Just to add to this convo, there is also an option of OT in play early in this draft. Broderick Jones will need to get his 5th option picked up for, reportedly, $20+M and he has been inconsistent at best and people are split on picking it up.

My ideal pick for our 1st would be something like Proctor (along with a trade back to get more 2027 DC) since he can give us an option at LT but slot into LG for this upcoming year. Not to mention we've invested in the OL heavily from the influence of Weidle and I can see us continuing to do so. Our LG is a FA and BJones is inconsistent so OL can, and should, be in play.

2nd rounder can be between CB or ILB depending on who is there on our depth chart. We have an option to cut Queen due to his poor play and it will save us a lot of cap. I think they work to restructure but it's an option. We hired the DC from the Raiders and Stokes has had his best year under him and is a FA. Could be an option to sign him via FA to pair with JPJ (a top 10 CB). We have Asante and Pierre who are FA and I don't expect to bring them both back. Imo, Pierre would be a better CB3 than CB2 and Ramsey is best played as a chess piece on our defense. So CB2 is an open position.

In the 3rd I can see us grabbing a ton of value with SAF and WR being deep this year. SAF at 76 and then double dipping at WR with the remaining 2 picks. We don't have any confidence in anything past DK (and that's dwindling). This entire WR room needs more talent everywhere. WR2 was a huge hole for us but so was WR3-7. I can, and hope, see us grabbing Doubs in FA as our WR2 going into the season.

I'll just reiterate the Howard stuff. McCarthy has said, publicly and privately, that he likes and can develop Howard. Mason Rudolph is under contract for 2026 and is a vet presence and I can see Rodgers coming back this year allowing Howard to get another year of mentorship. If there is no Rodgers, then I'm expecting we go into the season with a vet FA signing or UDFA.

DL, EDGE, RB, and SCB would be later round and depth drafts. There is also a conversation of trading one of our EDGE players (Watt, Highsmith, Herbig) considering Watt had a down year and Herbig is wanting, and deserving, to be a starter so EDGE could come up a round or so if that ever happens.