Why not 7 WR's on the opening day roster?

[Hugepatsfan]

"Why not 7 WRs"

Simple answer would be that depth might be more needed at another spot than a 7th or even a 6th WR. You can't just look at any one position in a vacuum.

Feels like Brown/Doubs/Boutte are far and away their top 3. If no one pays a real price worth moving Boutte for then they should keep him even if he's not in their long term plans. To keep all of KWilliams/Douglas/Hollins/Chism behind that trio feels like overkill. Chism seems like someone who can be brought back on the practice squad anyway. And if he gets claimed I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but that's just my opinion - I don't think he's a serious NFL receiver.

I think it's easier to keep 6 WRs if they run with just Henry and Raridon at TE. Hollins could be your pseudo third TE with a guy like Dippre and/or Arkin on the practice squad and getting gameday elevations sometimes.

IMO the cost-benefit analysis of potential trade returns will mean Boutte stays. Chism won't make the 53-man roster and will be signed to the practice squad. KWilliams, Hollins, Douglas will be 3 guys fighting for 2 spots and KWilliams would have to be a mind-numbing failure to not earn one of them. So really it will be Hollins/Douglas fighting for 1 spot with the potential both stay if a 3rd TE doesn't make the team.

 

[Ring 6]

This has been the way of the NFL for a few years. Last year practice squad players backed up for teams in about 80% of the games across the NFL. Meanwhile developmental players holding the last roster spot like Caedan Wallace barely dress.

In fact I can only remember losing one player off our practice squad in 2025.

Adjust those rabbit ears and maybe what's going on in the league will come in clearer.

That is simply not true. You are just making it up.
Teams do not put players they want active on the practice squad and elevate them.
They elevate for injuries.

Explain this. Why would you put a player you want on the practice squad, which makes him a free agent? You can only elevate a few times (3 I think).
It make absolutely no sense to do what you are talking about.

 

[mgteich]

Folks seem to be focusing on the last roster spot. That seems wrong since the likelihood is that only 50 of today's roster will on the Game One roster. And besides, the end of the roster players play very little.

But let's play. There's plenty of room for 6 WR's AND a FB AND 3 TE's. I think that there is even room for another player on Offense, perhaps a 10th OL or a 3rd QB.

2 QB
3 RB
1 FB
6 WR
3 TE
5 IOL
4 OT
24 total

There is competition at RB3, WR5, WR6, TE3, IOL5, and OT4. I think that this pretty good for the 2nd year of Vrabel.