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Second-year NFL players who need to step it up in 2025

Jim Reineking   Paste BN

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We're taking a brief break from around-the-clock Aaron Rodgers coverage to highlight some players who might have a bigger impact on the NFL in 2025 and beyond.

While some 2024 rookies flourished in their first season as professionals – Jayden Daniels and Brock Bowers stand out – there were others from whom more was expected. However, there's still time to blaze a new path.

So, Paste BN Sports' Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz counts Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams and Arizona Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. among the nine second-year players who need to step it up during their sophomore seasons.

Williams should benefit from an offensive-minded head coach in Ben Johnson, but questions about the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner still persist, such as his willingness to embrace playing within the structure of Johnson's rhythmic offense.

Harrison didn't enjoy the breakout seasons of fellow rookie receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., so Year 2 will provide another opportunity to reach the sky-high bar set for him as the son of Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison.

Hot reads 🎯

🏈 OK, now we return to regularly scheduled Aaron Rodgers programming ... Jarrett Bell was in Pittsburgh over the weekend and has the reaction of the fanbase to the signing of the veteran quarterback.

🏈 What if the Steelers goofed letting Justin Fields go and bringing in Rodgers? Nate Davis suggests this might be the case. 🤔

🏈One former Steelers player called the team's signing of Rodgers "the worst-case scenario for Pittsburgh Steelers fans." 😱

🏈 Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell is one of the great quarterback minds in the NFL. Mike Freeman writes that O'Connell got that way by doing one thing better than other coaches.

🏈 Thanks to head coach Sean Payton and second-year quarterback Bo Nix, the Broncos' Super Bowl window now is officially open, writes Mike Freeman. 🐎

🏈 The matchup for the 2025 UFL championship game is set: DC Defenders vs. Michigan Panthers. 🏆

🗳️ Survey time: Let's us know what you think!

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8️⃣7️⃣ days until kickoff of 2025 NFL season ⏳

There are 87 days until the 2025 NFL season opens with the Kickoff Game between the Dallas Cowboys and defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 4.

Today, we list our all-time top five tight ends to wear the No. 87:

  1. Travis Kelce: Cornerstone player for a Chiefs team that has appeared in five Super Bowls, winning three. Has tight ends record seven consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons.
  2. Rob Gronkowski: Gronk and Kelce are really a 1A and 1B of all-time great tight ends to wear No. 87. Both are all-time greats at their position. Gronk was a four-time Super Bowl champion, and a member of both the NFL's 2010s All-Decade Team (along with Kelce) and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
  3. Dave Casper: Legendary player for the 1970s Raiders, was one the scoring end of two iconic Raiders "plays with names" – the "Ghost to the Post" and "Holy Roller."
  4. Ben Coates: The No. 2-ranked all-time Patriots tight end to wear No. 87. Coates was a five-time Pro Bowl selection, member of the NFL's 1990s All-Decade Team, and was part of the Baltimore Ravens' Super Bowl 35-winning team.
  5. Jerry Smith: One of the top tight ends of late-1960s into the 1970s, Smith was the all-time leader in touchdowns at the position at the time of his retirement following the 1977 season. His life on and off the field was the topic of "A Football Life" documentary on NFL Network.

NFL classics: Straight from the YouTube algorithm 🏈🎞️

This is where we reprise some NFL lore and recall classic, memorable moments from yesteryear.

Retirement talk will be a storyline that will follow the 35-year-old Travis Kelce throughout the 2025 season. So, let's enjoy the career of an all-time great while we can.

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