[Rain Man]

We had some tough decisions this year.

QB
Russell Wilson (Steelers)
Aidan O'Connell (Raiders)
Carson Wentz

Notable cuts: Blaine Gabbert, but that's expected.


Russell won the starting job in Pittsburgh, and O'Connell lost the starting job in Las Vegas. I'm serviceable here but at some point I need to figure out how to get a new starter.

RB
Isaih Pacheco
Alvin Kamara (Saints)
Jaylen Wright (Dolphins)
Samaje Perine

Notable cuts: Rashaad Penny (Eagles), Carson Steele. Penny was always injured. I'd love to keep Steele but don't have roster room.

I feel very comfortable with my running backs this season. I'm strong and deep.

WR
Adonai Mitchell (Colts)
Hollywood Brown
Khalil Shakir (Bills)
Malachai Corley (Jets)
Justin Watson
Juju Smith Schuster

Notable cuts: Terrace Marshall (Panthers), Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR (Browns), Kardarius Toney, Marquez Valdez-Scantling (free agent). Marshall is yet another failed second-round WR.

Major talent infusion this year with Brown, Mitchell, and Corley, and re-signing JuJu. This was a major weakness last year, and I actually like the group this year.

TE
Travis Kelce
Grant Calcaterra (Eagles)
Zach Kuntz (Jets)

Notable cuts: Irv Smith, Jr., rejected trade for Peyton Hendershot


Calcaterra has worked his way up to second string. I should cut Kuntz in favor of some more deserving players, but I need three TEs and I know he's a developmental case.

OT
Jawaan Taylor
Morgan Moses (Redskins)
Orlando Brown, Jr. (Bengals)
Walter Rouse (Vikings)

Notable cuts: Ethan Driskell, Donovan Smith. I hated cutting Driskell, but it's a numbers game.

Good group here. Reliable veterans, and Rouse has become a second-string LT as a rookie.

G
Joe Thuney
Wyatt Teller (Browns)
Trey Smith

I have a strong group here.

C
Cody Whitehair (Raiders)
Sedrick Van Pran-Granger (Bills)

Whitehair is a guard now, but he was a long-time center. I'll play him here since the rookie apparently underperformed and is currently third-string for the Bills. Whitehair is fine here.

Specialists
K - Harrison Butker
LS - James Winchester
P - Matt Araiza

Townsend left, and Punt God arrived. We're good.

Safeties
Andre Cisco (Jaguars)
Justin Reid
Jordan Poyer (Bills)
Coby Bryant (Seahawks)

I've had this corps in place for a while. Poyer has been here forever. This is a strong group.

CB
Joey Porter, Jr. (Steelers)
Amik Robertson (Lions)
Caelen Carson (Cowboys)
Kalen King (Packers)

Notable cuts: Marcus Peters, Shaun Wade, Desmond King

This is an area of major concern. Peters is gone, and King was a nickel back for a long time. Porter is strong, but I'm going to rely on the rookie Carson to play the other outside position while Amik plays nickel. My only depth is King, a practice squad rookie. The good news is that Carson played his way up to second string in Dallas as a rookie.

OLB
Leo Chenal
Henry To'oTo'o (Texans)
Drue Tranquill
Zach Baun, LB (Eagles)

Notable cuts: Anthony Nelson. He was a very serviceable backup, but I didn't have a roster spot for him once Baun won a starting job.

I've actually got some talent here now. Chenal and To'oTo'o are good OLBs and Tranquil is strong depth. Baun appears to finally be developing and will be starting in Philadelphia.

ILB
Ivan Pace (Vikings)
Nakobe Dean (Eagles)

I thought Dean was a no-brainer pick, but he's having trouble getting onto the field. Meanwhile, Pace was a huge scouting win for me and is a good starter.

DE
George Karlaftis
Dorance Armstrong (Commanders)
Charles Omenihu
Cedric Johnson (Bengals)
Myles Cole (Jaguars)

Notable cuts: Yetur Gross-Matos, DE (49ers), rejected trade for Cameron Thomas.


My starters are strong. Omenihu will be good depth when he returns, and I have two rookie developmental guys. Not a lot of depth here in the short term. I hate to cut Gross-Matos. He was probably the 54th guy on the roster.

DT
Andrew Billings (Bears)
Tershawn Wharton
Dewayne Carter (Bills)
Zacch Pickens (Bears)
Adetomiwa Adebawore (Colts)
Moro Ojomo (Eagles)

Notable cuts: Kalia Davis. I'm giving up on him too early, but there's too much competition at this spot.

I keep drafting guys, but Billings and Wharton keep holding on to the starting spots. I have four 1st or 2nd year players behind them, and I'm hoping some of them will step up. This is not a strong position group, but I'm hoping it'll grow and develop.