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Well, let's get to it (mind you, I'm trading Kyren Williams at the deadline to a team, not out of misplaced anger, but because I feel we have three very good running backs behind him. That will be detailed in the trades.):
Cut:
Coleman Shelton
Darious Williams
Colby Parkinson
(Just makes sense for all three with the signings and the lack of need - as I think Limmer, Forbes, and Ferguson/Allen take those respective spots.)
Extension:
Puka Nacua - five years.
Steve Avila - four years.
Emmanuel Forbes - four years
Kobie Turner - four years
Ethan Evans, three years
(All five are necessary re-signings, especially Avila and Nacua. I think all five are going to be some of the best at their positions, and you might as well pay them.)
Re-sign:
Akhello Witherspoon - one year, four million.
Alex Ward - RFA, extend, two years, two million.
Kier Thomas - RFA
Shaun Jolly - RFA
Dylan McMahon - ERFA
Charles Woods - ERFA
Cam Lampkin - ERFA
Justin Dedich - ERFA
Elias Neal - ERFA
(Witherspoon should come cheaply. The others are RFAs and ERFAs.)
Release:
Rob Havenstein
Tyler Higbee
Quentin Lake
Kamren Curl
Cobie Durant
Nate Landman
D.J. Humphries
David Quessenberry
Jimmy Garoppolo
Chatarius Atwell
Larrell Murchison
Ronnie Rivers
Tony Fields
Xavier Smith
Britain Covey
A.J. Green
Jack Heflin
A.J. Arcuri
Troy Reeder
Derion Kendrick
(I regret having to let Havenstein go, but he can't last forever. Higbee can't last forever either, and he's had injury concerns. Lake, Curl, Durant, and Landman - if the latter is as good as I think he could be - will be too expensive to retain. Garoppolo will likely go somewhere to start for more money, Atwell will go for more money to start - I think he loses his job to Whittington and maybe Mumpfield - and the rest are depth. And Reeder and Kendrick can get the hell out.)
Free Agents:
Cor'Dale Flott - four years, 44 million.
(Flott is the only massive signing...but he's worth it. He'll only be twenty-five at the start of the 2026/2027 season, he'll likely want to leave the Giants, who are a hot mess, and he should come fairly cheap for a young corner on the rise...unless he balls out this year. Still, definitely one to keep an eye on.)
TRADES:
Kyren Williams and 2026 fifth-round pick (Titans) to the Kansas City Chiefs for 2026 third-round pick and 2026 fourth-round pick.
(K.C. needs a running back if Isiah Pacheco goes down again. Kareem Hunt is twenty-nine, Elijah Mitchell is a gamble, Carson Steele is a fullback, and Brashard Smith is a seventh-round rookie. Not good for a contending team. K-Will would fix that, and we get two nice picks in exchange.)
Byron Young and 2026 second-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for 2026 second-round pick (theirs) and 2026 third-round pick (theirs).
(The Steelers have T.J. Watt - who is a free agent after this year, and little else at edge. They also have a good shot at staying under .500, thanks to A-Rod being old and having nothing else at quarterback and having an otherwise poor roster constructed. We already have Josaiah Stewart (in my opinion, Agent Zero's replacement), Brennan Jackson, and a pick in this draft, most likely. The fit makes sense as well as a pick swap.)
#32 and third-round pick (our original) to the Green Bay Packers for 2026 first-round pick (#25).
(We trade up to get someone who is falling. Packers move back for an extra pick.)
All right, now we're done with the trades. On to the draft:
#5 overall (Falcons) - Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah.
(I know that Utah's other tackle is currently ranked higher. Lomu could easily eclipse that because he's a special pass-protector and athlete. Lomu has amazing footwork and technique, very long arms, was an All Academic Big Twelve, and has the frame to pack on more weight without losing that athleticism. That's the main thing, though; he's 295 lbs. at the moment. I think he could get up to fifteen/twenty pounds heavier without losing that athleticism, as he's a kid who's still growing - just a redshirt sophomore. I think Lomu could be special.)
#25 overall (Packers) - Spencer Fano, OT, Utah.
(We double-dip at tackle and Utes. Fano is currently their right tackle, and though he's incredibly athletic and smart (also an All-Academic Big Twelve), he strikes me as a right tackle more than a left one. He also has shorter arms than most would care for, and he's had holding penalties in the past. But with elite athleticism, a big frame to hold more than his current 304 lbs., and nastiness in the running game, I think Fano would be a perfect bookend for our tackle position, and could be just as special there as Lomu is at left tackle.)
2nd round (Steelers) - Dillon Thieneman, SAF/STAR, Oregon.
(Thieneman has people raving about him; he could actually be a first-round pick with his elite athleticism, superb tackling ability, and uncanny leadership and dedication to football; people always say he's the first one in, last one out, and watches film obsessively. In short, he cares, like AD said. He needs to start converting his pass breakups into interceptions, but he could be an elite STAR safety to replace Lake, to set the tone for our secondary.)
3rd round (Steelers) - Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois.
(Jacas is a bigger edge rusher (6'3", 275 lbs.) with a wrestling background that serves him well in the trenches; Jer'zhan Newton praised him and said that in a wrestling contest, Jacas would win, no contest. He's got a powerful base, leverage, and is explosive and versatile off the edge, all which serve him well. He's stiff in his hips, which limits coverage, and he needs to develop more of a repertoire of pass rush moves and counters for pro tackles. But he'll only be twenty-two during the 2026 season. He's got plenty of time to figure it out, and AD and Verse could be solid mentors.)
3rd round (Chiefs) - Taylen Green, QB, Arkansas.
(Our quarterback of the future. Green honestly reminds me of Cam Newton on the football field: big (6'6'", 230 lbs.), physical, can run like the wind (4.44 forty). He's a gunslinger, unafraid to put the ball into tight windows, which works for and against him. He really needs to gain more consistency; he's capable of throwing with accuracy, but it doesn't show up game to game. Touch is another important factor, and he needs to look at the underneath options instead of always trusting the deep ball. But Green could be one of the best quarterbacks of this class, and while he'll be twenty-four in this season, the upside he displays is absolutely tantalizing.)
4th round (Chiefs) - Tacario Davis, CB, Washington.
(I loved him as a potential draft candidate before he decided to transfer to Washington instead. Not the fastest cornerback out there, but he's huge (listed at 6'4", 190 lbs.) with long arms, exceptional awareness of the football (twenty-two career PBUs), solid tackler (only 2.5 missed tackles per advanced stats), and while he needs to turn those PBUs into interceptions, it's a good start.)
5th round (ours) - De'Zhaun Stribling, WR, Ole Miss.
(Holy shit, I think I found my receiver prospect crush for this draft - especially if he produces like I think he can in the Ole Miss system. Just a dominant physical force, one of the best run-blocking receivers I've seen in college in a while, crisp route runner, vises for hands, underrated athleticism and YAC skills, but physicality is the name of his game. He's transferred a ton and is an older senior (will be twenty-four at the time of the 2026 Draft), and he's had hand and wrist injuries that have been setbacks. I think he could be the Puka Nacua of this class, though: a physical, punishing receiver who can contribute in a variety of ways.)
6th round (Texans) - Xavier Nwankpa, SAF, Iowa.
(Nwankpa is sushi-raw and hasn't always displayed his immense talents and put it together on the field. But we're talking about an uber-athletic safety who can do everything on a football field at his best. He's a 6'2", 215 lbs. safety who can run a 4.39; you get that in the sixth round, and you're not complaining.)
6th round - Fernando Carmona, OT/OG, Arkansas.
(Yes, this is for the future: Kevin Dotson will be a free agent after this year, and I feel Carmona would be a good replacement, not only as a swing tackle, but as a swing guard as well. Carmona paved the way for a new and improved Arkansas team in 2024, and at 6'5", 322 lbs., he's a big kid who has underrated athleticism and power. Formerly a tight end, he needs to learn proper technique and the like, but this is a good pick in the sixth round.)
7th round (Ravens) - Brett Norfleet, TE, Missouri.
(Yes, I'm picking a Mizzou player in the seventh, but he's worth it. Norfleet is a 6'7" monster with basketball skills, vises for hands, a redzone threat, and is a solid blocker. His only issues are injuries, needing to bulk up, and a lack of burner speed. He needs to prove he's healthy first. But he could be a force who could potentially go earlier than this with a good year.)
7th round (Demarcus Robinson comp) - Marquis Johnson, WR, Missouri.
(Another Mizzou player? Color everyone shocked. Johnson is one of the fastest players Mizzou has had in a long time with legit 4.29 wheels. He could easily go earlier than this if he has a good year and blows up the Combine. Not a big guy, but a surprisingly physical blocker (played gunner and kickoff on teams and caught a fair few passes on the punt team as well). Definitely someone to keep an eye on.)
Roster:
QB - Matthew Stafford, Taylen Green.
(Stafford's health is key for this season, but he's a free agent the year after. Hopefully by then, Green will be ready.)
RB - Blake Corum, Jarquez Hunter, Cody Schrader, Willie Lampkin (FB)
(It's a coin flip between Corum and Hunter. I'm going with more experience in Corum. Schrader is our best receiving back, and I still feel Lampkin makes this team as a fullback.)
WR - Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield, Tru Edwards, De'Zhaun Stribling, Marquis Johnson (PR/KR).
(Nacua will play here until he retires. Adams has one more year after this one, but a lot of young receivers could be ready by then.)
TE - Terrance Ferguson, Davis Allen, Brett Norfleet.
(This is going to be a young tight end group. Ferguson should be ready by year two, Allen is underrated, and Norfleet could be another weapon.)
OL - Alaric Jackson, Steve Avila, Beaux Limmer, Kevin Dotson, Spencer Fano, Caleb Lomu, KT Leveston, Dylan McMahon, Fernando Carmona.
(With A-Jax, it really depends on his health, first and foremost; that's why I'm drafting two tackles, just in case. Avila, Limmer, and Dotson should be an outstanding trio in the middle. Leveston (tackle and guard), McMahon (center), and Carmona (redshirt) should be excellent depth.)
DL - Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske, Poona Ford, Desjuan Johnson, Tyler Davis, Ty Hamilton.
(We've got a loaded D-line. Let them eat.)
LB - Jared Verse, Josaiah Stewart, Omar Speights, Pooh Paul Jr., Brennan Jackson, Nick Hampton, Gabe Jacas, Shaun Dolac.
(Linebacker should be stacked again. I think Stewart is really going to impress this year. Speights and Paul compliment each other well. Jackson and Jacas should be solid edge rushers, while Hampton and Dolac are our special teams aces.)
DB - Emmanuel Forbes, Cor'Dale Flott, Dillon Thieneman (STAR), Kam Kinchens, Jaylen McCollough, Akhello Witherspoon, Tacario Davis, Josh Wallace, Charles Woods, Nate Valcarcel, Xavier Nwankpa.
(I think Forbes and Flott take the cornerback position by storm with Witherspoon as a backup. Thieneman is the real surprise; I think he could start on the first day. Safety might seem weak, but I think McCollough and Valcarcel (whom I think will make it for our roster this year) are going to be solid, and Nwankpa could be solid as well, eventually.)
ST - Josh Karty, Ethan Evans, Alex Ward.
(Bring the battery back. That's all I'm going to say.)
Thoughts and critiques are all welcome.
Cut:
Coleman Shelton
Darious Williams
Colby Parkinson
(Just makes sense for all three with the signings and the lack of need - as I think Limmer, Forbes, and Ferguson/Allen take those respective spots.)
Extension:
Puka Nacua - five years.
Steve Avila - four years.
Emmanuel Forbes - four years
Kobie Turner - four years
Ethan Evans, three years
(All five are necessary re-signings, especially Avila and Nacua. I think all five are going to be some of the best at their positions, and you might as well pay them.)
Re-sign:
Akhello Witherspoon - one year, four million.
Alex Ward - RFA, extend, two years, two million.
Kier Thomas - RFA
Shaun Jolly - RFA
Dylan McMahon - ERFA
Charles Woods - ERFA
Cam Lampkin - ERFA
Justin Dedich - ERFA
Elias Neal - ERFA
(Witherspoon should come cheaply. The others are RFAs and ERFAs.)
Release:
Rob Havenstein
Tyler Higbee
Quentin Lake
Kamren Curl
Cobie Durant
Nate Landman
D.J. Humphries
David Quessenberry
Jimmy Garoppolo
Chatarius Atwell
Larrell Murchison
Ronnie Rivers
Tony Fields
Xavier Smith
Britain Covey
A.J. Green
Jack Heflin
A.J. Arcuri
Troy Reeder
Derion Kendrick
(I regret having to let Havenstein go, but he can't last forever. Higbee can't last forever either, and he's had injury concerns. Lake, Curl, Durant, and Landman - if the latter is as good as I think he could be - will be too expensive to retain. Garoppolo will likely go somewhere to start for more money, Atwell will go for more money to start - I think he loses his job to Whittington and maybe Mumpfield - and the rest are depth. And Reeder and Kendrick can get the hell out.)
Free Agents:
Cor'Dale Flott - four years, 44 million.
(Flott is the only massive signing...but he's worth it. He'll only be twenty-five at the start of the 2026/2027 season, he'll likely want to leave the Giants, who are a hot mess, and he should come fairly cheap for a young corner on the rise...unless he balls out this year. Still, definitely one to keep an eye on.)
TRADES:
Kyren Williams and 2026 fifth-round pick (Titans) to the Kansas City Chiefs for 2026 third-round pick and 2026 fourth-round pick.
(K.C. needs a running back if Isiah Pacheco goes down again. Kareem Hunt is twenty-nine, Elijah Mitchell is a gamble, Carson Steele is a fullback, and Brashard Smith is a seventh-round rookie. Not good for a contending team. K-Will would fix that, and we get two nice picks in exchange.)
Byron Young and 2026 second-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for 2026 second-round pick (theirs) and 2026 third-round pick (theirs).
(The Steelers have T.J. Watt - who is a free agent after this year, and little else at edge. They also have a good shot at staying under .500, thanks to A-Rod being old and having nothing else at quarterback and having an otherwise poor roster constructed. We already have Josaiah Stewart (in my opinion, Agent Zero's replacement), Brennan Jackson, and a pick in this draft, most likely. The fit makes sense as well as a pick swap.)
#32 and third-round pick (our original) to the Green Bay Packers for 2026 first-round pick (#25).
(We trade up to get someone who is falling. Packers move back for an extra pick.)
All right, now we're done with the trades. On to the draft:
#5 overall (Falcons) - Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah.
(I know that Utah's other tackle is currently ranked higher. Lomu could easily eclipse that because he's a special pass-protector and athlete. Lomu has amazing footwork and technique, very long arms, was an All Academic Big Twelve, and has the frame to pack on more weight without losing that athleticism. That's the main thing, though; he's 295 lbs. at the moment. I think he could get up to fifteen/twenty pounds heavier without losing that athleticism, as he's a kid who's still growing - just a redshirt sophomore. I think Lomu could be special.)
#25 overall (Packers) - Spencer Fano, OT, Utah.
(We double-dip at tackle and Utes. Fano is currently their right tackle, and though he's incredibly athletic and smart (also an All-Academic Big Twelve), he strikes me as a right tackle more than a left one. He also has shorter arms than most would care for, and he's had holding penalties in the past. But with elite athleticism, a big frame to hold more than his current 304 lbs., and nastiness in the running game, I think Fano would be a perfect bookend for our tackle position, and could be just as special there as Lomu is at left tackle.)
2nd round (Steelers) - Dillon Thieneman, SAF/STAR, Oregon.
(Thieneman has people raving about him; he could actually be a first-round pick with his elite athleticism, superb tackling ability, and uncanny leadership and dedication to football; people always say he's the first one in, last one out, and watches film obsessively. In short, he cares, like AD said. He needs to start converting his pass breakups into interceptions, but he could be an elite STAR safety to replace Lake, to set the tone for our secondary.)
3rd round (Steelers) - Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois.
(Jacas is a bigger edge rusher (6'3", 275 lbs.) with a wrestling background that serves him well in the trenches; Jer'zhan Newton praised him and said that in a wrestling contest, Jacas would win, no contest. He's got a powerful base, leverage, and is explosive and versatile off the edge, all which serve him well. He's stiff in his hips, which limits coverage, and he needs to develop more of a repertoire of pass rush moves and counters for pro tackles. But he'll only be twenty-two during the 2026 season. He's got plenty of time to figure it out, and AD and Verse could be solid mentors.)
3rd round (Chiefs) - Taylen Green, QB, Arkansas.
(Our quarterback of the future. Green honestly reminds me of Cam Newton on the football field: big (6'6'", 230 lbs.), physical, can run like the wind (4.44 forty). He's a gunslinger, unafraid to put the ball into tight windows, which works for and against him. He really needs to gain more consistency; he's capable of throwing with accuracy, but it doesn't show up game to game. Touch is another important factor, and he needs to look at the underneath options instead of always trusting the deep ball. But Green could be one of the best quarterbacks of this class, and while he'll be twenty-four in this season, the upside he displays is absolutely tantalizing.)
4th round (Chiefs) - Tacario Davis, CB, Washington.
(I loved him as a potential draft candidate before he decided to transfer to Washington instead. Not the fastest cornerback out there, but he's huge (listed at 6'4", 190 lbs.) with long arms, exceptional awareness of the football (twenty-two career PBUs), solid tackler (only 2.5 missed tackles per advanced stats), and while he needs to turn those PBUs into interceptions, it's a good start.)
5th round (ours) - De'Zhaun Stribling, WR, Ole Miss.
(Holy shit, I think I found my receiver prospect crush for this draft - especially if he produces like I think he can in the Ole Miss system. Just a dominant physical force, one of the best run-blocking receivers I've seen in college in a while, crisp route runner, vises for hands, underrated athleticism and YAC skills, but physicality is the name of his game. He's transferred a ton and is an older senior (will be twenty-four at the time of the 2026 Draft), and he's had hand and wrist injuries that have been setbacks. I think he could be the Puka Nacua of this class, though: a physical, punishing receiver who can contribute in a variety of ways.)
6th round (Texans) - Xavier Nwankpa, SAF, Iowa.
(Nwankpa is sushi-raw and hasn't always displayed his immense talents and put it together on the field. But we're talking about an uber-athletic safety who can do everything on a football field at his best. He's a 6'2", 215 lbs. safety who can run a 4.39; you get that in the sixth round, and you're not complaining.)
6th round - Fernando Carmona, OT/OG, Arkansas.
(Yes, this is for the future: Kevin Dotson will be a free agent after this year, and I feel Carmona would be a good replacement, not only as a swing tackle, but as a swing guard as well. Carmona paved the way for a new and improved Arkansas team in 2024, and at 6'5", 322 lbs., he's a big kid who has underrated athleticism and power. Formerly a tight end, he needs to learn proper technique and the like, but this is a good pick in the sixth round.)
7th round (Ravens) - Brett Norfleet, TE, Missouri.
(Yes, I'm picking a Mizzou player in the seventh, but he's worth it. Norfleet is a 6'7" monster with basketball skills, vises for hands, a redzone threat, and is a solid blocker. His only issues are injuries, needing to bulk up, and a lack of burner speed. He needs to prove he's healthy first. But he could be a force who could potentially go earlier than this with a good year.)
7th round (Demarcus Robinson comp) - Marquis Johnson, WR, Missouri.
(Another Mizzou player? Color everyone shocked. Johnson is one of the fastest players Mizzou has had in a long time with legit 4.29 wheels. He could easily go earlier than this if he has a good year and blows up the Combine. Not a big guy, but a surprisingly physical blocker (played gunner and kickoff on teams and caught a fair few passes on the punt team as well). Definitely someone to keep an eye on.)
Roster:
QB - Matthew Stafford, Taylen Green.
(Stafford's health is key for this season, but he's a free agent the year after. Hopefully by then, Green will be ready.)
RB - Blake Corum, Jarquez Hunter, Cody Schrader, Willie Lampkin (FB)
(It's a coin flip between Corum and Hunter. I'm going with more experience in Corum. Schrader is our best receiving back, and I still feel Lampkin makes this team as a fullback.)
WR - Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield, Tru Edwards, De'Zhaun Stribling, Marquis Johnson (PR/KR).
(Nacua will play here until he retires. Adams has one more year after this one, but a lot of young receivers could be ready by then.)
TE - Terrance Ferguson, Davis Allen, Brett Norfleet.
(This is going to be a young tight end group. Ferguson should be ready by year two, Allen is underrated, and Norfleet could be another weapon.)
OL - Alaric Jackson, Steve Avila, Beaux Limmer, Kevin Dotson, Spencer Fano, Caleb Lomu, KT Leveston, Dylan McMahon, Fernando Carmona.
(With A-Jax, it really depends on his health, first and foremost; that's why I'm drafting two tackles, just in case. Avila, Limmer, and Dotson should be an outstanding trio in the middle. Leveston (tackle and guard), McMahon (center), and Carmona (redshirt) should be excellent depth.)
DL - Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske, Poona Ford, Desjuan Johnson, Tyler Davis, Ty Hamilton.
(We've got a loaded D-line. Let them eat.)
LB - Jared Verse, Josaiah Stewart, Omar Speights, Pooh Paul Jr., Brennan Jackson, Nick Hampton, Gabe Jacas, Shaun Dolac.
(Linebacker should be stacked again. I think Stewart is really going to impress this year. Speights and Paul compliment each other well. Jackson and Jacas should be solid edge rushers, while Hampton and Dolac are our special teams aces.)
DB - Emmanuel Forbes, Cor'Dale Flott, Dillon Thieneman (STAR), Kam Kinchens, Jaylen McCollough, Akhello Witherspoon, Tacario Davis, Josh Wallace, Charles Woods, Nate Valcarcel, Xavier Nwankpa.
(I think Forbes and Flott take the cornerback position by storm with Witherspoon as a backup. Thieneman is the real surprise; I think he could start on the first day. Safety might seem weak, but I think McCollough and Valcarcel (whom I think will make it for our roster this year) are going to be solid, and Nwankpa could be solid as well, eventually.)
ST - Josh Karty, Ethan Evans, Alex Ward.
(Bring the battery back. That's all I'm going to say.)
Thoughts and critiques are all welcome.
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