Since there’s no game this week I’ve been digging around what the situation is for next season. Here’s where things stand position by position, I’m listing guys under contract, ERFAs, RFAs and UFAs from the current roster and IR, but not any of the practice squad guys because they’re a long shot to be part of the final 53 next year.
An ERFA is an exclusive rights free agent that Holmes can bring back if he wants to with no risk of the player signing elsewhere. RFAs are restricted free agents that are almost certain to be back if Holmes wants them back. UFAs are unrestricted free agents that are free to sign anywhere.
QB
Under Contract - Goff, Hooker
UFA - Bridgewater, Sudfeld
I think we’re set here with Goff and Hooker. The only real question is when Goff gets extended and how much he gets, but that’s a question for another thread.
RB
Under Contract - Montgomery, Gibbs
ERFA - Knight
RFA - C Reynolds
UFA - Cabinda
Reynolds will almost certainly be back as a RFA, so this room will look pretty similar next year. Holmes will only be looking for depth guys in the offseason, and might well bring back Cabinda again.
WR
Under Contract - St Brown, Williams, Raymond, Green
UFA - J Reynolds, Peoples-Jones
Reynolds is surely going to be a priority for Holmes to resign and People-Jones has 9 weeks to audition for the WR4/5 spot. If Jamo develops then I can see no major moves here, but if he doesn’t then a big ticket WR could be on the cards in the draft or free agency.
TE
Under Contract - LaPorta, Mitchell
RFA - Wright, Zylstra
Another room that will probably look very similar next year, Wright will surely be back and Zylstra will probably also get an opportunity to earn a roster spot
OT
Under Contract - Decker, Sewell
UFA - Nelson, Skipper
Again, no major moves are likely here. Nelson might be back again or Holmes might look elsewhere for depth.
OG
Under Contract - Sorsdal
ERFA - Awosika
UFA - Jackson, Vaitai, Glasgow
Obviously there are big changes coming for this position, but with Sorsdal and Awosika showing some promise while filling in this season, I wonder if one or both of them might well provide a cheap solution to the need for starting guards next year. Vaitai is surely gone and Jackson hasn’t really been missed while he’s been hurt. Glasgow has to be a priority free agent, he’s been excellent this year and his versatility is hugely valuable.
OC
Under Contract - Ragnow
If Glasgow is re-signed then there’s not much need to do anything here other than make sure there’s someone who can snap the ball on the practice squad.
DE
Under Contract - Hutchinson, Cominsky, Paschal
ERFA - Houston
UFA - J Okwara, R Okwara, C Harris
The top three guys and Houston will be back, so the question is whether Holmes fills out the depth again or goes big in free agency or more likely the draft to get someone to play opposite Hutch.
DT
Under Contract - McNeill, Onwuzurike, Buggs, Martin
RFA - Jones
This group could be the same, but it could be totally different. Levi still has a lot to prove, Buggs seems to have lost the trust of the staff a little, Martin is unknown and Jones is an adequate depth player but no more. Another position where a splash move might be made to give McNeill a high level partner.
LB
Under Contract - Anzalone, Barnes, Campbell, Rodriguez
ERFA - Nowaske
RFA - Pittman
UFA - Reeves-Maybin
This room is also very likely to look the same next year. Pittman will probably be back as a ST specialist, and the only real question mark is whether Reeves-Maybin also returns.
CB
Under Contract - Sutton, Gilmore
ERFA - Lucas
RFA - Jacobs, Dorsey
UFA - Moseley
Jacobs will probably be back, but getting someone to play opposite Sutton is a big priority for the offseason. I doubt that guy will be Moseley, although he will be cheap so I suppose it’s possible they bring him back and sign or draft someone else.
S
Under Contract - Walker, Joseph, Branch, Melifonwu
UFA - Gardner-Johnson, W Harris
Not a huge need at this position, it would be nice to bring CJGJ back, and his price probably won’t be any higher, but Holmes could probably get away with just adding depth if he wanted to spend CJGJ money elsewhere as Walker and Joseph are solid starters.
Special Teams
Under Contract - Fox
ERFA - Patterson
RFA - Daly
UFA - McQuaide
Fipp and Campbell seem very high on Daly so I expect he’ll be back in preference to McQuaide, and Patterson will also be back although there surely will be a competition in camp for that position.
Cap Space - $59.5m
Ballpark Draft Picks - 25, 65, 80, 95, 165, 205, 250
You’ll see $74.6m on OTC, but there’s $15.1m of void year dead cap hits that will also count against next year’s cap, so there isn’t as much space as it seems. Still, that money will go further than it seems like it should as there’s plenty of ways to keep cap hits down while signing or extending players, and $59.5m is still more than 21 other teams. The draft picks are where various sites have our projected picks rounded to the nearest multiple of 5 for simplicity. While it’s not the first round bonanza we’ve gotten used to, it’s conceivable that Holmes can find another three starting caliber players with that haul.
Overall it’s a pretty good situation IMO. The most important players are all under contract and there’s a healthy amount of cap space and picks to replenish and improve the roster. Guard is obviously a big question mark at the moment but right now I’m leaning towards letting Jonah Jackson walk and filling both positions out of Sorsdal, Awosika, Glasgow (assuming he’s back) and a draft pick. Priority moves for me are bringing back J Reynolds, bringing back Glasgow, a CB and some top tier talent on the D-line.
