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NFC West Players Primed for Breakout Second Seasons

NFC West Breakout

The NFC West may not be the competitive juggernaut of a division it has been in years past. However, that does not mean it is without plenty of young talent entering their second seasons in the NFL. After reviewing the NFC East sophomores, let’s shift focus out west. Here are the picks for NFC West players primed for breakout second seasons.

NFC West Players Primed for Breakout Sophomore Seasons in 2023

Arizona Cardinals – Trey McBride (Tight End)

Things didn’t exactly go to plan for the Arizona Cardinals in 2022. A 4-14 record resulted in Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury losing his job, and jetting off for Thailand. On the field, star quarterback Kyler Murray suffered an ACL injury which will likely keep him out of action until the second half of the 2023 season. Nevertheless, it is an offensive player bound for a year two breakout in Arizona.

Tight end Trey McBride took over once Zach Ertz got injured and his three best statistical performances came at the end of the season with an assortment of quarterbacks throwing him the ball. He caught nearly 75% of passes thrown his way in 2022 and only registered a single drop on 39 targets. There’s a chance that McBride gets the starting nod this season and if the Cardinals decide to role with someone like Colt McCoy with limited arm strength, he’ll get plenty of targets.

Los Angeles Rams – Cobie Durant (Cornerback)

For any young defensive back on the Los Angeles Rams, 2023 is the year you can make a name for yourself. The Rams decided to trade away star corner Jalen Ramsey opening up a space for Cobie Durant to step into. His teammates voted him the Rams’ Rookie of the Year in 2022.  The former South Carolina Gamecock recorded 22 tackles, 5 passes defended, and totaled three interceptions on just 179 coverage snaps. As a fourth-round pick, that’s a great return, and now he’ll have bigger opportunities, Durant is one of the best breakout candidates of the season. 

San Francisco 49ers – Drake Jackson (Defensive End)

Drake Jackson played just over 300 snaps for the San Francisco 49ers last season but chances are he’ll be given more responsibility this year, and there is something in the water in the bay that breeds productive edge players. Jackson only just turned 22, so he’s still extremely young and coming off a productive year where he registered 16 pressures and four sacks. His speed and bend are prototypical of what the 49ers are looking for from their edge players and if he can put together some consistency, he can become one of the more dangerous pass-rushers in football. 

Seattle Seahawks – Charles Cross (Offensive Tackle)

The ninth overall selection in the 2022 draft had a very average season allowing seven sacks and 48 pressures. Over the last few years, the Seattle Seahawks offensive line has been a bit of a mess. There were signs last year that rookies Charles Cross and Lucas could be the bookends of the future. Cross was considered a consistent performer with plenty of strength and the ideal length on the blindside. However, he was only a two-year starter in college, so it’s reasonable to expect some growing pains. Year two should be much smoother.

 

Main Photo Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

David Wyatt-Hupton

David Wyatt-Hupton

David has been a freelance sports writer for nearly 15 years, working with a number of publications including Bleacher Report, SB Nation and a number of independents. He's a fan of Norwich City FC, the Bundesliga and Japanese football, and lives in the United Kingdom with his wife (Katie) and two daughters (Freya & Millie).

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