Since things are kind of boring now I thought I'd consider what our roster will look like next year. The two-deep on D, for your consideration:
DT:
Sweat - out of eligibility, about to get paid
Murphy - not gonna improve his draft stock at this point, NFL-bound
Collins - should pull a Sweat and come back
Broughton - was disruptive, primed for a big year
Carter - has 1 more year I think? Nice depth piece if he returns
Our DL should be stout again if Collins and Broughton do the smart thing and come back. I'm expecting Bledsoe to break into the rotation next year, and maybe a portal pickup (hello Nolen?). I'm less confident in our other young DTs.
EDGE:
Burke
Sorrell
Finkley
Tapp - hope he sticks around, not a lot of snaps thus far...
Trey Moore will be a luxury take here if he joins. This room is crowded, with Vasek, Gullette, Akana, Walton, ...
LB:
Ford - NFL
Hill
Gbenda - hope he sticks around to fill Ford's spot
Blackwell
Assume Lefau works his way into the rotation, hopefully some of the other young guys get some run too. Expect a portal take if Gbenda leaves, but since we don't seem to be shopping I assume that means he won't.
CB:
Watts - doubt his draft stock will go up from here, might as well go
Brooks
Muhammad
Holmes - hope he stays, but if Korie Black portals in I wonder if he goes
NB:
Barron - doubt his draft stock will go up from here, might as well go
Guilbeau
Jordan
S:
Thompson - wild guess, but I wonder if he'll call it done. Then again, I don't think the NFL is calling, so another year of NIL might be nice...
Taafe
Williams
Crawford - same as Thompson. I figure one of them comes back.
Catalon - in the portal
Hopefully we see Mukuba and Filsaime filling out the rotation here next year. Coverage from our safeties was a weak spot this year. Excited about Williams though, and interested to see what McDonald and Roberson can do.
Assuming the portal goes the way we think (get Mukuba, Moore, and a DT) our defense should remain among the tops next year. Will be hard to replace everything that Sweat and Murphy gave us, but Collins and Broughton could still be a strong duo. I expect our coverage to improve.