8 NFL Players With the Most to Prove at Mandatory Minicamps

Voluntary OTAs have been going on since just after this year's NFL draft, but now things are about to get real.

Things are about to get mandatory.

Mandatory minicamps are just that. There might still only be minimal contact involved, but players who don't show up at the next round of minicamps risk being fined.

This will be the first time many teams have been at relatively full strength. And while few position battles are decided decisively in the early part of June, this is an important benchmark in the offseason.

For some players, mandatory minicamps are much more vital. Across the NFL, there are any number of names who are attempting to hold off free-agent additions or draft picks to stay in the starting lineup.

Every workout is critical for them, because there's too much to prove before the season starts.

QB J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

There has been no shortage written and said about Kyler Murray's attempt to resurrect his career with the Minnesota Vikings. But there's a flip side to that coin—the "incumbent" in the battle to start under center in the Twin Cities.

It was a rough second season in the NFL for J.J. McCarthy—after missing his entire rookie season, McCarthy was uneven in 2025—and that's being really kind. McCarthy won six of his 10 starts, but he completed less than 58 percent of his passes, threw just 11 touchdown passes compared to 12 interceptions and had a miserable passer rating of 72.6.

Some pundits are already calling this battle all but over and essentially anointing Murray as the starter. But Vikings beat writer Alec Lewis said on his radio show that McCarthy showed improvement in OTAs.

"I understand with J.J. McCarthy coming back this spring and summer, he's obviously been very motivated and has every reason to be motivated," Lewis said. "I think, from a throwing standpoint, he's definitely looked solid. His mechanics look smooth, and the layering he's obviously focused on is something that he wants to continue to improve on."

With Carson Wentz also on the roster, it's within the realm of possibility that McCarthy isn't just fighting for the right to start for the Vikings. He could be fighting for his spot on the roster. That makes every single first-team rep the 2024 No. 12 overall pick gets during mandatory minicamp incredibly important.

WR Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills

AP Photo/Matt Rourke

You know there's pressure on a player heading into the summer when the owner of an NFL team throws said player under the bus.

That's what happened with Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman—owner Terry Pegula said over the offseason that the since-fired coaching staff, and not general manager Brandon Beane, advocated for drafting the Florida State product in 2024.

While speaking to reporters, Coleman was blunt about his disappointing 2025 campaign—and then some:

"Getting benched four games, some s--t like that. Unacceptable. Ended off on a decent note, had a touchdown [in the playoffs], so that was -- I wouldn't even call that a confidence boost, it was just a positive to end the season on. But we lost. So, that was another negative to erase that. But, I mean, I don't need self-motivation, though. I know what I am here to do and what I am capable of doing."

Coleman's numbers over two seasons look like what the Bills hoped they'd be getting in one year from the Florida State product: 67 catches for 960 yards and eight touchdowns. A year ago, he caught just 38 passes and averaged less than 11 yards per catch in 13 games.

Buffalo traded for D.J. Moore in the offseason, but the team still isn't loaded with talent at wide receiver.

If Coleman shines over the summer, he'll carve out a role on the Bills offense. If he falters again, he may not even make it through his rookie contract in Buffalo.

Edge Kayvon Thibodeaux, New York Giants

AP Photo/David Zalubowski

When the New York Giants drafted edge-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux fifth overall in 2022, he was supposed to become a superstar. When the former Oregon star piled up 11.5 sacks in his second season, it appeared he was well on his way.

Now, entering the fifth and final season of his career, the 25-year-old finds himself fighting for his NFL future.

Thibodeaux has battled injuries the past couple of years. But as Michael Haney noted for Sports Illustrated, even when he has been on the field of late, he hasn't made much of an impact:

"To be fair to Thibodeaux, he's missed chunks of the last two seasons, appearing in just 22 games (12 in 2024 and 10 last season) while spending time on injured reserve with wrist and shoulder ailments. As a result, he saw his defensive snap allotment drop from 87% in his second season (his best to date) to 75% in 2024 and 72% last year. Per Pro Football Focus, Thibodeaux, in 463 defensive snaps, managed just 32 pressures, with a pass-rush grade of 58.0, putting him 93rd out of 115 qualified edge-rushers."

Thibodeaux managed just 2.5 sacks in 494 snaps, both of which were career lows. The Giants are paying Brian Burns over $28 million a season and just used top-five picks in consecutive drafts on edge-rusher Abdul Carter and linebacker Arvell Reese.

Thibodeaux needs to impress on every rep he can, or he's going to find himself at the back end of the pass-rush rotation in 2026—and looking for a new team in 2027.

QB Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/Kirk Irwin

The Cleveland Browns gave up three first-round picks for quarterback Deshaun Watson and then handed him a five-year, $230 million contract that was fully guaranteed.

In the four years since the single worst personnel move in the history of the NFL, the Browns have gotten all of 19 starts, 3,365 passing yards and nine wins for all that scratch and draft capital. Watson didn't play at all in 2025 as he rehabbed a twice-torn Achilles.

Now, however, he is reportedly healthy, and with Myles Garrett gone, the battle to start between Watson and Shedeur Sanders is the No. 1 storyline in the Browns' camp.

New Cleveland head coach Todd Monken remains unsure who his starting quarterback will be this season:

"In a perfect world, you'd love to have your starting quarterback, right? I'm not sure we'll be there (soon), I'm just not. I think both quarterbacks have played well enough where we haven't really been in pads. We haven't played any games yet. Haven't really got to that point yet. Every day I kind of lean one way or the other with quarterbacks. But we've still got to get to that point."

Watson is still just 30 years old, and there was a time when he was a top-10 (if not top-five) NFL quarterback. But if he has any illusions of ever being a starting quarterback in the NFL again, he has to win this job.

And even then, he'll more likely than not be playing elsewhere in 2027.

WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals

AP Photo/Julio Cortez

When the Arizona Cardinals made Marvin Harrison Jr. the fourth overall pick in the 2024 draft, the belief in many circles was that the team was getting arguably the best overall prospect in the entire class.

His rookie numbers were OK: 62 catches for 885 yards and eight touchdowns.

But last year was a mess. Harrison missed five games. Caught just 41 passes. And barely cleared 600 receiving yards. As the season wore on, it was Michael Wilson (and not Harrison) who emerged as Arizona's No. 1 wide receiver.

However, Arizona offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett told reporters that Harrison has looked good in early workouts:

"Marvin's a really good player. I mean when he gets going, he can run. I didn't realize he was as big as he was until I got here. I had met with him too. He might have grown, I don't know. He makes some plays out there. He caught an in-breaker early in OTAs and I mean, wow, that X button, as I like to say. He's just got to keep working through everything. It's all those guys. Just keep getting great with the system. Make it their own and the more that happens, the better (they) will be."

After the 2026 season, Harrison will be eligible for a contract extension. Should the Redbirds choose not to extend the Ohio State product, the team will have to decide whether to exercise his fifth-year option.

The time is now for Harrison to show he's an "alpha" wide receiver.

If he doesn't, next offseason could get really awkward.

Edge Myles Murphy, Cincinnati Bengals

AP Photo/Jeff Dean

The Cincinnati Bengals made a massive offseason investment in upgrading one of the league's worst defenses a year ago—especially along the defensive line.

The team traded a first-round pick to the New York Giants for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and spent big bucks on tackle Jonathan Allen and edge-rusher Boye Mafe.

However, while three spots on Cincy's new-look defensive line may be set, the edge spot opposite Mafe is up for grabs, with a pair of former first-round picks set to battle to start in Myles Murphy and Shemar Stewart.

Murphy, who is entering a contract year after Cincinnati declined his fifth-year option, told reporters he's using both that and the upgrades around him as motivation this season:

"I think it motivates us as a team in general, because, I mean, it shows that they (the front office) want it just as bad as us. So, you know, them adding those key pieces and knowing what we already have and knowing what we need can help us as a team, as a unit. It's very motivating. And I don't need to do anything but be the best player I can be because I know the history with Dex (Lawrence), Jonathan Allen, B.J. (Hill), Boye and all the old guys, like I know they're going to be at their best, so it just makes me want to be at my best."

Murphy had 52 tackles and 5.5 sacks in just under 700 snaps for the Bengals last year. If he wants to land a hefty contract next year, he's going to need to improve on those numbers.

And that's not going to be easy if he loses the starting job to Stewart this summer.

WR Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers

AP Photo/John Froschauer

The San Francisco 49ers have made some major changes to their wideout corps this offseason.

Jauan Jennings is gone. Brandon Aiyuk has been placed on the reserve list after ghosting the Niners. The team signed a pair of veteran receivers in Mike Evans and Christian Kirk. That makes 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall the biggest holdover in San Francisco—and this is a pivotal third season for the 25-year-old.

Pearsall's slow rookie year in 2024 is understandable—he was shot in a robbery attempt just before that season started. Last year, a knee injury limited him to just nine games, and he caught just 36 passes for 528 yards without a touchdown.

Now, with the addition of rookie De'Zhaun Stribling, some pundits believe Pearsall could be pushed from the starting lineup altogether—including Chris Simms of NBC Sports:

"They paid Mike Evans. There's not going to be a battle there. Christian Kirk is kind of his own thing, a little bit more of a slot guy and do that. But I look at it and go, wait, first off, the 49ers are a team that plays two back, one tight end, two receivers a lot, right? So, it's going to be two guys on the field. I wouldn't think at pick 33, that they want De'Zhaun Stribling not playing and being one of those one or two guys."

This is it for Pearsall. If he can't lock down a starting spot with the Niners this year, there's no chance the team will pick up his fifth-year option—and less chance he'll get a second contract in San Francisco.

QB Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons

AP Photo/Mike Stewart

We'll wrap this column up the same way we started it, with a young quarterback and first-round pick who is trying to cling to his starting job entering his third professional season.

And this one may not even be on the field for Atlanta's mandatory minicamp.

That's the latest from Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski, who told reporters, "we'll see," when asked whether Michael Penix Jr. will be cleared for 11-on-11 drills.

Stefanski did add that Penix's rehab from an ACL tear is progressing well.

"He's hitting every milestone that he's supposed to hit," he said. "Mike does have limitations based on his rehab, but he's done a great job to date. I've been very impressed with what he's able to do. "We've been in constant communication with our medical team and Mike. Not going to put any timeframes out there just yet, just going to focus on what's in front of us."

Penix had better hope he's cleared. Or by the time he is, newcomer Tua Tagovailoa is likely to have locked up the starting job under center. It's not like Penix established a lead with his play over his first two seasons—he has completed less than 60 percent of his passes, has just 12 touchdown passes in a dozen NFL starts and he has averaged less than 200 passing yards per game.

Every day that Tagovailoa gets all the first-round reps is a chance for him to show he should start in Week 1. He's already a far more accomplished player, having led the league in passing yards in 2023 and completion percentage in 2024.

You can't win the starting job from the sideline, or by working out on the side.