2012 NFL Preseason: 8 Players Who Must Bounce Back from Rough Starts

To the chagrin of many who deem it unnecessary, the NFL preseason actually matters for players throughout the league. This is especially true of the ones with rough starts through the first three weeks.

Some are high-profile names, while others are relative unknowns; but the point is that it’s a time of executing a new playbook, fine-tuning, and proving one’s ability to stay on the field. That last idea pertains to players’ health, skill set, performance and drive.

Past injury and performance histories serve as deciding components as well.

The 2012 preseason is no different. This particular one might actually be the most popular in NFL history, thereby increasing the scrutiny on players to unprecedented levels.

With that in mind, let’s identify eight players across the country that must bounce back from rough starts in the 2012 NFL preseason.

Note: This article highlights one player from each division in order to diversify this list.

Mike Wallace, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

The plight for one NFL nationwide fanbase ends, while another begins for a prominent NFL player.

Pittsburgh’s top receiver Mike Wallace finally reported to camp following a lengthy contract holdout. This ongoing battle began at the end of last season and has been a foremost headline for seemingly the entire time.

Fans of the NFL, especially those of the Steelers, can move on. Wallace, however, has a long road ahead.

The Steelers' leading receiver of 2011 must now learn new offensive coordinator Todd Hailey’s system in a span of less than two weeks. Bruce Arians had been his OC during the first three years of his career.

Increasing the pressure on Wallace is the play of fellow wideout Antonio Brown. Brown actually produced superior numbers down the stretch last year, received money that Wallace so intently held out for this year and has performed extraordinarily well in the current preseason.

No. 17 certainly isn’t in danger of losing a roster spot. Yet, he needs to prove that his contributions on the field, and attitude off it are commensurate with Brown’s.

His team needs him just the same, as their depleted offensive line and corps of running backs have caused serious problems on the offensive side of the ball.

Mikel Leshoure, RB, Detroit Lions

If not for the devastated running back position for the Detroit Lions, Mikel Leshoure would face a much more challenging journey into the NFL.

The Lions recently put Jahvid Best on the PUP list (concussion) and saw Kevin Smith go down with an ankle injury (thankfully not a high ankle) in the latest preseason matchup.

Even with the limited personnel, Leshoure has not helped his cause. He missed the first two games with a hamstring ailment after sitting out the entire 2011 season with a torn Achilles tendon.

Leshoure’s first preseason action was less than impressive as well. He rushed for a measly one yard on five carries and added a six-yard reception. Meanwhile, guys like Stephfon Green and Joique Bell have stepped up in his absence.

It is incumbent on Leshoure to run roughshod over Buffalo (as much as the fourth preseason game will allow) in Week 4 and the remaining practices to solidify his position.

Because if he falls short again, the Lions won’t look so favorably on him come Week 3 of the regular season once he returns from his drug suspension. The team’s pass-heavy approach with quarterback Matthew Stafford further makes Leshoure expendable.

Aaron Curry, LB, Oakland Raiders

The weak-side linebacker for the Oakland Raiders has experienced a brutal preseason thus far.

Well, one would actually call it a nonexistent one.

Curry has yet to suit up and will likely miss the first six weeks of the regular season due to his ailing knees (per CSNBayArea.com). He received stem-cell therapy and visited a specialist in Los Angeles for further treatment earlier this month due to lingering setbacks.

The fifth-year man out of Wake Forest played under the previous coaching regime that helped resurrect his career after being labeled a bust in Seattle. Now under new head coach Dennis Allen, Curry needs all possible reps to showcase his fit with the team.

Whether it’s in Week 1 or Week 7, Curry must play at his highest possible level to fend off rookie linebacker Miles Burris.

Receiving a third chance in the NFL is a rather daunting prospect otherwise.

Cam Johnson, LB, San Francisco 49ers

It’s difficult enough securing a roster spot as a lowly seventh-round draft pick. Missing practice due to injury and having another roster hopeful play well compounds matters even more.

The 49ers selected Cam Johnson 237th overall in the 2012 NFL draft. He fell to the bottom round because of concerns over injury tendencies, and not any issues based on talent.

Well, it seems Johnson’s 2012 preseason has validated those concerns. He has missed the majority of practices and each of the first three games. He just returned to the field on Tuesday.

What worsens Johnson’s situation—despite the bevy of injuries at the OLB position for the 49ers—is the emergence of Eric Bakhtiari. The NFL journeyman recorded two sacks in Week 1 and followed that up with a team-leading tackle performance in the next game.

He did suffer a concussion in the early goings of Sunday’s game against the Broncos, but returned to practice on Tuesday.

With Aldon Smith, Ahmad Brooks, Parys Haralson and Bakhtiari securing the first four outside linebacker roster spots, Johnson has his work cut out for him to remain on the team.

Kourtnei Brown—another player at his position—being cut on Monday does not bode well for the fellow rookie.

At least the practice squad exists for a reason.

Mark Sanchez, QB, New York Jets

Another year, another underperforming quarterback in New York Jets land.

The most hyped and pervasively covered team in the NFL has a bit of a positional battle on their hands.

Incumbent starter and first-round pick Mark Sanchez has looked fairly awful through three weeks of the preseason. Two interceptions, zero touchdowns and a QB rating of just over 60 would indicate as much.

Fueling the hype and complicating the QB contest is the presence of Tim Tebow, perhaps the most glorified (whether deserving or not) player in the history of professional sports. The seemingly magical and comeback-leading field general is right on Sanchez’s tail for the starting role (whether or not you want to disregard his stats or Rex Ryan’s coaches speak).

Point being, Sanchez is once again under intense public scrutiny as the Jets' starting quarterback. Management brought in Tebow with the express purpose of pushing Sanchez to greater heights or simply to the bench if he fails.

The former USC Trojan must come out guns blazing in the first few weeks of the regular season to secure his starting role.

If not, it’s Tebow Mania all over again.

Michael Vick, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

Let’s continue with the theme of repeated quarterback dynamics.

Michael Vick, QB of the Philadelphia Eagles, is injured—again.

The otherworldly talent saw his 2012 preseason cut short due to a bruised thumb and battered ribs. He missed the Eagles’ third game and will sit out Thursday’s matchup against the Jets. (Coincidence much?)

Backup Nick Foles (and even Trent Edwards for a time) have played admirably in Vick’s stead. Foles ranks third with a 112.2 QB rating and first overall in the preseason with six touchdown passes.

Like Mike Wallace, Vick will not lose a roster spot if Foles continues to excel in the final game. Rather, he needs to show that he can actually stay on the field. He needs to play a smarter brand of football when he returns in the regular season.

Also of note are head coach Andy Reid’s otherworldly skills of his own. The Eagles coach for the past 13 years has an uncanny ability to transform backup QBs into functional stars.

A.J. Feeley, Jeff Garcia, Kevin Kolb—the list goes on. Heck, even Vick fell under said category a couple years back.

It’s up to Vick to maintain full health if he’s to avoid such a career path in the future.

Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

What do you know? There's another contract holdout in need of a bounce-back performance.

MJD, as he’s so affectionately called, has sat out the entirety of the Jaguars’ preseason looking for top running-back money. Mind you, he does have two years remaining on his deal.

In any case, the Jaguars have operated relatively seamlessly without the league’s leading rusher of 2011. Sophomore Blaine Gabbert has thrown three touchdowns and produced a QB rating over 100. He has also established a rapport with rookie receiver Justin Blackmon, who has a touchdown of his own.

And as Gene Frenette of AOL Sporting News reports, RB Rashad Jennings has appeared fully capable in preseason action. Frenette also reports that new head coach Mike Mularkey and MJD have yet to meet, meaning that Jennings is primed for the season opener since his predecessor doesn’t even have the playbook.

Jones-Drew had better bounce on back to the Jaguars’ facilities if he wants to resume his career in time for Week 1 in Minnesota.

He also might want to look at a certain Chris Johnson and remember what can happen to an out-of-sync running back—even if he does obtain that long-term deal.

Cody Grimm, S, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

After the usual suspects filled the previous seven slides, I thought it refreshing to include a completely unheralded player in need of a rebound.

Third-year defensive back Cody Grimm probably isn’t well known outside of Tampa Bay. The Bucs selected the former Hokie in the seventh round of the 2010 draft.

An impressive rookie campaign ended prematurely by way of a broken leg. Last year, he played in only three games due to an MCL injury. Now, he finds himself as a man desperate for a roster spot.

Tampa Bay drafted standout Alabama safety Mark Barron this year. The indefatigable veteran Ronde Barber also moved to safety. These two alone would serve as stiff competition for Grimm.

However, Mark Cook of PewterReport.com detailed the solid play of Ahmad Black and Larry Asante as well. They’ve simply outperformed Grimm throughout the preseason.

The Bucs are a team loaded with young talent. Grimm will need an awesome performance against the Redskins on Wednesday to ensure he remains among that youthful contingent.

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