2025 NFL season: One player to root for from each AFC team

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With NFL training camps set to open next month, Tom Blair and Dan Parr provide a look at 32 players — one from each team — to root for in the upcoming season.

Dan provides his AFC selections below. Click here for Tom’s NFC picks.

I’m with Lamar Jackson on this one. Almost half a year has passed since Andrews’ Divisional Round meltdown, and his two-time MVP teammate is still going to bat for him. Jackson clearly knows how much the tight end has meant to the franchise for close to a decade. Andrews’ fumble and dropped two-point conversion against the Bills are not going to fade from fans’ memories any time soon, but it would be a shame if that cold night in Buffalo ended up being the defining chapter of his Ravens career. I’d like to see the three-time Pro Bowler bounce back in a contract year and prove that his worst day at the office did indeed only make him stronger.

We have run into the well-worn narrative of a running back wanting to get paid and a team being unwilling to budge. It’s hard to argue with Cook’s results, though. He averages 4.9 yards per carry in his career, which leads all players since 2022 (min. 500 carries), and he tied for the league lead with 16 rushing touchdowns in 2024. Playing in an offense led by Josh Allen and bolstered by a strong offensive line undoubtedly helps, but so does Cook’s playmaking ability out of the backfield. Given the position he plays, Cook’s unlikely to see many bites at the contractual apple, so I’m rooting for him to stay healthy and get the lucrative new deal he’s earned.

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