11 Accomplished NFL Veterans Whose Skills Won't Diminish

With the start of the 2011 NFL season just four days away (this is really exciting!), fans are still getting a feel for who has moved from team to team in free agency, who was traded and who will be coming back from injury.

In other words, the NFL fan has his or her head spinning like a record.

With all the changes and expectations for the new season, players who are making a comeback from injury or making a fresh start in a new city will be asked to possibly do more or exceed the expectations that were bestowed upon them with new contracts and loads of money.

Here are some veterans that should not tail off in production regardless of injury, age or new location this season.

Chris Johnson

Titans fans were waiting to see how this one would play out.

Would he be paid like a running back or a playmaker?

Would he hold out into the regular season, and if so, how would that affect the rest of the team?

New coach Mike Munchak has too many other things to worry about with this team, so Johnson's return to football is a good thing.

Look for him to use this season to prove he was worth the additional money added to his contract.

Maurice Jones-Drew

MJD was injured throughout most of the season, took the last two games of 2010 off to have knee surgery and has been rehabbing it ever since. He saw his first action of the preseason Thursday night.

How will he play, and how will the knee hold up? Jacksonville needs him more than anyone else on the team to have a solid season.

And how will the loss of backup running back Rashad Jennings affect Jones-Drew? It probably only motivates him to prove he is as healthy as ever.

Tony Romo

He has to come back and perform at a Pro Bowl level.

The Cowboys were expected to be a Super Bowl-contending team last season.

With Romo under center and the offense running on all cylinders, this is a playoff team. Without him playing up to his usual potential, this team is .500 at best.

Michael Vick

He just signed a new contract, and now all eyes will be on him to recreate last season's performance.

Was 2010 an aberration? The Eagles hope not. They had so much faith in him to trade Kevin Kolb to Arizona.

The keys to the offense are in his hands and his feet. We are all betting he has another solid season like last year.

Jermichael Finley

He was having a good season when injuries cut 2010 short.

He wants to improve on the 21 receptions he had in only five games last season.

Just think how much better the offense and Aaron Rodgers would have been if he had played a full season?

Wow!

Nnamdi Asomugha

At five years and $60 million, he better play like he is still the best cornerback in the NFL.

The Eagles are betting he will make things better in an already-strong secondary.

Now that he is on a playoff-contending team, Asomugha should continue his Pro Bowl-level play.

Antonio Gates

He is the premier tight end in the NFL.

The second half of his 2010 season was derailed by injuries.

After signing a 5-year, $36-million contract last season, he needs to continue to play at a Pro Bowl level.

And the Chargers, most notably Philip Rivers, need him to play like he is used to.

Tom Brady

I put him on here for a few reasons.

You wonder how long he will continue to play at such a high level.

You wonder when the Patriots will win another Super Bowl.

You wonder if the running game will support his passing game.

And you wonder if Chad Ochocinco will help or hurt him.

But again, he is Tom Brady. Enough said.

Aaron Rodgers

Does the Super Bowl champion have a hangover from winning the big game?

Rodgers is now among the top six quarterbacks in the league, making everyone forget he was the understudy of some guy named Favre.

Rodgers should come out firing on all cylinders, especially since he has his offensive weapons back, including Jermichael Finley.

Aaron Kampman

He tore his ACL last season (the second tear in two years). The Jaguars hope he will return to full speed like he was three seasons ago.

Kampman was a great leader on the field when he was healthy and helped in the progression of third-year defensive tackle Terrance Knighton and last season's first-round pick, Tyson Alualu.

With his plays being reduced this season form 70 to 45, he should be fresher and able to hold up for a full season.

Charles Woodson

He (along with Clay Matthews) is the emotional leader on the Green Bay defense.

Woodson was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2009 and a big part of the team's playoff run and eventual Super Bowl appearance.

Woodson broke his collarbone in that game against Pittsburgh. 

This season, the Packers are counting on him coming back and playing at the high level that he has played at since signing with the team in 2006.