NFL 2017: 10 players with the most to prove

6. Alex Smith

There was a sour taste in the mouth of Chiefs fans when the season ended. Now, Chiefs fans are not so silent about what they want for a quarterback heading into 2017 and beyond. While Smith seems to be the guy for the Chiefs heading into training camp and OTA’s, you can make the case that some depth at the position would be nice.

While having Nick Foles in a backup role seems like a great plan, you need a long-term solution just in case Smith struggles in 2017.

If the Chiefs do pick up a quarterback, then Smith goes under the microscope and will have flashbacks to his time in San Francisco where he had to worry about Colin Kaepernick. Smith will have Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill at his disposal so things won’t be too bad. For him, it’s all about the execution of the gameplan. If that goes wrong then he may be looking over his shoulder come this fall.

5. Tony Romo

So, let’s say that Romo will no longer be a member of the Cowboys. Some team will pick him up, he’s got the credentials to boost any team’s roster. Whether he goes to Denver, New York, Cleveland, San Francisco or an unnamed team he will look to be the team’s day one starter. Now once he gets there, he’ll be a major part of that team’s success in 2017.

Health is another issue for Romo as the last few seasons have seen him on the sidelines with very limited playing time. So even if a Cleveland or Denver wants Romo, he may be damaged goods and would only give you two maybe three years at the most. Regardless of where Romo is in 2017, he will be a quarterback to keep an eye on.