Zac Ventola· Aug 7, 2026
Ventola projects the Patriots' safety and defensive tackle depth charts, naming Kevin Byard III and Craig Woodson as starting safeties, Dell Pettus, Mike Brown and Brenden Schooler as locked-in backups/roster spots, and Milton Williams and Christian Barmore as starting defensive tackles with Cory Durden and Joshua Farmer as top backups.
“Veteran Kevin Byard III and 2025 draft pick Craig Woodson project to be the group's starters.”
published in writing · Sports Illustrated · read the original →
9 checkable claims — 6 depth chart calls and 3 roster spot calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 10 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 9 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.
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Who this take is about
9 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.
Dell Pettus to make the roster
“Dell Pettus has had an impressive camp and has likely solidified himself onto the roster as a backup safety and core specialist, as has Mike Brown.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skillHow this was scored
- club:
- NE
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- Dell Pettus
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he makes the 53
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he was on somebody's 53 last season, so he makes one again
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks on the53:
- 2
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 1
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 0
Joshua Farmer to be 2nd on the depth chart
“projected starters Milton Williams and Christian Barmore, top backups Cory Durden and Joshua Farmer”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Kevin Byard to be 1st on the depth chart
“Veteran Kevin Byard III and 2025 draft pick Craig Woodson project to be the group's starters.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Christian Barmore to be 1st on the depth chart
“The group also includes projected starters Milton Williams and Christian Barmore, top backups Cory Durden and Joshua Farmer”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Milton Williams to be 1st on the depth chart
“The group also includes projected starters Milton Williams and Christian Barmore, top backups Cory Durden and Joshua Farmer”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Brenden Schooler to make the roster
“Schooler, a 2024 AP First Team All-Pro special teamer, has a guaranteed spot as well.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Cory Durden to be 2nd on the depth chart
“projected starters Milton Williams and Christian Barmore, top backups Cory Durden and Joshua Farmer”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Craig Woodson to be 1st on the depth chart
“Veteran Kevin Byard III and 2025 draft pick Craig Woodson project to be the group's starters.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Mike Brown to make the roster
“Dell Pettus has had an impressive camp and has likely solidified himself onto the roster as a backup safety and core specialist, as has Mike Brown.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Chris LongGame Outcome Picks · New England PatriotsHit · 100Previewing Week 2, Long called New England a spot to bounce back against Pittsburgh, projected a 27-14 Patriots win, saw Eagles-Titans as a 23-10 grinder, liked the Rams' spot Monday night against the Giants, and wrote down a Bills 31, Lions 23 final for the Thursday nighter.
- Green Light with Chris LongScore Predictions · New England PatriotsClose · 69A co-host floated Week 2 final scores — a 17-13 Patriots win over Pittsburgh and a 27-10 Rams win over the Giants on Monday night — plus a Bills 34, Lions 26 Thursday night score, and referred to Joey Porter as a soon-to-be New York Giant.
- Nate TiceGame Outcome Picks · New England PatriotsHit · 100Tice picked the Bengals over the Texans in a low-scoring game, the Jaguars at Denver, the Bears over the Vikings, the Patriots over the Steelers and the Rams to edge the Giants, and his Hail Mary was the Cowboys scoring 40 on Washington. He also floated Abdul Carter as a possible All-Pro.
- Chris BroussardGame Outcome Picks · New England PatriotsMiss · 0Broussard picked the Bills to beat the Chargers in a competitive, higher-scoring game, said the Chiefs will rout the Dolphins, and for upset alert parlayed the Patriots over the Jaguars and the Raiders over the Saints. He also restated his Cowboys-versus-Ravens Super Bowl matchup pick.
- Danny ParkinsGame Outcome Picks · New England PatriotsMiss · 0In the winners-only chips segment Parkins backed the Patriots over the Jaguars, the Bengals over the Steelers and the Ravens over the Cowboys in Brazil. He also said New England has a real shot at a top-10 defense and that Kayshon/Romeo Dobbs will be the Patriots' number one target.
- Mark WahlbergGame Outcome Picks · New England PatriotsMiss · 0Wahlberg went game-by-game through the Patriots' schedule and predicted a 14-3 season, with losses only at Buffalo, to the Lions in Germany, and at Kansas City.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Garrett PodellDepth Chart Calls · Case KeenumHit · 100Podell ranks all 32 current NFL starting quarterbacks entering Week 3 of the 2026 season, with Josh Allen first, Patrick Mahomes second and Case Keenum last. He also expects Kyler Murray and Michael Penix Jr. to return to action in Week 3 and Case Keenum to possibly start for the Bears.
- Fox SportsDepth Chart Calls · Case KeenumHit · 100A roundup of NFC injury news expects Jameis Winston to start for the Giants in any games Jaxson Dart misses, and suggests third-stringer Case Keenum could end up starting for the Bears against the Eagles in Week 3 with both Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent sidelined.
- Fox SportsDepth Chart Calls · Case KeenumHit · 100With Caleb Williams injured and Tyson Bagent in concussion protocol, third-string quarterback Case Keenum is expected to start for the Bears against the Eagles in Week 3.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Jonah ColemanMiss · 0In his Week 3 waiver column, Fitzmaurice makes several depth-chart calls around injuries: Jonah Coleman leading Denver's backfield, Marcus Mariota taking over in Washington, Michael Penix Jr. starting once healthy, and Malik Washington serving as Miami's top receiver, plus availability expectations for Detroit's injured safeties.
- Fox SportsDepth Chart Calls · Michael Penix Jr.Hit · 100Fox Sports states that a healthy Tua Tagovailoa will serve as Atlanta's backup quarterback in Week 3, with Michael Penix Jr. handling the starting duties against Green Bay.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Aaron JonesHit · 100In previewing the 10 most intriguing fantasy performers of Week 2, Fitzmaurice expects Atlanta's quarterback problems to persist with Tua Tagovailoa unlikely to play and Michael Penix Jr. not ready to return, flags Falcons slot corner Billy Bowman Jr. as a possible Week 2 returnee, and describes Aaron Jones as Minnesota's lead back and Kaelon Black as the clear backup to Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco.