10 important players returning from injury

After seeing their progress halted last season, these are the league’s stars who are looking to get back to their high-flying selves
With the start of the 2021 NFL season days away, it’s time to take a look at players who are trying to come back from serious injuries that sidelined them for most of last season.

For this exercise I chose nine players who were unable to shine in 2020 and there is also one defensive back who has been away from the league since 2019 and decided not to play last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

Prescott suffered a devastating ankle injury in Week 5 of 2020, despite that the Cowboys gave him a four-year, $160 million contract with $126 million guaranteed. Prescott’s deal could be worth up to $164 million and has a signing bonus of $66 million, the highest in history.

Dallas hopes its confidence in Prescott will translate into on-field results to return to the playoffs after a two-year absence.

Odell Beckham Jr., Cleveland Browns

Beckham injured his ACL in a season in which Cleveland ended up winning its first postseason game in nearly three decades without him on the field.

The spotlight is on Beckham because his salary is among the highest on the roster and the Browns could shed the receiver to bolster other areas of need after 2021.

Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

Burrow’s promising rookie season came to an abrupt end with a gruesome knee injury leaving the Bengals, who hope to have him back at full strength, adrift.

Burrow finished his interrupted year with 264 pass completions for 2,688 yards with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Saquon Barkley, New York Giants

With the Giants struggling to get out of their current slump, their 2020 hopes were dashed when Barkley injured his knee in Week 2 against the Chicago Bears.

Barkley surpassed the 1,000-yard barrier in his first two years in the league and if he returns to his pre-injury level the Giants can hope to contend in their division.

RB Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers

After the best season of his career in 2019, McCaffrey suffered a series of injuries that limited him to just three games in 2020 (in which he somehow managed to score six touchdowns).

McCaffrey’s return will help newly acquired quarterback Sam Darnold better adjust to a new offense and finally get a chance to shine in head coach Matt Rhule’s system.

Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers were punished by injuries in 2020, including tight end George Kittle, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and wide receiver Deebo Samuel, but none were more significant than Bosa’s.

Unlike the rest, who got more playing time, Bosa only saw action in two games and left a hole in the defense that San Francisco was unable to fill. Bosa tore his ACL and damaged cartilage in his left knee after racking up nine catches as a rookie, earning a Pro Bowl selection.

With Bosa’s return and the possibility of getting the rest of the team healthy this year, the 49ers hope to return to the level that got them to Super Bowl LIV.

Von Miller, Denver Broncos

Days before the start of the regular season, in the last drill of a regular practice, Miller, the Super Bowl 50 Most Valuable Player, hurt his ankle and ended up missing the entire year.

The injury snapped the streak of six consecutive Pro Bowl selections for Miller, who is the active player with the most catches in the NFL with 106 and will surely try to continue to pull away from his closest pursuer, J.J. Watt with 101.

C.J. Mosley, New York Jets

Mosley became one of the league’s most coveted inside linebackers prior to his arrival with the Jets, however, a groin injury prevented him from displaying his talents in New York and he ended up sidelined for the remainder of 2019.

In 2020, Mosley was one of multiple players around the league who decided to sit out the season due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, so we’re certainly looking forward to seeing him back on the field.

Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers

Few players have had more promising career starts than James in 2018 with Chargers, earning All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections after finishing with 105 total tackles, 3.5 catches and three interceptions, however, injuries have diluted his play in recent years, sidelining him even for 2020 with a serious meniscus injury.

The Bolts’ defense needs James’ talent back and the deep back needs to show he is back to his best to earn a big contract.