Or, maybe the snap counts change
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No NFL 300lb+ NT is playing over 60-65% of snaps.
Top of the line, All pros rarely hit 70%
So you still need someone for that 30%.
God forbid injury insurance too
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My overall point isā¦ everyone wants these pristine rosters with no holes and all needs filled and thatās just not possible. Oh, itās possible to get close in May, but whatās that saying about God and best laid plans?
As soon as you do Rakestraw throws out his shoulder. Man I wish we had more CB depth. Oh shit, Ragnow retired? We should have had more OL depth. What do you mean Leviās out for the year, I knew we should have added more 3Ts!!
Or, maybe your starting QB gets busted for gambling.
Needs are just so specific to a window of time that they end up meaning very little long-term, they just change so frequently. Todayās need is not tomorrowās, no team or fan base thinks a roster is strong enough everywhere.
Why even everyoneās favorite GM said as much:
https://x.com/i/status/2048369596390895985
Now, why would he say that, I wonder?
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To Howieās credit he backs that up by making trades to fill positions of need. Not always successfully though.
Our 2024 roster was pretty damn good as well. That roster felt pretty good at this time of year too. If it wasnāt for injuries the sky wouldāve been the limit that season. That draft was awful though. This year we have a good roster, and weāve had a good draft.
Also, for as important as our run game is to us, our RB room is the weak link on offense.
Itās Gibbs and 2 guys with recent injury history, one of whom is almost a complete unknown. I know we needed to get rid of Monty and it was right for all sides but Iām hoping for a late addition in FA or a camp cut or something to help shore up that room as weāre one Gibbs injury from having a massive weakness there.
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Itās hard not to drink the kool aid. My biggest question marks are DT and CB. Oline while it looks good on paper is still unproven and always takes time to gel.
Iām excited to see some of the young guys step up: TeSlaa, Vaki, Arnold, Ratledge, Mahogany, TyLeik, etc.
The reason Iām excited is behind every young guy is a solid veteran. Smart.
Perfect? Nope. But really solid.
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As pointed out on sports radio, many holes addressed by a draft pick and a free agent. It is a pretty good approach. I am liking this roster, but I would still love to see a Jordan or Clowney come in for a SB run. Obviously, I am a greedy bastard.
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Looking to see Nick Whiteside in year 2. He showed some game when he was on the field.
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I think weāre going to miss Anzaloneās leadership on defense, but also think Jack is ready to step up. Kirby and Branch are big question marks, i feel whatever the team gets from them this year will be a bonus. And we dont know the final outcome of Arnoldās involvement with the law. But Holmes went to work this off season and I agree with the assessments of the roster. Finally an edge rusher opposite Hutch. Iām also intrigued to see the results of Dan Cambellās deep dive film analysis of what was and wasnāt working last season on defense. Im expecting a much improved defense. Even without AA, BB and Kirby. Look out if we get the latter two back.
Iāve been thinking about the Rolder pick, in the context of our free agent signings, after AAs departure.
Iām now of the opinion that we ran so much base last year not because we loved the scheme so much as we loved keeping AA on the field. The 4-3 base was driven by personnel, not philosophy. I think itās a good thing. Shape the scheme according to your players, not the other way around.
So they were never trying to replace AAs role. Just getting players that fit the teamās ethos. Same for DE ā they liked the ācrush the canā concept because they had Davenport, not the other way around.
Perhaps they strayed in 2025. I think thatās part of what Dan was alluding to when he said they have to get back to how they were before.
We also know that Brad drafts for the future. I think Rolder is a hedge against Barnes not working out for 2027, as well as being a multi-phase ST guy. In that light, I like the pick a lot more than I did on Saturday.
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I hope youāre right, but I didnāt really get the impression Rolder was a SAM, at least not in the way we use them. Doesnāt have the pass-rush juice for it (in fairness Barnes didnāt last year either, but he has in the past and at least came into the league as much edge as LB).
Eh - Paschal, Davenport, ZāDarius, and Wonnum are all the same kind of player. Edge-set, run-responsible first - pass rush secondary. If it was just one, sure. But not basically every starting DE opposite Hutch going into a season basically since the beginning.
I am not so sure that I fully embrace your opinion here. But I have warmed up to this pick as well. I love that this guy tackles whatever he gets his hands on. It seems so basic, but sometimes it really is the simple things. This whole draft class is growing on me because of the fundamentals. It is hard to get excited about guys that block, tackle, runā¦ but this draft class really seems to be a bunch of football players. Under normal circumstances, āviolent handsā would not be a sexy description. But for our new DT, it makes me think there is something there.
Obviously not all of these guys are going to make it. But I feel this class has a better chance than the last couple because the projects just donāt seem to be here in this class. I honestly think we are in for a fun camp this year with a bunch of guys that love what they are doing.
As for the schemes, I just hope we play to our strengths and stay healthy.
This is how I see it. 44 roster locks and then 18 bubble players in brackets fighting it out for the last 9 roster slots. Everyone else thatās signed is just a camp body.
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I agree with your list other than
Law is definitely Lock
Dorsey is bubble - Abney - Lock
Theres room enough on the roster for those 2. And draft picks will get the nod over a UDFA or a PS signing.
Dorsey didnt make the cut before. So definitely not a guarantee this year.
So 45/53 (and with branch and possibly kerby on PUP) thats 43/53 so 10 spots
With the current surplus of DBs and no real WLB, I have a feeling theyāre planning on running a LOT more 4-2-5 and 5-2-4 this coming season.
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I feel like we will see a LOT of Thomas Harper (Kerby-role), Maddox (Branch role) and Christian Izien (Anzalone role) early.
Will we be exposed to heavy sets? Not if Hutch and Co. do their jobs. Not if DTs show up. Jack Campbell will help there too.
We should cover better but yes, vulnerable against the run.
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Dorsey got given a two year contract last offseason and is a special teams āaceā. Heās making the roster if heās healthy. Thereās always two DBs and two LBs who primarily make the roster for special teams ability.
You might be right about Law, but I tried to make my locks guys who are definitely making the roster, and Law will have to earn it because heās in a competition with Lovett.
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Law can be the āDBā special teamer.
He played that roll a bunch all 4 years in college.
Sure dorsey signed a 2 year deal. But that 2nd year wasnt guaranteed (well 100k) thats nothing.
Between whiteside, strickland, Harper, C. Chuck, the UDFAs. Plenty of competition for CB4/5 and a special teamer.
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