock bottom last postseason.
Stroud had the most combined fumbles and interceptions (10) through the first two games of a postseason in the last 35 seasons. That included four interceptions in a divisional-round loss to the Patriots, which truly shook confidence in him as a franchise quarterback.
Stroud is eligible for an extension, but one has yet to materialize, which only adds to speculation that Houston shares some of those concerns.
J.J. McCarthy is entering his third season in the NFL and very well could've already played his last meaningful down for the Minnesota Vikings after being the 10th overall pick in 2024.
The decision to go with McCarthy over Sam Darnold -- who won 14 games for the club in 2024 -- blew up in the Vikings' face. They missed the playoffs with McCarthy ranking as arguably the worst starter in the NFL, while Darnold went on to win a Super Bowl with the Seahawks.
After McCarthy ranked last among qualified quarterbacks in completion percentage, TD-INT ratio and passer rating, Minnesota brought in veteran Kyler Murray this offseason to compete for the job.
Brian Thomas Jr. was otherworldly during his rookie season, setting franchise rookie records in receptions (87), receiving yards (1,282) and receiving touchdowns (10) in 2024.
However, the first-rounder out of LSU endured a sophomore slump in 2025, with his numbers dipping across the board. Moreover, Jaguars receivers Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers seemingly leapfrogged him for targets. That's not even mentioning Travis Hunter's role in the passing game.
Thomas enters 2026 set to either re-establish himself as a superstar wideout or reveal that 2024 was a flash in the pan.
The Bengals selected Myles Murphy with the 28th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Clemson, and it's been a slow build for the pass rusher.
Through the first two years of his career, Murphy didn't start a single game and logged just three sacks in 30 games. However, he began to show flashes in his third season in 2025. He started 10 of 17 games and recorded a career-high 5.5 sacks.
Cincinnati did not pick up his fifth-year option, meaning he is entering the final year of his rookie deal in 2026 and is set to become a free agent next offseason.
Malik Willis is one of the more fascinating players to monitor entering the 2026 season.
On one hand, he was great in spot starts for the Packers and is now signed on to be the Dolphins' starter, following head coach Jeff Hafley and GM Jon-Eric Sullivan from Green Bay.
On the other hand, the Dolphins play one of the toughest schedules in the NFL next season and don't have a particularly competitive roster.
When the Bills selected Keon Coleman in the second round (No. 33 overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft, the hope was that he'd blossom into Josh Allen's top target, replacing the likes of Stefon Diggs. That has yet to materialize, and Buffalo's Super Bowl hopes have struggled because of it.
After logging 556 yards and averaging 19.2 yards per catch as a rookie, Coleman's numbers dropped in Year 2. To make matters worse, following the firing of Sean McDermott, owner Terry Pegula effectively blamed the coaching staff for the selection instead of GM Brandon Beane.
While that initially felt like the final nail in Coleman's coffin in Buffalo, he remains with the team entering what is almost certainly a make-or-break campaign.
Marvin Harrison Jr. was viewed as a generational prospect when the Cardinals selected him with the No. 4 overall pick in 2024. So far, the Ohio State product has yet to translate that into NFL success.
He totaled just 885 yards as a rookie and then struggled mightily in Year 2, logging 608 yards in 12 games while battling injuries.
While Arizona's quarterback situation hasn't helped Harrison, fellow wideout Michael Wilson and tight end Trey McBride have still put up big numbers, which doesn't reflect particularly well on his development.
Michael Penix Jr. is in a tough spot this summer. While he was drafted to be the franchise cornerstone following Atlanta's stunning selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, things have gone downhill.
The third-year quarterback struggled when he was on the field and is now set to battle Tua Tagovailoa for the starting job while rehabbing a torn ACL.
The Falcons have an entirely new leadership group with Matt Ryan named president of football, Ian Cunningham hired as GM and Kevin Stefanski brought in as head coach. None of them are tied to making the Penix pick work, which creates an even tougher road for him to beat out Tagovailoa.