Injuries are an unavoidable part of playing professional football. You can't go into an NFL season saying, "If we can avoid injuries, look what we can accomplish." You need to ask, "When the injuries come, what will we accomplish?"
Some teams go into the season with this fact in mind. They spend their offseason building not only a strong starting lineup, but also a strong depth chart behind it. They know that they can withstand injuries across the roster -- sometimes even at quarterback -- and still compete on Sundays.
Below, I've taken a look at the deepest and thinnest rosters in the NFL. We're looking here for backups who are strong veterans with recent starting experience or high draft picks with lots of future promise. I didn't create a formula to identify the deepest and thinnest rosters in the NFL. I simply looked at each roster and tried to judge where teams stood on the spectrum between a roster that can withstand a lot of injuries and a roster that is in real trouble if even lesser starters get injured.
I'll note that identifying the thinnest rosters is harder than identifying the deepest rosters. Even teams with thin rosters have some positions with backups who are promising young players or capable veterans.
With that said, let's get started with the five deepest rosters.
DEEPEST ROSTERS
1. Baltimore Ravens
The best way to identify the quality of depth on the Ravens' roster is to note how many games the team has won over the past couple of years despite a ton of injuries. (Last year, the Ravens set a record in Football Outsiders' adjusted games lost metric, and they would have set that record even in a 16-game season.) The Ravens have already had to dig into their depth this season with players such as J.K. Dobbins and Kyle Fuller on injured reserve, plus edge rushers Tyus Bowser and David Ojabo missing at least the first half of the season.
Baltimore's depth starts with quarterback Tyler Huntley, who had 55.0 QBR last season and makes a realistic trade option for teams looking for a 2023 starter. The offensive line has quality backups, including Patrick Mekari and Ben Cleveland. The Ravens beat the Patriots a couple of weeks ago despite being forced to use a fourth string left tackle and fourth-round rookie Daniel Faalele. The tight end group has the promising Isaiah Likely, plus blocker Nick Boyle and the underrated Josh Oliver behind Mark Andrews (who was injured in Thursday night's win over Tampa Bay, along with Rashod Bateman).
The running back room has useful veterans such as Kenyan Drake, plus young backups Gus Edwards and Justice Hill. Even the wide receiver group, the weakest part of the depth chart, now has DeSean Jackson ready to come up from the practice squad and run his usual handful of go routes. On defense, No. 14 overall pick Kyle Hamilton couldn't win the starting job ahead of veteran Chuck Clark.
The cornerback depth includes Brandon Stephens, who was a starting safety half of last year, and fourth-round rookies Damarion Williams and Jalyn Armour-Davis. Malik Harrison never quite worked out as a starting linebacker, but he makes for good depth, as does veteran A.J. Klein. Jason Pierre-Paul is a second-string edge rusher for this team. Interior lineman Broderick Washington is underrated as well.
2. Buffalo Bills
The Bills have built the best team in the NFL: a team that's built to win and withstand injury. Thanks to quality cornerback depth, they are currently No. 1 in defensive DVOA despite the absence of Tre'Davious White. He should return in the next couple of weeks, bumping capable rookies Christian Benford and Kaiir Elam each a spot down the depth chart. The backup off-ball linebackers include third-round rookie Terrel Bernard, while the edge rusher depth features recent second-rounders AJ Epenesa and Boogie Basham, plus useful veteran Shaq Lawson.
The offensive depth is just as impressive. Bobby Hart, Greg Van Roten and David Quessenberry were not good starters, but they make for valuable backups on the offensive line. Fifth-round rookie Khalil Shakir has impressed past his draft position, but stands behind Isaiah McKenzie on the depth chart. James Cook and Zack Moss are capable backup running backs. And while the Bills would of course never want to lose Josh Allen for any length of time, Case Keenum is a very capable backup who could get the Bills through a game or two if Allen had a minor injury.
In the end, I put Baltimore ahead of Buffalo because of Kyle Hamilton and because of interest around the league in Huntley as a starter.
3. Philadelphia Eagles
Let's start with this week's trade for Robert Quinn from the Chicago Bears. Quinn had 18.5 sacks for the Bears last season, and he's not even going to be a starter for the Eagles. The second-string defensive line also includes first-round rookie Jordan Davis and a third-rounder from last year, Milton Williams.
At linebacker, Eagles backups include third-round rookie Nakobe Dean, although any excitement about Dean has to be tempered by the fact that he's only played three snaps on defense this season. The secondary has the weakest depth on the defense, although cornerback Zech McPhearson was in line to start before the Eagles signed James Bradberry in the preseason.
Offensive depth is led by quarterback Gardner Minshew, who had an excellent 66.2 QBR when he had to play last year (and a very capable, although lower, 44 QBR in his first two seasons when he was with the Jaguars). Running backs Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott both had positive rushing DVOA last season. Andre Dillard has been a flop as a first-round pick, but it's pretty nice to have a former first-rounder as your swing tackle. Second-round rookie Cam Jurgens is there to back up the interior line. Wide receiver seems like a steep drop after WR4 Zach Pascal, but the practice squad has capable veterans such as Greg Ward and Deon Cain. The big missing piece for offensive depth is a tight end with more experience or draft pedigree than 2021 UDFA Jack Stoll.
4. New England Patriots
The Patriots have always built with depth instead of a "stars and scrubs" mentality -- even at quarterback, where they continuously drafted signal-callers in the middle rounds to back up Tom Brady. Now they've managed to clone their starting quarterback. Mac Jones may not be one of the NFL's above-average starters, but Bailey Zappe looks like a pretty useful backup right now. This same trend goes all the way down the roster. Even when the starters are not stars, the backups are quality.
Are DeVante Parker and Nelson Agholor really much better than Tyquan Thornton and Kendrick Bourne? (Bourne led qualifying wideouts in receiving DVOA last year and dominates in ESPN's new catch score metric.) Has Damien Harris already been supplanted by Rhamondre Stevenson? Either makes a fine backup. Jonnu Smith is way too expensive as a second tight end for a team that uses two tight end sets a lot less than you believe, but he's pretty high quality for the second string.
It's the same thing on defense. We'll start in the secondary, where the Patriots have four capable starting-quality safeties (Devin McCourty, Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips and Jabrill Peppers). Rookie fourth-rounder Jack Jones has allowed just a 46% completion rate, according to Sports Info Solutions charting, and he's the fourth cornerback. Third-round rookie Marcus Jones is the fifth cornerback. Mack Wilson Sr. and Raekwon McMillan, both former starters, are the backup linebackers. Lawrence Guy, a former starter, is the top backup on the interior line.
The one place the Patriots have disappointing depth is edge rusher, where neither Josh Uche nor Anfernee Jennings has really developed as was hoped when they were drafted high in 2020.
5. Dallas Cowboys
Let's start by giving the Cowboys some credit for going 4-1 with their backup quarterback -- and without their excellent left tackle, Tyron Smith. Cooper Rush certainly proved to be better than anyone expected, with 61.9 QBR this season. Tony Pollard could easily fill in if Ezekiel Elliott had a major injury. Veteran Jason Peters still has something in the tank as the sixth lineman. (Actually, the seventh lineman, because Smith is out.) There's less depth at wide receiver -- but there is third-round rookie Jalen Tolbert, who hasn't gotten much playing time.
Defensive depth starts at edge rusher with second-round rookie Sam Williams and veteran Dante Fowler Jr. There's strong depth at interior defensive line as well, particularly with the recent addition of Johnathan Hankins from the Raiders. Promising young linebacker Jabril Cox backs up Leighton Vander Esch. Theoretically, either Malik Hooker or Jayron Kearse is a backup at free safety, although each player has started four games this year and they often play together. Cornerback may have the biggest questions; an injury to Jourdan Lewis pushes fifth-round rookie DaRon Bland into the lineup as nickelback ahead of 2021 draft picks Kelvin Joseph and Nahshon Wright, who can't seem to get any playing time.
THINNEST ROSTERS
1. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams' philosophy of trading away draft picks won them a Super Bowl. It's also decimated the bottom of the roster. The Rams have actually done well in the draft with quality later-round picks such as Greg Gaines and Nick Scott, but most of those players have been forced into the starting lineup instead of being used as depth pieces.
Even with one good start a couple of years ago, nobody would rank John Wolford as one of the league's top backup quarterbacks. Alaric Jackson, a 2021 UDFA who has been playing right guard, will have to replace Joe Noteboom now at left tackle. The Cam Akers drama has sort of ruined the depth at running back. At wide receiver, Ben Skowronek is a useful player with his ability to block but he's had below-average receiving DVOA during the past two years. Brandon Powell and Tutu Atwell are really just gadget guys; Atwell, a 2021 second-round pick, has only one career NFL catch. Now tight end at least has depth, with Brycen Hopkins and Kendall Blanton behind Tyler Higbee.
On defense, while some teams rotate their linemen, the Rams don't really play any backup linemen other than veteran Marquise Copeland. They don't really have any backup edge rushers other than third year outside linebacker Terrell Lewis. They get more play out of their backup defensive backs, however, and eight different defensive backs have played at least 50% of defensive snaps in games in which they have been active this year.
2. Arizona Cardinals
The biggest offensive depth problem for the Cardinals has been the offensive line, even with the preseason trade for Cody Ford from Buffalo. At wide receiver, the Cardinals finally gave up on Andy Isabella and veteran A.J. Green is pretty much done, but the Robbie Anderson trade with Carolina helped add to that depth. Other positions are in good shape, with veteran Colt McCoy at quarterback (60.4 QBR last year), rookie tight end Trey McBride and capable running backs such as Eno Benjamin and Darrel Williams.
Defensive depth is a bigger issue. The only backups with significant starting experience are cornerback Trayvon Mullen, cut by the Raiders before the season, and linebacker Ben Niemann, who the Chiefs were happy to let leave after last year. Chris Banjo, the only real backup safety on the roster, is really just a special teams guy. There's also very little edge rusher depth behind Markus Golden.
3. New York Giants
Tyrod Taylor once would have been considered one of the top backup quarterbacks in the league, but he hasn't had good numbers since 2017. The Giants have used a lot of different wide receivers this year, but how many of them would make another roster? Nobody has been clamoring to pick up David Sills V, and Marcus Johnson has bounced around the league during his career. The backup tight ends are journeymen Chris Myarick and Tanner Hudson. Matt Breida is a good backup running back, but there's really nothing behind him.
The offensive line, at least, has some backups with starting experience, including Nick Gates and Tyre Phillips. On defense, the Giants had to grab Jaylon Smith off the linebacker scrap heap and stick him in the starting lineup. The backup cornerbacks don't have much experience, although Cor'Dale Flott has promise as a third-round rookie. Fourth-round rookie Dane Belton is the main backup at safety. There are a lot of lower-round draft picks here, plus a couple of capable but older backup linemen, Justin Ellis and Nick Williams.
4. Carolina Panthers
Despite being one of the league's worst teams, the Panthers have surprisingly reasonable depth on the offensive side of the ball. PJ Walker was their fourth quarterback, after all. Laviska Shenault Jr. still has potential and Rashard Higgins was third in wide receiver DVOA as recently as two years ago. Cameron Erving and Michael Jordan have always been considered below average as starting offensive linemen but their extensive starting experience makes them good backups. The departure of Christian McCaffrey moves everyone up the depth chart, making the roster thinner there. Chuba Hubbard was more impressive as the third running back than rookie UDFA Raheem Blackshear.
Defense is where the Panthers' depth really lacks. There are no promising high draft picks here, unless you want to count CJ Henderson, the 2020 first-rounder who was rejected by the Jaguars but has played about half of Carolina's defensive snaps this year. Damien Wilson is a good backup linebacker. Safety Sean Chandler started a few games last season. Otherwise, it's a lot of guys you haven't heard of, few of them with pedigrees. Marquis Haynes Sr has never started a game in five years with the Panthers. Sam Franklin Jr. just moved from linebacker to safety this year. Arron Mosby and Marquan McCall are rookie UDFAs.
5. Minnesota Vikings
We'll start at wide receiver, where a team that goes three-wide a lot needs more depth: Jalen Reagor wasn't good in Philadelphia and Jalen Nailor is only a sixth-round rookie. At QB, Nick Mullens is not a highly regarded backup quarterback. This is the first time in six NFL seasons that backup tight end Johnny Mundt has more than four catches. On the offensive line, Chris Reed and Olisaemeka Udoh have starting experience, but last year Sports Info Solutions charting had them 97th and 100th among 114 qualifying interior linemen in snaps per blown block.
On defense, there is definitely good depth in the secondary. Second-round rookie Andrew Booth Jr. is a backup right now, and the Vikings had Camryn Bynum ready to go when first-round rookie Lewis Cine got hurt at the start of the season. There's less depth on the defensive line, although Ross Blacklock has plenty of experience from his time in Houston. D.J. Wonnum has been useful as the third edge rusher but there isn't much behind him. Third-round rookie Brian Asamoah II is the top backup at linebacker.