The Roster Upcoming

[Harry]

This next year pretty much feels like a redshirt year to me. Consider

We are going to have a first year, first time head coach (again) and most likely a coaching staff lacking experience as well. We can hope they'll be good but reality says they will make mistakes

We will be missing two of the starters on defense we were hoping to depend on. If true about Nolan, he is out for most of the year and don't forget Williams had the achilles so he is prob out as well. Not sure what will happen with Calais but even if he comes back it would only be a part time role.

The right side of the oline needs to be rebuilt.

The QB situation is muddled at best. I would be surprised if Kyler could fetch anything in trade and I think the well is so poisoned now you can't bring him back. Cutting him is not impossible but it limits what you can do to upgrade the roster elsewhere.

There is no guarantee Connor will return to form or even be ready for camp so you'll have to cut him and Benson is unknown.

There are no marquee players in this years draft so trading down is unlikely


With all that in mind here is what I'm thinking

Cuts - Murphy Bunting, Davis Gaither, Connor, Jalen Thompson (void), Jonah Williams (void) - savings $20M

Cut Murray - additional cap hit $2M

Free agency - work on fixing the o-line (not going to be able to get top guys but hopefully 1-2 mid range guys)

Draft -
rd 1 - best defensive player available (Reese/Bain/Bailey)
rd 2 - o line or cornerback
rd 3 - take a flyer on Chambliss or Neussmeir

Going into 2027 Murray is off the books so we'll have a ton of cap space but we'll need to extend Wilson and some others. We should have a top 5 pick again so if the rd 3 guy didn't work out you get your franchise qb then.

Fairly accurate. Even if they get the right guys for the Oline, figure 4-6 weeks before they jell. Can a new QB survive that long? I’d love to see a mobile QB but I doubt Bidwill will win an auction for Willis. Major defense changes as well. Again early confusion on coordination.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

This next year pretty much feels like a redshirt year to me. Consider

We are going to have a first year, first time head coach (again) and most likely a coaching staff lacking experience as well. We can hope they'll be good but reality says they will make mistakes

We will be missing two of the starters on defense we were hoping to depend on. If true about Nolan, he is out for most of the year and don't forget Williams had the achilles so he is prob out as well. Not sure what will happen with Calais but even if he comes back it would only be a part time role.

The right side of the oline needs to be rebuilt.

The QB situation is muddled at best. I would be surprised if Kyler could fetch anything in trade and I think the well is so poisoned now you can't bring him back. Cutting him is not impossible but it limits what you can do to upgrade the roster elsewhere.

There is no guarantee Connor will return to form or even be ready for camp so you'll have to cut him and Benson is unknown.

There are no marquee players in this years draft so trading down is unlikely


With all that in mind here is what I'm thinking

Cuts - Murphy Bunting, Davis Gaither, Connor, Jalen Thompson (void), Jonah Williams (void) - savings $20M

Cut Murray - additional cap hit $2M

Free agency - work on fixing the o-line (not going to be able to get top guys but hopefully 1-2 mid range guys)

Draft -
rd 1 - best defensive player available (Reese/Bain/Bailey)
rd 2 - o line or cornerback
rd 3 - take a flyer on Chambliss or Neussmeir

Going into 2027 Murray is off the books so we'll have a ton of cap space but we'll need to extend Wilson and some others. We should have a top 5 pick again so if the rd 3 guy didn't work out you get your franchise qb then.

So basically after destroying everything to the studs, (including discarding useful pieces) we're really no closer to where we want to be 3 years later, and now we don't have a QB.

The fact that Monti still has a job shows how little ambition this team has.

 

[kerouac9]

We will not purposely tank 2026. Cmon yall.

 

[Krangodnzr]

So basically after destroying everything to the studs, (including discarding useful pieces) we're really no closer to where we want to be 3 years later, and now we don't have a QB.

The fact that Monti still has a job shows how little ambition this team has.

Eh I disagree. That roster three years ago was putrid. This roster is clearly better. That roster didn't have a top receiver, an edge rusher, cornerback depth, a young LT...this roster is clearly better.

It has some holes, but I'd argue that a good coach could have won a lot more games last year.

 

[kerouac9]

Eh I disagree. That roster three years ago was putrid. This roster is clearly better. That roster didn't have a top receiver, an edge rusher, cornerback depth, a young LT...this roster is clearly better.

It has some holes, but I'd argue that a good coach could have won a lot more games last year.

That team had DHop. It had JJ Watt and Zach Allen. Yes, some of the depth has shifted to other areas of the roster, but overall the roster at the end of the 2022 season was better than the one at the end of the 2023 season.

A good coach would have won a few more games last year than Gannon did; but this wasn’t a nine-win team the way injuries played out.

 

[Stout]

So basically after destroying everything to the studs, (including discarding useful pieces) we're really no closer to where we want to be 3 years later, and now we don't have a QB.

The fact that Monti still has a job shows how little ambition this team has.

Yep. Which is why Monti should've been fired too.

 

[Stout]

Eh I disagree. That roster three years ago was putrid. This roster is clearly better. That roster didn't have a top receiver, an edge rusher, cornerback depth, a young LT...this roster is clearly better.

It has some holes, but I'd argue that a good coach could have won a lot more games last year.

Our secondary, OL, and DL weren't good. Now our...crap, our secondary, OL, and DL still aren't good. Yay?

The depth on this roster is better. Depth alone wins nothing. Name one Big John he added?

 

[NWMike]

Additional Cuts
Brown $4.9M

Nichols $5.8M

Currently $42M in cap space. We should have close to $70M in cap space when free agency starts.

Draft. Keep it simple. Draft best available player. We have needs everywhere, so anyone can help.

Assuming Nolan is indeed out for the majority of the year I don't think it makes sense to cut Nichols. Right now your D-line room is Tomlinson, Nolen (injured), Nichols, Robinson, Zak Carter, Dante Stills. That is not great and I don't think you'll find someone better than Nichols for $5.8M. We should keep him, resign LJ Collier. I'd be all for drafting Bailey at 3 to add to this mix assuming we can't trade down.

"I’d love to see a mobile QB but I doubt Bidwill will win an auction for Willis."

Given our situation I don't want to spend on Willis. He doesn't seem like a sure thing and I'm not even certain he is a big upgrade from Brissett. I'd rather take a flyer on Chambliss in the 3rd/4th especially if we can pick up an extra pick in those rounds with a trade down. If that is not possible I'm fine riding with Brissett and planning to find the franchise guy in the 27 draft.

"We will not purposely tank 2026. Cmon yall."

It won't necessarily be purposeful but I don't see a path to respectability next year due to the clean up we need to do with Kyler and the injuries.

 

[kerouac9]

Our secondary, OL, and DL weren't good. Now our...crap, our secondary, OL, and DL still aren't good. Yay?

The depth on this roster is better. Depth alone wins nothing. Name one Big John he added?

Also obviously our faith in the quarterback position has significantly degraded.

We can blame that on Kyler if we like, but Monti bears responsibility for not having alternatives at this point.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

We will not purposely tank 2026. Cmon yall.

Will you be able to tell the difference?

 

[kerouac9]

"We will not purposely tank 2026. Cmon yall."

It won't necessarily be purposeful but I don't see a path to respectability next year due to the clean up we need to do with Kyler and the injuries.

I don’t see a path to 10 wins, but regression to the mean and more competent coaching should get us to 6-8 wins. Thats not good, but that should be the minimum expectation for year four of a rebuild an anticipated better coaching staff.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Eh I disagree. That roster three years ago was putrid. This roster is clearly better. That roster didn't have a top receiver, an edge rusher, cornerback depth, a young LT...this roster is clearly better.

It has some holes, but I'd argue that a good coach could have won a lot more games last year.

Do we have a top receiver now? I don't see anyone on our roster near top 10.

If Josh Sweat is all you have for edge rusher, Zach Allen is better.

Cornerback depth? Who? What? I see a lot of guys that are getting playing time only because they are Cardinals. Will Johnson showed some signs, Williams is good but oft injured. If that's the room you're hanging your hat on, not a great sign.

Pointing out PJJ as your best acquisition (as a totally mid LT) is damning with faint praise.

There are no major differences between where we were 3 years ago and where we are today. It's still one of the worst rosters in the NFL, and in addition, we need to solve the biggest challenge in the NFL - getting a credible QB.

 

[Goodyear Card]

Assuming Nolan is indeed out for the majority of the year I don't think it makes sense to cut Nichols. Right now your D-line room is Tomlinson, Nolen (injured), Nichols, Robinson, Zak Carter, Dante Stills. That is not great and I don't think you'll find someone better than Nichols for $5.8M. We should keep him, resign LJ Collier. I'd be all for drafting Bailey at 3 to add to this mix assuming we can't trade down.

he has played in 10 games with a total of 13 tackles in 2 years. I would hope we could find someone better.

 

[kerouac9]

Do we have a top receiver now? I don't see anyone on our roster near top 10.

If Josh Sweat is all you have for edge rusher, Zach Allen is better.

Cornerback depth? Who? What? I see a lot of guys that are getting playing time only because they are Cardinals. Will Johnson showed some signs, Williams is good but oft injured. If that's the room you're hanging your hat on, not a great sign.

Pointing out PJJ as your best acquisition (as a totally mid LT) is damning with faint praise.

There are no major differences between where we were 3 years ago and where we are today. It's still one of the worst rosters in the NFL, and in addition, we need to solve the biggest challenge in the NFL - getting a credible QB.

You can point to a lot of areas where the situation is defitively worse—RB springs immediately to mind as well as TE.

 

[kerouac9]

he has played in 10 games with a total of 13 tackles in 2 years. I would hope we could find someone better.

Yeah being like “if we can keep LJ Collier we good” is ultimate poverty mindset.

 

[NWMike]

Yeah being like “if we can keep LJ Collier we good” is ultimate poverty mindset.

I wouldn't say its great but I just think the reality of cleaning up the Kyler mess means we'll have to prioritize. I would also rather absorb the full Kyler hit this year than try to spread it out to give us maximum flexibility in 2027. If we can improve the d-line I'm all about it but my preference is to spend on the o-line first. My overall point with the d-line is don't proactively cut guys and make it worse without an alternative in place. Keep Nichols and Collier and then build from there.

 

[MadCardDisease]

Name one Big John he added?

Will JOHNson!!!! At 6'2" 200lbs he's pretty big for a CB! More of a Big JOHNson I guess.

 

[Stout]

Will JOHNson!!!! At 6'2" 200lbs he's pretty big for a CB! More of a Big JOHNson I guess.

If he can stay on the field, perhaps. There's no ability like availability. Same, I hate to say it, with my man Nolen.

 

[kerouac9]

I wouldn't say its great but I just think the reality of cleaning up the Kyler mess means we'll have to prioritize. I would also rather absorb the full Kyler hit this year than try to spread it out to give us maximum flexibility in 2027. If we can improve the d-line I'm all about it but my preference is to spend on the o-line first. My overall point with the d-line is don't proactively cut guys and make it worse without an alternative in place. Keep Nichols and Collier and then build from there.

If we release Kyler his cap charge is like $2m more than if we keep him.

What “mess” requires cleaning up?

 

[Krangodnzr]

That team had DHop. It had JJ Watt and Zach Allen. Yes, some of the depth has shifted to other areas of the roster, but overall the roster at the end of the 2022 season was better than the one at the end of the 2023 season.

A good coach would have won a few more games last year than Gannon did; but this wasn’t a nine-win team the way injuries played out.

How has DHop fared since then or even that year? Meh Michael Wilson right now is better than that DHop.

It's hilarious you mention Allen when you panned him back then

Watt was very obviously retiring, so he doesn't exactly count.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Do we have a top receiver now? I don't see anyone on our roster near top 10.

Wilson sure played like one down the stretch.

If Josh Sweat is all you have for edge rusher, Zach Allen is better.

LAWLZ at Zach Allen as an edge. LAWLZ

Cornerback depth? Who? What? I see a lot of guys that are getting playing time only because they are Cardinals. Will Johnson showed some signs, Williams is good but oft injured. If that's the room you're hanging your hat on, not a great sign.

Will Johnson, Denzel Burke, Garrett Williams, Max Melton isn't an awful CB room with a credible pass rush and good scheme.

Pointing out PJJ as your best acquisition (as a totally mid LT) is damning with faint praise.

He's not mid. He's a good player.

There are no major differences between where we were 3 years ago and where we are today. It's still one of the worst rosters in the NFL, and in addition, we need to solve the biggest challenge in the NFL - getting a credible QB.

It's still not a great roster mind you, but that roster 3 years ago was a disaster.

 

[kerouac9]

How has DHop fared since then or even that year? Meh Michael Wilson right now is better than that DHop.

It's hilarious you mention Allen when you panned him back then

Watt was very obviously retiring, so he doesn't exactly count.

Bruh. We won 4 games when Kliff and Keim left. We won 3 games this season.

What are you on about?

 

[Krangodnzr]

Also obviously our faith in the quarterback position has significantly degraded.

We can blame that on Kyler if we like, but Monti bears responsibility for not having alternatives at this point.

This is perhaps the most ridiculous take I've read on this board.

How many teams have a credible QB alternative on their roster if their starter doesn't work out

 

[Krangodnzr]

Bruh. We won 4 games when Kliff and Keim left. We won 3 games this season.

What are you on about?

I mean I didn't win or lose anything and neither did you.

This team was probably worse coached than Kliffs last year

 

[kerouac9]

This is perhaps the most ridiculous take I've read on this board.

How many teams have a credible QB alternative on their roster if their starter doesn't work out

When their QB is mid AF? Monti and Gannon had plenty of opportunity to discover that Kyler was not going to be it and develop a better alternative than Clayton Tune and Jacoby Brissett.

The Colts went into this season with Indiana Jones as an alternative to Anthony Richardson.

The Giants went into this season with Jameis and Jackson Dart as an alternative to Russ.

Atlanta went into this season with Cousins as an alternative to Penix a year after having the opposite situation.

Seattle had former first-rounder Drew Lock in the wings in case Sam Darnold went wrong.

The Jets had Tyrod Taylor waiting in the wings to relieve Justin Fields. The Steelers had Fields waiting in the wings to relieve Russ if he sucked.

Obviously there’s no replacing a top-shelf QB like Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes. You’re truly effed if those guys go down or forget how to play football. But Monti left the cupboard bare after just three seasons. That’s a legit criticism.