6 NFL Players Primed for Major Bounce Back from Injury in 2024
Injuries are an unfortunate part of every NFL season. A myriad of players go down with significant ailments, putting their careers on ice while they rehabilitate.
Fortunately, a vast majority of these players return to action the following year, and many of them even go on to have their best performances yet following a successful recovery.
Keep that in mind as we highlight some players who spent at least six games on the IR after suffering season-ending injuries last year who now appear poised for a major bounce back in 2024.
QB Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
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Anthony Richardson began proving his doubters wrong shortly after the Indianapolis Colts made the controversial decision to select him No. 4 overall in the 2023 NFL draft. After beating out veteran Gardner Minshew II for the starting job in training camp, Richardson got off to a blistering start to his NFL career.
While he struggled with accuracy—completing a shade under 60 percent of his passes—like many rookies tend to, he piled up 577 yards and three touchdowns through the air and picked up another 136 yards and four touchdowns on 25 carries in his first four games.
Despite the strong numbers, injuries were the unfortunate story of Richardson's rookie campaign.
Richardson suffered a concussion in the first half of his second start, an injury that kept him sidelined for a Week 3 contest as well. The 21-year-old would return the following week and remain in for every offensive snap, but he went down for the year when his throwing shoulder's A/C joint was sprained early in Week 5.
Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen noted that there were some benefits of Richardson being sidelined for an extended stretch early in his career (per ESPN's Stephen Holder):
"[Richardson] got a chance to sit back, watch and learn. I had some good meetings with him throughout the season, just individually, me and him, sitting down talking football. Just seeing the NFL season as a whole…Obviously, [we] would've loved to have him out there for the season to learn that way ... But I think [the lessons] are going to make him stronger in the end."
Richardson will now return and inherit a squad that finished with a winning record and narrowly missed making the playoffs despite his absence. If the time off truly helped him improve his decision-making skills and accuracy—while not costing him any of the trademark athleticism that made him a nightmare for defensive coordinators to plan for—Richardson should be back and better than ever in 2024.
QB Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
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No single injury was more devastating to a player's respective club than Aaron Rodgers' season-ending Achilles rupture was to the New York Jets.
After going all-in to pry the passer away from the Green Bay Packers last offseason, Gang Green looked prepared to not only end the league's longest playoff drought, but also make a Super Bowl run for the first time in over 50 years. That would not come to pass as Rodgers went down just four plays into the team's opener.
That injury won't be the end of Rodgers' NFL journey, however.
While there was talk that the superstar signal-caller could make history by returning a mere three months after tearing his Achilles, New York's lack of competitiveness with Zach Wilson under center led Rodgers to remain sidelined and finish his recovery with eyes towards the 2024 season.
Rodgers, on the verge of his age-41 season, recently admitted that he's hoping to play as many as four more years. If things go well for the quarterback and club this year, that timeline certainly seems to be within the realm of possibility.
After coming over to the Big Apple via trade, Rodgers agreed to a revised contract that runs through the 2025 season. If he returns to MVP form, the Jets would undoubtedly be willing to extend his deal and keep the future Hall of Famer around as long as he's willing to continue playing.
Given the immense amount of talent the Jets have, everything is in place for Rodgers to author one of his best years yet.
With a deep running back platoon headlined by emerging star Breece Hall, prized rookie Malachi Corley joining veterans like Garrett Wilson, Mike Williams and Allen Lazard in the receiving corps and the offensive line getting a boost from free-agent pickups in Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses, the Jets have positioned Rodgers to thrive upon his return.
As long as their QB1 can stay healthy, the sky is the limit for Gang Green in 2024.
RB Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns
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Nick Chubb suffered perhaps the most devastating injury of the entire 2023 campaign when he took a painful shot to the knee in Week 2. The hit from Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick rendered catastrophic damage to the Cleveland Browns star's MCL and ACL, issues that required two separate surgeries to repair.
Prior to 2023, Chubb had made Pro Bowl appearances in each of the previous four seasons, including a 2022 campaign that saw him set career highs in carries (302), rushing yardage (1,525) and touchdowns (13 total). He appeared well on his way to another special year before the injury, having racked up 170 yards on a mere 28 totes over 54 offensive snaps.
While there was some initial speculation that Chubb's career could potentially be over, that appears to be far from the case.
Back in November, the Browns posted an update on X that said the running back "would be able to return to play during the 2024 season." Last month, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said that Chubb has been around the facilities "attacking his rehab" to prepare for the upcoming campaign.
There is still no concrete date set for Chubb's availability, but a recent post from the Cleveland.Source Instagram account showing the 28-year-old running in a gym certainly is a positive sign for his recovery.
Chubb will have plenty of motivation to perform well upon his return. According to Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper, the back's deal with the Browns was revised in April, lowering Chubb's base salary—which was nearly $12 million—by an undisclosed portion and converting that money into incentives to allow him an opportunity to earn it back.
It may take some time for Chubb to ramp back up to full strength, but the Browns can afford to be patient with the six-year veteran. The offense boasts a strong backfield platoon that will likely open the year with Jerome Ford—who took over as the RB1 in Cleveland following Chubb's injury—as the starter with Nyheim Hines and D'Onta Foreman providing depth.
Expect Chubb to work into that mix when he's available and quickly ascend the depth chart, regaining his starting spot and becoming a feature back again as soon as he's ready.
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WR Tank Dell, Houston Texans
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C.J. Stroud was the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year, but the contributions of another first-year talent also played an instrumental role in the Houston Texans' regular-season success. Tank Dell, a relatively unheralded third-round pick last year, wasted no time becoming an important contributor and helped turn the Texans' receiving corps into one of the NFL's best.
Dell assumed a starting role by Week 2 and began breaking out immediately with a seven-catch, 72-yard, one-touchdown outing. He put himself on the map the following week, converting his five receptions into an eye-popping 145 yards and a score.
Despite having to contend with the likes of Nico Collins—who had a breakout campaign—and Dalton Schultz for targets, Dell established himself as a go-to weapon in an explosive Houston offense. By Week 12, the 24-year-old had tallied up over 700 yards and scored seven touchdowns on just 47 catches.
Dell wouldn't get a chance to build on those marks, however, as he fractured his fibula early in a Week 13 showdown with the Denver Broncos and was ruled out for the remainder of the season.
Although he didn't get a chance to shine during the team's recent playoff run, Dell should be an integral part of plenty more postseason trips throughout his career. In March, the wideout said "I feel like I'm back and ready" while praising Houston's training staff for helping him with a speedy recovery.
Dell did suffer a setback in late April after he suffered a minor wound upon being caught in the crossfire of a shooting at a Florida bar stemming from an altercation that didn't involve the NFL receiver.
According to the Associated Press, Texans owner Cal McNair said that Dell is expected to make a full recovery from the injury. Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans was non-committal about the receiver's availability for the opener, however, saying "Tank should be fine" and offering a similar response when pressed on whether Dell would miss any practice time.
Prior to the shooting, Ryans had revealed Dell was recovered from the broken leg and expected to participate in the club's offseason program. Expect Dell to eventually get back to starring in a feature role for the Texans. He was one of the league's top young talents and should only build on that in his sophomore season as part of an elite WR trio with Stefon Diggs and Collins.
Edge Jaelan Phillips, Miami Dolphins
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The Miami Dolphins' hopes of making a deep playoff run were dashed last year when injuries ravaged the team's formidable defense. Several top contributors, including breakout edge-rusher Jaelan Phillips, went down during the regular season and hindered the club's chances of winning a postseason contest for the first time since 2000.
Phillips was finally realizing his immense potential when an Achilles tear cut his breakout campaign short in November after only eight appearances. Prior to the injury, the 24-year-old was well on his way to setting career highs in several key categories.
Across just 367 defensive snaps, Phillips recorded 43 tackles (including seven for a loss), 6.5 sacks, two pass defenses and an interception. He was responsible for 17 pressures, six hurries and four quarterback knockdowns and had missed just a single tackle all season.
While Phillips had been productive since the 'Phins drafted him No. 18 overall, he had yet to establish himself as a true star with the big sack numbers to match. The Achilles injury robbed him of a chance to achieve that status in his third professional season, one that could have resulted in a Pro Bowl nod had he remained healthy and continued producing at a consistent level.
Phillips provided an update on his recovery in February and seemed to be in a positive mindset, telling David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel:
"Been locked in and just motivated to get back for the season. I guess the biggest thing I've taken out of it is just understanding that God has a bigger plan and sometimes life, things happen that it's hard to find a reason why, but why doesn't really matter, it's how you respond. For me, just being able to keep my head up throughout this process and find some silver linings and just understand that I can use this time to improve on other aspects of my life. It's been great so far."
Phillips will be back in 2024 with plenty of financial stability. The Dolphins picked up his fifth-year option in late April, keeping the emerging pass rusher under contract through the 2025 season.
If Phillips can return to the form he was at prior to the injury, he'll be well worth the investment for Miami. He has the potential to be a foundational piece of the team's defense for years to come and appears ready to break out in a big way once he's back and healthy.
CB Trevon Diggs, Dallas Cowboys
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The Dallas Cowboys were dealt a crushing blow when Trevon Diggs was lost for the remainder of the 2023 season after a mere two appearances. The star cornerback went down with a torn ACL during practice ahead of Week 3, an injury that left the team without its top defensive back.
Diggs was off to a fast start to the campaign, having already recorded an interception and forced fumble while allowing completions on just three of the nine targets he faced in the first two weeks.
While it would have been tough for Diggs to match the 11 interceptions he recorded in 2021—a lofty figure that tied Everson Walls' franchise record set in 1981 and represented the first time anyone in the league reached that mark since—Diggs flashed the ability to remain the position's pre-eminent playmaker in his fourth professional season.
It now remains to be seen if Diggs can return to full strength and get back to terrorizing opposing quarterbacks in 2024. Betting against that wouldn't be wise based on Diggs' latest recovery updates.
According to CBS Sports' Garrett Podell, Cowboys assistant head coach and defensive backs coach Al Harris recently praised the rehabilitation work that Diggs and the team's training staff has put in:
"It looks good, it looks good…[Director of rehab] Britt [Brown] is doing a great job with him. As far as timeline-wise, I'll leave that up to Britt and the strength staff to tell you guys that. For what we did today, I thought he did a good job."
With teammate DaRon Bland—who filled in nicely for Diggs last year by notching nine interceptions and returning five for a score on his way to earning All-Pro honors—saying that he "can't wait" for his fellow cornerback's return and believing it's going be "something dangerous," the stage is set for Diggs to shine in 2024.
The Cowboys will feature perhaps the league's most dangerous starting cornerback duo with Bland and Diggs on the outside. While the pair will have to get up to speed in new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer's system, the talent level is through the roof and should result in a boatload of interceptions.
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