One More Time: Nine NFL Players Who Need to Prove 2008 Was No Fluke

After being drafted in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft, Derrick Ward spent the majority of his career on the sidelines before bursting onto the scene with the New York Giants in 2007.

In 2008, Ward served as the 1,000-yard complement to Brandon Jacobs and was rewarded with a four-year, $17 million contract from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency.

Averaging 5.6 yards per carry, Ward made the decision difficult for the Giants when they had to choose which running back they'd be keeping for 2009.

But can he do it again?

Without the Giants' offensive line leading the way or Jacobs pounding away at defenders early in the game, Ward is in a situation where he has to prove himself yet again.

No stranger to crowded backfields, the Buccaneers are hoping Ward's 1,000-yard performance is a credit to his prowess as a running back and not that of a seventh-round pick on an immensely talented offense.

Anyone watching the Tennessee Titans closely enough has seen Cortland Finnegan flirting with becoming a shutdown cornerback since entering the league in 2006.

Finally given the opportunity in 2008, he became a full-fledged starter after spending his first two seasons in dime and nickel packages.

Assuming he was unprepared for the task, quarterbacks challenged him early on, and he made them pay dearly.

In his first three games, Finnegan recorded four interceptions, including one returned for a 99-yard touchdown. The only quarterback foolish enough to challenge him after that was Brett Favre—nearly 10 weeks later.

His efforts earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl and a reputation as a hard-nosed defensive back with quickness, coverage skills, and attitude.

But can he do it again?

What makes Finnegan dangerous is also what makes him a liability. He can be too aggressive and allow his emotions to dictate his play.

With the Titans losing Albert Haynesworth as the disruptive force at the line of scrimmage, Finnegan's risk taking could be exposed as quarterbacks face less pressure in the pocket.

If he finds success in 2009, it can't be with the same approach that made him recognizable in 2008.

After leading the AFC in rushing and breaking Curtis Martin's single-season touchdown record with the New York Jets, Thomas Jones made his first trip to the Pro Bowl.

Believing his season gave him leverage over the Jets, Jones' personal milestones were immediately followed by new contract demands.

In his first two seasons, Jones has received $13.1 million in the first two seasons of a four-year, $20 million contract—a structure he requested.

Unfortunately for Jones, his season of rushing dominance coincided with the $65 million the Jets poured into the offensive line.

Alan Faneca and Damien Woody were acquired in free agency with five-year deals worth $40 million and $25 million, respectively.

On the wrong side of 30, it's believed that the slow start to Jones' career makes him younger in NFL years than other running backs his age.

But can he do it again?

Curtis Martin won the NFL rushing title at 31 in 2004. Jones will be 31 to start the season but finds himself in an offense that looks to spread the ball around in 2009.

With Iowa's Shonn Greene added through the draft and Leon Washington expected to receive a more significant role, the burden of driving the offense won't be Jones' to carry alone.

Even if he could do it again, the Jets might not give him an opportunity to prove it.

If you made the San Diego Chargers think long and hard about an immediate future without LaDainian Tomlinson, then you have to be pretty darn good.

At 5'6" and 181 pounds, Darren Sproles isn't the kind of running back most defenders are accustomed to tackling.

He's elusive but doesn't shy away from contact.

Starting his career as a special teams threat, Sproles opened everyone's eyes in 2008 while Tomlinson was suffering through injuries.

His performances were good enough to crush the Denver Broncos' postseason aspirations and send the Indianapolis Colts home in the first round.

But can he do it again?

While the element of surprise is gone with Sproles, he's still a difficult runner for defenders to get their hands on.

But his necessity is contingent upon Tomlinson's health.

If LT can return to form in 2009 and buy himself some more time, then the Chargers' $6 million franchise tag investment becomes merely an insurance policy.

If not, Sproles needs to prove he can be trusted with upwards of 20 carries a game for an entire season. He may be elusive, but he needs to prove he can be more than a kick returner with his salary.

The first time Chad Pennington won Comeback Player of the Year, he was benched the following season after the New York Jets got off to a 1-7 start.

Now with the Miami Dolphins, the hope is that Pennington has left all his demons behind and can help Miami win the AFC East for the second consecutive season.

Pennington threw for over 3,600 yards in 2008, enjoying his best season as a pro. The statistical performance was only sweeted when he effectively embarrassed his old team to finish the season, leading the Dolphins to the playoffs.

But can he do it again?

The hopes for Pennington in 2009 are predicated on the hope that he can do something he's never done—post back to back successful seasons.

Entering the final season of the two-year contract he signed in Aug. 2008, Pennington can no longer rely on the element of surprise with his Dolphins.

The Wildcat offense took the league by storm in 2008, so naturally teams are committed to stopping it.

The most accurate quarterback in NFL history is going to need even more help from his tight ends to repeat any success.

If Pennington has managed to finally overcome the injury bug that's plagued him since 2003, the question has to revolve around how well he's going to hold up against the more aggressive defenses he's scheduled to face in 2009.

When the New York Giants decided to place the franchise tag on Brandon Jacobs, it became clear that they valued his power running style highly enough to let Derrick Ward hit free agency.

There wasn't a defender Jacobs couldn't drag in 2008. He bulldozed through most defenses and softened them up considerably as the game went on.

Rushing for over 1,000 yards with a 5-yard average per carry, Jacobs proved to be an extremely devastating runner on a weekly basis.

But can he do it again?

Durability is a concern with Jacobs.

His upright, high-impact running style forces defenders to become creative when tackling him. These innovative methods for bringing down the big man have sidelined him over the last few seasons.

Although the NFL has became a two-back league, Jacobs is the type of player who needs a complementary back to spell him.

Now that he no longer has Ward to split carries with, Jacobs could be expected to carry the ball more often than the 219 times he was asked to in 2008.

If Ahmad Bradshaw can't fill the void left by Ward, the Giants will have to look to Danny Ware and Andre Brown to keep Jacobs fresh.

Next season is going to prove how good Derrick Ward was, or how effective the running system is.

Talk about coming from absolutely nowhere.

Matt Cassel's 3,600-yard season as Tom Brady's replacement was completely unexpected. The fact that Cassel was even drafted as a collegiate bench-warmer is mind-boggling.

After being handcuffed and asked not to take unnecessary risks in his first NFL starts, Bill Belichick & Co. eventually removed the harnesses, and Cassel became the biggest surprise the NFL has seen in years.

But can he do it again?

Now with the Kansas City Chiefs, Cassel is expected to bring in more than $14 million in guaranteed franchise tag money to repeat his success.

Except now he has to do it without Randy Moss, Wes Welker, or a Hall of Fame head coach who breeds fully grown head coaches out of his own backyard.

If Todd Haley can sell his pass happy offensive system from Arizona to his new Kansas City team, then Cassel may still be a few years away from repeating his success or being labeled as a flash in the pan.

After stampeding his way off the Denver Broncos, Jay Cutler faces a steep uphill battle with the Chicago Bears in 2009.

All eyes were on him as he dominated offseason headlines, and all eyes will be on him as he tries to find his identity as a franchise quarterback on a team that's been desperate for one.

The Bears took a risk and decided any (then) 25-year-old quarterback who can throw for over 4,500 yards in a season is a must have.

But can he do it again?

Primarily, he needs to ignore any criticisms of his maturity.

Then, he needs to hope for a relationship like the one he had with Brandon Marshall to present itself in Chicago.

Or, at the very least, the Bears are hoping he can turn one of their guys into Eddie Royal 2.0.

Cutler will have a better running back in Matt Forte lining up behind him, but no one should expect another 4,500-yard outing...at least not right away.

The Bears are going to need another offseason to find him the right targets to repeat that success. But he's certainly capable of driving a high-powered aerial attack again.

Albert Haynesworth is living proof that grown men can get what they want if they ask for it loud enough.

He wanted to be the NFL's first $100 million defensive player, and the Washington Redskins accommodated him.

At this point, it's not only about proving himself—it's about proving his worth.

Daniel Snyder broke the bank for a player who has never started a full 16-game season, who doesn't create turnovers, and who isn't going to put points on the board directly.

But the hope has to be that he can do all of that.

Without a doubt, he's a dominant force at the line of scrimmage, but dominant at $100 million worth?

Not yet.

The expectations for Haynesworth involve making everyone around him better.

If the Redskins aren't the best defense in the NFL with Haynesworth in the fold, then every penny spent was a penny too much.