Time to bust out or wear the label

A look at six players still trying to get their pro careers on track

Rookies aren’t the only one with something to prove in NFL training camps and the pre-season.

While players in their first or second year often are trying to earn a spot on their respective teams in August, the time can also be critical for former top picks whose careers haven’t lived up to their draft billing. And as roster cut-down day looms Aug. 31, several notable names will be seeking to build their case for another chance to get their career on track.

Here are some players looking to avoid the dreaded bust label:

Artie Burns, cornerback, Steelers: Benched midway through 2018, Burns has been perhaps the biggest disappointment in an oft-beleaguered Steelers secondary. The No. 25 pick in the 2016 draft said last September he had lost his confidence after “just getting roasted on every play,” and he went the entire year without recording an interception. Pittsburgh didn’t wait for him to rediscover that self-assurance this off-season, instead signing Steven Nelson of the Chiefs to start opposite Joe Haden. The franchise’s decision to pay Burns an $800,000 (U.S.) roster bonus in July signals he’s probably not in jeopardy of being cut, but it’s difficult to see a place for him beyond this year. Vernon Butler, defensive tackle, Panthers: As one of Dave Gettleman’s beloved “hog mollies” and the former Panthers general manager’s penultimate firstround pick with the team, Butler has done little to entrench himself with the current regime in Carolina. The No. 30 overall selection in 2016 has never cracked the starting lineup, accruing just two sacks in three seasons. With the Panthers moving to a 3-4 scheme, Butler will serve as the backup to two-time Pro Bowler Kawann Short and likely be afforded scarce opportunities to raise his value in a contract year. Taco Charlton, defensive end, Cowboys: Jerry Jones surely would love it if Charlton had more occasion to break into his taco-serving celebration, but the No. 28 pick in 2017 lost his starting role last year after suffering a shoulder injury and subsequently drew the ire of defensive co-ordinator Rod Marinelli. Suspensions for fellow defensive ends Robert Quinn (two games) and Randy Gregory (indefinite) have created an opening for Charlton to make significant contributions early on if he can beat out Dorance Armstrong, a fourth-round selection last year. But Charlton puzzled many after the pre-season opener by making cryptic remarks about his future and noting he and his agent “hear a lot of things.” Josh Doctson, wide receiver, Redskins: As a downfield target who’s at his best on jump balls and contested catches, Doctson has long been somewhat of a strange fit for an offence led by typically risk-averse quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Alex Smith. With a new signal-caller at the helm, maybe Doctson can surpass his 2018 totals of 44 receptions and 532 receiving yards, but he’s already acknowledged he believes he’ll be a free agent next year after Washington declined to pick up his option. Joshua Garnett, guard, 49ers: Having played just 59 offensive snaps in the last two years, Garnett can count this season as a win if he’s healthy and on the field. That’s no certainty, though, as the No. 28 pick in 2016 already has been sidelined for the first three weeks of August by surgery on a dislocated finger. Garnett likely will reprise his role as a backup to Mike Person and Laken Tomlinson, which likely means limited reps for boosting his profile as an upcoming free agent. DeVante Parker, wide receiver, Dolphins: A return to South Florida is almost unfathomable given Parker’s outlook last October, when his agent ripped then-Dolphins coach Adam Gase for making the wide receiver a healthy scratch in a loss to the Lions. But after casting off Gase, the team managed to strike a two-year deal to give Parker another chance under Brian Flores’ staff. Still, the No. 14 pick in 2015 has to show he can translate the skills that earn him annual hype in the summers into actual production in the fall.