Elijah Moore, NFL Players Primed for Breakout Seasons on New Teams in 2023

With the fifth installment of the Indiana Jones franchise, the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, set to premiere later this month, it's easy to forget that director Steven Spielberg originally cast Tom Selleck as the adventurous professor of archeology. His agreement to also play the starring role in Magnum P.I. prevented that from happening. Harrison Ford took the reins and an iconic film franchise emerged.

History can be made with the right person in the right place at the right time.

The same applies to the NFL, where the situation in which a player is placed is vital to whether he succeeds or fails. Sometimes, opportunities arise elsewhere beyond an individual's first, second or even third stops.

A handful of players across the board are now stepping into better setups for their particular skill sets as minicamps ensue. They can be more than contributors. Each presents the potential to blossom into breakout performers and pillars of their respective rosters.

They just need to avoid the boulder that often comes with each year's roster crunch and earn their golden idol.

The Philadelphia Eagles already claimed the league's best rushing attack, and the offensive scheme could be more diversified with D'Andre Swift now in the backfield.

"You saw the explosiveness when we played them," general manager Howie Roseman said, per ESPN's Tim McManus. "He had a heck of a game. Every time he touched the ball you knew there was a chance he could take it the distance."

When the Eagles played Detroit Lions in Week 1, Swift gained 144 yards. The back also caught three passes for 31 yards.

The latter note is important, because the Eagles "are really excited" about Swift's acquisition since he's expected to make life easier on quarterback Jalen Hurts as a check-down option, according to Jeremy Fowler.

Swift averaged 52 receptions through his first three seasons. That skill set has been missing from the team's approach during the same time frame, with Miles Sanders last catching 50 balls in 2019.

The concern is whether Swift can handle a full NFL season since he's dealt with nagging injuries. A healthy version will thrive behind the league's best offensive line and playing next to Hurts.

The Cleveland Browns placed a couple of restrictor plates on last year's offense that didn't allow the unit to open up full throttle.

Quarterback provided a natural limitation with Jacoby Brissett primarily behind center, then Deshaun Watson coming back from a long layoff and 11-game suspension.

Beyond the obvious, the Browns lacked explosivity at wide receiver beyond Amari Cooper.

Donovan Peoples-Jones turned into a solid second option. But the group lacked anyone beyond Cooper to create instant separation or provide enough juice to consistently threaten opposing defenses.

As a result, general manager Andrew Berry traded a second-round pick for Elijah Moore, signed veteran speedster Marquise Goodwin and drafted Cedric Tillman with the team's top pick (74th overall).

Moore can shake defenders off the line of scrimmage and create in short areas. The third-year veteran also brings 4.35-second 40-yard-dash speed to the table.

"(Moore) has great flexibility; inside and outside flexibility," offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt told reporters. "He can run individual routes outside and win out there. He can come into the slot and has the twitch to win in the slot as well. He has excellent hands and a good feel for the game."

As part of the Jalen Ramsey trade, the Los Angeles Rams received a third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long from the Miami Dolphins. Long's inclusion shouldn't be overlooked, because he can play a big part of in Sean McVay's offensive scheme.

After being a third-round pick in 2021, the 6'5", 254-pound Long primarily served as an in-line blocker for the Dolphins. But he left the collegiate ranks as an accomplished receiver, with first-team all-conference credentials.

"I was definitely in more of a blocking role this year, but that was not because I can't run routes and catch the ball, you know?" Long said, per Stu Jackson of the Rams' official site. "I'm as team-guy as they come, and whatever the team needs to do to win games and help the team be successful, I'm gonna do and do to the best of my ability. So that's all I was asked to do, and I tried to excel at that, but that's obviously not my whole game."

Tight end Tyler Higbee led the Rams in targets last season, though Cooper Kupp's ankle injury certainly played its part. A healthy Kupp will return as Matthew Stafford's top target, but 12 personnel packages with Higbee and Long on the field at the same time might become the new norm.

The Tennessee Titans saw enough in Andre Dillard to sign him to a three-year, $29 million free-agent contract despite only nine career starts.

"Andre Dillard is a player that we feel like his best football is in front of him with a new opportunity," Vrabel told reporters at the NFL's owner meetings. "Very skilled pass protector, which is something that we have to improve on. We have to be able to protect our quarterback."

Dillard entered the professional ranks as the 22nd overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft. But the Philadelphia Eagles already had Jason Peters in place, then Jordan Mailata developed into a standout left tackle. Dillard became the odd man out in the City of Brotherly Love.

However, he did leave the collegiate level with ample experience in pass protection. In fact, his pass-blocking grade led all offensive tackles in his draft class, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Titans also drafted Peter Skoronski with this year's 11th overall pick. Skoronski played left tackle in college, though he may move inside to guard full-time to give the Titans a revamped left side of the offensive line.

The Arizona Cardinals began to rework an aging offensive line this offseason with the free-agent signing of Hjalte Froholdt and the selection of Paris Johnson Jr. with this year's sixth overall draft pick.

Obviously, Johnson is the headliner because of his draft status. However, Froholdt's addition is vital as the team's new starting center.

"It's important to be plug-and-play and not let those standards fall too much," the four-year veteran said, per Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site. "I take a lot of pride in knowing all my assignments. I take a lot of pride in that."

The 26-year-old Denmark native is now on his fourth squad going into his fourth season. Originally, the New England Patriots selected Froholdt in the fourth round of the 2019 draft. But he needed development and never found a home at one specific position.

His role in the desert will be defined as the one calling blocking assignments and snapping to quarterback Kyler Murray. Furthermore, his two seasons with the Cleveland Browns should prove invaluable since the Cardinals' new offensive coordinator, Drew Petzig, previously served as an assistant on the Browns' coaching staff.

Oftentimes, a player's true worth to his team can be determined by the response he receives from his teammates.

For example, Khalen Saunders left the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason after four seasons. He signed a free-agent deal to join the New Orleans Saints. Former teammates immediately took to social media to congratulate the defensive tackle.

The 6'0", 324-pound nose tackle primarily played as a run defender during the first phase of his career, but he adds upfield explosivity to the Saints' defensive front.

"The big guy can move," fellow defensive tackle Chris Jones told reporters last season. "It's all what we expected of Khalen. He's been available for us in critical situations. His growth has been impeccable. His biggest thing was staying injury free."

The Saints had to rebuild their defensive interior this offseason and signed Saunders and Nathan Shepherd before drafting Bryan Bresee in this year's first round. Shepherd and Bresee bring similar skill sets better suited to 3-technique. Saunders is the team's top option over center and he should be strong at the point of attack with upside as an interior pass-rusher.

The Indianapolis Colts attempted to bolster their pass rush a year ago by trading for Yannick Ngakoue. While the veteran edge-defender led the team with 9.5 sacks, he struggled to function properly as an every-down option.

As a result, the Colts didn't re-sign Ngakoue and he remains a free agent.

Instead, the organization agreed to terms with Samson Ebukam shortly after the start of the new league year to serve as the defensive unit's Leo in Gus Bradley's defensive scheme.

Ebukam started numerous games and provided consistent production with 18.5 sacks over the last four seasons. However, his inclusion to the Colts' lineup should unleash him to a degree. He'll now benefit from a wide alignment and DeForest Buckner working along the defensive interior.

Granted, the San Francisco 49ers feature Nick Bosa. But Ebukam still faced a double-team rate well above average, according to NFL Next Gen Stats (h/t ESPN's Seth Walder).

The 28-year-old veteran's relentless style, plus consistency against the run, should serve as a significant upgrade over Ngakoue and complete a Colts front alongside Buckner, Grover Stewart, Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo.

Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen summed up his feelings about cornerback Jeff Okudah rather succinctly when he stated, "I think a change of scenery sometimes is good for players and I think it's been good for Jeff."

The Detroit Lions chose Okudah with the third overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. Soft-tissue injuries derailed the defensive back's rookie season. Okudah suffered a torn Achilles tendon at the start of his sophomore campaign. He finally got onto the field at a full-time basis last season and proved to be inconsistent.

The Falcons took a chance on Okudah's untapped potential by trading a fifth-round pick to acquire the corner

Unlike in Detroit, expectations aren't sky high. Okudah doesn't need to be the team's No. 1 corner. He can play opposite AJ Terrell and grow into his role as part of the Falcons' defense.

From a pure talent perspective, Atlanta's entire secondary should grow together and form a strong unit with Terrell, Okudah, Mike Hughes, Richie Grant and Jessie Bates III. The 24-year-old Okudah can get back to what he was at Ohio State without the same amount of pressure on him specifically.

The Cincinnati Bengals knew a significant transition at safety was set to occur this offseason, with Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell ready to test free agency. Unsurprisingly, both signed elsewhere.

But the Bengals prepared for the moment, starting with last year's draft class that featured the selection of first-round defensive back Daxton Hill and fifth-round addition of Tycen Anderson. Cincinnati didn't stop there, because Nick Scott signed as a free agent this year and the Bengals also drafted Alabama's Brian Branch in the third round.

Among those mentioned, Scott is the most experienced, though he's started only one season. The 28-year-old defender is coming off a career year with 86 total tackles. He's an important addition as a run defender.

Hill and Branch present significant flexibility in how they play the position. Coming out of the collegiate ranks, both could be viewed as more valuable based on their slot coverage. Scott, meanwhile, can fill the void of a more physical presence left by Bell, who finished second on the team last season with 53 solo tackles and third with 77 total tackles.