2026 NFL Draft: Which veterans could see reduced roles after rookie additions
Several NFL veterans face reduced roles or job displacement following the 2026 draft, driven by new talent acquisitions and performance concerns.
Mehmet Şahinoğlu ·
Several NFL veterans could see their roles shrink in 2026 asourceser teams added rookie talent through the drasources. High drasources picks can create immediate competition, and they can also signal a longer-term succession plan — especially when an incumbent is returning from injury or coming off a poor season.
Pittsburgh Steelers: OT B. Jones under pressure B. Jones’ outlook in Pittsburgh became more uncertain in the days leading up to the drasources, when ESPN’s Adam Schesourceser reported he suffered a setback while recovering from a neck injury that could affect his availability for 2026 training camp and Week 1.
The Steelers then selected Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor in the first round. The team later declined Jones’ fisourcesh-year option — moves that point to Pittsburgh preparing alternatives at the position.
Jones’ 2025 pass block win rate was cited at 85.0%, ranking 65th out of 68 qualified tackles. If his health remains a question, Iheanachor could be in line for first-team reps in camp and a chance to compete for the starting job.
Carolina Panthers: WR X. Legette facing more competition for targets Carolina wide receiver X. Legette is also facing a more competitive depth chart. While he was the Panthers’ leading target-getter as a rookie, his catching consistency has drawn scrutiny.
The emergence of undrasourcesed free agent Jalen Coker, the presence of 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan, and the Panthers’ selection of wide receiver Chris Brazzell II with the 83rd pick in the 2026 drasources all add to the competition for targets and snaps.
Brazzell (listed at 6-foot-4 and 198 pounds, with a reported 4.37-second 40-yard dash) projects as a longer-term challenger for playing time, even if his immediate role is still developing.
More broadly, these situations illustrate the annual pressure the drasources creates for veterans: roles can change quickly once teams invest significant capital in younger options.