Offense: On offense, it appears that only Mangold, Sims, and Holmes have starting positions locked down, with QB, RB, FB, TE, one WR, and 3 OL positions being open.
QB: If Justin Zwick wins the QB battle (as most people believe), then it will be interesting to see what happens to Troy Smith (who is too good to carry a clipboard for three years, IMO). Troy is probably one of the top 5 athletes on the team, and needs to play somewhere. If Todd Boeckman can prove a capable back-up, then the decision to move Smith becomes easier.
RB & FB: This position is a mess. Brandon Joe might be the best candidate, but is a more natural FB; if Joe does see time as an RB, then who plays FB? Lydell Ross and Maurice Hall have proven little in three years of part-time service, and both are coming off of injuries. Is Erik Haw the answer? The Bucks may end up being a "passing" team by default.
TE: The biggest battle may be at TE, where Ryan Hamby and Louis Irizarry will battle it out, with Rory Nicol entering the mix in the fall. This is the one really deep position on offense, with Stan White, Jr., Redgie Arden, Jason Caldwell , and possibly Chad Hoobler also being in the mix.
WR: Obviously, Santonio Holmes starts at one spot, and Bam Childress sees a lot time as a third WR (look for some special plays for Bam this year - middle screens, reverses, etc.). Roy Hall had better have a good spring and solidify the other starting position before fall, because I feel that the incoming freshman WR's (especially Devon Lyons) have a lot talent, and could be factors from day one. Lots of other names here (Tony Gonzalez, Dareus Hiley, Devin Jordan, John Hollins) who have a lot to prove before seeing the field on a consistent basis. Will Teddy Ginn see some time here?
OL: The offensive line will take the longest time to sort out, and may not get settled until the fall (look out for Ben Person). Rob Sims and Nick Mangold are solid if not spectacular, but no one else on the spring roster really excites me yet. Doug Datish is nearing "bust" status, and needs a huge spring to redeem himself.
Bottom line on offense: I'll be watching the Hamby - Irizarry battle; what happens with Brandon Joe and Troy Smith; and who if anyone steps up on the offensive line. The player most "on the spot" is Roy Hall, who could step up and be a big time WR in the mode of Davis Boston, or could end up getting lost in the mix.
Defense: Like the offense, the defense has a lot of holes to fill, but there is much more talent (proven and potential) to fill the shoes of the departing players.
DL: As the only returning starter, Simon Fraser looks to hold down one DE spot; however, Simon had an off year in 2003, and he really needs to step it up not only to anchor a very young line, but also to improve his draft status. Mike Kudla and Quinn Pitcock showed some real brilliance last year, and both should be major factors this year as well. David Patterson and Marcel Frost look to have break-out springs, and Nader Abdallah seems to be the real deal as an incoming freshman. The question is what to do with Marcus Green, Joel Penton, Jay Richardson, and Tim Schafer, along with Andre Tyree and Sian Cotten (both of whom may end up on the OL). It's great to have depth here, even if none of the guys is in the same category as the departing Will Smith, Darrion Scott, and Tim Anderson - at least not yet. Maybe someone really steps it up this spring (Frost?).
LB: It will be interesting to see how the small but talented group of LB's shakes out. A.J. Hawk and Rob Carpenter look to be All Big Ten (or better), and Anthony Shlegel could be a classic MLB in the Spielman, Katzenmoyer, Wilhelm mold (and man, were the Bucks missing a true MLB last season). John Kerr is probably a key back-up at Mike and Sam, and Mike D'Andrea sees the field somewhere (great athlete, no position - see Troy Smith, above). Marcus Freeman and Thomas Matthews will likely see time on special teams.
DB: The defensive backfield is deep, but lacks big-time proven talent. Dustin Fox is functional at one corner, and Ashton Youbouty and E. J. Underwood should have a good battle seeing who keeps the other CB spot, at least until Teddy Ginn takes it over. Nate Salley showed flashes last season, but needs to play smarter in the future; Brandon Mitchell went from a starter to an afterthought; nickel back Donte Whitner may be better than both of them.
Bottom line on defense: The best battles will be on the DL, where many players have a tremendous opportunity to prove themselves and earn a starting role (or at least plenty of playing time as a key back-up), and at safety where the three returning candidates all have talent. The player most "on the spot" is Mike D'Andrea, who was a super blue chip prospect in high school, but who has proven inadequate as an MLB; can he find a role somewhere on this very talented defense?
Special teams: Place kicker Mike Nugent is an All-American, but A.J. Trapasso is a true freshman at punter. The return games were pretty awful, and regardless of what else he does as a freshman, Teddy Ginn should make an immediate impact as a KR and/or PR.