A week after NFL teams had to get their rosters down, the picture is finally clear. The 53-man groups and practice squads are largely in place, and with Week 1 just days away, the Gophers’ NFL alumni are spread across the league in a mix of starting jobs, rotational roles and depth spots.
Some of the biggest names are locked into major roles right away. Antoine Winfield Jr. is heading into his seventh season with Tampa Bay as one of the league’s top safeties and a central figure in the Buccaneers’ defense.
Eric Murray is also set as a starter, lining up as one of Jacksonville’s starting safeties in his eleventh NFL season. And Tyler Nubin, after what the source describes as a strong preseason, appears to have quieted any questions and will try to lock down his place as a starting safety in his third pro season with the Giants.
On the offensive side, there’s a mix of familiar faces and fresh opportunities. Brevyn Spann-Ford has gone from undrafted free agent to an important rotational piece for Dallas.
He’ll open the year behind Jake Ferguson, but the Cowboys expect him to play plenty as their second tight end, helping both as a blocker and as a big target near the goal line. Ko Kieft is back in Tampa Bay for his fifth season and will keep doing what he’s done best: serve as the Buccaneers’ blocking tight end.
And Austin Kallerup made the Seahawks’ 53-man roster and is back in a blocking and special teams role, though he was inactive at times last season and that’s something to watch early this year.
There’s also movement in the trenches. Aireontae Ersery is with the Jaguars after a preseason trade from the Giants and will begin the season as a backup interior offensive lineman. The source notes that his spot could become more interesting once Patrick Mekari returns from injured reserve after back surgery.
At linebacker, Dallas Gibbens is listed as a backup on Arizona’s official depth chart, though there’s still a chance he could start in Week 1. Either way, he’s expected to see the field this season, rotating in to spell both Mack Wilson and Cody Simon.
Cody Lindenberg is in a similar early-year reserve role with the Raiders, where he’s behind Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker on the second team. Given the injury history of those two starters, the door is open for Lindenberg to push for starts later on, but for now he’s expected to contribute mainly on special teams.
One of the clearest opportunities belongs to Boye Mafe, who signed a three-year, $60 million deal with Cincinnati this offseason. He’s projected as a starter and one of the focal points of an improved Bengals defense, a major chance for him to prove he belongs as a premier pass rusher after being buried in Seattle’s crowded defensive end rotation. Danny Striggow, meanwhile, is set to rotate behind Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen in Jacksonville after a solid rookie year as an undrafted free agent.
The defensive back group has a few more notable names. Justin Walley is slated to start in the slot for the Colts, with the source making clear that the slot corner should be viewed as a starter in today’s game.
It also notes that Walley could mix in on the outside, where he flashed some promise in preseason. Benjamin St-Juste is now with Green Bay, where the cornerback room remains unsettled and injury-hit, but he’s not expected to start in Week 1.
The Packers haven’t even published a depth chart yet, and the source settles on backup for now while acknowledging his role could change once Green Bay uses a third corner. The opener will come against Minnesota.
There are a few more veterans and depth pieces in the mix, too. Brian Flores is mentioned alongside a note that there remains the possibility of discipline from the league office for Bateman's arrest in June, but there’s been no word yet regarding that. And Howden is back with the Saints in a backup safety and special teams role, with the added wrinkle that this is a contract year and he’ll be looking to expand his role as the season goes on.
The quarterback room includes Max Brosmer with the Vikings, while Kyler Baugh is with the Steelers.
In Other News...
Gophers Backfield Takes Another Hit With Fresh Questions Ahead
Minnesotas backfield depth got thinner again this week, with Ryan Estradas season ending after the knee injury he suffered against Eastern Illinois. The loss stings not just because the Gophers are down another runner, but because Estrada arrived as a four-star recruit and was still in the early stages of carving out a role before the injury halted his 2026 season.
Estrada will come back as a sophomore in 2027 under the new eligibility rules, giving Minnesota a reason to think beyond the immediate setback. For now, though, he becomes the fourth Gopher sidelined for the year by a leg injury, a run of attrition that leaves even more pressure on the players still standing in the backfield. [Read more 🡒]
P.J. Fleck Sees One Gophers Game As A Bigger Statement
P.J. Fleck keeps circling back to the same idea when he talks about the Gophers place in the national conversation: bigger games should not be treated like a luxury. Minnesota is one of only three Big Ten teams set to face an SEC opponent in nonconference play this season, and Fleck sees that kind of matchup as part of what college football ought to be pushing toward, especially if the sport is serious about creating more parity and giving more programs a clearer path to prove themselves.
The broader issue, of course, is what the sport values when it comes time to sort out playoff access and strength of schedule. Fleck has pointed to ongoing discussions around playoff criteria and scheduling, along with a tentative SEC-Big Ten agreement tied to future requirements in a possible 24-team format, as evidence that the conversation is moving in the right direction. For Minnesota, the immediate focus is on the game in front of it, but the larger argument is hard to miss: these nonconference tests could end up meaning a lot more than just one Saturday. [Read more 🡒]
Javon Tracy Just Gave Minnesota A Special Teams Weapon Fans Need To See
Javon Tracys Minnesota debut on special teams was the kind of burst that can change how a team is viewed on a weekly basis. The wide receiver was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week after turning a lopsided 59-7 win over Eastern Illinois into a showcase for his open-field ability, piling up a school-record 167 punt return yards on four chances and instantly giving the Gophers a jolt in a phase of the game that often swings hidden yardage.
What made the afternoon even more remarkable is how quickly Tracy carved out his place in the record book. He became the first player in Big Ten history to score two punt return touchdowns in his first career game returning punts, and the first Gopher to do it in a single game, leaving Minnesota with a new wrinkle to watch as the season moves forward. For a team always looking for ways to create momentum, that kind of weapon is hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]