NFL Veterans Who Could Earn Another Chance with Big Training-Camp Performance

The NFL has always been known as a league that is willing to give players a second chance...or even a third or fourth.

There’s no better time to prove that you can still help a team than in training camp, as coaches get to see what you can actually still do rather than base your potential on past performances.

That can cut both ways. But in this piece, we will take a look at nine players who are looking to bounce back from disappointing years or subpar stretches during their career. In most cases, we are looking at players with new teams. But a few examples here are exceptions to that rule.

Can any of these nine players make a difference in 2015? All will have the opportunity over the next few weeks to prove they still have what it takes to make a big-time contribution.

QB Matt Schaub, Baltimore Ravens

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There was a time when Matt Schaub was a two-time Pro Bowl quarterback with the Houston Texans.

That seems like a decade ago.

Unfortunately for the veteran signal-caller, the bad has far outweighed the good in recent seasons. After he led Houston to the AFC South title and a 12-4 record in 2012, things went from dismal to disastrous for Schaub.

The Texans would open 2-0 in 2013 but proceed to lose their final 14 games. That was not all on this quarterback, but he set a dubious NFL record by having an interception returned for a touchdown in four consecutive games during an early stretch of the season.

Schaub was dealt to Oakland last offseason, and when it was all said, he appeared done as rookie Derek Carr beat him out for the starting job. This offseason, the Raiders let him go, and now he will try to revive his career with the Baltimore Ravens.

Are we saying that Schaub poses a threat to Joe Flacco? Hardly. But perhaps he will show enough this summer to warrant some interest somewhere down the road.

WR Percy Harvin, Buffalo Bills

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Wide receiver Percy Harvin, like news, travels fast.

Unfortunately for the talented performer, he’s been traveling a lot as of late.

The Buffalo Bills are the latest stop for the explosive weapon, who began his career with the Minnesota Vikings in 2009 (as the 22nd overall pick that year) and is already with his fourth team in seven years. In 2014, he was dealt from Seattle Seahawks to the New York Jets. Now, he's reuniting with head coach Rex Ryan in Orchard Park.

As we saw back in Super Bowl XLVIII when he was a member of the Seahawks, Harvin is a threat to score just about every time he gets his hands on the football. A Bills team looking for more consistency on offense could certainly benefit from his talent. And we already know what kind of impact he can have on kickoff returns.

Harvin now becomes part of a young receiving corps that includes Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods. How long he remains part of that group will depend on how quickly he produces.

T Michael Oher, Carolina Panthers

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In 2014, Pro Football Focus rated 142 tackles, and then-Carolina Panthers left tackle Byron Bell came in at No. 141.

Ouch (and that’s not a direct quote from quarterback Cam Newton).

The Panthers opted not to bring back Bell, who joined the Tennessee Titans this offseason.

Speaking of the Titans, they were looking to aid their offensive line in 2014 and added free-agent tackle Michael Oher, who had spent the first five seasons of his NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens. The massive blocker would start the first 11 games of the season at right tackle.

In case you’re wondering, Oher ranked No. 133 on the aforementioned Pro Football Focus list.

Cut loose by Tennessee this offseason, the six-year pro now hopes to shore up the left tackle spot for the Panthers. And this could be his last chance to prove he can still perform in the league.

WR Dwayne Bowe, Cleveland Browns

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Once a Pro Bowler with the Kansas City Chiefs, Dwayne Bowe failed to find the end zone once despite 60 catches for 754 yards with Andy Reid’s team this past season.

Of course, no wide receiver on the team caught a touchdown pass in 2014. Hence, Kansas City released Bowe, Donnie Avery and A.J. Jenkins this offseason.

Now Bowe looks to start anew with the Cleveland Browns, who scored just 12 times through the air a year ago. Head coach Mike Pettine must deal with the season-long absence of wideout Josh Gordon (suspended for all of 2015) and the free-agent departure of tight end Jordan Cameron.

Look for Bowe (and perhaps fellow free-agent addition Brian Hartline) to make an impression for a club that is in desperate need of offensive playmakers.

OLB Anthony Spencer, New Orleans Saints

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This past season was pretty forgettable if you had any interest in the fortunes of the New Orleans Saints.

The team missed the playoffs with a 7-9 record. While the offense seemed to do its share (it ranked first in the NFL in total yards gained)—save for the team’s 30 turnovers—only the Atlanta Falcons surrendered more total yards than the Saints did in 2014.

No doubt defensive coordinator Rob Ryan is under a lot of pressure. And he’s hoping one of his former players from the Dallas Cowboys can stay healthy enough and duplicate his career year from 2012.

That season, outside linebacker Anthony Spencer led the team with 95 tackles and finished second on the club with 11 sacks in just 14 games. But he’s been a shell of his former self the past two seasons and has seen action in only 14 regular-season contests (13 in 2014). It added up to a combined 14 tackles and one-half sack.

On a team that is looking for even more help with the recent parting of ways with outside linebacker Junior Galette, could the hiring of Spencer be the right move at the right time?

QB Sam Bradford, Philadelphia Eagles

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Although he has technically been employed by the National Football League since 2010, quarterback Sam Bradford doesn’t seem like a veteran.

Of course, those years don’t include a lot of playing time for the former Oklahoma Sooner and the first overall pick in the NFL draft five years ago.

Dealt from the St. Louis Rams to the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason, Bradford has shown promise when available. Now if he would only promise to be available.

The oft-injured signal-caller has played in 49 out of a possible 80 games and missed his final 25 contests with the Rams, including the entire 2014 season with a torn ACL.

He looks to stay upright in Philadelphia and hopes to make the most of his opportunity. As NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported earlier this month (via Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com), Bradford intends to play out the final year of the lucrative contract he signed with the Rams back in 2010.

Where things go from there is anyone’s guess, unless of course this quarterback comes up big for the Birds.

DT Da’Quan Bowers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Back in 2011, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looked to add to their pass rush by selecting defensive end Adrian Clayborn in the first round and defensive tackle Da’Quan Bowers in the second round.

Both proved to be disappointments over the course of four seasons, with injuries certainly playing a factor.

Clayborn signed with the NFC South rival Atlanta Falcons this offseason while Bowers remained on the free-agent market…until now.

On Monday, as reported by Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, the Bucs re-signed Bowers, who attempts to make the most of a second chance. In his first four seasons, he totaled just seven sacks in 50 games and made just 10 starts.

The Buccaneers have added defensive tackle Henry Melton and defensive end George Johnson to their defensive front this offseason. And they are hoping Bowers can look like the player who was the 51st selection in the 2011 draft.

G Andy Levitre, Tennessee Titans

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Back in 2013, the Tennessee Titans were one of the busier teams in the offseason when it came to shelling out big dollars.

In an attempt to bolster the offensive line, the franchise gave a six-year, $46.8 million contract to promising guard Andy Levitre, who had played his first four seasons in the league with the Buffalo Bills. To his credit, the former second-round pick from Oregon State has started every game for his team the past six seasons.

But Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean stated earlier this month that the once-consistent performer has disappointed in his first two seasons. And those sentiments appear to be Levitre’s.

“Knowing what I am capable of doing, and knowing I have done it in the past, I want to be able to get back to where I need to be to be successful,” said the six-year pro. “And to have that personal accomplishment means more to me than anything, and I think that will show to the coaches and the guys upstairs.

"What they saw in me when they brought me in here, I am sure they want to see it now…I want to get back to that level just as much as they want to see me do it.”

Now would indeed be a good time.

FS Dashon Goldson, Washington Redskins

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It wasn’t that long ago that Dashon Goldson was in the conversation when it came to the better free safeties in the league.

Then he signed a big deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2013. After two seasons with the club, he unfortunately proved to be not that big of a deal. This past season with the Bucs, he tied for the team lead with 81 tackles but knocked down one pass and didn’t notch an interception. In 27 games with the club, Goldson managed a mere three takeaways.

In six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, the veteran defensive back forced 18 turnovers (14 interceptions, four fumble recoveries) and totaled an impressive 34 passes defensed and three sacks.

This offseason, Goldson was dealt to the Washington Redskins and now hopes to help a defensive unit that gave up a league-high 35 touchdown passes. The good news is that he will reunite with former Niners teammate Chris Culliver, which could help Goldson’s chances for a bounce-back season.

All contract information and player signings/transactions are courtesy of Spotrac. Depth chart information comes via Ourlads. Unless otherwise noted, all player and team statistics come from Pro Football Reference and ESPN.com.