Bill Huber· Aug 26, 2026
Previewing the Packers' final roster cuts, Huber lays out the linebacker pecking order — Cooper and Franklin starting, McDuffie and Hopper as backups/special-teamers, Niemann a special teams key — says Jonathan Ford has won the nose tackle job, and figures Kamal Hadden has secured a secondary spot.
“Edgerrin Cooper and Zaire Franklin will start, Isaiah McDuffie and Ty'Ron Hopper will be backups and core players on special teams”
published in writing · Sports Illustrated · read the original →
7 checkable claims — 5 depth chart calls and 2 roster spot calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 8 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 4 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.
Where this call stands in the room
Zaire Franklin · 2026 season3 calls from 3 pundits between 1 and 1. Bill Huber said 1. the room's median is 1. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
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Who this take is about
7 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Depth Chart CallsTy'Ron HopperGreen Bay PackersAug 26, 2026
Ty'Ron Hopper to be 2nd on the depth chart
“Isaiah McDuffie and Ty'Ron Hopper will be backups and core players on special teams”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Isaiah McDuffie to be 2nd on the depth chart
“Isaiah McDuffie and Ty'Ron Hopper will be backups and core players on special teams”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsJonathan FordGreen Bay PackersAug 26, 2026
Jonathan Ford to be 1st on the depth chart
“Jonathan Ford has had a terrific training camp to seize the job at nose tackle.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Edgerrin Cooper to be 1st on the depth chart
“Edgerrin Cooper and Zaire Franklin will start”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsZaire FranklinGreen Bay PackersAug 26, 2026
Zaire Franklin to be 1st on the depth chart
“Edgerrin Cooper and Zaire Franklin will start”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsKamal HaddenGreen Bay PackersAug 26, 2026
Kamal Hadden to make the roster
“Because he's played better at cornerback and slot, Kamal Hadden has probably locked up a spot in the secondary.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsNick NiemannGreen Bay PackersAug 26, 2026
Nick Niemann to make the roster
“Nick Niemann – who the Packers signed after final cuts last year rather than keeping Welch – will be a key player on special teams again.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Daniel JeremiahMock Draft Picks · R Mason ThomasClose · 59In discussing teams without first-round picks, Jeremiah projected specific Day 2 picks: Clemson WR Antonio Williams to the Falcons at 48, Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez to the Colts in the second round, Oklahoma edge R Mason Thomas to the Packers at 52, and Auburn edge Keiroon Crawford to the Broncos at 62. He also expects Riley Leonard to open as the Colts' starting QB and Travis Hunter to play cornerback full time in Jacksonville.
- Richard ShermanSeason Win Totals · Green Bay PackersClose · 40Sherman previewed every division: he picked Seattle to win the NFC West on a tiebreaker over San Francisco (both 11-11 wins), the Lions over the Packers in the North, the Eagles to run away with the East, Tampa Bay in the South, and Kansas City, Buffalo and the Ravens' division rivals in the AFC. He picked an Eagles–Chiefs Super Bowl with Philadelphia repeating, Joe Burrow for MVP, and gave a top-five power ranking.
- Jacob WestendorfScore Predictions · Green Bay PackersMiss · 24Westendorf picks the Packers to win the opener 27-21, with Tucker Kraft leading the team in catches, Christian Watson in yards, Jayden Reed in touchdowns and Josh Jacobs in rushing. He tabs Bo Nix as MVP, the Broncos as the AFC's top team and Super Bowl winner over the Rams, the Lions to win the NFC North, and the Packers to finish 8-9.
- AJ HawkGame Outcome Picks · Green Bay PackersMiss · 0AJ Hawk picked the Ravens over the Colts, Carolina to beat Chicago outright, the Bills at Houston, the Bengals over Tampa Bay, the Titans over the Jets, the Raiders over Miami, the Packers at Minnesota and the Cowboys over the Giants.
- Kirk HerbstreitGame Outcome Picks · Green Bay PackersMiss · 0Herbstreit made a full slate of Week 1 picks — Lions, Ravens, Bears, Bills, Buccaneers, Jaguars, Titans, Eagles, Packers and Cowboys — and also said he still thinks Seattle is the team to beat in the NFC West.
- Pat McAfeeGame Outcome Picks · Green Bay PackersMiss · 0In the show's weekly picks segment Pat took the Steelers at home over Atlanta, the Jaguars over Cleveland, the Raiders over Miami, the Packers at Minnesota and the Cowboys over the Giants.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Tyler SullivanDepth Chart Calls · Deshaun WatsonHit · 100An unsigned CBS Sports preseason review grading all 32 teams, which along the way stakes out a number of depth-chart calls for Week 1 and beyond — including Deshaun Watson opening as Cleveland's starter, Fernando Mendoza taking over as Las Vegas' QB1 by season's end, and Minnesota's Murray-Wentz-McCarthy quarterback order.
- Ryan WilsonDepth Chart Calls · Deshaun WatsonHit · 100A CBS Sports piece states Deshaun Watson has won Cleveland's starting quarterback job for Week 1 with Shedeur Sanders next in line, while arguing Watson will not play like even an average NFL quarterback and that none of the Browns' current young passers should stop them from drafting a first-round quarterback next April.
- Rafael ZamoranoDepth Chart Calls · Deshaun WatsonHit · 100Zamorano argues the Browns do not have a franchise quarterback and that it's unlikely Watson or Sanders is their long-term answer.
- John BreechDepth Chart Calls · Deshaun WatsonHit · 100The unsigned newsletter author says Deshaun Watson will start Week 1 at Jacksonville, notes he voted for Jaxson Dart as his breakout QB rather than Caleb Williams, and says newly signed Daniel Carlson is the favorite to win the Saints' kicking job.
- Mark ChichesterDepth Chart Calls · Deshaun WatsonHit · 100Unsigned PFF piece reporting/asserting that Deshaun Watson will be Cleveland's Week 1 starting quarterback against Jacksonville, with Shedeur Sanders behind him on the depth chart.
- Zachary PerelesDepth Chart Calls · Deshaun WatsonHit · 100The unsigned recap argues Sanders clearly outplayed Watson and, even if Sanders isn't named the Week 1 starter, predicts both quarterbacks will see significant playing time in 2026.