6 NFL Players Who Need a Change of Scenery Ahead of 2025 Season

Sometimes, the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence for NFL players. Just look at Sam Darnold last season, as the 2018 No. 3 overall pick went from a draft bust to receiving MVP votes and earning his first Pro Bowl bid with the Minnesota Vikings.

Darnold is just the most recent and highest-profile player to benefit from a change of scenery by turning the trajectory of his career around. It happens every year with several guys around the league at multiple positions, and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun is another example from the 2024 campaign.

With training camps starting up and the regular season just around the corner, let's take a look at a few veterans who could benefit from leaving their current teams.

For clarity, the focus here is on players who are still with the same club as last year, not players who have already been traded or signed elsewhere in free agency.

The selection criteria is younger guys who have potential and are projected to be buried on the depth chart heading into the regular season, with one exception for an older veteran who is also looking at having little to no playing time this fall.

Kayshon Boutte

AP Photo/Adrian Kraus

Dating back to when he was a draft prospect, Kayshon Boutte's value in the NFL has been a roller-coaster ride. 

After averaging nearly 85 yards a game and scoring nine touchdowns during his sophomore season in college, many expected the then-LSU player to blossom into a first-round pick during the 2022 campaign.

However, his production dramatically slipped to under 50 yards per contest and two scores during his junior year. 

Then, the former Tiger was hit with underage gambling and computer fraud charges—which were later dropped, though not until after the 2023 draft—and he slid to the sixth round. On top of that, he had a lackluster rookie campaign, recording a meager two catches for 19 yards for the New England Patriots.

However, Boutte bounced back with a solid performance last season, racking up 43 receptions, 589 yards and three scores in 15 games with 13 starts. He and then-rookie quarterback Drake Maye formed a decent connection during the second half of the campaign to build some momentum heading into 2025.

The problem is the Patriots brought in a new coaching staff this offseason, headlined by head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Additionally, the front office signed free-agent wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins, and drafted Kyle Williams in the third round.

With wideouts DeMario Douglas, Kendrick Bourne, Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker also returning from last year's team, it's a crowded position group in New England. That potentially pushes Boutte down the depth chart, and he was already a "name to watch" as a trade candidate during last April's draft.

Meanwhile, the Patriots have a few holes on the roster to address if the team wants to be competitive this fall. So, if the 2023 sixth-round pick isn't going to get many targets, it would make sense for both sides to seek a trade.

Kirk Cousins

AP Photo/Jeff Lewis

Obviously, Kirk Cousins is the outlier since he isn't exactly a spring chicken anymore. However, we’ll make an exception since he slid on the Falcons' depth chart when the team named Michael Penix Jr. the starter at the end of last season.

As a result, it's somewhat surprising that Cousins is still in Atlanta. Ideally, the organization would have found a trade partner by now to give him one more opportunity to start.

The problem is that the 36-year-old is coming off the worst year of his career, leading the NFL with a career-high 16 interceptions while tossing just 18 touchdowns, his fewest in a single season when starting nine or more games. 

Additionally, the veteran suffered a torn Achilles in 2023, which is part of the reason for the down year. Being in your mid-30s and recently having a major injury is a tough combination to overcome.

But the four-time Pro Bowler deserves at least one more chance to prove he's still capable of being a starting quarterback in this league. Obviously, that's not going to happen with the Falcons, so a change of scenery is needed. 

At this stage, Cousins might have to wait until another club's starting quarterback suffers an injury in training camp or the beginning of the regular season, though.

Sam Williams

AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman

Sam Williams has shown plenty of promise during his NFL career, racking up 8.5 sacks in two seasons. 

While that may not seem like much on the surface level, the 26-year-old has only been a backup for the Dallas Cowboys, recording zero starts and a little more than 350 pass-rush snaps, per Pro Football Focus, during the two regular seasons combined. 

However, he's also been an efficient pass-rusher with 45 total pressures and PFF pass-rush grades of 74.4 and 73.2 despite the limited opportunities. 

All of that, combined with the departures of Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler during last year's offseason, led to high expectations for the 2022 second-round pick heading into 2024. Unfortunately, that was quickly negated after he tore an ACL and MCL at the beginning of training camp and missed the entire campaign.

Now, a healthy Williams looks to regain the momentum he built during years one and two in the league. 

The problem is that he might be buried on the depth chart since Dallas brought Fowler back in free agency and drafted Donovan Ezeiruaku in Round 2 this offseason. That's in addition to 2024 second-rounder Marshawn Kneeland and three-time All-Pro Micah Parsons.

Meanwhile, Williams is about to enter a contract year. So, he would benefit from getting a chance to start and showcase what he can do with a bigger opportunity to earn a significant pay bump in the offseason. 

Granted, the Ole Miss product has a chance to win a first-string job in training camp with the Cowboys, but he would have a much clearer path toward playing time with another club that isn't as deep on the edge.

JuJu Brents

AP Photo/Zach Bolinger

JuJu Brents was an intriguing cornerback prospect in the 2023 draft class. He has rare size and length for a corner at nearly 6'3" and 198 pounds with 34-inch arms. Per MockDraftable, those figures are in the 96th, 73rd and 98th percentiles, respectively, for the position.

Additionally, the Kansas State product's scouting report from the B/R scouting department noted he's very effective in zone coverage, to be "a good role player early in his career" and "develop into a starter down the road."

All of that led the Indianapolis Colts to use a second-round pick on him, which seemed like the perfect fit for the Indianapolis native. However, he's battled injuries over the last two years, missing 23 games, and might have lost his starting spot moving forward.

This offseason, the Colts added to their cornerback room by signing 2023 second-team All-Pro Charvarius Ward to a three-year, $60 million contract, and drafting Justin Walley in the third round. Additionally, fellow 2023 draftee Jaylon Jones, who started 10 games as a rookie and all 17 contests a year ago, returns this season.

Granted, Brents still has a chance to earn a starting job during training camp, since the spot opposite Ward is expected to be up for grabs. But the 25-year-old is facing an uphill battle to beat out both Jones and Walley, and he might have a better opportunity to get playing time elsewhere.

Bralen Trice

AP Photo/Ryan Sun

On the heels of the Washington Huskies' 2023 National Championship run, Bralen Trice was an interesting edge prospect in the 2024 NFL draft class.

The 24-year-old had good production as a pass-rusher with a combined 16 sacks in his last two seasons with the Huskies, in addition to impressive size and strength to develop into a well-rounded player.

"Physical and strong at the point of attack which, combined with his block recognition, allows him to set the edge against offensive tackles," the 6'4" and 274-pound edge defender's scouting report said. 

"...Impressive when turning speed to power as a rusher. Keeps his feet moving through contact and has the strength to push through the tackle's inside shoulder."

However, the third-round pick's rookie campaign with the Atlanta Falcons lasted just one preseason game, as he tore an ACL in the contest and missed the entire regular season. While it may seem like he has a chance to bounce back in year two, the organization invested heavily at his position in the offseason.

Atlanta had arguably the worst pass rush in the league last year, leading the front office to sign Leonard Floyd to a $10 million contract in free agency. While it's only a one-year deal for the soon-to-be 33-year-old, the front office tripled down at the position by using first-round picks on Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr.

That makes it difficult to see Trice's path to the field since the defense has immediate starters on the edge in Floyd and Walker, and a long-term project in Pearce. Also, the Washington product would be a better scheme fit in the NFL as a more traditional defensive end in even fronts, rather than a standup outside linebacker.

So, getting a fresh start with another team would be in Trice's best interests for a handful of reasons.

Felix Anudike-Uzomah

AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann

It’s hard to blame the Kansas City Chiefs for using a first-round pick on Felix Anudike-Uzomah, since he was one of the best pass-rushers in the 2023 draft class. 

In addition to racking up 19.5 sacks during his last two seasons at Kansas State, the former Wildcat had a handful of traits that suggested the production would translate to the next level.

"As a well-accomplished pass-rusher, Felix Anudike-Uzomah should have no problem making an impact on third downs at the next level," his scouting report said. "He's a quick, twitched-up edge who plays the hands well and might have the best bend of anybody in this draft class."

However, the 2022 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year has turned out to be a bust during his first two NFL seasons, collecting just three sacks and 25 pressures, per Pro Football Focus, while struggling to earn consistent playing time. Unfortunately, the latter doesn't appear to be changing anytime soon in Kansas City.

The Chiefs recently gave George Karlaftis a four-year, $93 million contract extension and the defense’s other starting edge, Mike Danna, is signed through 2026. On top of that, the organization re-signed Charles Omenihu and used a third-round pick on Ashton Gillotte in the offseason.

Clearly, Anudike-Uzomah isn’t in the long-term plans for Kansas City, so he would benefit from a fresh start with a new club where he has a better chance to reach his full potential.