For Alabama, the House v. NCAA settlement is a long-awaited structural shift. AD Greg Byrne confirmed the school will opt into full revenue sharing, a figure widely estimated at roughly $20.5 million for 2025. He framed the moment as transformational and overdue. But while revenue sharing raises the spending ceiling, it does not automatically place Kalen DeBoer’s Crimson Tide at the top of college football’s new payroll hierarchy. 

“Total Roster Value: Recent reports indicate Alabama’s NIL budget for football is estimated to be less than $15.9 million,” David O’Brian wrote on Threads on January 4. “Even with revenue sharing being considered for the future, the estimated NIL value for Alabama is only $20.5 million.”

While that number is competitive, it is not dominant. And that distinction matters more now that other programs are setting $30-$40 million budgets for their rosters. 

Alabama remains Alabama, but the gap between brand power and raw spending muscle is narrowing. Programs across the country are no longer guessing at the cost of contention. Indiana has openly acknowledged that NIL front-loading combined with revenue sharing has pushed some roster values toward $40 million. 

As O’Brian added, “Total Roster Value: Indiana, under coach Curt Cignetti, report that a combination of NIL front-loading and revenue sharing has pushed total roster values into the $40 million range.”

Even former Alabama QB AJ McCarron did not sugarcoat it. Speaking on the McCready and Siskey Podcast, he said Alabama’s NIL pool is under $20 million, citing conversations with multiple people inside the program. His warning was blunt. Alabama’s advantage has never been money. It has been winning, development, and the NFL pipeline. But if the wins are slow and the pay gap grows, the margin for error disappears quickly no matter who the head coach is.

That matters because Alabama is coming off a transitional year, capped by a 38-3 Rose Bowl loss to Indiana that underscored how far the roster still has to go. The settlement provides a financial framework, but it does not guarantee roster retention or portal leverage. NIL is not going away. Neither is Yea Alabama. Byrne reiterated that collectives and brand-driven NIL opportunities will continue alongside revenue sharing. The system is additive, not replacing one another. Still, the news provides a bittersweet situation for Kalen DeBoer. 

Kalen DeBoer faces roster reset and portal pressure

Roster-building for the 2026 season is now the priority, and the transfer portal is already shaping the conversation. The winter window opened January 2 and runs through January 16, with no spring window to fall back on. Alabama has already lost 15 players to the portal, including multiple offensive linemen. Most notably, Wilkin Formby announced his decision to leave after starting 14 games this season. The 6’7, 324-pound Tuscaloosa native played both right tackle and right guard and leaves with two years of eligibility remaining.

Formby is not alone. Alabama has seen Roq Montgomery, Joseph Ionata, Olaus Alinen, and Micah DeBose also exit up front. That attrition explains why Kalen DeBoer is actively hunting replacements. Michigan OL Kaden Strayhorn is scheduled to visit Alabama, signaling immediate intent to stabilize the interior line. The redshirt freshman logged 80 snaps in Michigan’s Citrus Bowl loss to Texas and graded at 58.3 overall by PFF. He allowed three pressures, no sacks, and showed functional versatility. 

That is the balance Alabama must strike moving forward. Revenue sharing brings structure, but it also exposes where Alabama sits relative to the sport’s new financial ceiling. Kalen DeBoer inherits elite infrastructure and unmatched branding. He also inherits a market where being merely competitive financially is no longer enough. The exits are real and the visits matter. 

Top Stories

Cowboys Fire Defensive Coordinator Matt Eberflus: Contract, Salary, NFL Earnings & More

Adam Peaty Faces Gordon Ramsay’s Sly Dig Amid Parents’ Controversial Wedding Absence

Russell Wilson Announces Retirement Stance as Giants QB Shares Hidden Injury News

Marina Mabrey Is Raising Eyebrows Again With Fiery Unrivaled Confrontation

Huge Fire Destroys Over 125-Year-Old Golf Club Designed by 5x Open Winner in London – Report

Dolphins Reportedly Indecisive About Mike McDaniel as GM Search Kicks Off