Generally, I do see the team improving over last year, but they certainly aren't without their issues - injuries being one of the bigger ones.
Offense: I honestly see the potential for a #1 offense this year. To do that, MLF has to increase the pass/rush ratio, WRs and Love need to stay healthy. OL just needs to solidify.
QB: Compared to last year, it is probably "flat". Losing Willis hurts if Love doesn't stay healthy. But another year with the same WRs should help Love be better too. Love needs to get over 4000 yards.
WR: Losing Doubs means we lost a very sure-handed WR that was Love's go-to. Watson and Reid had injury issues last year and must stay healthy... but all three starting WRs (including Golden) have higher upside than Doubs. This group could be electric... or on the sidelines.
TE: Kraft might've been the best TE in all of football when he got hurt. Depth is thin behind him, but if the WRs hit this year, there won't be many balls behind Kraft.
OL: Last year was a massive shuffle where the only players that didn't get injured were either "meh" (Walker) or at new positions (Rhyan/Belton). I think Morgan at LT is an upgrade. Banks improved at the end of the year as he got healthy. Rhyan will have an offseason to improve at C or be replaced by Burton (either should be better than 2025 Rhyan). Same with Belton - he improved all year and with an offseason to practice the technique, I think he will be excellent with a lot of big runs behind him. Tom back healthy is clearly better than our RT all last year. Big arrow up on this group with a big injury caveat.
RB: Losing Wilson hurts unless Lynch can stay healthy (big if). Obviously, Jacobs' legal situation is a big concern, but I don't think finding an RB at the end of TC is terribly hard. And this might even push us to pass more, which is a good thing. But Jacobs also has a ON-OFF-ON cycle for his career and this year would be "ON" in that cycle.
Defense: Last year, we were comfortably in the top 10 when Parson was injured. I see improvements and concerns for 2026 but could be top 10 again. If we had one top 15 CB, I'd feel much better about the defense's upside. The coaching change will be one to watch also.
DL: Wooden did surprisingly well for us last year, but fits the 3-4 less and wasn't a needle mover anyway. Adding McClellan and Hargrave next to Wyatt, Brooks, Brinson, and Stackhouse is a net gain.
OLB: Assuming Parsons comes back at 100%, this group is probably about the same. Gary seemed to be regressing last year to just "solid". I think Sorrell can provide that this year. LVN needs to stay healthy to get long term impact. I like Oliver a lot and he should be picking Parson's brain to be a poor-man version. DDS might surprise people too.
MLB: Franklin for Walker is the key here. I doubt Franklin will be overall better, but can he be more consistent and let Cooper be the splash player? I'd say this group is about the same.
Safety: Quite literally the same unless you want to include ST players. Should be slightly better from the point of view of young players reaching their peak and no one really "over the peak".
CB: Here is my main concern for the team. Added two interesting players, but they probably protect our floor more than raise the ceiling. Cisse might be excellent in a couple of years and might start this year... but overall I don't see this group being a strength.
Special Teams: It all surrounds what the word "Smack" means in January:
I'd love the Smack that kicker!!!
He really Smacked that ball!!!
Keeping healthy is a key, key area in so many positions with players that have struggled to stay healthy in the past.... though several of them have gotten better there too.