It is early... But i've thought about this a bit. Here is where i sit with the roster.
QB - We are not giving up on Drake even if this year isn't amazing. He has too much upside. I was considering back up QB in the 4th or 5th as a decent idea because we got Tommy D. I think he is the back up here for a while hopefully. I like how he is able to throw accurately enough to protect our skill guys (unlike Dobbs). His completion % is a good indicator of this. So i think this is set for now. Next year I want Dobbs gone, no more hospital balls. Devito is a RFA, so we can easily keep him.
RB - This room is locked down. Larison hopefully comes back, but if he isn't the same we just find another tempting UDFA. I don't want to invest anything. Stevenson is uncuttable in 2026... Gibson is on a good deal. Locked.
TE - I only would look to add someone here if they are a gone changer. I don't think there is likely to anyone like that next year, there is not point adding ANOTHER okay pass catching option, we have a lot of those already. 2025 was the TE draft year. I'm happy to keep Hunter and resign Hooper again. Something they can easily afford and I like the deal for the player. Look for interesting UDFAs though.
CB - I am actually pretty happy here after how things went this year. We will 100% extend Gonzo in 2026 i believe, as long as he is healthy. Austin is a RFA. So we have him. James is a ERFA too. If he turns out to be the player i think he can... we have 4 guys who can play at an NFL level. Which is nice. Do we extend for Marcus Jones? I think it is worth considering for sure. Do we need to? Maybe not. Depends what is in free agency.
DT - Milton, Barmore and Farmer are here. We also will have a lot of interesting guys coming up from the PS. While we are not sure where Farmer will be come year 2, having the top 2 makes it hard to justify spending a top pick on interior guys. Pharms is another guy under contract, but he's up-gradable. He isn't bad, but we can find better options. Tonga is a free agent and the current #3... letting him walk may make sense. I feel like we have enough here that we can be confident about some depth stepping up to fill that spot. Farmer + Ritzie and Olajiga from the PS. They should have options here. I feel like those 2 names on the PS are being under played. The coaches really like them, but they are raw. Ritzie scored a 9.49 RAS His senior year was pretty impressive in NC, but he was kind of a late bloomer. Olajiga apparently played TE early in college and transferred to DL later... he probably had to change his body and learn new techniques,,, i don't know how much he played in high school if any. He is older and so has the benefits of a more developed body, but if he want to the combine he would have crushed it for his size. Dude is am absolutely freak.
Is David Olajiga the strongest player in the NFL the first day of the 2024 season?
So in any case... i want them to either sign Tonga and stand pat, or depending if these guys develop like i hope... stand pat.
So that is 5 spots i don't think they should draft.
S - Assuming Dugger is gone by the start of next year... it is a possibility. Peppers and Woodson are obviously here. Hawkins is a UFA... but i don't see them not signing him if Dugger goes. If someone for some reason decides to massively out bid for him... this could be a spot to draft... Likely not though. If you have and like your top 3... best to leave it alone till late enough in the draft that it isn't a big concern.
This leaves LB (interior or true LB I'd call it.. not 'edge' LB which is really just another word for DE most of the time.). WR, OL and EDGE.
For EDGE I kind of like where we are. If Chaisson has another good year that is 2 in a row, he will cost a bit, but i think they keep and extend him. I don't see him walking after being here 2 years and really reigniting his career here, unless they don't match. So him and Landry make 2. Between Ponder, Swinson and Truman Jones... i think at least one will be in line for pretty damn good year 2. That is our 3 solid 3 man rotation with some depth behind it. Is it amazing? No. It is good enough though. If someone falls in the first... maybe second or is in trade up range in the second... maybe. Otherwise I wouldn't use a pick till later. We have depth here. Jennings, White and our young guys are all under contract. Assuming Chaisson is here, there is no real point adding 'another guy'. You either add a premium guy' or stand pat at the top of the draft. Maybe take a shot on a high upside guy late... but you either take the Stud or the late draft atheletic freak here. Top 40 or 5th round to UDFA. Nothing in between.
LB. While i'd like to add a guy besides Spillane here, if Spillane is healthy, it is questionable how much another true LB moves the needle. It is worth noting while they'd have to eat some cash... Elliss is reasonably cuttable in 2026. However MLB isn't the premium position it use to be. So While i'd like one... it feels like a late 2nd or 3rd makes more sense... since the #2 LB will only be on the field about half the time.
OL is obvious and a lot depends on how things unfold this year. That being said... if Campbell can play LT.. I am okay with Moses at RT... he is older and didn't play much in preseason. But he tends to not miss much time. They also have Bryant who already looks like a capable back up... maybe turning into a starter at some point. It is worth noting OTs who have been relatively healthy playing till they are 36 or 37 at a pretty good level isn't rare. It has been going on fairly regularly for the good ones who don't much injury history like Moses. So depending... OT might be okay for 2026.... They need to get at least 1 and maybe 2 OL men though. Onwenu could potentially be replaced, but they may decide to keep him one more year and just ride out his contract... extending him may just put you in another bad spot. The question is do you go OL first again, particularly if it is an interior guy... The answer... maybe... or maybe trade down and get 2 IOL from that single pick.
WR... a lot depends on Diggs Chism and Williams. I think Douglas, Boutte and Hollins are what they are... decent depth players. Douglas gave me hope he may be able to be a low end #2... But i don't think so anymore. So a lot depends on how Diggs looks... can he give you one more year? Do Chism and Williams have enough talent to be difference makers by 2026? Who knows. In any case, they should upgrade Hollins. This like EDGE is a spot they need a great player... not a good one. Another potentially #3 solid option does you no good. You want a difference maker or just hope Diggs can get right and do it one more year and Williams and Chism can be those guys. However unlike EDGE you don't have the tops guys assured here. So you can be a bit more free to pick a guy who may just be a really good starter than elite only.
So with all that said.. here is how i attack the draft.
1st round - elite DE or elite WR... otherwise trade down for a lower 1st and 3rd... use lower 1st on OL.
2nd round - OL if you picked in 1st without a trade down. If you picked OL before.. Now you go WR who you believe can at least be a really good #2 or you go LB (EDGE is probably out at this point till it is lottery time... but if someone falls for some reason... consider it, however ask yourself how much the upgrade really moves the needle.
3rd round - LB here still makes sense... OL does too. I'm fine going back to back on it in the 2nd and 3rd. WR in the 3rd is likely a no. Safety is needed could also be here. If you have a second 3rd round pick due to a trade down... OL and LB for sure here i think.
4th round - OL here if you went LB in the 3rd... if you went LB OL here then.
4th round (KC's)- at this point BPA or trade.
