Well, folks, it's that time of year. We're here to unveil CBS Sports' annual NFL Survivor Squad. 

We have done this exercise for each of the last seven years now, but if this is your first time hearing about it, you might be asking what in the world a Survivor Squad is. And that's a pretty good question. Here's the answer: It's our attempt to build the best possible 32-man roster using one representative and only one representative from each NFL team.    

We fill out our roster with a head coach, offensive and defensive coordinator, quarterback, running back, perimeter and slot receivers, two tight ends, an offensive "flex" player, five offensive linemen, two edge rushers, two interior defensive linemen, two linebackers, a defensive front "flex" player, perimeter and slot corners, a deep safety, a box safety, a defensive back "flex" player, a punter, a kicker and a return man. 

To make things more challenging on myself (and to avoid essentially reprinting the same article year after year), I unilaterally declare every player and coach who made any of the previous years' rosters off limits for this year's exercise. That list includes a whole lot of people: 192 of them, to be exact. They're all listed in each section so you can see who was ineligible for be selected for the roster.

When we do this exercise, we always prioritize flexibility. Just like NFL teams, want to be as multiple as possible in all aspects of the game. Players who can help in both the run and pass game are prioritized, as are those with positional versatility. 

So, pass-catching running backs, receivers who can play on the perimeter or in the slot, tight ends who can catch passes and work as blockers, offensive linemen who are equally good at pass- and run-blocking, defensive linemen who can flex to the edge or inside, linebackers who excel against the run and the pass, corners who can play inside and out, and safeties who can drop down into the box, play up high or slide to the slot were all things that we looked for in building this year's team. 

But teams still tend to go as far as their quarterbacks take them, and the best teams put their quarterback in the best position possible to succeed while making things as difficult as possible for the opposing team's signal-caller. So, in all toss-up decisions, the tie was broken in favor of whichever player or coach would help our offense throw the ball efficiently and explosively or help our defense stop the opposition from doing the same. 

All that said, a couple quick notes before you get to the reveal of the full roster: 

  • The players (and coaches) selected at each position are not necessarily the best players (and coaches) at that particular position, but those who made the most sense on a roster where you can only (and must) take one representative from each team and so many of the best of the best are ineligible to make the roster.
  • Unlike the last few years, we did think there were a few "must-have" players for this year's squad, based on the fact that they had yet to make the Survivor Squad in any previous season and were arguably the single-best player at their respective positions, or they were their team's only reasonable candidate for the roster. Those players were Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, Texans edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. and Titans return man Chimere Dike.

Without further ado, let's walk through our squad.  

Coaching staff

DENVER BRONCOS, NFL
Broncos coach Sean Payton Getty Images

Head coach: Sean Payton (Broncos)

  • 2025 (ineligible): Sean McDermott (Bills)
  • 2024 (ineligible): Jim Harbaugh (Chargers)
  • 2023 (ineligible): Sean McVay (Rams)
  • 2022 (ineligible): John Harbaugh (Ravens)
  • 2021 (ineligible): Andy Reid (Chiefs)
  • 2020 (ineligible): Bill Belichick (Patriots)

Payton has a career 184-108 record and a Super Bowl in his back pocket. He's one of the best and most innovative offensive minds in NFL history, and he's coming off a 14-3 season where he finally ended the Chiefs' streak of winning the AFC West. The Broncos have improved in each of his three seasons.

Offensive coordinator: Mike McDaniel (Chargers)

  • 2025 (ineligible): Kliff Kingsbury (Commanders)
  • 2024 (ineligible): Bobby Slowik (Texans)
  • 2023 (ineligible): Ben Johnson (Lions)
  • 2022 (ineligible): Shane Steichen (Eagles)
  • 2021 (ineligible): Brian Daboll (Bills)
  • 2020 (ineligible): Greg Roman (Ravens)

McDaniel, like Payton, is one of the best offensive minds in the league. He is better at scheming players into space than just about anybody out there. With the type of talent we're going to feature on our roster, we want someone who can put them in position to succeed as our offensive coordinator. 

Defensive coordinator: Steve Spagnuolo (Chiefs)

  • 2025 (ineligible): Brian Flores (Vikings)
  • 2024 (ineligible): Jim Schwartz (Browns)
  • 2023 (ineligible): Dan Quinn (Cowboys)
  • 2022 (ineligible): Don Martindale (Giants)
  • 2021 (ineligible): Patrick Graham (Giants)
  • 2020 (ineligible): Robert Saleh (49ers)

Spags is one of the best defensive coordinators in NFL history. The only reason he hasn't made this squad before is because there have been so many good candidates from the Chiefs over the years. (Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, Trent McDuffie and Creed Humphrey have previously made it.) 

Offensive skill players

Matthew Stafford Los Angeles Rams
Rams' Matthew Stafford Imagn Images

Quarterback: Matthew Stafford (Rams)

Stafford is coming off the best season of his career, after which he won MVP at age-37. He threw for a league-best 4.707 yards and 46 touchdowns, whole also posting the lowest full-season interception rate of his career at just 1.3%. With Payton and McDaniel running our offense, he should be able to put on a similar fireworks show to the one he conducts under Sean McVay.

Running back: Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions)

If Gibbs isn't the best running back in the NFL, he is damn close. He's been in the league for three years and rushed for 3,580 yards and 39 touchdowns, averaging at least 5.0 yards per carry each season. He's also caught at least 52 passes in each season, and last year he posted a career-best 77. He's in line to have an even bigger year in 2026 now that David Montgomery is gone.

Perimeter receivers: George Pickens (Cowboys) and Garrett Wilson (Jets)

Pickens is coming off a Second-Team All-Pro season in which he caught 93 passes for 1,429 yards and 9 touchdowns. He might be the best pure X receiver in football, able to stack corners off the line of scrimmage and win decisively at the catch point. Stafford can fire him the same type of passes that Dak Prescott does.

Wilson is coming off an injury-plagued season, but before that he topped 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons, racking up at least 147 targets each year. He's able to win inside and out and can operate as our Z receiver, moving all around the formation to challenge defenses over every blade of grass.

Slot receiver: Parker Washington (Jaguars)

Washington exploded down the stretch of last season, working as Trevor Lawrence's No. 1 target as the Jags morphed into one of the best offenses in the league. He's poised to have an even larger role in the offense this season, if the training camp reports are any indication. 

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Ravens' Zay Flowers Imagn Images

Tight ends: Colston Loveland (Bears) and Harold Fannin Jr. (Browns)

Speaking of exploding down the stretch of the season, Loveland went absolutely berserk for Chicago in the final weeks of the regular season and playoffs. Ben Johnson has been talking him up all offseason as a centerpiece of the Chicago offense, and given his skill set and athleticism, it wouldn't be surprising to see him replicate much of what he did late last year, for a full season.

Fannin racked up 72 catches for 731 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie, and he was one of only two reasonable candidates for this squad from the Browns' roster. He might not have as big a season this year because Cleveland added KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, but he's still likely to be one of the more productive tight ends in the league.

Offensive flex: Zay Flowers (Ravens)

Flowers is coming off his most productive season, having earned himself a big contract extension in the process. He's like a human joystick once he gets the ball in his hands, and despite his size he is able to win down the field in addition to the short areas. Mixing him in with Pickens, Wilson and Washington will challenge defenses in coverage.

Offensive line

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Dolphins' Aaron Brewer Imagn Images

Left tackle: Andrew Thomas (Giants)

Thomas bounced back with a healthier season last year, playing in 13 games after logging only six the year before. He resumed his place as one of the best pass-blocking tackles in the NFL, and also had a great season as a run blocker despite the fact that the Giants struggled to run the ball efficiently. He'll do a great job of protecting Stafford's blind side.

Left guard: David Edwards (Saints)

Edwards earned himself a significant free agent contract this offseason to leave the Bills for the Saints, as he's blossomed into one of the best two-way guards in the league. He's a bit unheralded, but the contract and his position on what is now a fairly loaded offensive line should change that.

Center: Aaron Brewer (Dolphins)

Brewer has quietly emerged as one of the league's best centers over the past couple of seasons. He was named a Second-Team All-Pro last season and had a pretty damn good argument to be first team. We already know that he's an excellent fit in McDaniel's offense, given that he played in it for the last two years in Miami. 

Right guard: Sam Cosmi (Commanders)

Cosmi wasn't fully healthy last season and played only nine games, but in the previous couple of years after moving to guard he became a really solid player. He started his career as a tackle but is a much better fit on the inside, and he should especially help our team on the run-blocking front.

Right tackle: Brian O'Neill (Vikings)

O'Neill's an eight-year starter who has made the Pro Bowl a couple of times, and he's been a consistently above-average tackle throughout that time period. He's played at least 14 games in each season of his career and been a strong run and pass blocker for the entirety of his tenure.

Defensive front

NFL: AFC Wild Card Round-Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers
Texans' Will Anderson Jr. Imagn Images

Edge rushers: Will Anderson Jr. (Texans) and Greg Rousseau (Bills)

If Myles Garrett didn't exist, Anderson might be considered some sort of pass-rushing alien. He's got 30 sacks in his first three seasons, rising from 7 to 11 to 12 with each passing year. He was a first-team All-Pro last year and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting behind Garrett, and he's only going to get better as he ages into his physical prime.

Rousseau has racked up at least 50 pressures in each of the last four seasons, and at least 30 run stops in each of the last three, according to Pro Football Focus. He's a quality two-way presence on the edge who should be even more effective with a true No. 1 rusher across the line of scrimmage from him.

Interior defensive linemen: Milton Williams (Patriots) and Walter Nolen (Cardinals)

Williams is an explosive player in the middle of the line of scrimmage. He played a larger role last year in New England (60% of snaps) than he ever did in Philadelphia (career high was 48% of snaps), and he should be an even bigger piece of the puzzle this year if he's not experiencing health issues like he did a year ago. 

Nolen is young and played only six games as a rookie, but he really popped on the film. He played only 43% of the Cardinals' snaps but he still picked up 15 pressures in those six games, along with five run stops. If he stays on the field, he's going to have a breakout second season.

Defensive front flex: Laiatu Latu (Colts)

Latu showed improvement from Year 1 to Year 2, raising his sack total from 4 to 8.5, his tackle for loss sum from 5 to 12 and his number of quarterback hits from 12 to 20. He's going to be 26 years old this season and should be heading into his prime years. He could have a big season under Spagnuolo in our defense.

Linebackers: Edgerrin Cooper (Packers) and Zack Baun (Eagles)

Cooper had a breakout second season for the Packers, going from playing 55% of the snaps to playing 99% last season. He's become one of the league's better linebackers heading into Year 3 of his career. Spags could figure out how to use him in all the right ways.

Baun wasn't quite as good last season as he was during his first year in Philadelphia, but he still proved that his first-team All-Pro appearance in Year 1 with the Eagles was no fluke. Moving to off-ball linebacker rather than edge rusher has been a godsend for his career, and he can roam sideline to sideline for us in our defense.

Defensive backfield

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Seahawks' Nick Emmanwori Imagn Images

Outside corners: Joey Porter Jr. (Steelers) and Mike Jackson (Panthers)

Porter had the best coverage season of his three-year career in 2025, allowing just a 47.8% completion rate and 55.9 passer rating on throws in his direction. He's been holding out for a new contract during training camp and while he may not become the highest-paid corner in the league, he's going to deservingly be one of them.

Jackson has had a hell of a career path, having been cut as a fifth-round pick before his rookie season, played in just four games in his first three years and then blossomed into a really high-level corner over the last four seasons. He allowed a career-low 65.1 passer rating last season and has emerged as a quality option across from Jaycee Horn in Carolina.

Slot corner: Nick Emmanwori (Seahawks)

Emmanwori took the league by storm as a rookie, finishing second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting while emerging as one of the most versatile defensive backs in the league already. He can play either safety spot or in the slot, and his flexibility is key for our roster here.

Deep safety: Antoine Winfield Jr. (Buccaneers)

Box safety: Jessie Bates III (Falcons)

Winfield bounced back with a healthy season last year after playing in only nine games in 2024. He earned himself a Pro Bowl berth while racking up 93 tackles, two interceptions and eight passes defensed. He's a great tackler from the back end and a fully capable center field type as well.

Using Bates as the box safety might seem odd, but he actually played there more often than he played deep last year, according to Pro Football Focus. He's been one of the best safeties in the league for years now, and it's about time that we found a way to get him onto this roster.

Back seven flex: Bryan Cook (Bengals)

Cook is another really strong tackler, and his run defense in particular will help out this roster. We also know that he's fully capable of playing under Spagnuolo, given that he spent the first four seasons of his career playing in Kansas City before signing with the Bengals this offseason.

Specialists

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Titans' Chimere Dike Imagn Images

Returner: Chimere Dike (Titans)

Dike was the first-team All-Pro return man last season and the only reasonable candidate for this squad from the Titans' roster.

Punter: A.J. Cole (Raiders)

Kicker: Eddy Piñeiro (49ers)

The Raiders and 49ers were the only teams left without representatives once we finished filling out the roster, and we felt better about Cole and Piñeiro than Corliss Waitman and Matt Gay.

Full roster

PositionRepresentativeTeam
Head CoachSean PaytonBroncos
Off. CoordinatorMike McDanielChargers
Def. Coordinator Steve SpagnuoloChiefs
QuarterbackMatthew StaffordRams
Running BackJahmyr GibbsLions
Perimeter WRGeorge PickensCowboys
Perimeter WRGarrett WilsonJets
Slot WR Parker WashingtonJaguars
Tight EndColston LovelandBears
Tight EndHarold Fannin Jr.Browns
Off. FlexZay FlowersRavens
Left TackleAndrew ThomasGiants
Left GuardDavid EdwardsSaints
CenterAaron BrewerDolphins
Right GuardSam CosmiCommanders
Right TackleBrian O'NeillVikings
Edge RusherWill Anderson Jr.Texans
Edge RusherGreg RousseauBills
Interior DLMilton WilliamsPatriots
Interior DLWalter Nolen IIICardinals
Def. Front FlexLaiatu LatuColts
Off-ball LBEdgerrin CooperPackers
Off-ball LBZack BaunEagles
Perimeter CBJoey Porter Jr.Steelers
Perimeter CBMike JacksonPanthers
Slot CBNick EmmanworiSeahawks
Deep SafetyAntoine Winfield Jr.Buccaneers
Box Safety Jessie Bates IIIFalcons
Back Seven FlexBryan CookBengals
ReturnerChimere DikeTitans
PunterA.J. ColeRaiders
KickerEddie Piñeiro49ers
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