5 New England Patriots Players with Most to Prove in 2017

Every year in the NFL, teams and players find new means of motivation. The New England Patriots have little to prove after winning their second Super Bowl in three seasons—except that the team is good enough to do it again in 2017.

However, there are plenty of players on the New England roster who do have something to prove this upcoming season. Some need to show they belong there, while others have to prove they are deserving of a large contract.

Quarterback Tom Brady could cement his spot as the greatest quarterback of all time, but we're going to exclude him here. By now, you probably already consider him the best ever or you are never going to.

With Brady's quest for football immortality off the table, let's examine the five New England Patriots who have most to prove in 2017.

Cyrus Jones

Elise Amendola/Associated Press

The Patriots spent a second-round pick on cornerback Cyrus Jones last season, perhaps eying him as the eventual replacement for Malcolm Butler, who is only under contract for one more season.

Unfortunately, Jones was a major disappointment as a rookie—which is saying something for a Patriots team that doesn't always rely heavily on rookie talent. He saw just 147 defensive snaps as a rookie, according to Pro Football Focus, and was rated 132nd overall at his position.

New England also tried to get Jones on the field as a return specialist, with equally poor results. Pro Football Focus rated him the worst return man in the entire league for 2016. He returned 11 punts and eight kickoffs, and he had three fair catches and five fumbles on the season.

Jones has to start proving he deserves a spot on the New England roster, though the reality might be that he doesn't. He isn't going to pry a starting cornerback job from Butler or Stephon Gilmore this season.

According to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald, Jones is still struggling as a returner in offseason workouts.

He wrote:

"Maybe the Patriots should at least temporarily allow Cyrus Jones to exclusively focus on playing cornerback. Jones struggled again as a punt returner Thursday during practice. He misplayed several balls, either losing them in the wind or outright dropping them."

This could be a make-or-break year for Jones. Sure, he was a second-round pick, but Dominique Easley was a first-rounder—and he lasted just two seasons in New England.

Mike Gillislee

Bill Sikes/Associated Press

The Patriots aren't necessarily thin in the backfield heading into training camp. Dion Lewis and James White are back for another run, and the team added Mike Gillislee and Rex Burkhead to the fold in the offseason.

However, there could be a big absence with LeGarrette Blount now playing for the Philadelphia Eagles. He rushed for 1,161 yards and 18 touchdowns last season.

While New England is likely to employ a true committee in the backfield this season, Gillislee is probably the back who will be expected to carry much of the rushing load. He's coming off a season in which he averaged 5.7 yards per carry while rushing for eight touchdowns on 101 attempts.

The Patriots gave Gillislee a two-year, $6.4 million deal to pry him away from the Buffalo Bills as a restricted free agent.

If all goes well for the 26-year-old Gillislee, he could become the Patriots' lead back for the foreseeable future. If he stumbles, however, he might not be around past the 2017 season. He has $1.5 million in guaranteed money on his contract, but all of it will be paid out this season.

Not only could the Patriots look a bit foolish for adding Gillislee if he has a poor season, but he could be back on the market and looking for work in 2018.

The NFL is a what-have-you-done-lately league—especially where the running back position is concerned—so this gives Gillislee a lot to play for.

Stephon Gilmore

Bill Sikes/Associated Press

While we're on the topic of incoming players facing a lot of pressure, we have to mention Stephon Gilmore, who was inked to a massive five-year, $65 million contract, with $40 million of that deal guaranteed.

Now, Gilmore has grown into a quality cornerback, and he is coming off his first Pro Bowl appearance. However, he will have to perform better than he did in 2016 to justify the money the Patriots are paying him.

According to Pro Football Focus, Gilmore allowed 60.3 percent of balls thrown his way to be completed. Pro Football Focus also rated Gilmore just 139th among all cornerbacks in coverage for the 2016 season. New Patriots teammate Butler was rated second in coverage for the year.

This adds to the need for Gilmore to prove his worth. His fat contract has led to some friction with Butler and ultimately could be the reason why the Patriots cannot afford to offer him a long-term extension.

Butler is playing the role of a good Patriot right now, but the team cannot expect him to take a discount moving forward.

"The past is the past," Butler recently said, per WEEI 93.7 FM. "I am just here to do a job and do anything to help the team win. Just moving forward. Whatever happens, happens."

The tandem of Gilmore and Butler has the potential to be incredible this season. However, the former has to prove himself for the future. If he can't show he's on Butler's level when playing in New England's defensive system, he's going to look like an overpaid mistake—and the Patriots are likely to look more than a little foolish.

Patrick Chung

Alan Diaz/Associated Press

Strong safety Patrick Chung isn't necessarily in danger of losing his job this season. He fits what New England likes to do on defense with its three-safety rotation, and he is coming off a season in which he amassed 91 tackles and an interception.

However, Chung could well be playing for his future. He's about to turn 30 years old, he'll have just $800,000 in dead cap remaining on his contract for the 2018 season, and he seems to have lost a step. Pro Football Focus rated him as the third-worst safety in the league last season.

Coincidentally—or perhaps not—fellow safety Duron Harmon was rated 28th overall among safeties by Pro Football Focus last season. He is more than three years younger than Chung and was recently the recipient of a new four-year, $17 million deal.

Realistically, Chung may have to prove he's still starting material if he hopes to be New England's strong safety beyond the 2017 season. In fact, he'd better prove he can be quite a bit better than he was last season because Bill Belichick is known as a coach who will get rid of a player a bit too early rather than a bit too late.

Chung may still have several quality playing years left in him. However, it's likely going to take a lot this season to prove he deserves to play out his career in New England.

Brandin Cooks

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Wide receiver Brandin Cooks has proved quite a bit during his three-year NFL career. He's averaged roughly 70 receptions and seven touchdowns per season, and he has topped the 1,100-yard mark in each of the past two.

This is why the Patriots were content to surrender a first-round draft pick in order to obtain him.

However, Cooks still has plenty to prove now that he is in a New England uniform. For starters, he has to prove that his addition will provide a significant boost to the Patriots passing attack.

New England wasn't exactly starving for pass-catchers before Cooks arrived. Other wideouts include Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Chris Hogan and Malcolm Mitchell.

"You know we've got a competitive group in there," Edelman said, per Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.

Cooks doesn't have to justify the expenditure of a first-round pick—the Patriots made that deal, not him—but he does need to show he is one of the top couple of guys on the roster. If not, his time in New England could be short-lived.

Yes, the Patriots have exercised the fifth-year option on Cooks, which would pay him just under $8.5 million next season. However, that contract is only guaranteed for injury, so a poor season could lead to his ousting.

Even if Cooks stays in New England for the full two seasons, he'll have to show he's a "Patriots guy" in order to land a lucrative long-term deal.

Mike Triplett of ESPN.com reported last season that Cooks was growing unhappy with his role in the New Orleans Saints offense. That kind of reaction isn't going to gain him more playing time in New England, and it could hurt his reputation around the league when it is time for his second contract.

*All contract information via Spotrac.com.