NFL training camps are set to begin in a few weeks and we here at PigskinNut couldn’t be more excited. The 2019 NFL season featured some great second-year players, including the league’s MVP Lamar Jackson. Players like Miami’s Pittsburgh’s Minkah Fitzpatrick, Green Bay’s Jaire Alexander, Denver’s Courtland Sutton, Dallas’ Michael Gallup, and Cincinnati’s Sam Hubbard all saw great improvements in their second season as well, headlining a group of future stars in the NFL. In this article, we’ll take a look at five second-year players that are primed for similar success in 2020.
Kyler Murray, QB – Arizona Cardinals
If there’s one team in the NFC West that I have high expectations for, it’s the Arizona Cardinals. After swindling the Texans for an All-Pro receiver in DeAndre Hopkins and retaining Kenyan Drake, Kyler Murray is set up for success in 2020. One could say that his rookie season was better than average by the numbers considering he won the Rookie of the Year Award, but adding Hopkins with an already dangerous receiving corps and a second year with Kingsbury makes for an explosive combination. If he can cut down on the sacks and utilize his new weapon, Murray should put up huge numbers in the desert.
Brian Burns, EDGE – Carolina Panthers
How is no one talking about Brian Burns more? The dude had 7.5 sacks, 23 quarterback pressures, and 8 hurries in only 478 snaps. That’s a sack every 63.7 snaps. Compare that to 2018’s rookie sack leader Bradley Chubb, who had 12 sacks in 844 snaps, an average of one sack per every 70.3 snaps.
Burns should’ve seen the field a lot more in his rookie campaign and should see it a lot more in his sophomore season with the different coaching staff in town. The addition of Derrick Brown in this year’s draft should help Burns get more one-on-one matchups on the edge.
Marquise Brown, WR – Baltimore Ravens
We criminally undersold Hollywood Brown getting drafted by the Ravens in 2019. We knew the Oklahoma product had speed, but he never truly flashed that real speed in the 2019 season, due in part to an injury. Now that he is healthy, Brown is ready to come out of his shell. The offseason departure of Hayden Hurst and additions of Devin Duvernay and James Proche likely means less three tight end sets and more spread formations.
Duvernay and Proche pose serious downfield threats and adding them to this offense with Brown pose an issue for opposing secondaries. If Brown’s offseason work with cousin Antonio Brown makes an impact, Hollywood could become a star.
Drew Lock, QB – Denver Broncos
If you’re familiar with my writing, you’re probably either not surprised by me including Lock or you’re rolling your eyes so hard that you fall out of your chair. No matter, you’re still going to read this. John Elway has done everything right to supplement his second-year quarterback with the necessary weapons to win.
He got a top free-agent offensive lineman in Graham Glasgow and drafted a starting center in Lloyd Cushenberry. The interior offensive line is set. He then drafted not one, but two playmaking receivers in Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler. Those two with Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant? Fuhgettaboutit. He also went out and signed an above-average running back to pair with Phillip Lindsay. Then he went and hired Mike Shula and Pat Shurmur to take over for one of the most disappointing offenses in the league.
Lock showed what he could do with a limited cast. Now he has a great supporting cast to showcase his skills. Could he be a dark-horse MVP? Perhaps, but let’s just look at him improving in Year 2.
Devin Singletary, RB – Buffalo Bills
Singletary had a very successful rookie season, rushing for 775 yards on only 151 carries and scoring two rushing touchdowns. He makes this list, however, based on the fact that he is likely going to be taking over the majority of carries in Buffalo after mega-veteran Frank Gore signed with the New York Jets.
Singletary’s 5.1 yard per carry mark is impressive along with his 6.7 yards per reception, so I see his uptick in carries resulting in an uptick in production. If Buffalo stays true to the run game while Josh Allen still works to improve his game, Singletary might be able to work his way to the top of the rushing leaders.
