Either WotC is going to change things or they're not. If they are, then "more martial options" is a perfectly reasonable idea to fill the space. If they're not, then there's nothing more to be said.My question about "consolidating spells" is what exactly do you think WotC would be using its word count to be putting in it place? I mean I'm pretty sure it wouldn't "more martial stuff", because if they wanted more martial stuff in the game they could rejigger their word count right now to put "more martial stuff" in it.
Personally, I would like to see some of that space used for martial options; some of it used to flesh out exploration rules; and some of it used for more ways to use magic. For example, I want to be able to make a witch-like PC who brews potions and poisons as a way to deliver spell effects. I'd happily give up three or four of my seventy-nine zillion ways to set things on fire for that.