During a recent episode of the Yahoo Sports podcast “Football 301,” co-hosts Nate Tice and Matt Harmon spent considerable time exploring critical unresolved issues affecting various NFL franchises after the 2026 NFL Draft. They highlighted the numerous substantial ambiguities that teams currently face, which are expected to unfold over the next several months.
The consensus was that even after the draft, no NFL team achieved perfection, as a majority of prospective contenders possess at least one notable roster gap or strategic ambiguity.
A considerable number of clubs are depending on individual player development, maintaining fitness, and tactical coaching alterations to compensate for existing deficiencies in anticipation of training camp and the upcoming season. The American Football Conference (AFC) appears particularly competitive and unpredictable because of these unresolved issues.
Below is an overview of the primary inquiries they raised regarding several notable teams and specific units:
Question: Can the Chiefs’ ground attack, offensive blocking unit, and the reappearance of Eric Bieniemy sufficiently compensate for existing worries within their wide receiver corps?
Kansas City heavily prioritized defensive players during the draft, with their only significant pass-catcher acquisitions coming from later rounds and among undrafted free agents.
The club is largely proceeding with Rashee Rice as their primary receiver and Xavier Worthy as their secondary option, both of whom present uncertainties.
Harmon expressed particular skepticism about whether the current collection of receiving talent possesses the capability to diversify their aerial attack and prevent opposing defenses from focusing solely on other aspects of their offense.
“… they kind of need like a big-body receiver, somebody to really win against press man coverage and be kind of that guy on late downs in contested catch situations,” Harmon said. “And to me, I think on paper they still don’t really have that guy.”
Xavier Worthy (1) celebrates his touchdown with teammate Rashee Rice (4) in 2024’s season opener. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
(David Eulitt via Getty Images)
Question: Have the Bills sufficiently strengthened their defense, particularly their defensive line and pass-rushing capabilities, to effectively compete against other premier AFC organizations?
Despite integrating T.J. Parker and several experienced players, concerns persist regarding their acquisition of a truly elite edge rusher or a player capable of closing out crucial playoff contests.
Tice voiced apprehension that the squad might be excessively dependent on Jim Leonhard’s strategic coaching prowess to generate defensive pressure, potentially compensating for a lack of elite individual talent.
“He has a defense that can do that,” Tice said. “But this is what’s given the Bills issues in the past is that when it came to, you know, the elite games, the playoff games, the tight games, they didn’t have that closer. That’s why they signed Von Miller. Joey Bosa did a good job for them last year, but then Joey Bosa just had a horrid game in the playoffs against the Broncos and just making a bunch of mistakes, which has always been a little thing with Joey. But I don’t think they really have that ace.”
Question: Following their offseason activities, do the Packers possess a unit, either offensive or defensive, that ranks among the league’s top ten?
Subsequent to a comparatively subdued free agency period and encountering several significant injuries, uncertainty remains regarding whether their offense or defense can be considered elite, or if their roster is merely “average,” depending heavily on homegrown talent progression.
Harmon questioned if sufficient advancements had occurred for the Packers to distinguish themselves, particularly given the expectation for numerous young athletes to make substantial progress. The wide receiver group was streamlined, which might prove beneficial, notwithstanding the previous season’s performances from their leading players:
Question: Beyond the contributions of Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, have the Jaguars acquired adequate legitimate pass-rushing intensity?
Despite selecting a run-stopping specialist and depending on innovative coaching strategies, Tice harbors doubts about whether enough raw pass-rushing talent exists on initial downs to pose a significant threat to top-tier offenses. However, confidence remains in their coaching staff’s capacity to devise effective remedies.
“I would say that their defensive coordinator Anthony Campanelli does a great job of gaming stuff off,” Tice said. “He did. He really moved up in my play-caller rankings because of how good he was on third and fourth down. How good their game plans were every single week.”
Question: Have the Bengals’ frontal defensive acquisitions, including Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, and Boye Mafe, adequately addressed significant vulnerabilities at linebacker and safety, particularly concerning coverage of tight ends in the middle of the field?
Both commentators underscored how Cincinnati’s defense faced considerable exploitation in these specific zones during the previous season, and any advancements hinge on their experienced, albeit costly, defensive line compensating for these deficiencies in the secondary and linebacker units.
“That does worry me that you’re kind of making the same bet with two aging defensive tackles,” Harmon said.
Question: What will be the 49ers’ performance outlook given numerous crucial veteran players (George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Mike Evans) are recovering from injuries, and will a nascent wide receiver (De’Zhaun Stribling) emerge if Brandon Aiyuk is traded?
Tice characterized the 49ers as a “team with extremely high variability,” capable of excelling when fully healthy, yet grappling with substantial uncertainties in pivotal roles, which casts doubt on their projected 10.5-win total.
“[Head coach] Kyle Shanahan does really go after guys that are intelligent like in smart players,” Tice said. “That’s why his guys don’t really make a lot of mistakes and even though he asked a lot of them. So Stribling is going to get a lot of run. That’s a lot to put on a second-round rookie wide receiver. Especially if you have aspirations.”
