The construction of rosters has become an essential part of coverage and has reached the point that the majority of fans do not know the fundamental structure of contracts. The same is true for play-calling and scheme. These areas are key to creating a franchise which can be played through every phase of the game.
If you're not interested in having to cover the quarterback Then I don't see why you should ignore Derrick Henry. There was even a leak in March that suggested Henry might be the cover's athlete. While it remains unknown whether or not he'll appear on this year's cover, Henry is certainly deserving of the honor. At times, the huge-bodied running back appears like something out of an action movie as he is able to run over opponents frequently on a daily basis. Henry has led the NFL in rushing two consecutive seasons. He also surpassed all skill position players in 2020 by having the most years from scrimmage (2,141). Madden NFL covers are not an option if you've 126.7 yards per game.
Although some may be offended by the idea that a defensive player could find his way to the Madden NFL cover, it isn't unprecedented at all. Richard Sherman was the last defensive player who was the cover player for the team in and prior to that, we had the likes of Troy Polamalu (shared with Larry Fitzgerald, Madden NFL 10) and Ray Lewis (Madden NFL 2005) join the cover as well. Donald is the most dominant player on the cover side of the ball, being a member of four straight seasons in the 99 Club. With that in mind there aren't many other options to rise within the game, apart from finally breaking onto the field.