NFL stars under pressure: Which players have the most to prove this season?

The pressure is on several big-name NFL players as they enter a season that will go a long way toward determining their playing futures — and possibly that of their teams.

New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields is getting another chance as a starter on his third team in five years, this time looking to help end the league's longest active playoff drought at 14 seasons.

Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence got a huge payday before last season — a five-year, $275 million contract extension, including $142 million guaranteed — but struggled with injury and inconsistency as the Jaguars missed the postseason.

Young quarterbacks such as Minnesota's J.J. McCarthy, Indianapolis' Anthony Richardson, Chicago's Caleb Williams and Carolina's Bryce Young also are in the spotlight. But it's not only the signal-callers.

Buffalo running back James Cook, San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey, Dallas wide receiver George Pickens, Atlanta tight end Kyle Pitts and New England defensive lineman Milton Williams are among a handful of NFL stars with something to prove because of injuries, mediocre play or needing to justify big contracts.

The star running back ended his contract standoff last Wednesday by signing a four-year deal that will pay him $48 million — including $30 million in guaranteed money. Cook tied for the NFL lead with 16 touchdown runs last season, a breakout year for the 2022 second-rounder out of Georgia. He now must live up to that lofty contract while helping Josh Allen make Buffalo's offense roll.

Fields was a first-rounder in 2021 by Chicago, which hoped he was the Bears' franchise quarterback. He was gone after just three seasons, sent to Pittsburgh — where he went 4-2 for an injured Russell Wilson before heading to the bench for the veteran. He now is replacing Aaron Rodgers with the Jets, who signed him to a two-year, $40 million deal, installed him as their starter and believe his dual-threat playmaking ability is a perfect fit for their new-look offense.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft went to the Pro Bowl as an alternate in his second season with a breakout year, but he hasn't been able to match that success. Lawrence played in only 10 games last season because of a shoulder injury and then a concussion. He is playing for a new coach in Liam Coen and is still considered a potential franchise quarterback. Two-way rookie sensation Travis Hunter should help, but Lawrence's health and consistency are the key to the Jaguars' success on offense.

The 2023 AP Offensive Player of the Year has proven himself before, bouncing back from injuries to become a dominant playmaker. McCaffrey will need to do it again for the 49ers, and this time is coming off a season marred by knee and Achilles tendon issues. And, he's 29, an age when many running backs start to decline. McCaffrey has looked like himself during the summer and another rebound season could help the 49ers get back to the playoffs.

The 10th overall pick in last year's draft very well could've been Minnesota's starter as a rookie if not for a knee injury in the preseason opener that sidelined him the rest of the season. Sam Darnold stepped in and had the best year of his career. But the Vikings decided to not re-sign Darnold, who signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with Seattle. Minnesota has turned its offense over to McCarthy, who needs to reward their faith in him by being a capable leader for a playoff-ready team.

In May, Dallas acquired the 2022 second-round pick from Pittsburgh to be its No. 2 receiver and complement CeeDee Lamb as Dak Prescott's primary options in the passing game. Pickens was a playmaker for the Steelers, but not enough — with just one season of 60 or more catches and 1,000 yards receiving, both in 2023. His frustration over a lack of targets, penalties and sideline outbursts also helped make his stay in Pittsburgh short.

Pitts came to Atlanta as the highest-selected tight end in NFL draft history at No. 4 overall. His mix of speed, size and physicality had the Falcons daydreaming of mismatches all over the field. Instead, Pitts has failed to be that consistently dominant force. He has topped 60 catches and 1,000 yards receiving just once, both in his first season. Pitts is in the final year of his rookie contract.

No longer just a feel-good NFL story after he was “Mr. Irrelevant” as the final pick in the 2022 draft, Purdy already has played in a Super Bowl. Some critics have attributed Purdy's success to him simply being a product of coach Kyle Shanahan's offense. The 49ers see him as much more, though, and rewarded him with a five-year $265 million contract extension in May. After his numbers dropped a bit in 2024, getting McCaffrey and eventually wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk back from injuries should help Purdy.

Richardson has been an enigma on the field since being selected fourth overall in 2023. He played in only four games as a rookie because of a sprained shoulder and started just 11 last season while finishing with an NFL-worst 47.7% completion rate. Richardson missed four games with injuries and also was benched for two in favor of Joe Flacco in the middle of the season after asking out of a game because of fatigue. Richardson now will have to overcome yet another setback: He'll start this season as a backup after coach Shane Steichen declared Daniel Jones his starter.

The pass rusher's name came up in trade rumors during the offseason, particularly after the Giants drafted Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter with the third overall pick. New York insisted it wanted to keep Thibodeaux — the Giants picked up his fifth-year contract option — to complement a solid pass rush rotation. Thibodeaux, a first-rounder in 2022, is coming off a season with just 5 1/2 sacks but insists his goal entering every year is to set the single-season record.

The first overall pick last year is entering only his second NFL season, but all eyes have been on him in Chicago with new coach Ben Johnson taking over. Williams put up solid numbers as a rookie with 3,541 yards passing, 20 TDs and only six interceptions. But he took way too many sacks — a league-high 68. Some of the blame was on the offensive line, which has been upgraded, but Williams also routinely held the ball too long.

Williams was a third-round pick by Philadelphia in 2021 and worked his way into being a force for the Eagles on their vaunted D-line. After Fletcher Cox retired following the 2023 season, Williams saw increased snaps and capped a breakout year by taking down Patrick Mahomes twice — including a strip-sack and fumble recovery in the Super Bowl win over Kansas City. He signed a four-year, $104 million contract with New England in the offseason, making his annual salary the highest ever for a Patriots player.

The No. 1 overall pick in 2023 had the expected up-and-down struggles of a rookie QB but was benched last season in favor of Andy Dalton after just two games. Young regained the starting role after five games when Dalton went down with an injury and finished on a positive note with seven TD passes and no INTs with three rushing scores in his final three games, including two overtime wins. He needs to build on that to erase any doubt the Panthers have about their long-term plans at quarterback.

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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams throws a pass in the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey tosses the ball during a joint NFL football training camp with the Denver Broncos, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Buffalo Bills' James Cook stands on the sidelines during the second half of an NFL preseason football game against the New York Giants Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young looks to pass against the Houston Texans during the first half of an NFL preseason football game on Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence throws a pass against the New Orleans Saints in the first half of an NFL preseason football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields (7) looks to pass against the New York Giants during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. forces in the Caribbean Sea have seized another sanctioned oil tanker that the Trump administration says has ties to Venezuela, part of a broader U.S. effort to take control of the South American country’s oil.

The U.S. Coast Guard boarded the tanker, named Veronica, early Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on social media. The ship had previously passed through Venezuelan waters and was operating in defiance of President Donald Trump’s "established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean,” she said.

U.S. Southern Command said Marines and sailors launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to take part in the operation alongside a Coast Guard tactical team, which Noem said conducted the boarding as in previous raids. The military said the ship was seized “without incident.”

Several U.S. government social media accounts posted brief videos that appeared to show various parts of the ship’s capture. Black-and-white footage showed at least four helicopters approaching the ship before hovering over the deck while armed troops dropped down by rope. At least nine people could be seen on the deck of the ship.

The Veronica is the sixth sanctioned tanker seized by U.S. forces as part of the effort by Trump’s administration to control the production, refining and global distribution of Venezuela’s oil products and the fourth since the U.S. ouster of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid almost two weeks ago.

The Veronica last transmitted its location on Jan. 3 as being at anchor off the coast of Aruba, just north of Venezuela’s main oil terminal. According to the data it transmitted at the time, the ship was partially filled with crude.

Days later, the Veronica became one of at least 16 tankers that left the Venezuelan coast in contravention of the quarantine that U.S. forces have set up to block sanctioned ships, according to Samir Madani, the co-founder of TankerTrackers.com. He said his organization used satellite imagery and surface-level photos to document the ship movements.

The ship is currently listed as flying the flag of Guyana and is considered part of the shadow fleet that moves cargoes of oil in violation of U.S. sanctions.

According to its registration data, the ship also has been known as the Gallileo, owned and managed by a company in Russia. In addition, a tanker with the same registration number previously sailed under the name Pegas and was sanctioned by the Treasury Department for being associated with a Russian company moving cargoes of illicit oil.

As with prior posts about such raids, Noem and the military framed the seizure as part of an effort to enforce the law. Noem argued that the multiple captures show that “there is no outrunning or escaping American justice.”

Speaking to reporters at the White House later Thursday, Noem declined to say how many sanctioned oil tankers the U.S. is tracking or whether the government is keeping tabs on freighters beyond the Caribbean Sea.

“I can’t speak to the specifics of the operation, although we are watching the entire shadow fleet and how they’re moving,” she told reporters.

But other officials in Trump's Republican administration have made clear they see the actions as a way to generate cash as they seek to rebuild Venezuela’s battered oil industry and restore its economy.

Trump met with executives from oil companies last week to discuss his goal of investing $100 billion in Venezuela to repair and upgrade its oil production and distribution. His administration has said it expects to sell at least 30 million to 50 million barrels of sanctioned Venezuelan oil.

Associated Press writer Ben Finley contributed to this report.

This story has been corrected to show the Veronica is the fourth, not the third, tanker seized by U.S. forces since Maduro’s capture and the ship also has been known as the Gallileo, not the Galileo.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a press conference, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks at a news conference at Harry Reid International Airport, Nov. 22, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill, File)