Every NFL Team's 2017 Breakout Player Candidate

It happens every year in the NFL. Players go from promising youngsters to superstars in the making. Or from capable veterans to surprise All-Pros.

Last year we saw Vic Beasley of the Atlanta Falcons go from talented young pass-rusher to the NFL's sack king.

A pair of rookies had breakout seasons running the ball. We expected No. 4 overall pick Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys to challenge for the NFL lead in rushing. We most assuredly did not expect Jordan Howard of the Chicago Bears to finish second.

In Buffalo, inside linebacker Zach Brown went from little known four-year veteran to the AFC's leading tackler, piling up 149 total stops.

His teammate Lorenzo Alexander did Brown one better. Over Alexander's first nine seasons, he accrued nine sacks. In 2016 alone, he had 12.5.

Now that's breaking out.

Every season has its breakout stars, and 2017 will be no different. From Miami to Seattle, players are gearing up to have the season of their lives.

Which players, you ask?

Well, funny you should mention that.

NOTE: You'll notice there aren't any offensive linemen included here. It's no knock on what they do or how important they are to NFL success. But to my mind, "breakout" implies a certain level of notoriety. It's not especially fair, but few o-linemen accomplish that as individuals.

AFC East

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Buffalo Bills

Edge-Rusher Shaq Lawson

Lawson told Matthew Fairburn of New York Upstate he’s loving the switch back to the 4-3 in 2017.

"The 3-4 was very difficult for me last year,” Lawson said. “I'm back with something I'm comfortable, back to a 4-3. It's a lot easier."

Lawson, the 19th overall pick in 2016 by the Bills, spent most of his rookie season hampered by an injured shoulder that set his development back.

Lawson was a first-round talent hindered by an injury playing a position he wasn't accustomed to in 2016. That's on top of the substantial learning curve all pass-rushers face when making the jump to the NFL.

Now healthy, playing in a scheme that better suits his strengths, and lining up opposite a proven commodity in Jerry Hughes (who will attract plenty of attention from opposing blockers), Lawson’s arrow is pointing up.

Miami Dolphins

Wide Receiver Devante Parker

OK, so this is a bit of deja vu. At this point a year ago, as wide receiver Devante Parker entered his second NFL season, he was a trendy pick in many circles as a breakout candidate. That breakout never materialized, in large part because Parker struggled to stay healthy.

One year laterm the same reasons Parker was tabbed as a potential breakout are still there, and the 6’3” 209-pounder looks to be healthier than he’s been at any point in his NFL career. Parker's long. He's fast. He's shown good hands in the past. He looks like a wide receiver who was grown in a lab.

And given the depth the Dolphins have at receiver with Parker, Jarvis Landry and Kenny Stills, there should be plenty of man coverage this season.

Offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen told reporters (per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk) that he expects a “gigantic” 2017 from Parker.

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

New England Patriots

Defensive End Kony Ealy

After Kony Ealy’s massive performance in Super Bowl 50, the belief was it was just a matter of time until he ascended to join the elite pass-rushers in the NFL.

That never happened. And after another ho-hum season in 2016, the Carolina Panthers traded Ealy to the Patriots for the equivalent of six beers and a bag of pretzels.

But the Patriots acquired Ealy for a reason, and Bill Belichick has a history of turning another man’s trash into his treasure. The talent is there—Ealy just needs to develop the consistency to match it.

It wouldn't be the first time the Pats brought out the best in another team's cast-off.

Or the fifth.

New York Jets

Safety Jamal Adams

Some teams are harder to find potential breakouts on than others. The truth in New York in 2017 is that most of the breaking out is probably going to involve escape tunnels dug by the players.

It’s going to be a long season.

But for the second time in three years, the Jets got a gift on defense in Round 1 of the draft when LSU safety Jamal Adams fell in their laps. Per Connor Hughes of NJ.com, Adams has wasted no time turning heads in OTAs.

It's not hard to imagine why. Much like Leonard Williams in 2015, Adams enters the pros about as ready for the NFL as college players get. He has everything NFL teams want in safeties today: speed in coverage, physicality in run support and excellent technique in both.

Adams is a Pro Bowl-caliber safety.

And he hasn't played a game yet.

NFC East

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Dallas Cowboys

Outside Linebacker Jaylon Smith

The Cowboys approximately raised all the eyebrows when they drafted Jaylon Smith in Round 2 in 2016, despite a devastating knee injury that left many wondering whether the former Notre Dame star would ever play football again.

However, after a lost rookie season, Smith’s rehab has progressed to the point where it looks like he could take the field in Week 1.

“We’ve had no obstacles to this point,” head coach Jason Garrett told Pat Doney of NBC Dallas. "He’s done a really nice job working to get back.”

Before his injury, Smith was considered arguably the No. 1 defensive prospect in his class. If he’s anywhere close to 100 percent, look out.

New York Giants

Tight End Evan Engram

Per Bucky Brooks of NFL.com, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan is drooling over what Engram will bring to the Giants passing game in 2017.

"This is a legitimate vertical threat,” he said, “but he's not just a receiver. There is a versatility that he has that we're hoping can create some problems for the defense from a matchup standpoint.”

That was the whole point of drafting Engram. The 6'3", 234-pounder with 4.42 speed isn't going to be spending a lot of time blocking at the line of scrimmage. Engram's job will be relatively simple: to make smaller defensive backs and slower linebackers miserable over the middle.

It’s rare for a first-year tight end to make a big dent right out of the gate. Even Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham had quiet first seasons.

But with Odell Beckham and Brandon Marshall drawing coverage away from him and a quarterback in Eli Manning who has a history of finding the tight end in the passing game, Engram is set up well to be the exception to the rule.

Philadelphia Eagles

Inside Linebacker Jordan Hicks

An argument can be made that Hicks has already broken out. Sure, his 86 total tackles in 2016 isn’t an eye-popping number, but the third-year pro also added five interceptions. That’s a lot for any linebacker, but especially one playing inside.

Those interceptions belie just how good Hicks was in coverage last year. According to Pro Football Focus, among inside linebackers last year, only Jerrell Freeman of the Chicago Bears was better.

Hicks is in position for an even bigger season in 2017. In Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox, Timmy Jernigan and rookie Derek Barnett, the Eagles have the makings of one of the NFL’s best defensive lines. That line is in turn going to free up the linebackers (including Hicks) to make plays behind them.

He should easily surpass 100 total tackles this season.

Washington Redskins

Running Back Samaje Perine

Back in 2012, Alfred Morris went from little-known Day 3 pick to rookie phenomenon for the Washington Redskins when he finished second in the NFL with 1,613 rushing yards.

Samaje Perine is about to reel off his own version of the same song.

It’s a lot to ask for Perine to top 1,600 yards, but the bruiser from Oklahoma has already impressed head coach Jay Gruden, according to Nora Princiotti of the Washington Times. “He’s a very smart guy," Gruden said. “You can tell that he’s going to be a very hard worker and, of course, he runs hard.”

Perine isn’t the fastest back. Or the most elusive. But he’s the best back Washington has, and he runs angry.

He’s going to take that anger out on the NFC East in 2017.

AFC North

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Baltimore Ravens

Linebacker Tyus Bowser

Time for something of an upset special.

Tyus Bowser was best known for rushing quarterbacks at Houston, but Ravens scouting director Joe Hortiz told ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley it’s his coverage ability that stands out on tape.

"Just watching him move in coverage,” he said, “he opens his hips, he runs with guys vertical, and he's just got a good feel and spatial awareness.”

That coverage ability will lead to a switch of sorts for Bowser in 2017. Yes, the Ravens need young edge-rushers, but they also need a player inside to pair with C.J. Mosley.

Bowser could surprise by beating out Kamalei Correa for that spot. Once he does, the versatility he showed in college is going to serve him well.

Cincinnati Bengals

Running Back Joe Mixon

From an upset special to Captain Obvious.

It isn’t that hard to see why Joe Mixon is the leading candidate to be the No. 1 tailback for the Bengals as a rookie. He combines the best qualities of the backs the Bengals already had. He has Giovani’s Bernard’s shiftiness and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, and Jeremy Hill’s power and skill at running through contact.

All without Hill’s tendency to fumble or Bernard’s messed-up knee.

If Mixon can keep his head on straight and avoid the off-field incidents that stained his time at the University of Oklahoma, we’re going to look back on the 6’1”, 228-pounder as one of the biggest steals of the 2017 draft.

He’s that talented.

Cleveland Browns

Safety Jabrill Peppers

Things are falling into place for safety Jabrill Peppers in Cleveland.

Or should I say linebacker Jabrill Peppers?

After trading back into the first round of the 2017 draft to select the Michigan star, the Browns traded middle linebacker Demario Davis to the New York Jets for 2014 first-round pick Calvin Pryor. It’s a move that bolsters Cleveland’s depth on the back end, but weak-side linebacker is suddenly a hole.

Or is it?

The Browns reportedly may leave Chris Kirksey at WILL and insert youngster Tank Carder at MIKE. But new Cleveland defensive coordinator Gregg Williams enjoyed considerable success moving Mark Barron from safety to WILL linebacker with the Rams. Deone Bucannon of the Cardinals and Telvin Smith of the Jaguars have thrived as linebackers in the NFL despite a perceived lack of size.

There’s a difference between Barron and Peppers, though.

Peppers already has considerable experience playing the position from his time in Ann Arbor.

This isn't to say Peppers will be playing linebacker for the Browns in 2017.

But it's more than likely, at least part-time.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Safety Sean Davis

The play of safety Sean Davis steadily improved as his rookie season progressed last year. That’s even more impressive when you take into account, as Mike Prisuta of the team’s website reported, the fact that Davis played most of the year with a torn labrum in his shoulder.

“Last year should be the worst that I play,” he said. “Hopefully, I can make some steps forward with healthy shoulders.”

Davis, who piled up 69 tackles and an interception as a rookie, is a 21st-century strong safety—a versatile defensive back who played all over the back end in college.

That versatility will be on display in 2017, and now that he’s fully healthy, Davis will show he’s one of the league’s better young up-and-comers at his position.

NFC North

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Chicago Bears

Inside Linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski

The Chicago Bears added a pair of veteran linebackers last year in Jerrell Freeman and Danny Trevathan, but things didn’t exactly go according to plan. Now, with Trevathan uncertain to be ready for training camp after tearing his patellar tendon late last year, the Bears are going to be forced to turn to Plan B.

Luckily, they have one.

Nick Kwiatkoski wasn’t a world-beater in place of Trevathan as a rookie, ranking 31st among inside linebackers per Pro Football Focus. But he showed flashes of playmaking ability and got better as he got more experience.

Most importantly, the Bears defense is going to be on the field all day in 2017. That’s going to leave plenty of opportunities for Kwiatkoski to fill up the stat sheet.

Yes, the Bears are hopeful that Trevathan won't miss significant time this year. But they signed veteran journeyman Dan Skuta in May—an indicator that hope is tinged with realism.

If Trevathan starts the year on PUP and Kwiatkoski plays as well as many think he can, by the time the former is ready to come back he may not have a job to come back to.

Detroit Lions

Running Back Ameer Abdullah

Lions head coach Jim Caldwell told Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press that while he’s confident Ameer Abdullah can handle a heavy workload, the team is going to be smart about how it uses him, considering he lost most of 2016 to a Lisfranc injury. 

“I don’t envision him carrying the ball 30 times in a ballgame,” Caldwell said. “I think he’s capable, certainly. But that’s not his strength. I think he’s one of those guys that you have to get it to him a number of different ways.”

The Lions do need to be smart about not overusing Abdullah, but they just as badly need more offensive balance than they had a year ago. The key to that is Abdullah, who has the talent to produce 1,500 total yards if he can stay on the field.

Green Bay Packers

Defensive Back Josh Jones

Versatility is key at the safety position. Teams want centerfielders who can cover receivers in the slot. They want in-the-box safeties capable of sliding up to play some linebacker in the nickel.

As ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky reported, head coach Mike McCarthy thinks Josh Jones might be both of those things.

“I remember seeing Josh Jones playing back in November, and (personnel director) Brian Guntekunst saying, ‘Hey, you’ve got to take a look at this guy,’” McCarthy said. “So he was a favorite player of mine in the draft class long before we even went to the combine.”

Jones is already making an impression on his new team in OTAs, and given his ability to do a bit of everything, he’s apt to carve out a sizable role from Day 1.

Minnesota Vikings

Running Back Dalvin Cook

This one isn’t exactly going out on a limb.

The Minnesota Vikings couldn’t run the ball a lick in 2016. No team in the league gained fewer yards than Minnesota’s 75.3 per game.

The team took a number of steps to address this problem in the offseason, from overhauling the offensive line to adding veteran Latavius Murray. But the biggest step was drafting Florida State’s Dalvin Cook in the second round.

Per CBS Minnesota's Mike Max, Cook has been impressive in OTAs. Tight end Kyle Rudolph called him a “special runner.”

With due respect to Murray, Cook is the superior talent, and he’ll be the No. 1 back in the Twin Cities soon enough.

AFC South

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Houston Texans

Quarterback Deshaun Watson

The Houston Texans have made it clear that despite trading up in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft, the coaching staff in Houston has pledged not to rush Deshaun Watson onto the field as a rookie.

And according to ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop, Tom Savage has been taking the first-team reps in OTAs. Head coach Bill O’Brien has stated more than once that he has confidence in Savage’s ability to start for the Texans.

However, the Texans are a team with hopes of making a deep playoff run, and to be blunt, Savage is an average NFL quarterback—on a good day.

Per Drew Dougherty of the team’s website, Watson has steadily improved in practices.

Every day he does that, the timer on his supplanting Savage ticks down a bit more.

Indianapolis Colts

Wide Receiver Donte Moncrief

As Mike Wells wrote for ESPN.com, there might not be a player on the Colts with more to prove in 2017 than wideout Donte Moncrief.

“The fourth-year receiver has all the tools to be the Colts' best all-around receiver,” Wells wrote. “Moncrief's issue is his health. A shoulder injury caused him to miss seven games over two different stretches last season, (but) Moncrief still led the Colts with seven touchdown receptions.”

Moncrief has an elite quarterback throwing him the rock in Andrew Luck. He has a star wide receiver to draw away in coverage opposite him in TY Hilton. It’s all there.

Moncrief just has to stay healthy this year.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Inside Linebacker Myles Jack

In his second NFL season, Jack is taking over in the middle for the Jaguars from long-time starter Paul Posluszny, who told John Oehser of the team’s website Jack is more than up to the task.

“He looks unbelievable,” Posluszny said. “He’s going to be a great middle linebacker for us. He has done a great job of taking command of the huddle and leading the defense from a communication perspective. We all know physically he has all the gifts. He has all the talents to make the plays on the field.”

This is what the Jaguars had in mind all along for Jack, who might have been a top-10 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft had there not been concerns about the long-term viability of his surgically repaired knee.

That’s a problem for another day though. Today the Jaguars just get to sit back and enjoy.

Because Jack is a really, really good linebacker.

Tennessee Titans

Quarterback Marcus Mariota

I already know what you’re going to say. “Marcus Mariota can’t break out, because he already broke out. He’s a Heisman Trophy winner and the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, you big dummy.”

Words hurt, you know.

However, after a 2016 campaign—in which Mariota made significant strides as a passer—that was ended prematurely by a broken leg, this is the year Mariota becomes a superstar.

Everything has fallen into place. The rehab’s going well. Mariota has one of the NFL’s better offensive lines in front of him, one of the league’s best one-two punches at running back in DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry behind him and exponentially more and better options in the passing game than a year ago.

Ten-plus wins, a playoff trip and MVP talk all the way through the holidays: This is the year of the Duck.

NFC South

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Atlanta Falcons

Inside Linebacker Deion Jones

In last year’s run to the Super Bowl, there were any number of coming-out parties in Atlanta. Vic Beasley won the sack title, Matt Ryan won the MVP award and Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman staked their claim to the title of the NFL’s best backfield duo.

Still, there’s at least one young Falcons defender who hasn’t yet gotten his due.

Mind you, it wasn’t as if the play of linebacker Deion Jones as a rookie didn’t merit some accolades. Manning the middle for the NFC champions, Jones tallied 106 total tackles in 15 games. He also pitched in three interceptions—two of which were returned for touchdowns.

Now, with a year of experience and another offseason under his belt and bulked up to 235 pounds, Jones should be that much better for the Falcons in Year 2.

If he is, those accolades should follow.

Carolina Panthers

Outside Linebacker Shaq Thompson

Over his first two NFL seasons, Thompson has quietly grown into a good young outside linebacker. Playing on the strong side for the Panthers last year, Thompson piled up 56 total tackles and ranked fourth among all 4-3 OLBs, per Pro Football Focus.

Thompson has ceded snaps to veteran Thomas Davis the past two years, but Panthers DC Steve Wilks told Bill Voth of the team’s website it’s time for a change.

“With Thomas Davis getting up there in age and years, we've got to cut down on his reps,” Wilks said. “So there will be times where Shaq is going to be in, and we're going to try to relieve Thomas to give him some rest.”

Given the quickness and athleticism Thompson brings to the field, the team may wonder why they didn’t do this sooner.

New Orleans Saints

Wide Receiver Willie Snead

You know an NFL team passes a lot when the No. 3 wide receiver posts nearly 1,000 yards for the season and barely anyone notices that it happened.

That the New Orleans Saints throw the ball a lot isn’t earth-shattering news. And while the Saints are once again engaging in their annual pledge to have a more balanced offense, I’ll believe that Drew Brees isn’t going to throw for 5,000 yards when I see it.

That could mean a huge season for third-year receiver Willie Snead, who had 72 receptions for 895 yards and four scores in 2016.

The Saints thought enough of Snead’s performance to trade Brandin Cooks in the offseason. That’s going to mean a big bump in targets. And like Mike Thomas a year ago and Cooks the year before, an equally big bump in production.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Edge-Rusher Noah Spence

Spence had 5.5 sacks as a rookie in 2016 despite playing most of the season with a shoulder injury. But he told Pete Prisco of CBS Sports he spent the offseason slimming down and getting faster in an effort to increase that number substantially in 2017.

"I eat clean now," he said. "I wanted to be faster. I cut out a lot of stuff. I eat prepared meals and go to Whole Foods and stuff like that. I feel a lot better."

Spence’s speed off the edge was a large part of the reason the Buccaneers rolled the dice on the talented but troubled pass-rusher in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

If Spence’s shoulder has healed and he’s that much faster off the edge…well there are going to be a lot of quarterbacks in the NFC South wondering what that red flash was just before a bag of hammers lands on them.

AFC West

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Denver Broncos

Outside Linebacker Shane Ray

Ray has the unenviable task of attempting to fill the shoes of DeMarcus Ware in 2017, but as Ray told the Jim Rome Show luckily Ware showed him how to begin doing that before retiring.

“He shared a lot of knowledge with me, on how to handle certain situations and how to look at things,” Ray said. “His knowledge of the game, teaching me pass-rush every day, teaching me keys to look at, things to understand, it was very helpful for me.”

Replacing a nine-time Pro Bowler is easier said than done, but Ray’s no slouch himself. His eight sacks in a rotational role last season attest to his aptitude as a pass-rusher.

Playing opposite Von Miller (hello single teams!) and on the field full-time this season, a 12-sack campaign isn’t a stretch.

And 12 sacks get you noticed.

Kansas City Chiefs

Wide Receiver Tyreek Hill

In this instance, I suppose you could change this from players who will break out to players who had by-golly better.

Yes, I just said “by-golly.”

As much as Tyreek Hill accomplished in a scintillating rookie season, if the Chiefs are going to make a deep playoff run in 2017, he’s going to have to do that much more as a sophomore.

The surprising release of veteran wideout Jeremy Maclin by the Chiefs makes Hill the team’s No. 1 wideout by default. A quick glance at the Chiefs depth chart shows they have Hill, tight end Travis Kelce and a whole lot of “who?”

Hill should see a sizable uptick in targets, and his talent is not in question. He may be the most dangerous player in the NFL in the open field.

The problem is that open part, because with his new-found status comes bracket coverage from defenses.

Los Angeles Chargers

Tight End Hunter Henry

Goodbyes can be difficult in the NFL. But they are inevitable.

No one in the Chargers organization wants to think about life without tight end Antonio Gates. He’s the best player at the position the team has ever had, and one of the best to ever play the game.

But that day is almost here. At 36 years old, Gates clearly isn’t the player he once was. At this point in his career, he’s a part-time player.

Luckily, the tight end of tomorrow is already on the roster in L.A.

As a rookie in 2016, Henry caught a fairly modest 36 catches for 478 yards. But just like Gates, Henry showed a knack for the end zone, and reeled in eight touchdowns.

After a career spent with Gates at his disposal, Philip Rivers likes throwing to the tight end. That’s not going to change.

It’s just the tight end he throws to who will.

Oakland Raiders

Wide Receiver Amari Cooper

This is another one that will inspire scoffs. After all, Cooper has posted a pair of 1,000-yard seasons over his first two years in the NFL.

But while no one doubts that Cooper’s a great pass-catcher, you won’t often hear him included in a debate regarding the NFL’s best at the position.

That could change in 2017. Cooper is the No. 1 receiver for a Super Bowl contender. He has a good rapport with one of the NFL’s best young quarterbacks in Derek Carr. And while Michael Crabtree was targeted slightly more than Cooper (145 to 132) in 2016, after Crabtree out-dropped Cooper 13-4 per PFF, Cooper’s targets will climb.

Those four drops showed marked improvement after Cooper led the league in 2015. If he improves that much again, barroom arguments about the NFL’s best receiver will have a new contestant.

NFC West

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Arizona Cardinals

Defensive End Robert Nkemdiche

The times are changing in the Valley of the Sun. After nine years of anchoring the defensive line for the Arizona Cardinals, Calais Campbell moved on in free agency.

And that places a ton of pressure on second-year pro Robert Nkemdiche.

Nkemdiche barely played as a rookie amid grumbles about his work ethic, but defensive line coach Brentson Buckner told Darren Urban of the team’s website that Nkemdiche’s a different player in Year 2.

"He is starting to come around," Buckner said. "He’s in great shape. He’s fully back from the ankle. You see the natural ability take over. Now it’s all about Robert."

There’s no guarantee Nkemdiche’s motor will stay at full blast. Those questions have dogged him all the way back to Ole Miss.

But when that motor’s been all the way on in the past, he’s been nearly unblockable.

Los Angeles Rams

Quarterback Jared Goff

Stop laughing. This is serious.

Yes, Jared Goff’s rookie season was a disaster. First, he couldn’t beat out Case “Popgun” Keenum to win the starting job. And then once he did see the field—well, at that point we saw why he couldn’t beat out Keenum.

But one year does not a career make. The Rams obviously saw something in Goff to trade up and select him No. 1 overall in 2016. And new head coach Sean McVay was hired in part because the team believed he could get Goff turned around.

Goff told Myles Simmons of the team’s website that McVay’s offense has been much easier to pick up, and the Rams coaching staff has been talking up Goff’s improvement throughout OTAs.

This isn’t to say that Goff’s going to suddenly become Tom Brady. Or even Andy Dalton. But the argument can be made that any step forward for a franchise quarterback constitutes something of a breakout.

Especially when the team mortgaged its future to get him.

San Francisco 49ers

Defensive End Arik Armstead

The San Francisco 49ers are moving to a 4-3 under front in 2017 with new defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. The centerpiece of that scheme up front is the LEO weak-side pass-rusher. It’s a role generally given to small, quick ends.

Per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area, the 49ers are surprisingly giving first crack at the role to Armstead, who at 6’7” and 296 pounds, is most assuredly not small.

“He moves well,” Saleh said. “The concern was that he’s so big and he doesn’t exactly fit the prototype, but he’s so athletic. He’s so long and he’s got a good first step. He just needs to get more comfortable in the things that we’re asking him to do physically.”

As Conor Orr reported for NFL.com, the Niners signed veteran edge-rusher Elvis Dumervil, who could compete for this role, earlier this week.

But Dumervil is 33. If Armstead can hold him off, he could best the 4.5 sacks he has over his career in a couple of months.

Seattle Seahawks

Defensive End Frank Clark

Go ahead, throw the tomatoes.

Beefsteak, please. Maybe with a little salt.

No one’s going to argue that Frank Clark has the potential for a breakout year. The fruit fusillade would come from the fact that after 10 sacks in 2016, many would claim Clark already had one.

And they'd have a point. But the fact remains that last year, Clark was a situational pass-rusher playing in the shadow of veterans Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril.

That isn’t to take anything away from the year he had. Clark was a top-five 4-3 end last year in sacks in 683 snaps per PFF. He got plenty of bang for his buck.

But if the young Clark refine his game a bit, the Seahawks are going to be that much more likely to leave him out there—especially with Bennett and Avril both the wrong side of 30.

More snaps (in theory) equals more sacks. And more sacks would launch Clark into the pass-rushing stratosphere.