Ryan Mallet leads 2015’s list of NFL players down to their last chance

Some NFL players make a big impact as rookies, but for many others it takes a couple of years to reach their potential. Injuries can stunt a player’s growth or the speed of the game can be too much early on. For others, they could simply be stuck on the depth chart behind stars.

Aaron Rodgers had to wait for his fourth season in the NFL to get a chance to lead the Green Bay Packers. After sitting behind Brett Favre early in his career, Rodgers has earned two AP MVP awards in his seven seasons as the team’s starter.

When Favre “retired” for the first time in 2008, Rodgers was handed the keys and took advantage of the opportunity with more than 4,000 passing yards and 28 touchdowns with 13 interceptions. It was just a prelude to the numbers he ended up being capable of, but when opportunity was there, Rodgers came up big.

Opportunities can be hard to come by in the NFL. With the average NFL career lasting just 3.3 seasons -- and even less than that for more athletic positions like running back, wide receiver and cornerback -- striking when the stage is set is a must.

Here are a few players who have the pressure on them to have a breakout year in 2015 or else they might not get a better opportunity to do so:

After three years learning behind Tom Brady in New England, the Patriots decided to cash in the value that Mallett had accrued on the bench. It wasn’t a ton of value, but the Houston Texans traded away a conditional sixth-round pick to acquire him a year ago. However, he started just two games for the team before a pectoral injury ended his season.

Mallett finished the year with 400 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, which wasn’t enough to inspire confidence that he’s the future. But it wasn’t enough to convince the Texans to give up on him, either. Instead, Mallett is in a battle with Brian Hoyer for the starting job with the team.

If Mallett doesn’t win the job, it’s not the going to be the end of his career, but it’s difficult to imagine a better opportunity to win a starting job and breakout as a top-flight passer falling into his lap again.

The first pick of the second round in the 2013 NFL Draft, Quick was the highest draft pick ever from Appalachian State thanks to his 6’3, 218-pound frame and elite athleticism to match. The selection came with the knowledge that the St. Louis Rams would have to be patient while Quick adjusted to the jump from the FCS to the NFL.

After 54 receptions for 833 yards in his first three seasons and a contract year on the way in 2015, that patience is wearing thin. Quick’s lack of production in 2014 is forgiven because of a rotator cuff injury that nearly ended his career, but if he hopes to stay with the Rams, or in the NFL much longer, production needs to come now.

The NCAA FBS record holder for touchdowns has just five touchdowns in his first two NFL seasons, but he stands to get a lot more touches in his third season. John Elway said that the running game will be Peyton Manning’s “best friend” as his career winds down.

With Ball battling C.J. Anderson for a starting spot with the Broncos, he will likely get a career-most opportunities to work with in 2015 and he’ll need to make the best of it if he wants to live up to the expectations that came with being a second-round pick.

The top two picks of the 2013 NFL Draft were sold as players who could step in immediately and be long-term stalwarts at left tackle. That hasn’t been the case for either Eric Fisher or Luke Joeckel so far.

While Fisher has 29 starts in two seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs, his play hasn’t been up to the standard expected of a No. 1 pick and he understands that year three is going to be an important one. The Jacksonville Jaguars are also waiting for big things from Luke Joeckel, who missed 11 games as a rookie with a broken ankle. His return in 2014 was less than stellar.

Both players can feel pretty comfortable about their starting spots, so the opportunity to step up will be given. That needs to happen though, or either player could be out of the lineup soon.

The Bengals drafted an Estonian giant with a discus and shot put past knowing that they were taking a project player with high potential. In two seasons he’s only recorded 1.5 sacks, but there have been times where he displayed absurd strength and athleticism, particularly in the 2014 preseason.

That power and athleticism hasn’t translated into regular season production, though. Many expected Hunt to have a breakout year in 2014, but that didn’t happen and now it has to. Another year of Hunt providing nothing to the Bengals but having a first-off-the-bus player could be the end of the team’s patience.

In his final two seasons at Georgia, Jones tallied 28 sacks. In two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he has three. It’s not exactly the pass-rushing prowess the Steelers thought they were adding when the team selected him with the No. 17 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Pass rushers can take time, though, and the Steelers are well aware of that. Jones can take a leaf out of teammate Cameron Heyward’s book. Heyward, a first-round pick who received a big extension in July, totaled just 2.5 sacks in his first two seasons before racking up 12.5 in his next two.