Josh EdwardsAug 4, 2026
In a survey of rookie position battles, CBS Sports expects Texans first-rounder Keylan Rutledge to win the starting center job, believes Tyrique Stevenson will keep Chicago's starting cornerback spot over rookie Malik Muhammad at least to begin the season, and suggests fourth-round rookie Bryce Boettcher could end up starting in Lou Anarumo's defense.
Published in writing · CBS SportsRead the original
What Josh Edwards said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromit is difficult to envision Rutledge not winning the job, given that the team traded up to select him
- Where it was published
- CBS Sports
- The piece
- NFL training camp battles 2026: Son of ex-NFL linebacker among rookies competing for starting spots
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Keylan Rutledge to be 1st on the depth chart“The Texans' coaching staff has been gauging a competition between first-round pick Keylan Rutledge and veteran Jake Andrews for the center gig, but it is difficult to envision Rutledge not winning the job, given that the team traded up to select him.”
- 2Bryce Boettcher to be 1st on the depth chart“Fellow rookie, fourth-round pick Bryce Boettcher, may also secure a starting role in Lou Anarumo's defense before all is said and done.”
- 3Tyrique Stevenson to be 1st on the depth chart“Chicago's fourth-round pick Malik Muhammad is thought to be in competition with Tyrique Stevenson. However, that seems like a situation in which Stevenson retains the starting job at least to open the season.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keylan Rutledge to be 1st on the depth chart1 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Bryce Boettcher to be 1st on the depth chart2 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Tyrique Stevenson to be 1st on the depth chart3 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 3 calls · 3 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
3 checkable claims — 3 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 2 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
Where this call stands in the room
Keylan Rutledge · 2026 season7 calls from 7 pundits between 1 and 1. Josh Edwards 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.
Their call against the room
Their call against everyone else's, while this is still unsettled.
1Depth Chart CallsKeylan RutledgeHouston Texans
Keylan Rutledge to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Depth Chart CallsBryce Boettcher
Bryce Boettcher to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Depth Chart CallsTyrique StevensonChicago Bears
Tyrique Stevenson to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
John Middlekauff · Draft Bust Calls · Caleb Williams · Miss 0
Middlekauff expects either Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson to win this year's MVP, calling them the two best players in the league. They are pessimistic on the Bears, forecasting six or seven wins and saying they'd bet Caleb Williams doesn't work out as a franchise quarterback. They also see Oklahoma's John Mattier as a first-round pick who'll be in the Heisman mix.Bobby Skinner · Trade and Signing Calls · Stefon Diggs · Miss 0
Skinner predicted Daniel Jones signs with and wins the starting job in Indianapolis, Milton Williams to New England, Lavonte David back to Tampa, Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams to the Giants, DJ Reid to Arizona, Hassan Reddick to Washington and Justin Fields staying in Pittsburgh, plus alternates they had listed.Bryan DeArdo · Score Predictions · Chicago Bears · Hit 98
DeArdo picks the Bears to beat the Buccaneers on Sunday night in a defensive game, predicting a 20-16 final score.Danny Parkins · Game Outcome Picks · Chicago Bears · Hit 100
Parkins named the seven AFC teams they believe are already set as the playoff field, expects Chicago, Buffalo and Kansas City to win this week, took Green Bay over New England and Atlanta over Cincinnati outright, and kept Bills–Bears as their Super Bowl matchup with the Giants still winning the NFC East.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Michael Moore · Depth Chart Calls · Shedeur Sanders · Hit 100
In a Week 9 injury roundup, Moore forecast which banged-up fantasy contributors would play or sit: Deshaun Watson, Garrett Wilson, David Montgomery, Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, TreVeyon Henderson and Terrance Ferguson are expected out, while Travis Kelce, Saquon Barkley, Michael Wilson, Christian Watson and Emeka Egbuka should play. They also expect Shedeur Sanders and Drew Lock to start at quarterback.Nic Bodiford · Depth Chart Calls · Joe Fagnano · Hit 100
Previewing Week 9 running game matchups, Bodiford expects Jacksonville to win lopsidedly over a depleted Baltimore team, with Bhayshul Tuten sitting out and Chris Rodriguez taking over as lead back, while Joe Fagnano starts at quarterback for the Ravens. They also view Broncos rookie Jonah Coleman as an RB2 going forward.