It’s 5 o’clock somewhere…
The 5 o’clock club is published from time to time during the season, and aims to provide a forum for reader-driven discussion at a time of day when there isn’t much NFL news being published. Feel free to introduce topics that interest you in the comments below.
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We aren’t likely to know the exact makeup of the starting five offensive linemen until sometime in August at the earliest, and possibly not until the offense takes the field for the first time in Week 1.
That said, we have a pretty good idea about who will probably make the roster. In addition to Sam Cosmi, who will certainly enter the season on the PUP list (and not count towards the 91-man limit), I’d say there are likely 8 roster locks.
- Laremy Tunsil
- Brandon Coleman
- Josh Connerly
- Tyler Biadasz
- Andrew Wylie
- Nick Allegretti
- Trent Scott
- Nate Herbig
The team should keep nine or ten linemen, but the others will be backups and unlikely to compete for starting positions. The five Week 1 starters should come from this group of eight.
We know the status of two players:
Tunsil will be the starting left tackle
Biadasz will be the starting center
Let’s consider the possibilities for 5 other players:
Nick Allegretti will either be the starting left guard or he will be relegated to backup guard
Brandon Coleman could be the starting right tackle, the starting left guard (supplanting Allegretti), or he could be a T/G backup. I don’t think the coaches would put Coleman at right guard because that spot belongs to Cosmi when he’s healthy; ideally, his replacement should be someone with just a year left on his contract.
Josh Conerly probably has the same possibilities as Coleman.
Andrew Wylie could be the starting right tackle, the starting right guard, or he could be a backup T/G.
Nate Herbig could be the starting right guard and backup center, or simply a backup interior offensive lineman. He may also have a chance at the starting left guard position.
In my mind, a priority should be getting Coleman and Conerly established in their permanent roles, whatever they may be.
With that in mind, the second consideration should be getting the best five on the field immediately, with an eye towards Cosmi’s eventual return to the lineup, which may not happen before 2026.
Three positions – Three poll questions