The more I watch this 2026 Roster, the more I think our biggest difference over 2025 is depth.
Better depth almost across the board. You can never have enough quality depth players.
-We inject 3 draft picks into OL from 2024,2025,2026 and thus have a fierce battle for what I’d call OL spots #7-9. RD7 Williams, RD5 Burton and RD6 Glover all back into the room, there’s likely only 1 or 2 that make this Roster. I put our starting 5 + Kinnard as our more obvious 6th OL. THAT = likely 3 spots left. Plus we have Jennings, Monk, Barnhart, Cooper, Barrett, Banks (Brant) and Gesky. That 10 guys fighting for what’s likely 3 spots on the Roster (if we keep our typical 9 spots). Although I could see 2 OL signed to Practice Squad also, but we’re likely talking several recent draft picks not making our Roster.
I really like what we did at CB. By tripling down at CB we went from a weaker depth to strong depth DB room. St Juste, Cisse and Domani all adds since last season.
Our DL depth is much better with the additions of Hargrave and McClellan and we brought Ford back in also. There’s going to be a fierce battle at iDL past Hargrave and Wyatt.
RB has the capacity to be similar or better. But there’s a very real chance Lloyd is our #2. If he’s Healthy our floor is 2025 like but with better upside.
WR depth is Savion and Moore at WR5-6 and a battle between several other players for that last WR spot. While Moore was a disappointment for his RD2 draft stock, He is still an adequate Slot player in an emergency scenario can hold down that role if needed. Plus he’s not a Rookie.
Edge is similar to better depth. With way more competition added at the bottom in RD5 Oliver returning off IR and RD4 DDS in the draft. Sorrell or Cox Jr being primary backups.
TE remain about the same with minor concerns. Matter of fact the only 2 positions I’m even remotely concerned is at TE or RB, but that should come into focus better in the next month or so.
Cut down day is going to be a hard one this year.
I feel good about the TEs with Whyle and Musgrave. Besides the injury factors, that’s 3 really good TEs. Not sure a 4th is needed. If we want a blocking for depth, we should just keep an extra OT.
Jacobs, and Brooks hold the fort in my mind. Lloyd is the wild card. Maybe he doesn’t do anything. I’m holding my expectations somewhere around zero so anything he brings is bonus. But if I was being optimistic? Jacobs being pushed by Lloyd could give us one of those violent, RB duos that both Detroit and Chicago have both had the last couple years. Those two duos run like their lives depend on it, every down. And when one isn’t in there ripping 5 yards out of our DT space. It’s the other one.
I think Jacobs a blue chip stud, being pushed by a healthy, hungry, future starter(?) like Lloyd. That’s the recipe for both of them raising the bar on each other. GB getting their violent duo RBs like our rivals.
My concern is Oline. Last year I was supremely optimistic thinking we were coming into 2025 with a top tier Oline. Jenkins, our new stud LG Banks, RT Tom getting recognition. All making $20+ mil a year. Couple making $24m
They better be good. Well they all took turns getting hurt g hurt and we needed all that rookie contract depth to limp through the end of the year. Optimism squashed.
Now I see a unproven Morgan at the most important position on the line at LT. we have Banks coming off like a 4 injury season. He roughed it out but was not the stud we hired. Can he rebound? Rhyan at center and Belton at RT looked good together at times. And they looked like pure doody at other times. Usually a result of more injuries and no stability on the moving parts around them. And Tom who just graduated to top tier, needing to prove he can still play at that top tier level, post injury.
If any of those what ifs blow up in our face, GB is going to be dipping into their depth before they even get started. Again.
Now an optimistic me would say we have our 1st round pick at LT where he belongs. Our all pro LG and RT back in the line up healthy. And the young bruising interior C/RG duo getting an opportunity to play with 3 corner stones around them, instead of a merry go round of depth guys… if all 5 stay healthy, they could be a very dominant force. Which makes GB a very dominant force.
