The problem with being a team that generally drafts and develops well is that, eventually, it becomes unsustainable that you will be able to retain all of your talent under the salary cap. There are going to be guys who price themselves out of your range, and you’re going to have to be able to go back to the well and find the next one.
That’s why the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Alex Highsmith in 2020, knowing that they would likely lose Bud Dupree in free agency the following year. That’s exactly how it happened, with Dupree signing with the Tennessee Titans, and Highsmith stepped into a full-time role this past year.