Snakebitten: A Real-Time MP FOF thread

[QuikSand]

Anyway... file is in. I think I am going to end up using at least my first two draft picks this year. Have a few intriguing targets who look likely to fall into the late first. So, that looks like fun.

Offers in to 11 free agents. Some serious, some flimflam, per usual. We'll see. The stage tomorrow morning will be very telling.

[QuikSand]

The stage tomorrow morning will be very telling.

...so this teaser was leading up to the big first FA stage. I put in TWO monster offers to free agents, who wanted to settle up in rounds 2-3 (run at once in this league). So, I tried to thread the needle, and offer both guys bonus-heavy deals but affordable to me in the unlikely event we won out on both guys.

"Mr. Wonderful," despite being a non-affinity, is indeed wonderful, and I went in with a ton of bonus money hoping to outdo AVAILABLE but knowing that other human teams could get this guy over my offer if they really wanted. I am unconvinced that linebackers win championships, and on this team, investing monster money into a LB who doesn't even fit the chem system seems odd. I'm willing to let him walk, but if my $47m (or whatever it was) turns out to be enough, I'm game to keep him aboard as a "position we don't have to worry at all about for along time."

And, a very good veteran CB, an affinity fit but with a 0 personality, got even more of my money, like close to $60m/season. Just feel like this is a major roster need, after basically whiffing on two first round rookies last year - so this guy would step into CB1 job and it would give everyone relief, sort of like adding an ace to the pitching staff in baseball. If he had real chemistry gains, he'd be a perfect play, as it is, i still hope we get him even at this king's ransom.

(Sorry, drama would have been better had I posted this before the file was posted, but there's a longshot chance that a league rival reads this and uses it against me)

My ordered preference of outcomes here:
Sign just the CB
Sign just the LB
Sign both
Sign neither

[QuikSand]

Drum roll, please.

LB Harris (Mr. Wonderful) to Houston (human) for $55m/yr

CB Woodson to Atlanta (Ben E Lou) for $63m/yr (I offered $57m/yr)

Womp womp.



I genuinely have no idea what to do with my cap space now. Just lost arguably our second best player for nothing. Doing great here, everyone.

[QuikSand]

So, under a $662m cap, we have about 25% open. Plenty of money short term to pay guys like CB Wordehoff his $7m and whatnot... but we're shut out from both of the two guys who actually deeply interested us in the entire offseason.

[QuikSand]

fcuk

[QuikSand]

So, some news, at least. We put in a half hearted offer to move up to pick 2 overall, and it gets accepted. So, all 8 of our picks (including an extra late 1st) go out the door to get pick 1.2. There's a superstar RB there, he's probably the right play, but I'm committed enough to my chemistry system that I reach down to the #30 guy on the big board and take an affinity WR who looks good, came back as "very underrated" by my scout, and will be a chem fit. Need position, critical position, and good fit for our system. Good deal.

http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6090&p=56533&viewfull=1#post56533

[QuikSand]

Free agency continues, a good update here.

G Donald Foreman (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=84361), a had-to-have free agent, re-signs with us. Looks like we nailed it, too - $23m/yr beats out some fatter (but less bonus-heavy) offers from other teams, one worth $30/yr. So, yay. The OL ought to be okay, at least - losing stud C Castillo hurts, but we have five legit players if we count the one-trick pony run blocking C Borelli as being good enough, overall.

We also grab a late-career fill-in LB, given our immediate paucity there, in Caiden Layman (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=81440). Honestly, if he had 6 years left in him I'd be thrilled with the skills combo - huge run D and special teams skills, just what I'd like. I doubt I will use him as a pass rusher at <240 lbs, but yowza. Anyhow, he will get some immediate field time for sure, likely at WILB.

[QuikSand]

Roster math, updated:

36 players signed
10 targets in free agency
01 draft pick coming
---
47 players

We still have a few more guys to be talking to. RB Lester and Podolyak, maybe for just one season each, are starting to make sense give our largely unusable cap space.

I put in some more offers to my own guys, not loving the "value" but just doing the math.

[QuikSand]

Free agency update.

Re-signed DT Ramon Calhoun (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=81336), overpaying against no opposition. But had to get him, he's a solid starter, huge cohesion guy, and great for affinity.

Also re-up with PR Mathews, CB Wordehoff, and LB James - all solid returners. Mathews asks for real money every year, and I keep thinking I can improve on him... but last year (admittedly supported by a freakshow of special teams talent on our roster) he earned Special Teams POY by BELCo metrics, with 24.2 punt return average and 3 TDs. So, he's a high affinity guy who delivers on the one thing we ask of him... okay, then, welcome back.

Filling out roster predictably now. Overnight, up to 46 signed.

[QuikSand]

WR Corps is replenished, and (pending Bernal re-signing) should be...okay...for this year. Big drop in cohesion losing a veteran (and our only really productive guy from last season), but we look... okay.

WR1 Franz, will be asked to do a LOT but 21 endurance hurts
WR2 Rookie, hopefully carries his solid-at-everything ratings to play now
WR3 Barlow, maybe play him outside? Last year under 6 ypt, ugh
depth Bernal, Slade, Mathews - all good cohesion, chem, but really low RR

[QuikSand]

Wow, all that "unusable" cap space disappeared fast. I just lose track of the demands of players in a league with a $660m salcap. Just re-signing these pedestrian players at $7m and $9m really adds up. No clue what we would have done here if the two stud free agents had both signed... heh.

Anyway, my "max for new player" is down to $12m or so. Puts a guy like WR Barlow (decent depth contributor, decent P/K return man) and his 1yr $8m all-sal contract in jeopardy.

[QuikSand]

Also, RB Podolyak is signed for 1yr. Lester now appears unaffordable, will likely go land elsewhere on a minsal 1yr deal. Will probably fill in RB1/2 slot from undrafted rookie field.

[Chas in Cinti]

Podolyak for 1,500 this season? :)

[QuikSand]

I think his low endurance will keep him from posting serious numbers, but we'll see. Right now, I have him, an affinity gimp leader who is destined for the inactive roster, and a special-teams only FB who's just there for cohesion. FOF requires two RBs, so we will add someone. But certainly a chance for Podolyak to post... idano... 250-1125-7 and another 300 receiving yards?

[QuikSand]

<table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" bgcolor="#D3D3D3"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>TE Darnell Barrett (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=82553)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $8,700,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $4.3M, $4.3M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center>17</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center>17</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>SE Moe Bernal (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=81833)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>1 year, $8,800,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $8.8M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>36</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>36</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>SE Marco Conway (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=87660)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $6,170,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.9M, $3.3M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>29</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>29</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>LCB Sammie Metzenbaum (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=80652)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>1 year, $6,000,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $6.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>23</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>23</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

[QuikSand]

Ooh, that pasted in nicely, cool. Anyway, WR group basically set after this FA stage. missed out on a new guy who could have stepped in as our WR leader and maybe sot guy, but that's ok.


Not expecting a lot in the stage ahead, just two late offers out there. Anxious to see the rookie WR, I need him to at least be a solid B+.

[QuikSand]

Okay, into late free agency. 51 players signed, my "max offer" is just barely over veteran minsal. I'm still short a RB and OL from being a legal roster, that's a good look for a team that theoretically is a contender this year.

Rookie WR looks good. Not great, but pretty good. Like pick 1.12 good... not 1.02 good. So it goes.

We have ways to clear cap space if needed, a couple capouts left, and a couple veteran cuts that loom as reasonable. Depends on what additions we may have yet to make. I do not expect major fireworks.

[QuikSand]

(teaser: I'm taking a stab at re-signing RB Grant Lester on a one year deal)

[QuikSand]

Having trouble with the game file, but for right now...


<table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" bgcolor="#D3D3D3"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/small/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>BAL (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampage.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>RB Grant Lester (51/51) (Yr. 3) (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=87477)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>re-signed as an unrestricted free agent</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>1yr, $11.0M (Bonus: $8.1M. Salary: $2.9M.)</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

[QuikSand]

Late free agency, we make some moves... we re-up for one fat year with RB Lester, feeling that was by far our best move short term. Some other alternatives below serve mostly to underscore that point:


<table width="100%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1"><tbody><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>LS Toby Tamburrino (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86855)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as an unrestricted free agent from New Orleans: 2yrs, $6,970,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>affinity OL
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>WLB Floyd Sumner (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=87233)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as an unrestricted free agent from Minnesota: 2yrs, $7,010,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>needed body
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>RB Grant Lester (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=87477)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>re-signed as an unrestricted free agent</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>dire need
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>LT Josiah Fonda (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=87786)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $6,170,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>cheap aff OL if we get him starts
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FB Harvey Vera (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89207)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $5,040,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>longshot to switch to RB
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FL Aiden Dugas (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89362)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $5,040,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>whoa, possible keeper w 74 BPR
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>K Glen Morris (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89552)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as a free agent: 1yrs, $2,800,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>cheap option
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FS Allen Rivers (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89852)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as a free agent: 1yrs, $6,000,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>very interesting
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FB Blaine Bunch (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89226)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 2</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $4,640,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>nah
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>RB Vince Vaughn (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=85764)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 3</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as an unrestricted free agent from Tennessee: 2yrs, $7,360,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>minsal Plan B for RB2 if no Lester...culd stick anyway w 99 pers
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>SS Erik Dugas (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88200)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 3</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as an unrestricted free agent from Cincinnati: 2yrs, $6,170,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>like him but needs starts for chem
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>LS Jermaine Tedeschi (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89398)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 3</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>turned down a contract offer: 2yrs, $4,660,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>SS Harris Creel (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89874)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 3</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $5,040,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>like him, but starts tho
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FS Juan Jefferson (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89894)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 3</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as a free agent: 2yrs, ST$5,040,000.</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

[QuikSand]

sorry, still trying to work out when the formatting will import correctly...obv don't have that dragon slain yet

[QuikSand]

Into training camp, we grab one veteran player - but potentially a serious addition for us:

S Bobby Richmond (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=84854) is a 7th year vet, a decent zone-first safety (we've been running with only two guys active there), a tenured affinity guy with 76 personality, and rated 60 in kick returns, where we were basically voided out. For minimum salary, two years.

If there's a downside here, it's that him showing up gives us a stable third safety option, which might have been a shot for one of my young'ns to get some chemistry reps (starts). Less likely now, I reckon.

Great pickup. Richmond has very limited work actually returning kicks, but with the supporting cast here, I think a KR average of 30 yards or better is definitely within reach. He could be a very valuable player for us.

Hard for us to do better on a shoestring budget.

[QuikSand]

So, we drag 64 through camp. I typically have a lot of anguish on both cutdowns... this season, that's basically all deferred until the 53 stage. We'll get a look at the preseason movement for nearly everyone here.

Thought process on cuts to 60:
RB Vaughn - that 99 affinity is nice, can we keep him?
FB Bunch and Vera, both look useless CUT CUT 62
WR Conway and Dugas, can both these guys get fake starts this year?
OL, we have 8, can we force starts for T Fonda? Hard. CUT 61
LB Trent Myers, wait we will never get him starts, CUT 60
geez these rookie DBs look weaker than they did yesterday
ok, guess we'll carry a second kicker through preseason, for some reason

fin

[QuikSand]

Okay, preseason in the bag. What do we have now?

First, a quick eval of the rookie "class."

WR Stocz...my scout bumps him from potential 67 to 57. Dimwit league scout has him at 51 from 67. He's a mild bust. Should have known better than to move to pick 2 to take a guy listed 30th on the in-game big board. Alas. I got a 2nd round RB with a big trade-way-up pick. Dumbass.

WR Dugas jumps 40-48 by the league scout. He's good enough to make the team and force feed starts. Long term WR4, but with no major skills - no ST, no PR/KR, etc. Just a 76 BPR.

CB Creel - drops but my scout still likes him. I feel I could use a guy with 70+ bump and picks. But can I force him in for starts? Unlikely. So, a cut, for this veterans-first team, I guess.

S Jefferson - the least promising of my rookie DBs booms in preseason, now looks like a solid bump-first corner with great special teams potential. Same story, though, am i gonna start him?

S Rivers falls apart, easy cut...that $6m base salary easy come, easy go. Sucker.


Hmm... ouch, my veteran pickup S Richmond died on the vine, dammit. KR down to 32, most importantly. That sucks. CB Wordehoff has a 12 in KR, that's the only other non-void on the roster. Ugh.

[QuikSand]

Ok, I reluctantly cut S/KR Richmond. My last cut-down decision is between two DBs... Rumans, who has eroded to being basically un-playable but has a 98 personality affinity... and rookie CB Creel who looks like he could be useful on the field, and himself has an 85. Creel could develop into a role like we use Baskerville for today... bump specialist, can grab a pick here and there, and high chemistry. Baskerville has gotten lots of snaps over the years, even once he faded at ST beyond my high threshold.

[QuikSand]

File sent. Kept rookie Creel, who will start in base 3WR formations, which got us 9 starts last year, fingers crossed.

Are we an elite team? I'm treating this like the last year of that window. Teddy, by the way, is on an expiring contract. I'd be surprised if AVAILABLE wants him, would a human team with a ton of cap space? He's nothing special on paper.

Anyway... we'd better be at least good. Like, 11 wins good. Dammit, this'll suck if it all falls apart and all we got from it was a couple crappy wild card berths.

[Chas in Cinti]

Agreed, thought we were on a path to a bit more dominance... Hoping for a big result this season, and intrigued for the go-forward QB plan...

[QuikSand]

Okay, that's more like it... a #2 seed.

GML: Baltimore Ravens 2114 (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampage.php?teamid=2&year=2114)

Quick observations:

The #1 pass offense in the league this year, Farrell w/a 92 rating - nice!
We're #3 in ypa there, very solid in a league with some all stars
Basically, that alone is enough to explain a bye week, tbh
My $20m tandem at RB was... meh...Podolyak better (?)
WR Franz stepped up as workhorse, his best season by far
Encouraging rookie season from WR Stocz, nearly 8 ypt
WR Bernal put up a legit non-awful season as a WR3, for once
WR Mathews remains the #1 PR league wide, avg 16.7 insane
Dead even on turnovers, I'll take that I guess (5 picks from backup QB)
Welcome to the bigtime, DE Banks and your 14 sacks for $45m
Soph CB Gallop played nickel all year, and posted sneaky great yr w 15 PD!
Frosh CB Creel got his starts, was not embarrassing, and stays long term

Ok then, at least one solid regular season in the bag. 11-4-1 isnt top-tier (that would be rgvicedo's Eagles (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampage.php?teamid=21)) but I'm genuinely pleased with the output, for the first time in a while.

I would set us at about 11-1 to win it all. Not the very top, but not an absurd outcome, were it to happen out of the blue.

[QuikSand]

Without dragging too much here, the "plan" is to wait and see at QB. But, Teddy makes $40m now. LB Randolph drops by nearly $30m this year to next year. There will obviously be puts and takes, but that there should put us into the mix to afford Teddy to come back at anything reasonable, if it makes sense to do that.

[QuikSand]

Ouch. We not only go one and out, we go one and out HARD, getting blown out at home by Miami. Awful.

The #1 seeds face off in the title game, with the Eagles winning it all. Yay for them.

Moving on... dammit.

[QuikSand]

So, Chas, what now? I will presumably make a run at re-signing Teddy Tightends, to have continuity at QB. We have a decent roster around him, with outstanding chemistry, cohesion, and special teams. It feels like the right play here is just to ride it out... right?

Our only retirement is CB Metzenbaum, and he was a marginal contributor last season anyway - basically a CB5/6 gunner.

So... if we can sign Teddy, G Darby, and most of the other guys we let walk out into free agency, I can basically take another swing at it with this same team. Maybe we draft a RB to plug and play? (Maybe dump our later draft picks, as has become my usual move)

Any reason to tear this down now?

[QuikSand]

Fun side conversation... who is the NFL analog to Teddy (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=79984)?

Unheralded (late round pick), needed a change of scenery to get his real shot, developed into an effective system guy without a big arm, has a bit of mobility, lots of "intangibles," and somehow ends up among the top passers in the league, despite not really being highly regarded by scouts.

My thoughts are maybe Steve McNair? Late career Rich Gannon?

[QuikSand]

Okay, first FA stage is underway in GFL. Chas is on assignment. My 7yo son doesn't get into FOF because there aren't little guys running on the screen like in FM. So, I'll forge ahead solo.

Intriguing switch at DC for us... we had been with a guy who was GREAT at everything except scouting (http://gml.fof-belco.com/showstaff.php?staffid=1702). In theory, our on-field play should have been maxed out with him. However, I now put at his feet the terrible DB picks we made a couple seasons ago in round one, and replaced him with a more balanced guy (http://gml.fof-belco.com/showstaff.php?staffid=1770) who can avoid being a rotten influence in scouting. Plus, he's Diego Wordehoff's dad or something, and that gives us some narrative too. Anyway... not much for development, but this is an old team, that's not our focus now.

[QuikSand]

By the way, the Jim/Diego connection is not lost on me, I'll fill in the narrative that Jim wanted Jim Jr. but his wife Lupe felt it better to keep the names eclectic, and thus little Diego (kinda Spanish for "Jimmy").

[QuikSand]

Headcount right now:

Cap is $674m, we have $160m in space, $136m max offer
We have a HUGE wave of guys with contracts ending this year, though

41 players signed
00 sure-thing RFA re-signings
07 draft picks in hand (standard set, slot 28)
---
48 players essentially in hand


Ideally, we will once again deal away much/most/all of our draft. I just want to keep all these high cohesion, high chemistry, high special teams guys rolling. I have been clearing space and forcing starts for a couple guys a year, but I think our best shot is stability. I say that without a legitimate QB signed for this year, I understand the WTF factor at play there.

[QuikSand]

Mental math on contract extensions - how much $ do we really have to work with here?

In descending order of "must extend, don't want to expose to free agency"

25 WR Franz (WR1 anchor to offense)
15 S Douglas (chem leader, really good starter)
08 LB Tanner (chem leader, really good starter)
06 S Anthony (solid starter, no depth)
10 DE Anthony (solid all around, great chem)
03 LB Layman (solid limited skills guy, fading a bit)
08 RT Tompkins (starter but meh talent and chem)
10 DE Banks (fading veteran)

So... if we re-up with the top six guys there, it likely costs me about $70m against this year's cap. So, let's not get all carries away with that max offer number of $136m. I am likely out of the market for a bigshot new addition, unless we go cheap at QB (like we miss out on Teddy).

This adds up as a "stay the course" offseason, yet again.

[QuikSand]

Okay, the real story here. Teddy Tightends is looking for 2/$120m. I can probably afford to pay him around that much. Would any other human team be interested?

He's rated 42/42 by my scout. Has a few standout ratings, in good places. He has been very productive, but we all know that the team plumbing has a lot to do with everything going well here in Birdland.

There is a conventional "stud QB" in free agency, an 11th year guy I rate at 69/69. He should fetch a huge haul, in this league with no cap crunch effects. He's asking for 3/275, but the top QB earners in this league make north of $100m/yr in cap hit, and I don't see why this guy wouldn't join them. Teddy is ranked 6th on the leaguewide sorted list, and as a 13th year guy, nobody's building around him (except me). So... my calculus is it's pretty unlikely another human run team will pursue him, and that AVAILABLE is only a possibility, not a certainty. I may have a clean shot. He wants to settle up in week 5, that will presumably shut me out of the early star-caliber bidding, but that's probably for the best anyhow.

Plan: pursue Teddy, with an offer designed to get him ahead of an AVAILABLE generated offer. Two years sounds fine.

[QuikSand]

I peruse the draft class. It doesn't look great overall, but there are players who would be really nice fits for us in the late first. The #1 guy on the big board is a maxed-out LB who looks awesome...I don't see how we could make that happen, though, and LB isn't the place I'd want to do it, even if I could. Ideally, a top target falls through a ways, and we use some later-draft capital to move up and grab him. A one or two pick draft would suit me just fine.

[QuikSand]

So, twist at RB. Our too-pricey guys from last season are now much more affordable.

Lester is asking for around $9m/yr, and Podolyak around $7m. That's a lot less than last year, where they started around $30m combined. So, it's in play that we just re-up with these two guys for this year, either short term or longer. We didn't blow anyone out of the water with our running game last season, but whispers: I don't give a rat's ass, just don't fumble a lot.

[MalcPow]

whispers: I don't give a rat's ass, just don't fumble a lot.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1eppp95furbb74l/palpatine.gif?dl=1

[QuikSand]

Heh, nice.

Anyway...file is in for FA 1:2. Big stage. Small file. I think I am offering a total of 10 guys, including some of my nobody-wants-him likely returners. Two guys I'm semi-excited about. But all eyes on the second FA file, where we'll see whether we're back with Teddy, or cast adrift with... well, prolly with 27/27 cohesion guy Richie Bryant.

[Chas in Cinti]

LOL... sorry, busy weekend with the kids... didn't mean to let you down!

[QuikSand]

LOL... sorry, busy weekend with the kids... didn't mean to let you down!

Naw, you and me, we're good. My son and me... another story.

[QuikSand]

Okay, FA 1:2 in the bag. Only one result, one I already regret.

I decided to only make a half-hearted offer to OT Clyde Hopper (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86968), and I already feel like it was a mistake. The guy we have on hand at RT is a lesser talent, a lesser strength affinity, and in a year will probably demand the same money as this cat. If I had put in what I would have considered a legit offer, I would have prevailed and had myself a solid young-ish LT/RT for the next 8 seasons. Damn.

[QuikSand]

For today's file, basically the big news is we are making our offer to QB Teddy (goes to luck up actual last name, which is apparently not TightEnds) Farrell.

I expect we will be the only suitors. I'd rather have him at more than he's "worth" than watch him walk, so I'm making a pretty strong offer. He is worth a good deal to us, at least. Sort of like... idano...Ben Roethlisberger? Anyway, I'm hopeful and optimistic we will get him back on a 2 year deal in the next stage. But a lot pivots on that, to be honest.

[QuikSand]

Okay, we trade up in round one...just a few slots, but it only costs us our day three (picks 4-7). There's a DL I really like sitting there, but I draft for need, because this guy just looks too plug-and-play to skip here, given our team setup:


http://gml.fof-belco.com/small/helmet2.png

Baltimore (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2): QuikSand takes RB Bernie Schweigert (http://gml.fof-belco.com/draft/show_player.php?in_game_id=90015) with the 1.22 pick.

<table class="wysiwyg_dashes"><tbody><tr class="wysiwyg_dashes_tr" valign="top"><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">Breakaway Speed</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">73<->100</td></tr><tr class="wysiwyg_dashes_tr" valign="top"><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">Power Inside</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">17<->45</td></tr><tr class="wysiwyg_dashes_tr" valign="top"><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">Third Down Running</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">36<->64</td></tr><tr class="wysiwyg_dashes_tr" valign="top"><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">Hole Recognition</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">55<->82</td></tr><tr class="wysiwyg_dashes_tr" valign="top"><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">Elusiveness</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">73<->100</td></tr><tr class="wysiwyg_dashes_tr" valign="top"><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">Speed to Outside</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">72<->100</td></tr><tr class="wysiwyg_dashes_tr" valign="top"><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">Blitz Pickup</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">66<->93</td></tr><tr class="wysiwyg_dashes_tr" valign="top"><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">Avoid Drops</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">43<->70</td></tr><tr class="wysiwyg_dashes_tr" valign="top"><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">Getting Downfield</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">32<->60</td></tr><tr class="wysiwyg_dashes_tr" valign="top"><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">Route Running</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">20<->48</td></tr><tr class="wysiwyg_dashes_tr" valign="top"><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">Third Down Catching</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">0<->27</td></tr><tr class="wysiwyg_dashes_tr" valign="top"><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">Punt Returning</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">0<->27</td></tr><tr class="wysiwyg_dashes_tr" valign="top"><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">Kick Returning</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">64<->92</td></tr><tr class="wysiwyg_dashes_tr" valign="top"><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">Endurance</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">35<->63</td></tr><tr class="wysiwyg_dashes_tr" valign="top"><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">Special Teams</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td">68<->96</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table class="wysiwyg_dashes"><tbody><tr class="wysiwyg_dashes_tr" valign="top"><th class="wysiwyg_dashes_th" style="background-color: #FEF3BB"><center>HT</center></th><th class="wysiwyg_dashes_th" style="background-color: #FEF3BB"><center>WT</center></th><th class="wysiwyg_dashes_th" style="background-color: #FEF3BB"><center>RAW</center></th><th class="wysiwyg_dashes_th" style="background-color: #FEF3BB"><center>ADJ</center></th><th class="wysiwyg_dashes_th" style="background-color: #FEF3BB"><center>DASH</center></th><th class="wysiwyg_dashes_th" style="background-color: #FEF3BB"><center>SOL</center></th><th class="wysiwyg_dashes_th" style="background-color: #FEF3BB"><center>BENCH</center></th><th class="wysiwyg_dashes_th" style="background-color: #FEF3BB"><center>AGI</center></th><th class="wysiwyg_dashes_th" style="background-color: #FEF3BB"><center>BRJU</center></th><th class="wysiwyg_dashes_th" style="background-color: #FEF3BB"><center>POS</center></th><th class="wysiwyg_dashes_th" style="background-color: #FEF3BB"><center>%DEV</center></th></tr><tr class="wysiwyg_dashes_tr" valign="top"><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td"><center>68</center></td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td"><center>217</center></td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td"><center>5.5</center></td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td"><center>5.8</center></td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td"><center>4.36</center></td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td"><center>21</center></td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td"><center>15</center></td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td"><center>7.13</center></td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td"><center>121</center></td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td"><center>24</center></td><td class="wysiwyg_dashes_td"><center>48</center></td></tr></tbody></table>


So... given the things I value here, and my strive to "complete" this team, it's hard to do a ton better than this guy.



First - he appears to have at least solid ratings in the big three areas that wizened people seem to like in their run-the-ball backs... Breakaway Speed MAX, Hole Recognition 50+? and Endurance 60+? So, that's solid, at least. Like, a better set of ratings than anyone we have had in quite some time. RB1, CHECK.



Next - he's a kickoff returner. We put a guy with KR <10 out there last season. Not sure whether he'll live up to the 60+ projection, but even at 40-50 he'd be a huge gain there. So, another need, CHECK.



Also, he appears to be maxed out in special teams. We'll see, but on this roster you need to be very, very good - nobody without a max rating there at this stage need apply. So, gunner/specialist, CHECK.


Oh, by the way, he shows as "sociable" in-game, so useful chemistry asset, CHECK.




Also, his name is Jewish AF and that'll play well in Pikesville, just like it did down in Coral Gables. Welcome aboard, Bernie.

[Chas in Cinti]

He's no Podolyak... but then, who is...

[QuikSand]

Well, this guy almost definitely steps into the first-and-ten role but isn't much of a backfield target for the passing game... so if I re-up with one of our younger guys, Podolyak now has the clear advantage. So - you got that going for you.

[QuikSand]

Big news: Teddy is back.

Just as expected, we are his only suitor... $49m/yr over two seasons, and he will return to steer the ship. Big bonus brought down the price tag, but I wasn't gonna cut him anyhow. Yay.

We also re-up with DE Terrell Mealey (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=85413), my classic Curly guy ("do one thing"). If there's room for one more theme here on this absurd team, maybe it's "economize on defense by using role players," and he's that guy. DE Banks is my all-around DE1, but maybe we could get by with Anthony as DE1, and then just a handful of cheap-ass run stuffers and ear pinners? Not spending $50m on an edge player would be nice, as this roster remains tough to hold together. Anyway, glad Mealey returned, and cheaper than had we extended him last season.

[QuikSand]

http://gml.fof-belco.com/small/helmet2.png

Baltimore (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2): QuikSand takes K Mario Thomas (http://gml.fof-belco.com/draft/show_player.php?in_game_id=90359) with the 2.28 pick.

<table style="border-collapse: collapse" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="2" bgcolor="#C8C8C8"><tbody><tr><td valign="middle">Kicking Accuracy</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>69<->100</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Kicking Power</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>47<->79</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Kickoff Distance</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>69<->100</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Kickoff Hang Time</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>62<->93</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table style="border-collapse: collapse" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="1" border="1" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tbody><tr><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>HT</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>WT</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>RAW</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>ADJ</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>DASH</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>SOL</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>BENCH</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>AGI</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>BRJU</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>POS</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>%DEV</center></th></tr><tr><td bgcolor=""><center>71</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>194</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>6.4</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>3.8</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>4.94</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>42</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>13</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>7.46</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>113</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>-</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>35</center></td></tr></tbody></table>


Had lots of meh options, went with a guy who might move the needle

[Chas in Cinti]

Interesting, albeit unexpected...

[QuikSand]

(drafts a kicker in round two)

Interesting, albeit unexpected...

(that's honestly the outcome I decided to settle for...)

[QuikSand]

http://gml.fof-belco.com/small/helmet2.png

Baltimore (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2): QuikSand takes TE Mason Fouts (http://gml.fof-belco.com/draft/show_player.php?in_game_id=90084) with the 3.28 pick.

<table style="border-collapse: collapse" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="2" bgcolor="#C8C8C8"><tbody><tr><td valign="middle">Run Blocking</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>45<->74</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Pass Blocking</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>59<->88</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Blocking Strength</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>37<->67</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Avoid Drops</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>40<->69</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Getting Downfield</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>65<->94</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Route Running</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>25<->54</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Third Down Catching</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>47<->76</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Big-Play Receiving</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>39<->68</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Courage</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>58<->86</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Adjust to Ball</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>29<->58</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Endurance</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>33<->62</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Special Teams</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>65<->94</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table style="border-collapse: collapse" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="1" border="1" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tbody><tr><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>HT</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>WT</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>RAW</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>ADJ</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>DASH</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>SOL</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>BENCH</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>AGI</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>BRJU</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>POS</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>%DEV</center></th></tr><tr><td bgcolor=""><center>73</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>241</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>4.5</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>3.9</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>4.69</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>16</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>27</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>7.47</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>110</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>30</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>24</center></td></tr></tbody></table>


Round 3... a guy who looked better to my scout than the consensus, but hopefully remains productive at least at a TE2 level. Sigh.

[QuikSand]

We sign a free agent OL, Moe Cebelak (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86854). Thinking here is that our current starting C (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=85274) is just hemorrhaging sacks. If he and his run blocking rating were blowing the doors off DTs in the run game, maybe we're okay with that... but alas, he was only 17/66 in KRBs last season. I realize that stat has its weaknesses, but indirectly, not a great sense there. And Borrelli wants $12m a year starting next season... so I think I'll likely just pull the trigger now and put in Cebelak there right away. He's solid, affordable, and even a stronger affinity. We lose a bit of cohesion but not a ton. So, he's our guy, I think.

[QuikSand]

Important re-signing in G Donnie Darby (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=84359). He's not a great player, but chem/coh is the key here on this team, we'll live with a run-first guy in the pursuit of the hidden ladders.

Another seemingly valuable signing here is S Jeremiah Wilson (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86555). He's my sort of guy - really solid at the skills I value most, and that's about it. Strong safety, well, I'd like some Zone coverage and Run D, and maybe STOP RIGHT THERE. That's him. Sold. We were feeling one man short in the S/DB rotation anyway, so this is good, I think.

[QuikSand]

Headcount check-in:

51 players signed now
03 draft picks coming aboard
01 FA where we are the lead offer (FB Lusignan)
-1 kicker losing his job
02 RB, DT needed to get to legal
---
56 players "in hand"

So, we will have to do some paring. A guy like C Borrelli seems obvious, supplanted as a starter and very low affinity. I'm sure we can find more, too... like older special teamers who suddenly drop from 95 to 75, and become mere chem guys.

Last year, we actually picked up a couple undrafted rookies who stuck, so we will be watching for that, too, but with some countable cost for anyone we pick up.

[QuikSand]

So...related question. How good is WR Aiden Dugas (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89362)? URFA grab last season, looked promising in preseason, makes the final roster of 53 and gets his chem starts. I already have two young WR who are just chem buffers - can't contribute at all on-field. But I'm wondering about Dugas.

Could he be a 60-target guy for this team? I may have to replace the production from WR Moe Bernal (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=81833) and his infuriating combo of 100 personality and 0 route running. He wants $10m and I just might not have it to spend. Same goes for PR/WR Ramon Mathews (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=81842) who basically brings nothing to the on-field table other than a decent PR rating around 60.

I mean, I fully expect the targets will focus on WR1 Franz, TE1 Weydahl, and WR2 Stocz, basically in that order... but last year there were still around 140 WR targets past that list. Worth getting some legit production out of them, right? The other young candidate is WR Allen Slade (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86780) who at least has legit GD skills for inside work, but I'm warming up to Courage as important on those inside routes, so I'm wary of using him a lot in the slot.

Anyhow... we'll sort out WR, but it's one of those tricky positions that definitely matters, but I don't have a clear path ahead with.

[QuikSand]

Fun side note here. 4 of my 5 starting linemen are stronger in run blocking than in pass blocking. For the team that passes for more yards than anyone, and whose GM whispers rotten things about the very nature of the running game. Odd flex.

But is that just a bias I don't realize...I like a big bar for run blocking? Is it the nature of the position, that as a value shopper I end up with these guys after the league gets the serious pass protectors ahead of me? Or it this just happenstance?

[QuikSand]

Okay, early FA wraps, draft picks come aboard for their sneak peek. So, where are we now?

First - we nailed down two more returning free agents, FB Lusignan (special teams star) and DT Neill (affinity/cohesion guy). I also floated a team-friendly minsal deal to RB Colby Styles (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86653), who would give us nothing for chemistry, but who might be a better RB and PR than what we're looking at paying $15m across two positions for. So, he's sort of a Plan C here.

[QuikSand]

Rookies' Lookies:

RB Schweigert is a mixed bag. Fully maxed out as Breakaway, so a legit big play guy. 46/63 in hole rec is solid, but not spectacular. 30/47 in Endurance is disappointing, and allegedly really important even for part-time RBs (or players?). And, his KR rating is 55/70...definitely good enough to take over those duties, which I wanted, but not necessarily good enough to make him a star without a lot of ST support.

So, my takeaway there? A click lesser of a player than I had hoped for, but still such an obviously good fit that I'm pleased. Probably more of a 2nd round talent, but so it goes. The C I had hoped for no longer looks that close to being max potential, so I guess we did okay. (Chem 93/72)

K Marion Thomas looks good, but not eternal, which is what I ordinarily would really demand of a 2nd round draft pick for a fucking kicker. He likely develops into a 80/60/70/60 player - the sort that other teams seemingly are willing to pay 3x minsal for, but not my teams. So, a miss, overall. Could have had a decent linebacker, but was not having any sort of blue pill reaction to that, tbh. I really just need to be dealing away these flotsam picks.

TE Mason Fouts is going to be pretty useless. Great. No reason to think he can bump past his now-medoicre ratings that are mostly in the 35-55 range, so if he's a 45/45 overall I guess he could be a TE2 who doesn't play special teams. On this team, in this league, that's worth close to nothing. (Chem 18/66)

[QuikSand]

..and by the way, if there's a side market for players to end up with the highest total yards from scrimmage this season, let's see if we can get 15-1 on Mr. Braunschweiger. Methinks between kickoff returns and being our main-duty RB, he could easily end up in the thick of that race.

[QuikSand]

So, we are "active" in late free agency, but expecting to really shape the team a lot here. TBH it's been three days since I prepared the file, and I don't recall that much.

Anyway, here are the moves we DID make, with annotations:


SS Cole Austin

Late FA Stage 1

turned down a contract offer: 4yrs, $60,000,000.

-with our free agent signing, i have the luxury of exposing him to free agency next offseason, may do that


C Kelvin Borrelli

Late FA Stage 1

released

-displaced as starter, chem too low to keep around


TE Eddie Breeden

Late FA Stage 1

signed as an unrestricted free agent from New Orleans: 2yrs, $7,040,000.

4th year guy w no special teams... hmmm



QB Andrew Fitzgerald

Late FA Stage 1

signed as an unrestricted free agent from New Orleans: 2yrs, $6,210,000.

-3rd year guy to watch here, sleeper as "developmental" keeper



RB Edwin Bush

Late FA Stage 1

turned down a contract offer: 1yrs, $2,900,000.

-dang, tried a pile of 1yr money to entice him, looked promising


RB Raul Pile

Late FA Stage 1

signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $4,680,000.

-a breakaway/elusiveness guy who won't make the cut


RB Mercury Stabenow

Late FA Stage 1

signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $4,680,000.

-a mixed bag guy who also won't make the cut


RT Drake Hardy

Late FA Stage 1

signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $4,680,000.

-one of those two-important-bar-void guys I tend to kick tires on...


LDE Logan Mulitalo

Late FA Stage 1

signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $4,680,000.

-potentially intriguing, but do we start him? unlikely


WLB Giovanni Roybal

Late FA Stage 1

signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $4,680,000.

-same story, though not totally inconceivable we'd rotate this guy in


FL Ramon Matthews

Late FA Stage 2

re-signed as an unrestricted free agent

-for 2yr MINSAL, that's sweet... as we can't find an improvement, he'll do


RB Glenn Podolyak

Late FA Stage 2

re-signed as an unrestricted free agent

-HERE YOU GO CHAS


SS Calvin Conley

Late FA Stage 3

signed as an unrestricted free agent from Carolina: 2yrs, $7,060,000.

-wow, a decent 4th year guy with 99 personality and 7 starts just falls into our lap


...and by twist of fate, we landed right at 70 players, needing every one of those rejections to stay in our lane and avoid a multi-offender penalty. So, that's good.


SILB Edgar Peterson

Late FA Stage 3

signed as an unrestricted free agent from Buffalo: 1yrs, $4,600,000.


RB Scottie Writer

Late FA Stage 3

turned down a contract offer: 2yrs, $6,600,000.


FB Howie Burden

Late FA Stage 3

signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $4,680,000.


FL Ben Knight

Late FA Stage 3

signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $4,680,000.


LG Calvin Cannida

Late FA Stage 3

signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $4,680,000.

[QuikSand]

Uh oh, trouble for RB Podolyak. Chas, you might want to look away.

He's taken the laurels as the chemistry leader (4th year guy, 72 leadership, 20 personality) over my gimp guy (11th/52/93). Not good. Podolyak is on a one year no bonus deal (heh) so this won't hurt our bottom line if we cut him... need to sort out based on chem and talent what to do here.

[QuikSand]

Okay, sitting at 70 players, looking toward camp. Have a chem problem in the RB/FB group that needs attention.

First, with WR Mathews back so cheaply, I'm cutting my non-affinity PR/RB Colby Styles. Best if we just forget that ever happened. 69 now and room to add someone.

For the RB group, we have Schweigert as the build-around guy, he's a 4/5 guy and is 93/72. So, in theory, after this season he could actually become our chem leader if we were to go young there. FB Lusignan (4-5, 15, 86) is a cohesion and special teams guy who adds value both ways and gets onto the field, I'd really prefer to keep him around. Our QB trio are all 6-7 guys. All signs point toward the same thing - we need an adequate 2-3 group leader here.

The simple short term plan is just to release RB Podolyak. That puts our gimp guy back in the lead role. Pressure on Liverwurst to get it done as the do-everything back in his rookie season, as he'd be backed up by one of the URFA dudes or perhaps the "Swinger" Vince Vaughn.

Splashing around to see if there's any other candidate out there who might compete with the Vaughn/rookie option for Rb2 this year. I don't think I can save Podolyak.

[QuikSand]

The RB Solution (http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6122&p=57094&viewfull=1#post57094)

Minor trade, bring us a guy with enough talent to contribute, and potentially saves Podolyak's ass.

Jaylen Roberts (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=87484)

Best guess now is that we keep Roberts active and involved, use Schweigert as the RB1, and perhaps keep Podolyak as a utility guy. One FB will be active, used as a gunner, but we'll plug in a TE to actually play fullback.

Net effect of all this: still 4 roster slots dedicated to RB/FB, but now all 4 active (net +1). Chemistry effects likely will suffer, as Roberts as the new group leader will only carry an 80 personality, he replaces a guy with 99.

[Chas in Cinti]

Whew... a roller coaster of emotion over those 4 posts... LOL

[QuikSand]

Heh, I think if I had landed that rookie Bush, Podolyak would be out of a job. Instead, I'm spending draft capital to find a way to get him 100+ touches. Funny how it goes sometimes.

[QuikSand]

Ok, training camp is in the books.

The BELCo "Delightful Dandies" (http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6123&p=57101&viewfull=1#post57101) has two of my players - undrafted rookies, natch - on the list, albeit fairly low. So, we will keep an eye on LB Roybal and RB Stabenow. Both look fairly far away from being starters, so even with a +5 in preseason (or something like that), they might not be ready to go.

[QuikSand]

My scout doesn't care for Liverwurst as much as the league scout does - I think that's a bad sign. Regardless, I'll try to accentuate the positive... the big bars that I drafted him for are:

Ours League Rating
100+ 100+ Breakaway Speed
48/60 63 Hole Recognition
57/68 68 Kick Returning
31/44 47 Endurance

So, we'll take it, I guess. Again, he looks like a top-75 talent rather than trade-up-for-pick 1.22, but so it goes.

[QuikSand]

Hmm, I had a full thread about my cutdown to 60, but lost it. Alas.

Suffice it to say... RB is thinned, TE is still bloated. We've got 3-4 TEs contending for 1-2 roster slots, need to see some direction. With TE Weydahl likely to retire or dissolve soon, that's becoming a high priority position to target.

[QuikSand]

So, it's "the file" day. Need to cut down for the regular season, get everything tended to, and submit "the file" for the year.

After losing ST star CB Metzenbaum to retirement, we are going to have to dig a bit deeper among our roster for the active/inactive line on special teams. I did a first pass just so I don't overlook it again, but I'm guessing the line will be in the 80s, rather than the 90s.

Notes on difficult cutdown decisions:

-RB/FB appears set, with FB Lusignan, and a trio at RB, all of whom will get touches. Hard cut got made last stage. Podolyak makes the team.

-TE is tricky, as I'm thinking about the future a bit. Furr is super high chemistry at 95, solid 83 special teams, he's a click away in both regards from being a TE3 forever. Instead, he's bubbled. Austin was a guy we loved, but he's about a year away from taking the chem lead and getting cut anyway. Eddie Breeden has two ratings (79 RR, 48 BPR) and does that make him TE1 next year? 39/41 overall, he's a very incomplete player. Rookie Fouts slid in preseason 57 to 48, my scout now says 45, nothing encouraging there.

At LB, we're very old - best guys are at Exp 11,9,12. Youth infusion would be helpful. But guys are marginal...I haven't really hit with limited draft capital. Rookie Roybal bumps in camp, now looks 32/46 and like a decent ILB prospect... 3rd year guy Peterson is 28/41, better coverage for outside, and 86 personality. Don't love squeezing starts for both guys this year, so ... what?

-At QB is young 20/39 Andrew Fitzgerald (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88263) honestly good enough to figure into our QB1 plans in a couple of years? We'd have to keep 3x QB for him to stick and gain starts... does that make sense?

Okay... that's much of the setup for this year. The last couple cutdowns are going to be brutal, I fear.

[QuikSand]

Quick notes on special teams. Who's encouraged, by position group:

QB
RB
FB 100
TE 90 89
WR 90
OL
PK
DL 96
LB 96 83
CB 93 88 81
S

Hmmm...my first draft here included only 8 players "encouraged." Not enough? Need 10, in theory, right? (One K/P/KR/PR plus a cadre from there?)

I add back in my 83 LB and 81 CB, brings down the average a bit, but seems like it's now less likely it just spins the wheel and drags in one of these 24-rated RB or whatnot.

Next season, will try to add one more ST ace someplace.

[QuikSand]

File is in. WR Mathews keeps his job as PR and chemistry guy, but it was close. Both young LB stay, I think they both get some time this year, and might even get 8 starts. Both should factor into my LB3/4/5/6 thinking for a couple years down the line.

I'd guess we are a bye week team. I hope this RB thing makes a difference, and that my tending to details like special team assignments will be another nudge in the right direction. We are getting old as hell, but that's by design.

12-4, #2 seed, legit shot for the whole thing.

[QuikSand]

Awaiting results from the regular season.

Some idle speculation on the "All Purpose Yards" race. Where might Liverwurst end up here?

My stab at his stats for the year:

Rushing 200-900y on 4.5 ypc
Receiving 50T-40R-300y on 6.0 ypt
KickRet 30-750y on 25.0 avg
---
1,950 total yards from scrimmage
...that would put him the top ten last season, but not near the very top.


A "crushed it" year from him (either this season or at some point) might look like:

1400 rushing
500 receiving
900 kickoffs
----
2800 total yards

...and that would put him into the mix for the top spot overall, in this league.

[QuikSand]

Well, guess we have to do some digging into "what happened?"

GML: Baltimore Ravens 2115 (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampage.php?teamid=2&year=2115)

9-7 and a weak-ass division title? What went wrong?

Notes:
Surface stats for offense look okay, weird...
Teddy had a routine year, 3rd highest passer score, about right
Receiver targets spread fairly, all around 7 ypt zone, okay not great
(Crazy stat line for WR Slade (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86780), big boom or bust guy)
Run game was fine, split between Liverwurst and Roberts, both around 4.5ypc
-1 turnover margin, not bad enough to be "the problem"
Pass rush was mid-pack (20.2%), that's just not good enough
We gave up 6.32 ypa - that's solid but not enough apparently

Overall takeaway... I don't know why we didn't win 11+ games. I think we would have in a median run of multiple trials. So it goes, I guess.

[Chas in Cinti]

Dang... not a good season to have a statistical anomaly here at the tail end of this period...

[QuikSand]

Right, exactly. I gave a decent look for oddball stuff like too many sacks or whatnot, and I think it's just lousy luck.

[QuikSand]

Return game analysis:

Our returns:
PR 17.4 (1st)
KR 25.7 (10th)

Returns allowed:
PR 9.3 (17th)
KR 23.1 (18th)

So, not dominant, except for the magic man, punt returner Ramon Mathews (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=81842) and his virtually non-existent skill set.

For context, it's been 40 years since this league had a punt returner with an average in the same tier as Mathews and his 15.6 average (http://gml.fof-belco.com/onerecord.php?id=85&playerid=81842). If we only counted the seasons he played in Baltimore, Mathews would be #1 all time, north of 18 yards per return. Crazy.

[QuikSand]

Special Teams snaps:

QB no errant snaps
RB Roberts 78, Podolyak 78, Schweigert 77 - all "not encouraged"
FB Lusignan 378 (correct, he's ST 100 and encouraged, should max out)
TE Barrett 370 (89, few real snaps), Weydahl 276 (90, heavy load), Austin 77 (30, not enc)
WR Stocz 274 (95, enc, starter), Mathews 94 mostly PRs

OL starters G Darby and Foreman, T Shepherd and backup T Dotson all in for 121 (long snaps?), all not encouraged

DE Anthony 101 (96, enc, heavy load), another 100 across other DL (not enc)
LB Tanner 320 (96 enc heavy), Layman 296 (83 enc medium), Rossini 200 (90 enc light), 60 more scattered
CB Baskerville 254 (88 enc light), Wordehoff 249 (93 enc light), Slechta 203 (81 end heavy)
S 60 or so scattered, nobody encouraged

[QuikSand]

Postseason:

http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6128&p=57138&viewfull=1#post57138

We win two games, then get pasted in the conf championship game. WTG Houston, they win it all.

[QuikSand]

Whoa. Five retirements. Four are special teams aces. Ouch. Our era of being really heavy there may have just ended. Big cohesion hit, too.

[QuikSand]

Retirements include: (ST rating, regular usage)

TE Barrett 370 (89, few real snaps)
LB Rossini 200 (90 enc light)
CB Baskerville 254 (88 enc light)
CB Wordehoff 249 (93 enc light)

[Chas in Cinti]

Well... your playoff success sort of shakes out and balances the regular season W/L...

That's a lot of retirements and sort of reinforces this "era" being on it's final legs...

[QuikSand]

Okay, new season reset. We'll start with the annual headcount:

25 players currently signed
02 restricted FAs we expect to re-sign
07 picks in this year's draft
---
34 players basically "in hand"
04 free agenst for my team that nobody else could possibly want(?)
---
38 players all but on our team for this year

So... 15 slots to fill. My roster distribution list is full of red ink.

[QuikSand]

Plan A - keep it together as long as we can

Basically, my default here will be to to re-up where I can with "my guys." A veteran minsal player costs around $2.9m in cap space, with base salary of about $4.9m. So, guys asking for $6-8m per year are not fat cats in this fast-moving league, they're just seeking to be a click or two over the minimum. But that makes our seemingly impressive $300m in cap space a bit less so.

Anyway... if I were to re-up with all the guys like NT Pete Neill (9th year, virtually no skills left, seeking $9m/yr) and CB Schlechta (11th year, still rotation-caliber, wants $12m/yr) I will probably fill up my roster to... maybe 48 players.

Here's the full roster, from my recently re-built text printer dump:



Front Office Football Eight
Baltimore Ravens Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Schweigert, Bernie 222 RB 2 43 47 3 yrs.
Franz, Brad 517 FL 8 63 63 3 yrs.
Thomas, Mario 1003K 2 68 85 3 yrs.
Wilson, Jeremiah 1649SS 7 56 56 3 yrs.
Stocz, Lonnie 512 SE 3 57 57 2 yrs.
Foreman, Donald 771 LG 9 60 60 2 yrs.
Darby, Donnie 760 RG 9 54 54 2 yrs.
Shepherd, Tyrus 863 LT 6 86 86 2 yrs.
Frederick, Edwin 904 P 8 45 45 2 yrs.
Mealey, Terrell 1191LDE 8 35 35 2 yrs.
Randolph, Renaldo 1415SLB 10 59 59 2 yrs.
Douglas, Riley 1623FS 11 61 61 2 yrs.
Farrell, Teddy 102 QB 14 42 42 1 yr.
Lusignan, Jackson 338 FB 12 6 6 1 yr.
Dugas, Aiden 589 FL 3 42 47 1 yr.
Matthews, Ramon 586 FL 12 11 11 1 yr.
Hoover, Norman 588 SE 8 2 2 1 yr.
Cebelak, Moe 665 C 6 49 49 1 yr.
Pearson, Isaac 1190LDE 6 40 40 1 yr.
Roybal, Giovanni 1350WILB 2 39 49 1 yr.
Wilkerson, Shane 1345WILB 4 24 24 1 yr.
Conway, Emmanuel 1529LCB 4 42 42 1 yr.
Gallop, Samuel 1541LCB 4 32 32 1 yr.
Thomas, Thomas 1636SS 10 16 16 1 yr.
Conley, Calvin 1639FS 5 43 43 1 yr.
Bryant, Richie 109 QB 9 28 28 ---
Roberts, Jaylen 247 RB 5 50 50 ---
Podolyak, Glenn 234 RB 5 42 42 ---
Weydahl, Arturo 480 TE 11 43 43 ---
Austin, Ronald 484 TE 6 35 35 ---
Slade, Allen 585 FL 6 25 25 ---
Conway, Marco 581 SE 5 29 29 ---
Terrell, Conrad 666 C 10 2 5 ---
Dotson, Joey 867 LT 10 16 16 ---
Tompkins, Heath 875 RT 5 60 60 ---
Anthony, Ethan 1198LDE 7 50 50 ---
Banks, DeAndre 1193RDE 9 45 45 ---
Calhoun, Ramon 1295NT 13 37 37 ---
Neill, Pete 1297NT 9 35 35 ---
Tanner, Jermaine 1305SILB 12 66 66 ---
Layman, Caiden 1354SILB 13 44 44 ---
Peterson, Edgar 1325SILB 4 32 49 ---
Brotzman, Tucker 1352WILB 9 38 38 ---
Sumner, Floyd 1458WLB 6 45 45 ---
Slechta, Eugene 1528LCB 11 47 47 ---
Creel, Harris 1531RCB 3 27 29 ---
Austin, Cole 1642SS 9 50 50 ---
Tamburrino, Toby 669 LS 6 17 17 ---

$$ - player is suspended, ## - player is inactive,
** = player is injured, %% - player is on IR.

Players Under Contract: 25
Inactive: 0
On Active Roster: 25

Salary Cap: $679,500,000
Cap Room: $324,750,000
Maximum for New Player: $300,170,000
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $2,460,000

Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
Cap Room Required Next Year: $247,300,000


The re-signing candidates, without commentary on how aggressively I'd have to pursue, seem like:


Bryant, Richie 109 QB 9 28 28 ---
Roberts, Jaylen 247 RB 5 50 50 ---
Podolyak, Glenn 234 RB 5 42 42 ---
Weydahl, Arturo 480 TE 11 43 43 ---
Austin, Ronald 484 TE 6 35 35 ---
Slade, Allen 585 FL 6 25 25 ---
Conway, Marco 581 SE 5 29 29 ---
Dotson, Joey 867 LT 10 16 16 ---
Anthony, Ethan 1198LDE 7 50 50 ---
Neill, Pete 1297NT 9 35 35 ---
Tanner, Jermaine 1305SILB 12 66 66 ---
Peterson, Edgar 1325SILB 4 32 49 ---
Brotzman, Tucker 1352WILB 9 38 38 ---
Sumner, Floyd 1458WLB 6 45 45 ---
Slechta, Eugene 1528LCB 11 47 47 ---
Creel, Harris 1531RCB 3 27 29 ---
Austin, Cole 1642SS 9 50 50 ---
Tamburrino, Toby 669 LS 6 17 17 ---


Hmmm...if we re-up with all those cats, we end up at 54 players, assuming we do bring in 7 rookies. And that is before we sort out some of the guys I didn't include above as "no brainers" to at least pursue, like RT Tompkins and DE Anthony.

Okay... that's the general setup, before I wade in to even look at the free agency market for this offseason.

[QuikSand]

File sent for big initial stage. 24 FA offers. Gulp.

[QuikSand]

<table style="width: 100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" bgcolor="#D3D3D3"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>LCB Alfred Harvey (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86485)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $8,160,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.7M, $4.4M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>37</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>37</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>LDE Jimmie Keith (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=87922)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>4 years, $76,000,000 (Bonus: $40K. Salary: $19.0M, $19.0M, $19.0M, $19.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>56</center></td><td bgcolor="#99B833"><center>60</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>NT Aaron Stevens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=84573)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>3 years, $54,000,000 (Bonus: $36.0M. Salary: $6.0M, $6.0M, $6.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>56</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>56</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>SILB Jermaine Tanner (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=82165)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>2 years, $34,000,000 (Bonus: $24.0M. Salary: $5.0M, $5.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#99B833"><center>67</center></td><td bgcolor="#99B833"><center>67</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>RT Heath Tompkins (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=87800)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>4 years, $100,000,000 (Bonus: $80.0M. Salary: $5.0M, $5.0M, $5.0M, $5.0M.)</center></td></tr></tbody></table>
Lots to see here. Re-signings were important but uncontested - no shock. We felt very thin along the DL, so Keith and Stevens should give us a solid rotation, though neither should be an impact pass rusher.


But the tone is set. Maintain and extend our window as best we can. I will likely again look to compress our draft, I just don't see room here for 7 rookies. There will be some more active slots up for grabs, with all the retirements of low-skill special teamers, though.

[QuikSand]

RB group returns for this season, with both Roberts (leader) and Podolyak (utility guy and fan fave) agreeing to new contracts.

Last year, we ended up with a serious split of RB duties:

Player..............Snaps R+P....Rush-Yds-YPC.....Targets-Rec-Yds-YPT
Liverwurst........119+236......100-439-4.39.....14-10-72-5.14
Roberts............129+302......100-452-4.52.....29-16-192-6.62
Podolyak...........75+190........55-268-4.87......23-15-99-4.30

So, sample sizes there small enough to leave this as a three-way toss-up in my mind, and likely a similar split for the year ahead. I'd like for us to be holding more big leads and triggering more rushes, but... who knows.

[QuikSand]

Body count:

33 players signed to contracts
21 free agents where we are in the lead
07 draft picks for this year in hand (but have a nibble to deal some)
---
62 working head count

Yeah, we are not going to be starving for players. We are just committed to players that hardly anyone else has any time for.

[Squirrel]

We are just committed to players that hardly anyone else has any time for.

I'm off to re-read my copy of Moneyball

[Chas in Cinti]

I'm off to re-read my copy of Moneyball

Quikky Sande?

[Kodos]

It's funny. Reading your thread always makes me want to dip my toe back into FOF. Then I remember that I tend to dislike the game as soon as I give it a try because I have no clue how to do things anymore, especially in the draft. Maybe I could do a solo career to give myself some shred of competence and then take it to an OD where the fun really starts.

But probably not. But just building a team to do what I want it to (rather than chasing the crazy offenses of Tzach) sounds fun in theory...

The other problem being that my daughter ties up my laptop a lot at night with Roblox, making life harder if I do try to play.

[QuikSand]

Flattering, thanks

[QuikSand]

Well, I went to bed basically knowing that my best-chem-fit-guy was almost definitely gonna fall to my pick at 1.29, just two picks away...


http://gml.fof-belco.com/small/helmet16.png

New England (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=16): pyser takes C Broderick Drake (http://gml.fof-belco.com/draft/show_player.php?in_game_id=91024) with the 1.27 pick.

<table style="border-collapse: collapse" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="2" bgcolor="#C8C8C8"><tbody><tr><td valign="middle">Run Blocking</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>71<->100</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Pass Blocking</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>57<->86</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Blocking Strength</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>71<->100</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Endurance</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>71<->100</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table style="border-collapse: collapse" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="1" border="1" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tbody><tr><th bgcolor="#BE001C"><center>HT</center></th><th bgcolor="#BE001C"><center>WT</center></th><th bgcolor="#BE001C"><center>RAW</center></th><th bgcolor="#BE001C"><center>ADJ</center></th><th bgcolor="#BE001C"><center>DASH</center></th><th bgcolor="#BE001C"><center>SOL</center></th><th bgcolor="#BE001C"><center>BENCH</center></th><th bgcolor="#BE001C"><center>AGI</center></th><th bgcolor="#BE001C"><center>BRJU</center></th><th bgcolor="#BE001C"><center>POS</center></th><th bgcolor="#BE001C"><center>%DEV</center></th></tr><tr><td bgcolor=""><center>76</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>309</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>6.5</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>5.6</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>4.91</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>23</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>37</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>7.68</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>110</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>-</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>12</center></td></tr></tbody></table>


Oh. The last human pick ends up being my guy. Got it. Dammit.


Anyway, I end up taking a good-looking DL, albeit perhaps not the usual pass-rush focused guy I typically go for:


http://gml.fof-belco.com/small/helmet2.png

Baltimore (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2): QuikSand takes DE Juan Helming (http://gml.fof-belco.com/draft/show_player.php?in_game_id=91258) with the 1.29 pick.

<table style="border-collapse: collapse" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="2" bgcolor="#C8C8C8"><tbody><tr><td valign="middle">Run Defense</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>72<->100</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Pass Rush Technique</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>30<->58</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Pass Rush Strength</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>72<->100</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Man-to-Man Defense</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>36<->64</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Zone Defense</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>50<->78</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Bump-and-Run Defense</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>51<->79</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Play Diagnosis</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>60<->87</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Punishing Hitter</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>72<->100</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Endurance</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>68<->96</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Special Teams</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>44<->72</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table style="border-collapse: collapse" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="1" border="1" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tbody><tr><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>HT</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>WT</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>RAW</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>ADJ</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>DASH</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>SOL</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>BENCH</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>AGI</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>BRJU</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>POS</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>%DEV</center></th></tr><tr><td bgcolor=""><center>76</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>290</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>6.1</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>6.7</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>-</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>24</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>-</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>-</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>-</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>-</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>48</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

Combine skippers tend to slide when Ben's AI does the auto-drafting...so he looks okay to me. Two maxed-out static bars are supposedly a good sign, right? Anyway, he should be, at worst, a guy we plug in at DT/DE in most situations, and let him grind out some solid, quiet production.

[QuikSand]

Free agency continues.

We narrowly, and I mean NARROWLY, miss out on a really nice-looking TE who would have been a chem fit and a build-around guy, albeit a low-endurance one...

TE Duane Settlemaier (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=87600)

I bit 4/158, lost out to the incumbent team's 4/160. Dammit. I had the cap space to go to 42 or 44 or whatever, just... didn't. I win close calls all the time, here I lose one.

[QuikSand]

It is a very busy stage, though:


<table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" bgcolor="#D3D3D3"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>LDE Ethan Anthony (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86222)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>3 years, $27,000,000 (Bonus: $13.5M. Salary: $4.5M, $4.5M, $4.5M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>50</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>50</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>RDE DeAndre Banks (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=84624)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>2 years, $13,000,000 (Bonus: $4.0M. Salary: $4.5M, $4.5M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>44</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>44</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>RB Eugene Breedlove (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86650)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>3 years, $18,000,000 (Bonus: $30K. Salary: $6.0M, $6.0M, $6.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>38</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>38</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>WILB Tucker Brotzman (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=84653)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>3 years, $13,800,000 (Bonus: $60K. Salary: $4.4M, $4.4M, $4.9M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>38</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>38</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QB Richie Bryant (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=84069)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>3 years, $13,800,000 (Bonus: $60K. Salary: $4.4M, $4.4M, $4.9M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>28</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>28</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>LT Juan Bullock (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89474)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>2 years, $6,260,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.9M, $3.3M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center>12</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>24</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>NT Ramon Calhoun (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=81336)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>1 year, $6,500,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $6.5M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>36</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>36</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>RT Drake Hardy (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=90279)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>2 years, $5,480,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.6M, $2.9M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>22</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>22</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>RT Seth Langley (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=87804)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $7,480,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.7M, $3.7M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>33</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>36</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>WLB Eddie Schultz (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88040)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>3 years, $39,000,000 (Bonus: $25.5M. Salary: $4.5M, $4.5M, $4.5M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>58</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>58</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>TE Arturo Weydahl (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=82586)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $14,000,000 (Bonus: $4.0M. Salary: $5.0M, $5.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>43</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>43</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

[QuikSand]

Non-obvious commentary on transactions:


LB Schultz is a key signing for us. Need position, 5th year guy, good enough to start but not star. Some potential as a pass rusher, but for us more likely just a rotation WLB I think.


The OL cheap signings are just splashing around for a guy to plug in for affinity purposes. We already locked up Tompkins at RT, for better or worse - though OT remains a potential draft target (I think two of my top ten rookies right now in my draft queue are tackles).


TE Weydahl comes back for $7m/yr, no other offers. He's greatly valuable to us, not much to anyone else. TE1, ST asset, and cohesion monster. Guess we'll plug him in for another round of 100+ targets, since we failed at grabbing his replacement.




We are still the leading bidder on 10 more guys out there in free agency. But the core of this roster is coming together fine, albeit pretty boring.

[Pyser]

well that was a fun back and forth. i nabbed the C you eyed in the draft, you got the OLB I thought I would easily get (and outbid you but you but I didnt go bonus-heavy enough). good show.

[QuikSand]

well that was a fun back and forth. i nabbed the C you eyed in the draft, you got the OLB I thought I would easily get (and outbid you but you but I didnt go bonus-heavy enough). good show.

yeah, it happens... with the two of us more than our fair share, i reckon

[QuikSand]

A little more drama in the 2nd round... I make a small offer to trade up from 2.29 to 2.26 to take a pass rusher. He accepts it, but I'm not there to, uh, re-confirm? So he goes ahead and... takes my guy. Weird.

Anyway, I take a big-bars low-development tackle at 2.29. The draft thread didn't work for some reason, so I don't have anything to post here...wide range of possible outcomes here. If he's really maxed-out in both Run and Pass Blocking, great. Of not, then he's probably just another phony 23/67 guys who ends up 43/43 and mediocre.

[QuikSand]

More free agency flotasm and jetsam:


<table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" bgcolor="#D3D3D3"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>TE Ronald Austin (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86718)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>3 years, $14,700,000 (Bonus: $1.2M. Salary: $4.5M, $4.5M, $4.5M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>35</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>35</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>SE Marco Conway (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=87660)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>2 years, $7,480,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.7M, $3.7M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>27</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>27</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>NT Alec Fuller (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=82124)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $26,000,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $13.0M, $13.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>45</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>45</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>WLB Brad Monroe (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88054)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>2 years, $12,000,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $6.0M, $6.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>23</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>23</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>FL Allen Slade (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86780)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $7,500,000 (Bonus: $40K. Salary: $3.7M, $3.7M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>24</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>24</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>LCB Eugene Slechta (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=83222)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>2 years, $14,000,000 (Bonus: $4.2M. Salary: $4.9M, $4.9M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>46</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>46</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>LS Toby Tamburrino (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86855)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $7,480,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.7M, $3.7M.)</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

[QuikSand]

DT Fuller could get playing time right away, if he doesn't disappear in preseason. Strong bars in Run D and PR Tech, he could help patch us over up front.

[QuikSand]

Draft update... my triple 4th round:

http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6133&p=57311&viewfull=1#post57311

special teams and maybe an actual linebacker

http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6133&p=57317&viewfull=1#post57317

I know, I don't need a RB, but he looked maxed-out at ST to me... sigh

http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6133&p=57325&viewfull=1#post57325

Another guy maxed at ST by my scout, less so here...



Theme is obvious. These guys all get free affinity for a year. Let's see what we get.

[QuikSand]

Baltimore Ravens

QuikSand

SS Cole Austin

1 year, $6,000,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $6.0M.)

48

48

Baltimore Ravens

QuikSand

LT Joey Dotson

2 years, $9,350,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $4.4M, $4.9M.)

17

17

Baltimore Ravens

QuikSand

NT Pete Neill

1 year, $6,000,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $6.0M.)

36

36

Baltimore Ravens

QuikSand

RG Brady Stuart

2 years, $7,080,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.3M, $3.7M.)

30

32

Baltimore Ravens

QuikSand

WLB Floyd Sumner

4 years, $22,280,000 (Bonus: $6.0M. Salary: $3.7M, $3.7M, $4.4M, $4.4M.)

45

45

Baltimore Ravens

QuikSand

TE Devan Terrell

3 years, $14,250,000 (Bonus: $750K. Salary: $4.5M, $4.5M, $4.5M.)

33

40




Nothing too interesting here. TE Terrell is my sort of special-teams-only TE3. Rest are re-signings and/or marginalia.

[QuikSand]

Okay, rookie sneak peeks... at our first legit rookie class in several seasons.

1st DE Juan Helming - looks about right, solid run stopper, should develop into decent all-around front guy, a traditional 3-4 DE... boring but useful

2nd T Miguel McDonnell - the potential of those top two bars at 92,100 is enticing, but the current ratings say it'll be quite some time until anything like that happens... so, about as expected, a decent 2nd round dart

4th LB Dalton Ackerman is a low-dev all-around LB but pegs in at 78/100 ST...RB Guy Rose looks like a one-trick pony with a bit breakaway bar and nothing else, including special teams so busto... DE Bryan Caraba might be a one-bar guy as well (Run D) but we'll wait to see if the scout's "very underrated" turns him into a useful guy.

6th WR Billy Bayer, another scout pick, looks close to useless but we'll give him a shot in preseason... and 7th rounder Kent Craig actually looks like he might have some rotation-caliber potential, wow.

Not a bad draft, all told.

[QuikSand]

So, headcount:

65 players on contracts now, roster is legal
01 LB Layman still out there and seems easy to re-sign...
39 undrafted rookies I will want to sign just to kick the tires...

I need to stifle myself here.

[QuikSand]

A few notes on position battles ahead:

RB/FB/TE we basically have the 7 guys aboard who all but have heir tickets punched:

RB1 Liverwurst, RB2 Roberts (leader), 3dRB Podolyak
FB Lusignan ST 100, Pers 86, 12th yr on team
TE1 Weydahl, TE2 Austin, TE3/ST Terrell

...so why do I have another veteran RB Breedlove and a rookie RB also? No good answer. Likely cuts, both.


At OL, we have six roles basically sewn up for the final 53, barring a shocking dropoff:

LT Shepherd - LG Foreman - C Cebelak - RG Darby - RT Tompkins

OL 6 is our 2nd round T O'Donnell, unless he's catastrophic in camp.
And after that... a chem guy, a development guy, or both? T Bullock has 96 personality, but would need help to get starts this year. G Stuart is 77 personality but already started a full season with Philly, so he's activated. And T Hardy is a tricky case - a 59Ldr/99Pers guy in the 2-3 group where all my leaders are slotted now, he'd be nice to activate for future purposes, but can we afford to do that this year? Most likely winner here is G Stuart, plug and play.


I'm now too deep along the defensive line, after feeling thin coming into free agency. Sure things to make the 53 man are:

DE Mealey, pass rush specialist and big pers
DE Anthony, faded a bit but still decent and great ST
DE Helming, first round pick
NT Stevens, big bonus signing this offseason

...I will probably end up with 2-3 more guys around them, but will have to make some calls w.r.t. cohesion, youth, and talent. That will likely be tough.


Same story along the LB group, a few locked in:

ILB Tanner, high quality and leader
ILB Peterson, just re-upped to plug in long term
ILB Roybal, developing nicely into run stopper
OLB Randolph, quality guy fading a bit
OLB Ackerman, rookie with big ST potential
OLB Sumner, 6gth year guy just re-upped (meh)
OLB Schultz, $13m/yr signing, good starter

...so we may not carry anyone else active here. Brotzman and Wilkerson might stick just for chem benchers. Someone has to be inactive.

[QuikSand]

As for "not a bad draft," I should add that the BELCo robot ranks our draft #28 out of 32. So, that's nice.

http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6146&p=57427&viewfull=1#post57427

[QuikSand]

Anyway, here are the moves we DID make, with annotations:

...

RB Edwin Bush

Late FA Stage 1

turned down a contract offer: 1yrs, $2,900,000.

-dang, tried a pile of 1yr money to entice him, looked promising


So, we got another bite at the apple here, as RB Bush was left to fall into late free agency, after a solid but not brilliant rookie campaign.

So, drum roll please... today is the unwrap to see if my fairly fat 1yr offer landed him...

We got him (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89971)

Okay, why pay $7m+ for a one year deal with a guy like this? If you are asking that, you're new to this thread, so welcome aboard.

Anyway...

-93 personality in the 6/7 group CHECK
-90 special teams skill at a group where we sorta need it CHECK
-85 hole recognition to tote the rock CHECK

We're happy.

...and just in case I really was seeking reaffirmation here...not only did I nail it with the dollars, but we just barely beat out some sharp front offices who wanted him, too:


<table width="100%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1"><tbody><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>2116</center></td><td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="50%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>signed as an unrestricted free agent from Seattle: 1yrs, $7,300,000.</center></td></tr><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>2116</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet1.png</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td> <td width="50%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>turned down a contract offer: 1yrs, $6,370,000.</center></td> </tr><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>2116</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet16.png</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td> <td width="50%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>turned down a contract offer: 1yrs, $8,100,000.</center></td> </tr><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>2116</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet26.png</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td> <td width="50%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>turned down a contract offer: 3yrs, $20,880,000.</center></td> </tr><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>2116</center></td><td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet30.png</center></td><td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="50%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>turned down a contract offer: 3yrs, $17,880,000.</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

[QuikSand]

There's other news in free agency, and I have a few things to say here, too:

<table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" bgcolor="#D3D3D3"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>RB Edwin Bush (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89971)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>1 year, $7,300,000 (Bonus: $4.8M. Salary: $2.6M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>47</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>48</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>RT Logan Knightley (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89483)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>1 year, $7,000,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $7.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>45</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>50</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>RB Josiah Lundy (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=90792)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $5,120,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.6M, $2.6M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center></center>
</td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>RCB Shawn Vaughn (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=91469)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>1 year, $4,000,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $4.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center></center>
</td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>FL B.J. Woods (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=90928)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $5,120,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.6M, $2.6M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center></center>
</td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center></center>
</td></tr></tbody></table>

Well, T Knightley might prove interesting - a 3rd year guy with one skill, run blocking. If he sticks for this season, perhaps we slide him over to play C and plug him in to start next season there? I don't think a 95/25 profile can cut it at tackle, but at center... perhaps. He's 296lbs, too, and can't bulk up, all the more reason to think a move is in order.


RB Lundy is 55/72 in punt returning... but hard to see us ditching our (now) cheap veteran WR Mathews (46 rating) for a dude who hasn't even handled the playbook.


Now, more tricky on that front is DB Shawn Vaughn. He's 72/90 in PR, and 86/98 in ST (plus a big interceptions rating). Wow, hod did a cat like that go undrafted? Well, he's got apparent voids in two coverage skills (zone and bump) and very low in man. And for us... he's a 9-personality potential conflict with my DB leader. Is there any way we'd keep a potential chemistry negative around? Hard to say... but he got here on a contract designed to do so, so he'll get a real look, and those bars are way better than I would have guessed.



Finally, WR BJ Woods is pretty well developed (despite a 29%), he's got a little PR skill too (that's how he showed up on my target list) ... but a 15 personality might be his undoing with us. If you've got low RR, you simply must have value elsewhere.

[QuikSand]

So, allow me to speculate on our RB/FB group down the road a bit...

RB Liverwurst is a 4-5 guy with 93/72... if he stays, he'll become a so-so leader
RB Roberts is a 5th year 2-3 guy with 76/80... so he's in the mix a while
RB Bush is a 6-7 guy with 32/93, a born follower who would click with either guy
RB Podolyak (4-5, 72/20)...hard to see him claiming a stake long term, sorry Chas
FB of the future is not on the team currently, that's a wild card
QB of the future is also not on the roster, most likely

My best bet is that we end up with Liverwurst/Bush as the 1/2 punch, and grab a fullback soon to step in and play with them as an affinity fit. Could happen as soon as next year, I'd think.

[QuikSand]

Heading into training camp:


Front Office Football Eight
Baltimore Ravens Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Farrell, Teddy 102 QB 14 42 42 1 yr.
Bryant, Richie 109 QB 9 28 28 3 yrs.
Bush, Edwin 230 RB 2 52 52 1 yr.
Roberts, Jaylen 247 RB 5 50 50 2 yrs.
Schweigert, Bernie 222 RB 2 43 47 3 yrs.
Podolyak, Glenn 234 RB 5 42 42 3 yrs.
Breedlove, Eugene 240 RB 6 37 37 3 yrs.
Rose, Gus 243 RB 1 21 33 4 yrs.
Lundy, Josiah 233 RB 1 16 22 2 yrs.
Lusignan, Jackson 338 FB 12 6 6 2 yrs.
Weydahl, Arturo 480 TE 11 43 43 2 yrs.
Terrell, Devan 482 TE 5 36 36 3 yrs.
Austin, Ronald 484 TE 6 35 35 3 yrs.
Franz, Brad 517 FL 8 63 63 3 yrs.
Dugas, Aiden 589 FL 3 42 47 1 yr.
Woods, B.J. 583 FL 1 33 45 2 yrs.
Slade, Allen 585 FL 6 25 25 2 yrs.
Bayer, Billy 518 FL 1 18 35 4 yrs.
Matthews, Ramon 586 FL 12 11 11 1 yr.
Stocz, Lonnie 512 SE 3 57 57 2 yrs.
Conway, Marco 581 SE 5 29 29 2 yrs.
Hoover, Norman 588 SE 8 2 2 2 yrs.
Cebelak, Moe 665 C 6 49 49 1 yr.
Knightley, Logan 673 C 3 26 58 1 yr.
Terrell, Conrad 666 C 10 2 5 ---
Foreman, Donald 771 LG 9 60 60 2 yrs.
Darby, Donnie 760 RG 9 54 54 2 yrs.
Stuart, Brady 772 RG 4 29 36 2 yrs.
Shepherd, Tyrus 863 LT 6 86 86 2 yrs.
O'Donnell, Miguel 861 LT 1 19 77 4 yrs.
Dotson, Joey 867 LT 10 16 16 2 yrs.
Bullock, Juan 876 LT 3 13 21 2 yrs.
Tompkins, Heath 875 RT 5 60 60 4 yrs.
Hardy, Drake 874 RT 2 22 24 2 yrs.
Frederick, Edwin 904 P 8 45 45 2 yrs.
Thomas, Mario 1003K 2 68 85 3 yrs.
Keith, Jimmie 1192LDE 5 64 64 4 yrs.
Anthony, Ethan 1198LDE 7 50 50 3 yrs.
Pearson, Isaac 1190LDE 6 40 40 1 yr.
Mealey, Terrell 1191LDE 8 35 35 2 yrs.
Helming, Juan 1194RDE 1 53 77 4 yrs.
Banks, DeAndre 1193RDE 9 45 45 2 yrs.
Stevens, Aaron 1299NT 9 58 58 3 yrs.
Fuller, Alec 1296NT 12 44 44 2 yrs.
Calhoun, Ramon 1295NT 13 37 37 1 yr.
Neill, Pete 1297NT 9 35 35 1 yr.
Caraba, Bryant 1279NT 1 17 54 4 yrs.
Tanner, Jermaine 1305SILB 12 66 66 2 yrs.
Layman, Caiden 1354SILB 13 44 44 ---
Peterson, Edgar 1351SILB 4 32 49 3 yrs.
Roybal, Giovanni 1350WILB 2 39 49 1 yr.
Brotzman, Tucker 1352WILB 9 38 38 3 yrs.
Wilkerson, Shane 1345WILB 4 24 24 1 yr.
Craig, Kent 1353WILB 1 18 59 4 yrs.
Randolph, Renaldo 1415SLB 10 59 59 2 yrs.
Ackerman, Dalton 1455SLB 1 19 49 4 yrs.
Schultz, Eddie 1446WLB 5 56 56 3 yrs.
Sumner, Floyd 1458WLB 6 45 45 4 yrs.
Monroe, Brad 1457WLB 5 24 24 2 yrs.
Slechta, Eugene 1528LCB 11 47 47 2 yrs.
Conway, Emmanuel 1529LCB 4 42 42 1 yr.
Harvey, Alfred 1525LCB 7 36 36 2 yrs.
Gallop, Samuel 1541LCB 4 32 32 1 yr.
Creel, Harris 1531RCB 3 27 29 2 yrs.
Vaughn, Shawn 1506RCB 1 20 40 1 yr.
Wilson, Jeremiah 1649SS 7 56 56 3 yrs.
Austin, Cole 1642SS 9 50 50 1 yr.
Thomas, Thomas 1636SS 10 16 16 2 yrs.
Douglas, Riley 1623FS 11 61 61 2 yrs.
Conley, Calvin 1639FS 5 43 43 1 yr.
Tamburrino, Toby 669 LS 6 17 17 2 yrs.

$$ - player is suspended, ## - player is inactive,
** = player is injured, %% - player is on IR. 
Front Office Football Eight

Players Under Contract: 69
Inactive: 0
On Active Roster: 69

Salary Cap: $679,500,000
Cap Room: $94,290,000
Maximum for New Player: $97,220,000
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $2,470,000

Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $10,000
Cap Room Required Next Year: $500,350,000


Been a while since I did this full-on roster dump. Feels good.

[QuikSand]

Ok, back to the good old days. A parsed-up roster dump, with commentary by position group. These ratings are post-camp but before the pre-season reveal. and I'll note my decisions as I think through each group. Fun!


Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Farrell, Teddy 102 QB 14 42 42 1 yr.
Bryant, Richie 109 QB 9 28 28 3 yrs.
Wolf, Ivan 107 QB 5 26 34 2 yrs.


Teddy - is this his final season? Probably? He's QB1, obviously. Farrell seems like a no-brainer patch-over high-cohesion guy for when the reins become available. Wolf is a camp arm, a run-around guy with no voids... were he younger, I'd say he's a long term QB2 but instead, he's likely fodder.


Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future EstimateBush, Edwin 230 RB 2 53 53 1 yr.
Roberts, Jaylen 247 RB 5 50 50 2 yrs.
Schweigert, Bernie 222 RB 2 45 47 3 yrs.
Podolyak, Glenn 234 RB 5 42 42 3 yrs.
Breedlove, Eugene 240 RB 6 37 37 3 yrs.
Rose, Gus 243 RB 1 22 31 4 yrs.
Lundy, Josiah 233 RB 1 17 22 2 yrs.
Lusignan, Jackson 338 FB 12 6 6 2 yrs.


Ok, I have detailed this position a bit already, mostly thinking about chemistry. Talent? Hard to say. On paper, Liverwurst and Bush look completely up to the challenge of carrying this part of the offense. Production-wise? Meh.

Cuts: Breedlove, Rose... Lundy pending my decision with the "complicated" DB/PR guy.


Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future EstimateWeydahl, Arturo 480 TE 11 43 43 2 yrs.
Terrell, Devan 482 TE 5 36 36 3 yrs.
Austin, Ronald 484 TE 6 35 35 3 yrs.


Set for now. Weydahl has given us a nice career, with over 8K in receiving yards, but he's winding down. Austin is a solid TE2, but is about to mess up our chemistry, might have to go next season. That actually clears the way for Terrell to make a surprise move from special teamer to TE1 as soon as next season - he's got decent ratings where it counts for the duty (GD and BPR both over 60, but RR only 36)... my guess is he's more of a TE2 guy and we look to improve at the position with an early draft pick or impact FA signing (like the guy we should have nabbed this offseason, grrr)


Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future EstimateFranz, Brad 517 FL 8 63 63 3 yrs.
Dugas, Aiden 589 FL 3 44 47 1 yr.
Woods, B.J. 583 FL 1 35 45 2 yrs.
Slade, Allen 585 FL 6 25 25 2 yrs.
Bayer, Billy 518 FL 1 20 33 4 yrs.
Matthews, Ramon 586 FL 12 11 11 1 yr.
Stocz, Lonnie 512 SE 3 57 57 2 yrs.
Conway, Marco 581 SE 5 29 29 2 yrs.
Hoover, Norman 588 SE 8 2 2 2 yrs.


Okay, I probably want to have 5-6 active guys. Affinity add-ons don't count in that total - in a one-shot zero-injury league you have to have 7 bench guys, and the only thing that matters for me is where I place the chemistry effects... WR is a perfectly sensible place to do so.

So... Franz and Stocz are the most incongruously-named starting WR pair in the league, locked in at WR 1/2. Dugas and Slade have earned field time. Hoover is the inactive chem leader, Conway is a 97 personality bench guy. That's all set - 4 active, 6 total.

Ramon Mathews, I have written plenty about. He's faded down to basically nothing but punt return skills, and only 40-something at that, with a likely drop ahead in preseason. 89 personality and 7 years on the team, but... do we put him out there for 30 targets? No way, I don't see it. So, basically an affinity guy and PR role player. In play... but again, the mystery rookie DB is a ripple effect guy here.

My 6th round draft pick Bayer was VU by my scouting, but they're way better at pure scouting than interviews. I'm inclined to write him off, especially because...

BJ Woods (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=90928), grading at 35/45, looks intriguing... like he projects to be about as good as Dugas. Low RR, but complementary stuff I like. If he had high personality, he'd become a project. As it stands, he's ahead of Bayer, but not a lock to make the 53.

Cuts: Nobody yet... Mathews pending


Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future EstimateCebelak, Moe 665 C 6 49 49 1 yr.
Knightley, Logan 673 C 3 31 55 1 yr.
Foreman, Donald 771 LG 9 60 60 2 yrs.
Darby, Donnie 760 RG 9 54 54 2 yrs.
Stuart, Brady 772 RG 4 32 36 2 yrs.
Shepherd, Tyrus 863 LT 6 86 86 2 yrs.
O'Donnell, Miguel 861 LT 1 24 77 4 yrs.
Dotson, Joey 867 LT 10 16 16 2 yrs.
Bullock, Juan 876 LT 3 14 21 2 yrs.
Tompkins, Heath 875 RT 5 60 60 4 yrs.
Hardy, Drake 874 RT 2 23 24 2 yrs.


Okay, plan here is to keep 5 legit starters, two active backups mostly for chemistry, and possibly one bench chem guy. So, herd needs thinned.

Pivot guy here is C (nee left tackle) Knightley...lost position experience in the switch to C, but he has a legit shot to play center for this team, likely next season. We grade him 43/91 in run blocking, and I want a legit road grader there, after missing out on my rookie target by one lousy Patriots pick. (That guy is rated 42/90 right now, and looks like an EPIC chemistry anchor... oh I am soooo mad I missed out on him)

Okay, so right now, the sure things are LT Shepherd, LG Foreman, RG Darby, RT Tompkins, Chem Leader and mentor T Dotson, and 2nd round rookie T O'Donnell. That's 5A/6T. Two more slots to fill - the simplest way is just to keep C Cebelak in as the starter for this season, and leave C Knightley behind him as OL7 to develop along with O'Donnell. Vanilla, solid.

T Hardy is a rare 2/3 guy with leadership potential. If we retain our chem structure for a decade, he will be a guy we probably want to pigeonhole in some place. But is this the year to carry him with no chemistry effect, just to get to that place? And for a 59 leadership guy, meaning we have to move other pieces around to accommodate him? (Like... he'd never outshine Liverwusrt, so it's either OL or TE for him as leader) Doubtful. Not enough skill to warrant seeing preseason. We cut him here, in longshot hopes he latches on with an AI team and gathers a season full of starts.

G Stuart is just so easy to keep. Already has his starts, he's got 77 personality, and would probably stick around forever and be a break-glass starter at RG if needed once he's got cohesion on his side. Not a cut yet.

Cuts: T Hardy, T Bullock


Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future EstimateFrederick, Edwin 904 P 8 45 45 2 yrs.
Thomas, Mario 1003K 2 75 85 3 yrs.

What's done is done. Do I wish I had a nice puzzle piece for that 2nd round pick rather than a big bars kicker? Yes, I do. Moving on.


Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future
Keith, Jimmie 1192LDE 5 64 64 4 yrs.
Anthony, Ethan 1198LDE 7 50 50 3 yrs.
Pearson, Isaac 1190LDE 6 40 40 1 yr.
Mealey, Terrell 1191LDE 8 35 35 2 yrs.
Helming, Juan 1194RDE 1 59 77 4 yrs.
Banks, DeAndre 1193RDE 9 45 45 2 yrs.
Stevens, Aaron 1299NT 9 58 58 3 yrs.
Fuller, Alec 1296NT 12 44 44 2 yrs.
Calhoun, Ramon 1295NT 13 37 37 1 yr.
Neill, Pete 1297NT 9 35 35 1 yr.
Caraba, Bryant 1279NT 1 21 50 4 yrs.


Okay, lots of movement here. My D really depends on pressure from the front - so who do we have? The top rated guy here is DE Keith, and he is a pure run stopper, but at 269 lbs probably shouldn't play much inside. He's on a purely cut-friendly deal, on purpose. He's a bubble guy, believe it or not.

Due to RunD (R), PRush (P), contract (K), Special Teams (S), or just crazy cohesion (C), these guys are going to make the final 53 for certain:

DE Mealey P, DE Anthony K, DE Helming RK
NT Calhoun SC, NT Stevens K, DT Neill C

Honestly, six guys is all we need, especially since rookie Helming has huge endurance, he can play all day. 4th rounder Caraba looks like a cut but maybe we'll keep him for a preseason look. Sigh.


Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future EstimateTanner, Jermaine 1305SILB 12 66 66 2 yrs.
Peterson, Edgar 1351SILB 4 35 49 3 yrs.
Roybal, Giovanni 1350WILB 2 43 43 1 yr.
Brotzman, Tucker 1352WILB 9 38 38 3 yrs.
Wilkerson, Shane 1345WILB 4 24 24 1 yr.
Craig, Kent 1353WILB 1 22 58 4 yrs.
Randolph, Renaldo 1415SLB 10 59 59 2 yrs.
Ackerman, Dalton 1455SLB 1 22 40 4 yrs.
Schultz, Eddie 1446WLB 5 56 56 3 yrs.
Sumner, Floyd 1458WLB 6 45 45 4 yrs.
Monroe, Brad 1457WLB 5 24 24 2 yrs.


Another crowd. Who makes the team? Same codes as above but with P=coverage, i = inactive:

Tanner RL, Peterson P, Brotzman i, Wilkerson i, Roybal R
Randolph RP, Sumner R, Schultz K

Ackerman has the 91/100 ST I wanted, but he's also got a toxic 100/20 mix at chemistry stuff. And he can't exactly, you know, play football. So, I think he's a safe cut, despite delivering on the one thing we wanted from him.

Craig (former DE) now looks like a low-development but intriguing all-around prospect. Do we have room for that on this team?

Monroe has decent overall ratings and 72 ST... but near voids in RunD and Zone, the two things we tend to value most of all. Hard to see him making it. Cut.

So, we sit at 6 guys sure to make the roster, two of whom could be active depth or bench affinities.

Cut: LB Monroe


Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future EstimateSlechta, Eugene 1528LCB 11 47 47 2 yrs.
Conway, Emmanuel 1529LCB 4 42 42 1 yr.
Harvey, Alfred 1525LCB 7 36 36 2 yrs.
Gallop, Samuel 1541LCB 4 32 32 1 yr.
Creel, Harris 1531RCB 3 29 29 2 yrs.
Vaughn, Shawn 1506RCB 1 23 32 1 yr.
Wilson, Jeremiah 1649SS 7 56 56 3 yrs.
Austin, Cole 1642SS 9 50 50 1 yr.
Thomas, Thomas 1636SS 10 16 16 2 yrs.
Douglas, Riley 1623FS 11 61 61 2 yrs.
Conley, Calvin 1639FS 5 43 43 1 yr.


Okay, probably the trickiest group. Who's in for sure?

CB1/2 ought to be Slechta, Conway, and some S Conley I think (weak)
N/D CB should be Gallop, safeties
S1/2 ought to be Douglas, Wilson, Austin

Borderline guys are: Creel (CB2 or nothing, I think), CB Harvey (new addition, maybe CB2?) ... not wild about playing time for either guy but here we are after two semi-busted first rounders at CB

And the biggest pivot guy on the roster right now, CB Shawn Vaughn (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=91469). I know I have built this team around certain things, chemistry a foundational part of that. He's a conflict waiting to happen. But... that skill set. And my scout sees him as even better, particularly at punt returns. I am salivating about this guy, and I don't think I can get over it. I have already advance him a prestige jersey number. I think he's making this team, and seeing the field - no starts, but as a deep-rotation guy in some run situations, and then as our PR /gunner.

Okay, based on that little fever dream...

Cuts: RB Lundy, WR Matthews



And after that, a few more revisitations from the Turk:

Cuts: LB Ackerman, DT Caraba, DE Keith


60. We know there are more cuts ahead to get to 53, but this was hard, as usual.

[QuikSand]

Now officially graded as the worst draft in the league. Sigh.

http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6150&p=57444&viewfull=1#post57444

Still basically happy with picks 1 and 2. BenBot says the rest is trash, probably correctly so. Well, those I didn't already cut, which is... ugh.

[QuikSand]

File sent. Rest easy, Chas, your boy made the cut this year. No promises past that, though.

After last year, I genuinely don't know whether this is an elite team, or merely a decent one getting by on smoke and mirrors. I mean, not taking anything away from smoke and mirrors, that's basically my whole angle here... just saying, talent-wise we might be too shaky to really be that good.

Worried about our pass rush more than anything, and I don't think we have the horses in coverage to overcome that weakness.

I'll split the difference and forecast we go 11-5.

[Chas in Cinti]

I hope you're right on the record... My perception has always been that the Ravens have always been most successful (assuming cohesion and personality bit) with strong lines on both sides, and a couple of difference makers on either side of the ball. The OL remains strong... It feels like the DL has taken a half-step back, and I'm worried that the playmakers have grown a bit long in the tooth, or haven't developed as per usual. I'm going to be a Debbie/Downer and go with 8-8 and the end of an era, with TE Teddy finally fading to replacement-level... But... I hope you're right! :)

[QuikSand]

Okay, loading up the regular season.

10-6, wild card, and perfect season spoiler (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampage.php?teamid=2)

Okay, 10 wins sounds about right. Solid team, but not a top tier contender. Turns out we beat 15-0 Cleveland in the regular season finale...so troubling trend for the long term there.

Lessee... what do we have here? In a bit more detail than usual...

Teddy stretched out a bit... over 7 ypa is a bit better, 20 picks a bit worse
Our 5.2 ypc was #2 in the league because REASONS (huh?)
Used Roberts more than intended, but did okay w load (Liverwurst pissed)
Our passing targets got messed up a bit (why?)... but worked out okay
WR Franz got only 105 targets, but posted 1028/6 whoa (zero drops)
Undrafted rookie WR Woods somehow got 114 targets for 800/3 okay
Opposing teams did manage strong pass rush - 22.5%, 30th
Basically tough to complain about the offense this year, other than turnovers

Pass rush was actually solid - 23.3PR% ranked 4th (whaaa?)
Despite mediocre ratings, DE Anthony put up nice year (8S, 6.9PR%)
DT Stevens has 31 hurries from the interior line, that's a difference maker
DBs continue to make plays, Wilson-Conway-Douglas all 15+ PDs
Opposing passing games posted only 5.71 ypa - league best in key stat
Gave up 4.09 ypc against the run, solid too though I don't care much
Overall... nice effort by the D, better than expected

Special teams... whatevs
K Thomas does what a star-caliber kicker ought to... 27/29, 42/43 GREAT
We're strong in the return game, top-third everywhere
CB Vaughn put up 15.3 on punt returns, ratings 68/74 PR 86/100 ST
(only one guy without a TD posted higher PR avg)


So... the obvious bad news right now is that we're in the wild card track, and that sucks. We feel like a threat to 10-6 Denver, but winning three road games is just crazy talk. I give us a shot to win one, but no shot to win three. Teddy's career likely ends tomorrow on the road. I should have done better by him.

And maybe Cleveland, by virtue of drafting themselves a serious WR1, has suddenly become the real frontrunner for our division, as we likely close our window.

[QuikSand]

Quick note... mainly for me. I think I have been targeting the X/SE slot in my 11 formations more than I realize, and a lot of that has been medium-length patterns. That's fine, but I don't think I have given that slot in the personnel page its proper due. I put the rookie Woods there this year, and it probably should have been Franz/Stocz instead. Will make mental note to adjust to that...I used to have a sheet of paper (then a cameraphone shot) of hand-written notes on position usage in each formation... maybe need to append that to my splash screen or something.

[johnnyshaka]

And maybe Cleveland, by virtue of drafting themselves a serious WR1, has suddenly become the real frontrunner for our division, as we likely close our window.

Turns out that loss was due to a 51-yard Hail Mary. :rant:

Anyway, this will be our last season as the GM of the Browns as we're planning to take the reigns of the Vikings to embark on a new challenge. Of course, this decision was made PRIOR to one of the Browns' best seasons ever...heck, it could be THE best season ever.

But don't worry, I'll still be following along with this. :popcorn:

[QuikSand]

Well, we are one and out, losing in Denver.

johnny's Brownies run the table and win it all for his swansong. Awesome. Now we'll watch the dumbass AI ruin the whole thing, and I am loving that.

[QuikSand]

<center>2117 TRANSACTIONS</center><table style="border-collapse: collapse" width="100%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1"><tbody><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>QB Teddy Farrell (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=79984)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Pre-Staff Draft</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>retired</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>NT Ramon Calhoun (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=81336)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Pre-Staff Draft</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>retired</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FB Jackson Lusignan (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=81704)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Pre-Staff Draft</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>retired</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>TE Arturo Weydahl (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=82586)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Pre-Staff Draft</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>retired</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

If you have been following this thread, you know how big a deal this is. No clear plan for the next steps, but things are gonna change 'round here.

[QuikSand]

So...might as well tee this one up. I have not yet looked at the free agent field at QB, but here are the obvious options on hand right now:

Mister Cohesion, Richie Bryant (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=84069)

Ivan Wolf (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=87419)

My thinking is unless there's an unusually good fit out there somehow, I just plug in Bryant for a year or two. He's not awful, maybe I'll learn something about that pesky "timing" rating, and he'd be the right guy for cohesion and chemistry for certain.

Ugh

[Chas in Cinti]

Will Teddy be a HoFer you think?

[QuikSand]

I doubt it. No rings. 10 solid years, but never an MVP or serious standout.

He's... maybe Philip Rivers? Rich Gannon?

[QuikSand]

...quick note to add... both of my incumbent QBs project to have lousy AvoidInt ratings from the BenBot analysis. So, I ought to take that under advisement.

With a run-first OL, a new face at QB, a young cadre of RBs we're excited about, a top receiving target just retiring, and a pretty good veteran defense...it really seems like we could be set up for a "game manager" situation. Go out there aiming to run for 160 yards and win the game 20-13. I basically loathe that sort of thinking, but maybe that's the right call for us, given all the personnel matters pointing that way.

[Chas in Cinti]

Richie Bryant... Rick Mirer... ?

[QuikSand]

For the longtimers...

DE Ramon Tuholski, Hall of Famer. (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=78790)

I don't tend to generate a lot of HOFers, I feel. But he's an easy call.

[QuikSand]

Well, stage FA 1:2 is upon us. Time to get into some... things. (h/t The Roots)

One quick observation: there's no hero QB sitting out there in free agency who's an obvious go-get for us, and about whom I will be cagey/silent here for fear of spilling the beans... nope, we're likely just looking at our two incumbent pick machines, or else someone else of comparable caliber. It would seem weird to go with a rookie here, but if that breaks our way, I guess I'd be open to it.

In a parallel universe, I would be investing the time needed to develop a solid run-heavy gameplan for this team. But that's not here on earth prime, with my modern self who now has no patience for such things, inexplicably enough.

Will hope to get to some setup thoughts later, but the basics are:

37 players signed
04 RFAs I feel very likely to sign
07 draft picks this year
---
48 players "in hand"

After last season, I need to either be a LOT better with my draft picks, or just bite the bullet and get out of the damned business. My "full draft" last year for the first time in ages has yielded a total of TWO draftees who made it to year two. That's despicable. Put alongside the fact that I tend to do pretty well with undrafted rookies (I can see their chemistry ratings, for one thing) it just seems dumb for me to be handing out bonuses by picking guys in rounds 4-7, really ever.


Meanwhile, we have right around 1/3 of the league cap available. My guess is that even after a few extensions and re-signings, we will still be looking at an opportunity to grab a high profile player or two, if we want to do so. Not sure whether we are a "try to stay up there" team, or a "reload mode" team at the moment, without a legitimate plan at QB. I don't expect to field a team that will yield a top-10 draft pick, but whether we project for pick 1.17 or 1.26 sorta matters here, in whether I'm interested in, frex, a nice-looking 9th year pass rusher.

Work to do.

[QuikSand]

One super-quick note, I thought that TE Ronald Austin (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86718) was going to have to go this year, due to taking over the chemistry lead. I was wrong, not 'til next year. He might still go because of the shelf life issue, but if we want continuity, he could easily remain the TE1/TE2 mix for this season.

And, I could at least kick around the idea of letting him actually have the chem leadership, with his 79/97 that would be good on its surface. Teddy was a 6/7 guy but our next long term QB might not be. A quick skim says that would neutralize Franz and Dugas (his own convo coming up) but that's really all. So, that's in play, too, especially if there's a 4/5 QB in the draft who looks like my next "guy," or I just decide that Wolf is it for the time being.

[QuikSand]

Is there a path away from three 2-3 group leaders on this team's offense?

Current group leaders:
RB Roberts 6th, 76/80
WR Hoover 9th, 77/97
T Dotson 11th, 85/98

Overall chemistry setup, prepare to be wowed if you aren't familiar with how we do things over here in Charm City...

Front Office Football Eight
Baltimore Ravens Roster, Attitude Advisory

Player # Pos Start Noted Playing Time Chemistry
Bryant, Richie 109 QB 3 Affinities wit
Wolf, Ivan 107 QB 3 Affinities wit
Roberts, Jaylen 247 RB Backfield Leader
Bush, Edwin 230 RB Exceptional Affi
Schweigert, Bernie 222 RB Strong Affinity
Podolyak, Glenn 234 RB Mild Affinity
Austin, Ronald 484 TE Exceptional Affi
Terrell, Devan 482 TE Potential Affini
Slade, Allen 585 FL Exceptional Affi
Dugas, Aiden 589 FL Exceptional Affi
Franz, Brad 517 FL Affinity
Woods, B.J. 583 FL Mild Affinity
Hoover, Norman 588 SE MN Receivers Leader
Conway, Marco 581 SE Exceptional Affi
Stocz, Lonnie 512 SE Strong Affinity
Cebelak, Moe 665 C Exceptional Affi
Knightley, Logan 673 C Exceptional Affi
Foreman, Donald 771 LG Affinity
Darby, Donnie 760 RG MN Exceptional Affi
Dotson, Joey 867 LT MN Offensive Line L
Shepherd, Tyrus 863 LT MN Affinity
O'Donnell, Miguel 861 LT Potential Affini
Tompkins, Heath 875 RT Mild Affinity
Frederick, Edwin 904 P
Thomas, Mario 1003K
Mealey, Terrell 1191LDE Exceptional Affi
Anthony, Ethan 1198LDE Strong Affinity
Pearson, Isaac 1190LDE Potential Affini
Banks, DeAndre 1193RDE Exceptional Affi
Helming, Juan 1194RDE Mild Affinity
Stevens, Aaron 1299NT
Tanner, Jermaine 1305SILB Defensive Front
Peterson, Edgar 1351SILB Exceptional Affi
Wilkerson, Shane 1345WILB Exceptional Affi
Roybal, Giovanni 1350WILB Strong Affinity
Randolph, Renaldo 1415SLB Mild Affinity
Sumner, Floyd 1458WLB Exceptional Affi
Schultz, Eddie 1446WLB Mild Affinity
Slechta, Eugene 1528LCB Strong Affinity
Gallop, Samuel 1541LCB Affinity
Conway, Emmanuel 1529LCB
Vaughn, Shawn 1506RCB Potential Confli
Creel, Harris 1531RCB Strong Affinity
Thomas, Thomas 1636SS Exceptional Affi
Austin, Cole 1642SS Affinity
Wilson, Jeremiah 1649SS Affinity
Douglas, Riley 1623FS Secondary Leader
Conley, Calvin 1639FS Exceptional Affi
Tamburrino, Toby 669 LS


So... who doesn't register as an affinity? Short list.

DT Stevens and CB Conway are affinity guys, but their personality strength is low enough that they don't register. I consider them shadow affinities, but it admittedly does indeed pain me to view this screen and see the empty slots there.

CB Vaughn is the one polka amidst a lot of dots here. Potential conflict, but he'd never get the starts to "activate" that, if we take the game at its word here. I'm enamored, it would take a lot for him to lave this team soon.

So... basically, I don't really carry guys without chemistry. Simple rules, very narrow exceptions. On my teams, most non-chem guys are actually former chem guys who were nullified by a leader switch, but had too much cohesion/talent combo to simply deal/cut away. So, they ride it out.


The big question... on our offense, all three leaders are on the 2-3 group, meaning all our players are in the 4-5 or 6-7 groups. The league is sparse with 2-3 players, so trying to continue forever with that setup seems unwise. I'm too invested in these players to make a wholesale group change, but could we move to a 4-5 leader or a 6-7 leader in any of these groups?

Legend for below: (year, chem group, Ldr/Pers)

Key long-term assets at RB/FB:
Schweigert (3rd, 4-5, 93/72)
Bush (3rd, 6-7, 32/93)

...well, that could work out great.

Key long-term assets at TE/WR:

TE Austin (7th, 6-7, 76/97)
TE Terrell (6th, 4-5, 54/47)
WR Franz (9th, 6-7, 13/18)
WR Stocz (4th, 4-5, 34/46)
WR Woods (2nd, 4-5, 16/15)
WR Slade (7th, 4-5, 20/96)
WR Dugas (4th, 6-7, 7/59)

Okay... with the caveat that the overall talent level here without Franz is most definitely "not good enough to win" (meaning we have real work to do here regardless of chemistry) the path ahead seems pretty reasonable. If TE Auston is allowed to step into the leadership role, he will remain a hige cohesion asset, a very strong leader, and will click with everybody important other than Franz, who only has a couple seasons left.

Absent any analysis at the QB position, which I will likely have to do without quite as much transparency here... that really makes the most sense. At the very least, I will be looking more closely at rookies or free agents from the 4-5 group than from the 6-7 group, and I will not necessarily skip right past the 2-3 group as I might have otherwise.


Key assets at OL:

C Knightley (4th, 4-5, 39/78)
G Foreman (10th, 6-7, 63/34)
G Darby (10th, 6-7, 80/84)
T Shepherd (7th, 6-7, 84/42)
T O'Donnell (2nd, 6-7, 52/36)
T Tompkins (6th, 6-7, 37/7)

Okay... some uncertainty here anyway. Knightley is a candidate but not certainty to step into the starting C role. Free agency may play a role here, with two year starter Cebelak (7th, 6-7, 40/89) out there and potentially in play as well. And G Darby is fading to the point where I suspect my default for this year is likely to just slot the young T O'Donnell in at a guard position to get him developing, and suffer the cohesion consequences.

But the obvious takeaway here is that we are deeply invested in the 6-7 group in the rank-and-file here, and could ill afford a move to that group for a leader. So, the current 2-3 works, a move to 4-5 would also work, but we can't follow suit here with the TE/WR group and a 6-7 leader. The net effect of this is, mainly, to thin the pool of triple affinity QBs... no clue how big a deal that is to team effects. In a no-injury league, finding a hobo to do mopup work and otherwise just be class clown is not that hard.

Related note... QB Richie Bryant has been waiting patiently for his turn at QB. But as a minsal veteran guy with starts, I have to mention here that he himself is a (10th, 6-7, 88/100) and could make a tremendous chemistry anchor for us, like at the RB/FB group. If we decided the future was going to be at 4-5 with quarterbacks, then that could make a lot of short term sense...except Bush wouldn't click. Oh, that, darn. Hmmmm.

[QuikSand]

..short story at OL is we just need Dotson to hang in there for another 3-4 years. The league is just super-dry on guys who fit the profile to step in and lead us here.T Shepherd and his 84 leadership is going to make it hard for someone else to easily claim the leadership role, so we won't be able to skate by with my occasional "low leadership high personality" leader that works with some active pruning.

So, yeah, tough spot.

[QuikSand]

might fuck around and just start over in a position group

[QuikSand]

Made a predictable move to compress my rookie draft again:

JAX sends 2.4

BAL sends 2.24, 3.24, 4.24, 7.24


This is just smart for me. Drafting is sexy, but I am not good enough to merit using real capital that way. Or, perhaps, the chemistry constraints I place on my teams built that way render the draft an inherently inefficient tool for me, as I basically just look at the 1/6 of players who are "fits" and that's unwise, globally.

[QuikSand]

So, here's the deal.

Defensive secondary. Here's the roster right now:



Front Office Football Eight
Baltimore Ravens Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct

Slechta, Eugene 1528LCB 12 44 44 1 yr.
Conway, Emmanuel 1529LCB 5 44 44 ---
Gallop, Samuel 1541LCB 5 33 33 ---
Creel, Harris 1531RCB 4 30 30 1 yr.
Vaughn, Shawn 1506RCB 2 25 27 ---
Wilson, Jeremiah 1649SS 8 51 51 2 yrs.
Austin, Cole 1642SS 10 49 49 ---
Thomas, Thomas 1636SS 11 11 11 1 yr.
Douglas, Riley 1623FS 12 54 54 1 yr.
Conley, Calvin 1639FS 6 43 43 ---

$$ - player is suspended, ## - player is inactive,
** = player is injured, %% - player is on IR.


Let's walk through this. If we "stay the course" and re-sign our free agents, we end up with an active/used rotation that looks something like this (with my letter grades for talent fit):

CB1/2 Slechta B- Conway B
CB3/4 Gallop C Creel B-
CB/S depth Conley B+
S Riley B+ Wilson B Austin C+

...and looking at ages/experience, we should expect attrition in the next few years, with Riley as the chemistry leader due soon as a 12th year guy.

So... are we really in love with anyone here?

tick... tick... tick...


This could be the year to pull the trigger. If I could draft a build-around guy to play CB1, it could make this whole thing go much better. And rather than forcing the best chem fit available, I could just try to get my guy and then build the group around him. And this year might not be an awful window to just trot out a couple of roster fillers (undrafted rookies, minsal free agents, whatever) and get them on the field for their starts so they click forever. If we're going to be rotten at QB, then we're not a bye team anyhow.

So... mulling options here. Will be watching the rookie and free agent classes for opportunities for build-around guys both chem-wise and talent-wise.

[QuikSand]

Have stuff to do, but I'mma leave this right here for now:


<table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" bgcolor="#D3D3D3"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/small/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>BAL (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampage.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>CB Kody Lentzner (70/70) (Yr. 5) (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88953)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>signed as an unrestricted free agent from Minnesota</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>4yrs, $244.0M (Bonus: $208.0M. Salary: $9.0M, $9.0M, $9.0M, $9.0M.)</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

[QuikSand]

Okay, my thinking here...

-this is a team-defining free agent move (for $61m/yr it had better be)
-serious talent, obviously, and stats to back it up (good)
-monster endurance and special teams - real deal signs
-my thinking is he'll play both SS and NB for us, more than CB1/2

Prediction - someone else is going to go pay $44m (or whatever) for their not-quite-as-good DB, and we will be the ones getting the bargain.

And onto the ripple effect.

This puts in play (not "into place") a move to the 2-3/4-5/6-7 group for our secondary. This guy will (would?) be neutral as long as S Riley remains our group leader as a 11-12 guy. But Lentzner has good chem values - he could be a mediocre group leader, but he'd be better if we found someone to fit with him.

I think there's an excellent chance that this means we won't even bother pursuing CBs Conway and Gallop. They're part of the
old guard" 7-8/8-9/11-12 group, and my suspicion is that's on its way out the door here.

[Chas in Cinti]

wow... the die is cast?

[QuikSand]

...oh, and I do get that special tingle here:


<table width="100%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1"><tbody><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>2117</center></td><td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td><td width="50%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>signed as an unrestricted free agent from Minnesota: 4yrs, $244,000,000.</center></td></tr><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>2117</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet0.png</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td> <td width="50%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>turned down a contract offer: 3yrs, $169,000,000.</center></td> </tr><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>2117</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet11.png</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td> <td width="50%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>turned down a contract offer: 5yrs, $305,160,000.</center></td> </tr><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>2117</center></td><td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet16.png</center></td><td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td><td width="50%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>turned down a contract offer: 3yrs, $108,020,000.</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

[QuikSand]

wow... the die is cast?

i think so

[QuikSand]

I think we keep our veterans this year, well at least Riley. But next year we go all in on reinventing the secondary. This is the right year to get starts for marginal guys if we see that being important. The hope is to be too good to have that luxury later on in the cycle.

[Pyser]

yeah that cb is nuts

[Izulde]

Poor Teddy. A Rivers career. Maybe the next guy will be beringed.

[QuikSand]

Bah, I think we are spoiled by the typical dynasty threads here, people play single player and end up crushing the hapless bots... nothing to it, right? We even call 'em dynasty threads, not struggle threads.

Teddy did fine. He wraps up a career after being scrap heaped with a little bit of conversation about whether he was "great." For a guy whose actual scouted skills never even broke 50 on the 100-point scale...seems hard to lament that we're not heading out to chisel his face onto a mountainside next to, say, Leo (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=32287).

[QuikSand]

In team news... first draft pick was a dilemma for me, but I went with the major "need." The all-scout ratings here are a bit disappointing, maybe I have AGAIN messed up an early pick at CB, ugh.


http://gml.fof-belco.com/small/helmet2.png

Baltimore (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2): QuikSand takes CB Les Wiggins (http://gml.fof-belco.com/draft/show_player.php?in_game_id=92268) with the 1.24 pick.

<table style="border-collapse: collapse" width="" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="2" bgcolor="#C8C8C8"><tbody><tr><td valign="middle">Run Defense</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>21<->47</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Man-to-Man Defense</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>58<->84</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Zone Defense
</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>55<->81</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Bump-and-Run Defense
</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>56<->82</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Play Diagnosis</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>39<->65</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Punishing Hitter</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>66<->92</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Interceptions</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>64<->90</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Punt Returning</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>0<->26</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Kick Returning
</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>0<->26</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Endurance
</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>29<->55</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Special Teams
</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>26<->52</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table style="border-collapse: collapse" width="" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="1" border="1" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tbody><tr><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>HT</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>WT</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>RAW</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>ADJ</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>DASH</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>SOL</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>BENCH</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>AGI</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>BRJU</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>POS</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>%DEV</center></th></tr><tr><td bgcolor=""><center>68</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>192</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>6.1</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>6.3</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>4.40</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>18</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>16</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>7.00</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>107</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>49</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>60</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

[QuikSand]

So, pick 24 is indeed a cover man in the 4-5 group. The die is cast.

I am now pacing the floors in hopes that my other option for pick 24 falls to us at pick 36. I really don't like any of my backup plans. If he does, I will be thrilled with our two-person draft (well, until they are both revealed to be turds) and will feel very redeemed by the trade-up to the early 2nd round.

[QuikSand]

Okay, we still got "our guy" at pick 2.4. Similar worry, my ratings look better than the consensus ones, but I'm hoping this is our new TE of the future.


http://gml.fof-belco.com/small/helmet2.png

Baltimore (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2): QuikSand takes FB Leon Ogden (http://gml.fof-belco.com/draft/show_player.php?in_game_id=91706) with the 2.4 pick.

<table style="border-collapse: collapse" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="2" bgcolor="#C8C8C8"><tbody><tr><td valign="middle">Run Blocking</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>61<->92</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Pass Blocking</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>67<->97</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Blocking Strength</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>0<->31</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Power Inside</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>69<->99</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Third Down Running</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>39<->69</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Hole Recognition</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>52<->82</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Blitz Pickup</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>49<->80</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Avoid Drops</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>50<->81</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Route Running</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>68<->98</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Third Down Catching</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>70<->100</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Endurance</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>64<->95</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Special Teams</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>64<->94</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table style="border-collapse: collapse" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="1" border="1" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tbody><tr><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>HT</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>WT</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>RAW</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>ADJ</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>DASH</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>SOL</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>BENCH</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>AGI</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>BRJU</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>POS</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>%DEV</center></th></tr><tr><td bgcolor=""><center>73</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>254</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>6.2</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>5.0</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>4.61</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>29</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>29</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>7.34</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>112</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>40</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>42</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

[QuikSand]

FYI, my scout sees a lot of pure max ratings, where here he shows up with a lot of 90-somethings. I see that as a big deal. Ugh.

[QuikSand]

So, I miss out, as expected, on another couple of DBs in free agency. I actually had the leading offer on a quality CB for the stage 2-3 file, but he inexplicably waited past his announced deadline to take a lesser offer elsewhere (I dropped mine, thinking I might get him really cheap). That's okay... I am happy with our overall sense of direction with the group. If the rookie Wiggins shows up at least good enough to project as a long term CB2, I think I will be fine. It is usually pretty easy for me to gather good fit free agents to fill in the DB depth chart on all my teams.

[QuikSand]

So, what is unsettled?

QB mess
RB have the guys, but keep/use all four?
FB vacancy
TE two decent but need rookie to take TE1 job
WR Franz,Stocz fine as WR1/2, depth okay, Woods/Slade/Dugas(?)
OL have 5 starters, extra T, and a T at leader/mentor
EDGE Anthony/Mealey underwhelming tbh
IDL Helming/Stevens really solid for now
ILB Tanner fading, Peterson/Roybal adequate
OLB Randolph fading, Schultz/Sumner adequate
CB Lentzner star, rookie Wiggins hopefully, need depth here
SS Douglas/Wilson for now, need bodies here too

Secondary remains the obvious need. LB really could use a talent addition, too. And shouldn't completely forget quarterback, where we are panning for copper at this point.

[QuikSand]

Why, here's a spare part for our secondary...

Kendrick McCormick (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89026)

5th round pick next year lands him. Big personality will hopefully fit right in, once we put the pieces fully together.

[johnnyshaka]

Why, here's a spare part for our secondary...

Kendrick McCormick (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89026)

5th round pick next year lands him. Big personality will hopefully fit right in, once we put the pieces fully together.

You might need to edit your trade as you indicated a 5th in 2117...that's this year and you dealt that pick to Cleveland a few seasons ago, Emperor. :p

[QuikSand]

roger that, thanks

[QuikSand]

Hey, who's this?

S Jake Conners (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89876)

Ours for next year's 6th...

[QuikSand]

i fuckin love this garbage

[QuikSand]

<table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" bgcolor="#D3D3D3"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>LCB Jack Phillips (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86468)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $18,000,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $9.0M, $9.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>44</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>44</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QB Wayne Willing (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=85754)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>2 years, $8,900,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $4.4M, $4.4M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>40</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>40</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QB Brett Wolf (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89930)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $6,300,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.9M, $3.4M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center>17</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>23</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

So, we get a couple camp arms. Maybe more than that?

And a camp cover-guy. Meh.

[QuikSand]

...tough to see me being "Willing" to go with a new face at QB with a low AvInt rating, just kicking the tires. The other stiff is a novelty play to go with a Romulus/Remus QB tandem, but I'll fall out of love with that idea, I'm sure.

CB could stick, big picks, who knows?

[QuikSand]

Biggest actual news is that AVAILABLE swooped in and grabbed last year's starting C Moe Cebelak (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86854). No crisis, I was leaning toward a younger guy (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89483) anyway, but this presses the issue and maybe pushes us to grab a free agent OL somewhere.

From a cohesion standpoint, this is feeling like a big fat lost season. Watch us still go 9-7 and undermine all the bullshit I've been spending tons of time on.

[QuikSand]

Side note:

Why does this guy get a fat deal?
http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=82602

Team is one of those throw-every-play deals... but this guy seems to be decent RR and little else except high leadership but no personality. (And no apparent benefits from his leadership - one affinity, one QB match, one potential conflict)

Why did this guy get paid, by a paying-attention owner, a fat two year deal in his 12th season? What am I missing?

[tzach]

i think it's just a chemistry move by messiah -- the other rec LEA options are worse. no one else in FA could take the LEA from the stud TE and still make affs.

http://gml.fof-belco.com/chemistrysearch.php?chemgroup2=2&chemgroup6=6&position1=1&position2=2&position3=3&position4=4&position5=5

it does make the starting QB an affinity as you pointed out, which cannot be underestimated.

[QuikSand]

i think it's just a chemistry move by messiah -- the other rec LEA options are worse. no one else in FA could take the LEA from the stud TE and still make affs.

http://gml.fof-belco.com/chemistrysearch.php?chemgroup2=2&chemgroup6=6&position1=1&position2=2&position3=3&position4=4&position5=5

it does make the starting QB an affinity as you pointed out, which cannot be underestimated.

fair enough

and on the last point... hmmmmm...

[QuikSand]

<table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" bgcolor="#D3D3D3"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>WLB George Harada (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88935)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>3 years, $36,600,000 (Bonus: $23.1M. Salary: $4.5M, $4.5M, $4.5M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>56</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>56</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>LCB Corey Hicks (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=91454)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>2 years, $5,520,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.6M, $2.9M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>26</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>44</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>FS Dustin Padilla (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=91522)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $5,520,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.6M, $2.9M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>23</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>42</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>LDE Isaac Pearson (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=87088)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>2 years, $8,220,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.8M, $4.4M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>37</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>37</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>FS Craig Vance (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89858)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $7,130,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.4M, $3.8M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center>19</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>31</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>WILB Shane Wilkerson (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88861)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>2 years, $7,540,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.8M, $3.8M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center>15</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center>15</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

...so, notes below:


LB Harada is a very welcome pickup at a position where we are aging rapidly. The other two bidders went $11m, I went $12+ and won. Coverage first guy, but that's ok for me on a winning team, which we hope to be again soon. Important signing.


S Padilla is an end-of-the-active-roster talent, with big chemistry numbers (4-5 group, 78 leadership, 97 personality). We will give him a look, maybe slot him in as the nickel back this year, and it's possible he's an important chem guy for us. I have been picking guys from the 4-5 group assuming my leader is from elsewhere... this guy could either complement or muck up that loose plan. But he's here for chemistry, and maybe worthy of the starts he'll need to activate it.


CB Hicks looks like a longshot, but is in for chem.


S Vance is here just for camp, we'll see if he might have a future in our chemistry plans, but it will depend on his training regimen. Think pasta.




...we actually miss out on a few other players in this stage, nothing huge just some guys who might have fit in as decent end-of-bench types, mostly. Let a run-blocking FB get away, might piss me off if I do, indeed, decide that this team's fixing to go all Ground Chuck this year.

[QuikSand]

Okay, situation pretty normal as we wrap up free agency.

If we make a few base assumptions - our draftees will work out at least well enough to slot in if not start right away, nobody completely disappears in preseason - then our roster is basically set. I mean, we have to weed through the riffraff at QB and decide what third-best solution to go with, and we need to make a decision at DB about just dumping all our old guys and going super young (very much in play). But overall, not looking for a lot more here.

Late free agency is always a spot for me - I tend to find these high affinity, some potential, marginal players here - either as 8th rounders or in the mix among the players released after failing to get re-signed as RFAs. Either way, I'm usually lured into at least a couple borderline guys here - and DB seems like an obvious place for that to happen. Would love to find a hey-what-the-heck guy at QB again, like the last time I was in this exact situation, when we grabbed Jimmy Mc off the scrapheap, and started him as an undrafted rookie to pretty acceptable results. That would be great... but no reason to bank on it.

[QuikSand]

In side news, I'm letting WR Dugas explore free agency. His RFA request was close to $12m/yr and... I don't know whether that makes sense. Plus, I'm closing in on moving my chem lead to the 6-7 group, which would neuter him there. A guy I was once really high on, now working his way out of my plans. Looking at you, BJ Woods, to step in here, well... unless...

[QuikSand]

Okay, a bit to see here as we wrap up early free agency... guys in the 40s and 50s:

<table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" bgcolor="#D3D3D3"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>RCB Douglas Alexander (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=87299)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>3 years, $21,000,000 (Bonus: $30K. Salary: $7.0M, $7.0M, $7.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>41</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>41</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>SE Rex Holtz (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86773)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $20,000,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $10.0M, $10.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>45</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>45</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>WILB Chad May (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86355)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>3 years, $18,000,000 (Bonus: $30K. Salary: $6.0M, $6.0M, $6.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>57</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>57</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>LDE Justics Scott (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88828)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>3 years, $21,000,000 (Bonus: $30K. Salary: $7.0M, $7.0M, $7.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>47</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>47</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>MLB Brett Wallace (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89708)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>1 year, $7,000,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $7.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>31</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>50</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

Here's the rundown:


CB Alexander is a solid 7th veteran auditioning for the CB1/2 role. Only a few bars, but they're good ones.


WR Holtz is a few-bar guy as well, but I like his skill set, and he might indeed push us toward using TE Austin as our 6-7 leader this year, as Holtz is another 2-3 guy who would need that to "click."


LB May is an 8th year guy with good ratings in RunD and Zone. That and an affinity is enough for a look here. Younger and I'd be clearing space.


DL Scott is safety net if we are simply too thin at DL, candidate to get pushed out by a youngster if we land someone useful in this next stage.


LB Wallace is a let's-have-a-look-see project. Not the guy I wanted for this role, but I lost out on another coverage-first LB who looked like he could have been my next free safety. We will trot Wallace out with the secondary, and see if we have something there. (looking unlikely at 230 lbs)

[QuikSand]

With our rookie draftees, I was braced for disappointment upon seeing each guy's "consensus" ratings, which both looked weaker than my scout's. So it goes, but neither looks awful. I think long term both will remain useful, but instead of nabbing a CB1 and TE1 for the next decade, I suspect they will be more like CB2 and TE2/1. Both are conspicuously lacking in maxed-out ratings, rather are plentiful in the "useful range of relevant stuff" which is fine for your 3rd round pick, but seems disappointing with guys from the top 40 selections.

(edit to add: Just so disappointing with this FB/TE guy... my staff is really good at scouting, and they see several MAX ratings for him - PassB, RR, 3DC, End, ST. Now that I get my sneak peek, I see the real assessment is that he projects in the 70s/80s in each of those...basically the low end of a wide range. And with many of those grading out like RR at 21/77, he might actually top out at only, what, 55 or 60? Sucks)

[QuikSand]

Side note: CB Wiggins is an intriguing 91/93 in his chemistry ratings, meaning he will be tough to keep out of leadership there if he really sticks. We'll have time to sort that out, but I suspect building around a 4-5 leader there would be okay.

[QuikSand]

Gonna have to think through RB, too. Brace yourself, Chas.


Swapping our WR gimp over to slot at inactive RB would let us release both Roberts and Podolyak, both 6th year players making real money but projecting to slot at RB3 and RB4 going forward. Very hard to see them being in our plans much past this year, and if this is looming as a lost season anyhow... maybe we just tear off the bandage here.


Weakness in this plan is that the WR gimp is a 9th year guy, he might not last past this season if slotted at RB and carries a rating or something like 2/2.

[johnnyshaka]

Good luck with Sexy Rexy at WR, we just couldn't get much out of him while he was in Cleveland. Maybe the END bar? I dunno.

[Chas in Cinti]

Eh... Podolyak can skedaddle... I'll find someone new to grasp onto for no apparent reason... :D

[QuikSand]

Good luck with Sexy Rexy at WR, we just couldn't get much out of him while he was in Cleveland. Maybe the END bar? I dunno.

Right now, my plan is to use him exactly one formation - the slot in our 3WR setup. Hoping to outplay the low endurance somehow - he seems like he's got the right skills to give me 700 yards on 80 targets there. Well, with Teddy maybe. With a hobo passer, maybe 550 yards.

[QuikSand]

One that got away?


<table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" bgcolor="#D3D3D3"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet5.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Chicago Bears (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=5)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>rgvicedo</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QB Jackson Denny (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88264)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $8,990,000 (Bonus: $780K. Salary: $3.8M, $4.4M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>36</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>38</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

Through every stage of early free agency, I was the only bidder, offering minsal, to this 2-3 group QB. I felt like he had a shot at being our guy for a couple of years, especially as I am drifting my chem leadership from 2-3 to 6-7 in the WR/TE group (this is really close to being a done deal).


Then, in the last stage, after this guy ignores my offers, Chicago swings by with a more legitimate offer, and I'm left holding the bag. Okay, then. No individual part of this makes sense to me - why wait until then, the guy wasn't listed as having a stage preference, he was just one of those generic nobodies out there asking for a contract.


Anyhow, no point in being miserable. And no reason to think he would have been super special.


But part of my mental plan at QB was to at least consider throwing him in to start this year, and see if that either bought us some time, or popped up as the "next guy" for the franchise.

[QuikSand]

Chemistry Planning

(hey, if you're still reading, imma just go ahead with this stuff, you can't hate it that much)

QB - We are basically rudderless at QB. Had built the whole offense around having 6-7 QBs. Now, no real plan.

RB - Flexible. We could move our current WR leader over and he'd be strong, high personality gimp from the 2-3 group. Current leader also 2-3 but weaker. No long term plan, really, either.

WR/TE - Feels right to let TE Austin take over, he's a 6-7 guy and the group works fine around him. He's 97 personality, high cohesion, and could give us 5+ more seasons. That's the default plan now.

OL - Big problems, as all our talent is in the 6-7 group and I am just bereft of a good complementary leader after our current guy splits. In theory, we'd plug in a guy to take the job once we have our QB in place... with a 4-5 QB we'd just go grab a 2-3 OL leader. But the league is just really short on such guys, and our best player T Shepherd is an 85 leadership, meaning the bar is set high. This is not going to work out easily.

D7 - This year is fine, as Tanner is a great 7-8 leader. He's 13th year, and after he goes... first option is to try to replace him with another 7-8 leader. There's no long term solution on our roster now, and I haven't found a lady-in-waiting exactly, either. We're denser with 8-9 talent than 11-12, so moving the reins to an 11-12 guy is in play, if needed, but not ideal.

DB - We're already underway with this plan, switching wholesale to the 2-3/4-5/6-7 group over the next season or so. Still unsure who will be the leader here - draft pick was a 4-5 and I have focused on getting guys from that group, so ideally we'll either just stick with the star CB Lentzner (2-3, 73/82) or someone from the 6-7 group as the long term leadership guy here.

[QuikSand]

The possible "go with it" secondary this year, if we just cut/deal our veteran leadership and commit fully to the new chemistry plan:

Roster Page (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)

Cuts: S Douglas, S Thomas, CB Creel - all must go to clear way for new chem leadership... then 12th year CB Shlecta and 8th yr S Wilson go because no future

CB1 Phillips
CB2 Alexander?
NCB Lentzner
DCB Wiggins
xCB Hicks

SS McCormick
FS Conners
S Padilla

Okay, this isn't AWFUL. Like, if Wiggins were to please me with a +8 camp and look like he'll really develop, then I could see us being pretty happy overall with most of these guys racking up cohesion together. We're probably one high level talent away from having a "plus" unit, but not all that far, all told.

Now, CB Phillips and especially Alexander are weak links. They're 8th/7th year guys, so do we want to invest in them only to see them start fading as this team really gets its act together in another few seasons? Not sure. And one of them will be chem neutral this year. So - it's more likely, I think, that I just dump one of them and plug Wiggins in to play CB2 this year, and then ask Padilla to play at the nickel/dime back slot.

But long term, I'd be really happy, I think, if we ended up with a roster in five years that looked something like (CAPS as placeholders):

CB1 STAR
CB2 Wiggins
NCB Lentzner
SS McCormick
FS SOLID
xCB SOLID, Padilla, Vaughn (PR/ST)
xS Conners, ST GUY

That's not all that much work to do, given a total reboot this offseason.

[QuikSand]

Okay, late free agency... had to hold my breath, I was interested in a guy. And we land him:


<table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" bgcolor="#D3D3D3"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QB Amir Walsh (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=91561)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>1 year, $8,800,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $8.8M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center></center>
</td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center></center>
</td></tr></tbody></table>

So, what do we have here? You don't get a scouted rating here, but I can sneak peek one...

Well, he's got 68 Sense Rush, for any team that's important, but for one with a run-first OL bent, even more so. So, not elite, but for an 8th rounder, strong. Rest looks okay, nothing too special. Might run around a little bit, but no other ratings over 50. So, probably nothing much to see here.

Also...no other offers. Bad sign. If he were the guy I had been hoping he was, we would have seen Ben or tzach or a couple of these guys nibbling around for a look.

Can't rule out us giving him a shot this year, but there's no real reason to think we have our next Jimmy Mc here. Dang.

[QuikSand]

Late free agency, our whole success story:

<table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" bgcolor="#D3D3D3"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QB Amir Buckley (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=90755)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $5,540,000 (Bonus: $40K. Salary: $2.6M, $2.9M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center>17</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>45</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>C Johnathan Compton (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=91872)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>2 years, $5,400,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.7M, $2.7M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center></center>
</td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>RB Vinny Connell (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=90827)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>1 year, $6,000,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $6.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>43</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>57</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>LCB Gus Dawson (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89799)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>3 years, $16,500,000 (Bonus: $4.5M. Salary: $4.0M, $4.0M, $4.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>39</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>39</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>RT Caiden Jennings (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=91972)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $4,750,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.2M, $2.6M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center></center>
</td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>LDE Kristopher Knabe (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=92069)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>2 years, $5,160,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.6M, $2.6M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center></center>
</td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>WILB Giovanni Roybal (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=90562)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>3 years, $16,040,000 (Bonus: $6.0M. Salary: $2.9M, $3.4M, $3.8M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>42</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>42</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>RDE Gavin Schneider (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89576)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>2 years, $12,000,000 (Bonus: $4.0M. Salary: $4.0M, $4.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>40</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>57</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>RDT Luis Terrell (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=92144)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $5,160,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.6M, $2.6M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center></center>
</td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>C Russell Vanderpool (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=91874)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>2 years, $5,160,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.6M, $2.6M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center></center>
</td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QB Amir Walsh (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=91561)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>1 year, $8,800,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $8.8M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center></center>
</td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center></center>
</td></tr></tbody></table>
...so notes here where worthy:


CB Gus Dawson (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89799) is a guy we really wanted. Actually sent a trade inquiry to his team sitting on him as a RFA, but it got missed/ignored. I guess I'm glad, now we've got him for nothing except maybe a little extra cap on the had-to-have deal. I have mixed feelings about cover men with no zone ratings (it seems hard to avoid them needing it at least sometimes) but what I wanted here was his chemistry. At 83 leadership and 93 personality, I believe he can and will be our long term DB leader from the 6-7 group. Have been building toward him for a while, without saying so here.



QB Buckley is just a camp arm with the same first name as the guy I coveted...now we could go with an Amirate, or with Wolf Brothers.


4th year DE Schneider is a pass-rushing specialist, which I felt we needed, but probably not a long term asset, with his chem mix of 95/68... I'm unlikely to settle for a 68 personality leader. But with 88 PRTech, he may earn a role this year on the edge. Given the look (weak) of my other DL pickups, I give him a solid shot of sticking for a couple seasons.



LB Roybal was an oversight, had planned to re-sign him as a RFA, but he comes back for a decent salary. Decent, not great, but at position with pending depth problems, so cohesion seems worth it.

[QuikSand]

might fuck around and just start over in a position group

+1

[QuikSand]

+1

i think the urge has subsided... file sent without any such chicanery

[QuikSand]

Wouldn't this guy (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88842) have looked great in Ravens purple, playing as our free safety? Almost had him, but a late real-money offer showed up.

No clue if he could have shed 10 pounds and made the position switch seamlessly, but if so... could have been a major diamond in the rough for us.

[QuikSand]

Okay, camp is done. Will sift through the minutae of weight changes and so forth, but now we have to make the cutdown to 60. I think this is where I start making decisions about "now" versus "later" but you can see where I'm already focused, in that respect.

I have talked myself into being flexible at QB for the longer term ride. I really would like to plug in a guy to this chemistry framework, but I have to recognize that I have a serious OL worry coming up anyway - so the system there may be in need of a reboot regardless. If we were to totally walk out of the 2-3/4-5/6-7 group there... wold I be open to taking a QB who's, say, a 12-1 guy? This season might yield a chance to go get a QB if we end up with pick 12 or something like that...am I ready to just go BQBA independent of chemistry? Would I inevitably end up bending our entire system around the new cat? Would I enjoy doing that?

[QuikSand]

So, here's your look at QB Amir Walsh (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=91561)...

You can probably see what I like about him, to the tune of almost $9m. Thing is, I see him as a click less than this screen does... and my staff is good at scouting (HC ~90, OC ~70, AC ~87). So... I think these are red flags. If he tops out at 40 or so in things like Accuracy... is that a guy I could see starting for years?

Oh, and Ben's embedded formula to back out the Avoid Interceptions rating? Pegs him at 34... not 64, not 54. Again... my guy?

[QuikSand]

Unsurprisingly, we are indeed ripping off the bandage with the DB chemistry setup. Couldn't get any takers for my DB vets, so I'm just cutting everyone.

That will press CB Douglas Alexander into the chem lead for now. If we end up cutting him after preseason (in play) then that would push new face Lentzner into the chem lead, for now. Lentzner is 5th year 73 leadership, and Dawson is 4th/83. So, once Dawson gets his starts, he'll take over either this year or (I'd think) next. The plan is to build around Dawson as the group leader, from the 6-7 group. Fingers crossed that he comes through this offseason still looking like a credible guy to see the field here and there.

[QuikSand]

Our pre-season releases posted here without detailed comment... if you've been paying attention, nothing shocking here, but these are consequential for the team short term.


<table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" bgcolor="#D3D3D3"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>C Johnathan Compton (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=91872)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>32</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>42</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>RCB Harris Creel (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89874)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>31</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>31</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>FS Riley Douglas (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=83128)</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>50</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>50</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>LDE Kristopher Knabe (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=92069)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>23</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>36</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>RB Glenn Podolyak (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=87523)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>42</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>42</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>LCB Eugene Slechta (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=83222)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>38</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>38</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>LDE Luis Terrell (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=92144)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>24</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>51</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>SS Thomas Thomas (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=84015)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center>9</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center>9</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>FS Craig Vance (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89858)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>21</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>31</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>MLB Brett Wallace (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89708)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>39</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>39</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QB Wayne Willing (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=85754)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>31</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>31</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>SS Jeremiah Wilson (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86555)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>45</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>45</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

[Chas in Cinti]

Glenn Podolyak...

#1432 in the scorebook, #1 in our hearts...

Prosper, young man

[QuikSand]

Our QB setup is just a blurry mess. It's really hard to envision any of these guys being "important" pieces of whatever we are doing in 2-4 seasons (yes, I am starting to think about an "arrival" window, yet again. So, what do we do in the meantime? Here's the basic case for each potential starter for this season, including riffraff side considerations.

Richie Bryant (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=84069) has paid his dues, and that means he'd be GREAT for cohesion. Not to be trifled with, this had been the post-Teddy plan. Decent argument he's our wisest play for this year to be 7-9 rather than 5-11. I don't love it.

Ivan Wolf (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=87419) made the team last year as QB3, because I felt he had a shot to be our short term guy, at least. My scout sees him 31/35, a click less impressive than the link above. Strong triple affinity. In play. The other Wolf guy is an amusing tag-along and not inconceivable on talent/fit grounds.

Amir Walsh (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=91561) was my Hail Mary. Had really hoped he might look like a useful player at this point. Instead, he looks like...idano...a "project" guy? Low personality, unimpressive AvInt rating (low 30s, but better than the other two guys to be fair)...enigma.

One more element here... Bryant is a 6-7 guy, the Wolfs are both 4-5 guys, Amir is a 2-3. If I knew for sure my long term chem plans at QB, it might influence my leadership decisions elsewhere on offense. It's possible the cart might help drive the horse, somewhat, for a bit.

[QuikSand]

Glenn Podolyak...

#1432 in the scorebook, #1 in our hearts...

Prosper, young man

Productive player, though, right? Just use his per-play stats, and imagine if he could do that as a full-duty RB1. He'd be something like... 240 carries for 1,150 yards rushing... 60 targets for 40 catches and 320 yards... 6 TDs. That would be a second/third round draft pick in fantasy football, right?

https://durnmoosemovies.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/hh6.jpg

Saaaaa-lute.

[QuikSand]

Okay, file not finished yet. But plan now is: Ivan Wolf gets the start this year. Amir Walsh will make the team, and will get another look next season as we continue to evolve our chemistry.

[QuikSand]

File sent. Wolf is in, my IRL son Ivan is very excited. That played a role.

I did not rework the offense this year, just didn't get to it. In theory, peppering in more running might have been wise. Instead, we'll just run our base setup and hope for the best.

Some stat line guesses:

QB Wolf posts 3,900 yards on 6.6 ypt, 23/18 and 77 rating
RB Liversurst gets 1,100 yards on 4.8 ypc, 7 TD
WR Holtz hangs 80 targets, 55 catches, 550 yards and 6 TD
DE Mealey and Schneider team up for 7 sacks on only 18 tackles
CB Wiggins solid with 3 picks and PD% near 80
PR Vaughn with 16 yard average, 1 TD
PK Thomas with 26/30 FG again solidly over 80%

[QuikSand]

However, we'll be underwater on turnovers almost for certain, and not dominating anywhere, so I will hazard a guess we go 6-10, and earn ourselves a middling pick around 1.10. Hoping I'm off and there's enough underneath it all to propel us to 8 or 9 wins, but I just don't think so.

[QuikSand]

...okay, 8-8 isn't awful. Well, unless the QB of my dreams manages to slide into pick 10 but not pick 17 or whatever we end up with. On the surface we apparently were the absolute prototype 8-8 mediocre club. Given the changes we made under the hood, that's pretty good.

GML: Baltimore Ravens 2117 (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampage.php?teamid=2)

My thoughts:

QB Wolf - maybe I haven't been giving Teddy enough credit...Ivan Wolf barely ekes out 6 ypa, terrible in my book, and we are mid-league in offense (again, awful)...he's sneaky effective toting the rock, though

Running game disappointing, w/Liverwurst only getting 3.4 ypc - I'll tally that up to the miserable OL but geez. And he'll want a fat contract next year...way to go get it there, buddy.

Receiving...nobody good on a weak season, naturally. WR Holtz was good enough as our primary slot guy, TE Ogden was rookie-like with a heavy load, nothing impressive there.

OL stats tell us little, except maybe sacks... our 7.1% sacks allowed was 3rd worst in the league. Just a year to forget there. Running game also sucked, despite me being happy with my "talent" there. O'Donnell does look like a slowly developing star, so that's good.

Pass rush was totally anemic... like historically low, 3.2% sacks, tied for worst. Wow. Helming is really good, he needs to get back out there full time - my tandem of Schneider and Mealey were ear-pinners but only 6 combined sacks as the edge guys in both 3WR and 3rd-and-long formations (458 snaps).

Secondary was...not awful? Maybe actually pretty good? Rookie Wiggins delivered a solid rookie season, other riffraff guys posted nice composite stats with their PD% up in the 80 range. I don't have any explanation here, but that's really encouraging. Like, only Conners (45 catches allowed) seemed like a weak link... are these other guys actually worth something? (Side note - I flubbed Dawson a bit, and failed to get him his starts to activate his leadership, so another season ahead of building around phantom affinities, I fear)

PR Vaughn... ugh, I don't want to talk about it. I apparently just overlooked this window, and failed to put him in as our punt returner. He got a handful of kickoff returns and managed to peel one for a TD... but dammit. That's obviously my fault, thought I tended to everything. (WR BJ Woods posted 14 per PR, despite his middling 38/41 rating there)


Okay...we had no expectation of this being a great year. It wasn't. But we have done some foundation work, I think. (codespeak there) Ivan Wolf is signed for one more minsal season... my guess is that's his shelf life. If I had faith in my drafting prowess, I'd be thinking about a really heavy draft to go and load up all these positions where we are building (DB, OL) ... but given the hand I'm dealt there, we might just remain in the moneyball game, per usual.

[QuikSand]

Oh, in oddly related news:

2117 Wild Card Round: KickStand has the conn in Washington. (http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6194)

...gonna blaze a trail and run two teams in this league, or at least give it the ol' college try. I reckon it would be too crazy to document both teams here.

...right? right?

[Chas in Cinti]

Need... more... content...

Podolyak sign up with those guys by any chance?

LOL

[johnnyshaka]

Going the "chem" route?

[Squirrel]

Oh, in oddly related news:

2117 Wild Card Round: KickStand has the conn in Washington. (http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6194)

...gonna blaze a trail and run two teams in this league, or at least give it the ol' college try. I reckon it would be too crazy to document both teams here.

...right? right?

I'd be very interested to see what happened if you ran a non-chem team. Is that the plan?

[QuikSand]

Let's just say I have done some quick exploration into chemistry options...

https://i.paste.pics/613e7b7d6bd2b4f1b177864df3495872.png

[QuikSand]

Need... more... content...

Podolyak sign up with those guys by any chance?

LOL

Nope, GP wasn't good enough, by the league scouts, to make a roster. I guess he's done. Well, in FOF he could sit around with intact ratings for a couple years on the bench, but I'm the wrong guy to complain about that.

[QuikSand]

So, in the playoff stage - the zombie Browns win it all again, good for them.

Ravens go and grab a slew of youngsters for a look next year.

The DC team submits a file to do so very extensively... file is showing up as having been used, but no transactions. Perhaps an override. Or perhaps the file problems I had (no gameplan) resulted in our submitting am empty file in error. Ugh, regardless... was trying to make at least 20 moves there.

[johnnyshaka]

So, in the playoff stage - the zombie Browns win it all again, good for them.

Ravens go and grab a slew of youngsters for a look next year.

The DC team submits a file to do so very extensively... file is showing up as having been used, but no transactions. Perhaps an override. Or perhaps the file problems I had (no gameplan) resulted in our submitting am empty file in error. Ugh, regardless... was trying to make at least 20 moves there.

Bug Ben as he may have forgotten to take them off of autopilot.

Go Browns!

Err...I mean, go Vikes!

[QuikSand]

Bug Ben

reserving this little point of inspiration for future use

[QuikSand]

Retirements:

LB Tanner - no shock, leaves a leadership-sized hole at the position, major
T Newson - after-season add-on, 6th year guy who looked promising, meh

Absent from list of retirements:

OL Dotson - now 12th year guy, sticks around, one more year of good chem!

[QuikSand]

DC BUREAU

side note here that I spent an hour of time on a post-regular-season file for WAS, but it apparently didn't click... so the 20+ transactions didn't happen...nothing shocking, but we would have had a lot of young birds-in-hand RFA guys on that roster to fiddle around with, had we landed 15 cheap young'ns... some will retire, some will end up coming to camp with us anyhow, but it's a missed opportunity (and a waste of my time)

I blame technical issues...I tried to submit my file, got an error since I had no playbook, once Ben helped me fix that I just clicked to upload my file and I'm betting it had been vacated, and I uploaded a null stage file. Dammit.

[QuikSand]

DC BUREAU

...also fun, our stadium is stuck. Seems we somehow have more than the maximum number of club seats allowed in-game (21,200) and the game won't accept a number higher than 19,900 in your submitted plan... but also has a hard-coded prohibition against reducing seating. So that's nice.

[QuikSand]

Okay, definitely have work to do.

Ravens roster setup as we kick off free agency:

40 players signed
05 draft picks (will probably keep and use them this season)
04 RFA who seem likely to sign, stick
---
49 players "in hand"

We have $235M in cap space, about 35% of the total.

We have several veteran players who would be familiar here - and we'll need to make a call on bringing back guys like G Foreman, LB Randolph, DE Mealey via free agency. the top two are late-career, quality starters, who would bring us big cohesion... but also presumably will be gone soon regardless, and unless we have a "win now" angle, that's a borderline play as they'd be taking starts and snaps (and cap space) from younger guys who might fit into our future.

So... decisions to be made. QB situation very unclear. In theory, this would be a great window to fiddle around with a more run-heavy offense for this team, we'll see whether that comes to pass. Not really my brand (gameplanning at all, not just the run-heavy flavor).

[Pyser]

with so many teams having new owners (for various reasons, ha) this league just became 100x more interesting. fun to care again!

[QuikSand]

D7 Chemistry

Leaderless, rudderless... hopeless?

Okay, we need a plan here. I value chemistry, and with this team so heavily branded that way already, I want to keep it up.

Here's the current roster situation, showing scour ratings for a sense of player importance, with manually added chem group (Mo-Mo, Ldr/Pers):

8-9 49/40 Anthony, Ethan 1198LDE 9 52 52 1 yr.
11-12 35/90 Pearson, Isaac 1190LDE 8 34 34 1 yr.
8-9 54/94 Mealey, Terrell 1191LDE 10 27 27 ---
11-12 100/97 Baxter, Gilbert 1179LDE 7 23 23 ---
8-9 69/14 Helming, Juan 1194RDE 3 77 77 2 yrs.
8-9 95/68 Schneider, Gavin 1197RDE 5 44 44 1 yr.
8-9 71/27 Scott, Justics 1292NT 6 55 55 2 yrs.
11-12 42/15 Stevens, Aaron 1299NT 11 46 46 1 yr.
8-9 28/38 Peterson, Edgar 1351SILB 6 44 44 1 yr.
8-9 49/60 Roybal, Giovanni 1350WILB 4 46 46 2 yrs.
11-12 64/47 May, Chad 1354WILB 9 44 44 2 yrs.
8-9 33/84 Wilkerson, Shane 1345WILB 6 11 11 1 yr.
8-9 36/11 Randolph, Renaldo 1415SLB 12 47 47 ---
11-12 44/23 Schultz, Eddie 1446WLB 7 49 49 1 yr.
11-12 63/71 Harada, George 1453WLB 6 46 46 2 yrs.

Okay... the default plan here is basically: sign DE Baxter, and build around him as our 11-12 leader for the foreseeable future. We probably cut bait on last year's signings (Schultz and Harada) as long as we have patchable talent to play, and we go out and try to fill in puzzle pieces.

If that comes together, then our situation for a few years from now probably looks like this:

IDL: Helming A-, Scott B
EDGE: Anthony B-, Schneider B, Baxter C
ILB: Roybal C, Wilkerson (gimp)
OLB: Peterson B-

...so, pretty gaping need here. In a perfect world, we'd go BPA in round one this year, and then stumble into a good-enough LB to slot in with our pick in round 2 or 3. Not certain I want to invest major capital here, but getting credible long-term players should help.


Not hopeless. Work to do, but not hopeless.

[QuikSand]

Good owner, rgvicedo, has moved into our division and taken over the Steelers... he'll be in cap hell (same as WAS) but has an excellent set of building blocks to work around. Expect big things before long.

[QuikSand]

Fun wrinkle... BAL hired a new head coach (really good) and our old guy went to... Washington, natch.

[QuikSand]

DC BUREAU

No clue what to do with this team. Fiddling through chemistry options, I don't love much of my options there. Keeping an open mind. There's enough talent here to build around... the team went 8-8 and if we can find an adequate QB, we should be able to improve on that. Why tear everything down, then?

If I ever actually finish a FA file for the Washington team, I'll sum it up here, but I don't expect to get into as much detail as I have been with the Ravens.

[QuikSand]

DC BUREAU

...sent in a file for FA 1:2, still no real strategy here. I have put in 30 or so FA offers, many are "team friendly" with min bonus and no real harm if we just cut the guys. Lots of guys who could stick if I end up (1) really pushing chemistry, and (2) their group leadership settles in the right place.

As I see it, that roster has a handful of build-around players: a legit young WR1, a 5th year do-everything RB, a good pass-rushing DT in year 4 who wants to get paid, and a really good 5th year LB with a regrettable 100/56 chem combo. Also some DB talent who will force the "get paid" issues soon, as well. With another dozen and a half guys who are absolutely "fine" I look and see not a wasteland, but a sandbox.

I have put in modest offers on a handful of QBs, just hoping to land someone cheap. If I can make a credible run this year with a cheap free agent, that likely lets me do one or two extensions, even as we are cost-cutting in lots of places.

[QuikSand]

So... Ravens running back. Let's walk through this, shall we?

First - last season, we ended up with only 15.5 RB carries per game. I did not monkey with the gameplan, which has yielded more like 18 in the past - the difference is presumably attributable to having fewer leads, I guess. Anyway - we are currently not all that serious about running the ball in volume, it's just an add-on component of the offense. And, for what it's worth, one that varies wildly in its surface effectiveness.

So, with that in mind... we're shaky at QB for now and maybe for a long time ahead. What should we be doing at RB?

Here are the people we need to discuss:

Liverwurst (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=90015) was our 1st round draft pick, a guy I quickly started speculating about becoming a league leader in all-purpose yards. Instead, he has devolved into a seeming replacement-level back... some intriguing ratings (max Breakaway Speed has to be worth something, right?) but no record of standout performance. He is in year 4, and wants to extend at... wait for it... a mere $8m for next year. I had been expecting a huge ask. This is surprisingly manageable. CHEM 4-5 group, 93/72

Edwin Bush (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89971) is "running up that hill" as our nominal #2 guy, but he posted more yards on the ground than our feature back did. He's locked up for three more seasons at $9m, and it would seem hard to get out of that deal, nor am I itching to. CHEM 6-7 group, 32/93

Right now, we have a 2-3 group gimp as a strong chem leader for the RB/FB group. We have a fill-in FB who is not good enough to play, and another RB sitting as a RFA, I'll note him here I guess:

Vinny Connell (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=90827) is the sort of guy I'd bring in for a shot at RB2, if we didn't have two serious investments aboard already. Combination of ST, HoleRec, and no voids in stuff I value got him a job through last season (though no starts). Now asking for $7m/yr. CHEM: 4-5 group, 71/83

So... we have some clay to shape here. The big question, I think, is whether these guys are worth counting on -- do I try to re-sign Liverwurst to a 3yr deal while he's cheap? And then sort of thunder-and-lightning with him and Bush for a lot more 1st-and-10 situations than I currently do? It's not as challenging a question as I thought it would be if he were asking for $25m/yr, which i really thought was in play.

Let's assume that there are not other guys in play for now. There's a 4-5 group RB coming off a couple 1,000 yard seasons out there in free agency - I don't recall putting in a bid on him, so I expect he's not in my thinking anywhere.

Draft picks - okay, that's always in play.

And complementary players? Well, I already had trouble finding snaps/carries for Connell (it's a zero injury league, recall)... but unless we're forcing starts to someone like a new FB, in theory we could indeed sign him and get him active/starting this season.

Adding a true run-blocking FB is a real-football thing to do for a heavier-running team. I can't easily break down how frequently we run from a 2-back set, so I don't know how much value that would have. I guess worth dabbling into. On this team I used a cohesion/ST-only guy for a long time with perfectly fine results. I have a TE capably lead blocking for now.

Anyway...it would be nice to know if Schweigert/Liverwurst were actually any good. if I throw away this last season with the bad OL/QB setup, then what do we have to go on? 180 carries for right about 5 ypc - hell, that would be GREAT as a total season workload for a RB1, for me. Is that who he is?

And what roles would each guy be best in, if we wanted them both involved? Bush looks better suited to catch the ball (though last year's 4.8 ypt doesn't inspire) but his blitz pickup is lower. Bush's Hole Rec is a good deal higher - is he the guy who should get the 1st-and-10 carries, then? Is Bush just the better all-around back to carry the football? (And if so, does it make sense to spend money on both guys?)


And finally, chemistry. 2-3 fading gimp in place now. Liverwurst is looming as a 93/72 leader from the 4-5 group... Our QB of the future is likely either from 2-3 or 4-5 group...QB Wolf and his brother are both 4-5 guys, so that doesn't click. If QB slides to 4-5, we could have trouble getting a leader to outshine Liverwurst for leadership duties... but a 6-7 guy like that could make the group work GREAT. (Eyeing up backup QB Richie Bryant, he'd be a marvelous 1yr patchover to do this, with his 6-7 88/100 combo)


Anyway... the default plan is to make offers to lock up Liverwurst for 3 years. Then, tinker a bit to try and bump the carries for these guys up to maybe 22 per game. I think I will try to sprinkle in a bit more play action in doing so.

Good heavens, I'm actually thinking about gameplanning. What gives?

[QuikSand]

FA 1:2 is done. I have a confession.

I had no clue how much to bid on a specific guy. I had a lot of cap space, but so did a lot of teams - this is a zero-injury league. Top cap hit for a WR in the league was around $110M. There's a good but not perfect WR in this FA class...6th year guy, 70/70, does everything pretty well. WR1 for us, and he would have been an affinity, even.

I mull it over, and decide to bid... $92M. I have a knack for getting these pretty close to right, this is a key quiet skill of mine. Here, we missed badly.


<table width="100%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1"><tbody><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>2118</center></td><td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet25.png</center></td><td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td><td width="50%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>signed as a free agent: 3yrs, $420,020,000.</center></td></tr><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>2118</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet0.png</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td> <td width="50%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>turned down a contract offer: 3yrs, $110,000,000.</center></td> </tr><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>2118</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td> <td width="50%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>turned down a contract offer: 4yrs, $368,000,000.</center></td> </tr><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>2118</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet5.png</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td> <td width="50%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>turned down a contract offer: 4yrs, $99,990,000.</center></td> </tr><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>2118</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet6.png</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td> <td width="50%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>turned down a contract offer: 4yrs, $160,000,000.</center></td> </tr><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>2118</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet7.png</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td> <td width="50%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>turned down a contract offer: 4yrs, $85,370,000.</center></td> </tr><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>2118</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet9.png</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td> <td width="50%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>turned down a contract offer: 4yrs, $86,500,000.</center></td> </tr><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>2118</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet10.png</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td> <td width="50%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>turned down a contract offer: 3yrs, $58,000,000.</center></td> </tr><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>2118</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet13.png</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td> <td width="50%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>turned down a contract offer: 3yrs, $72,000,000.</center></td> </tr><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>2118</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet16.png</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td> <td width="50%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>turned down a contract offer: 3yrs, $212,520,000.</center></td> </tr><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>2118</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet20.png</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td> <td width="50%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>turned down a contract offer: 4yrs, $89,110,000.</center></td> </tr><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>2118</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet23.png</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td> <td width="50%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>turned down a contract offer: 4yrs, $108,370,000.</center></td> </tr><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>2118</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet24.png</center></td> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td> <td width="50%" bgcolor="#e7e7e7"><center>turned down a contract offer: 4yrs, $82,300,000.</center></td> </tr><tr><td width="10%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>2118</center></td><td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet31.png</center></td><td width="20%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td><td width="50%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>turned down a contract offer: 4yrs, $154,170,000.</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

Ok, in retrospect, "badly" overstates it. We missed the $140M/yr mark that he got, but my offer was indeed second best. We just got lapped by a guy with crazy cap space and the willingness to blow it all. Okay, then. Can't be that shocked.

[QuikSand]

We also missed out on CB (S?) Adam Compton (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89825), who would have been a lovely fit for us. This stings, too.

So yeah, weak stage overall for us. Very weak.


<table width="100%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1"><tbody><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>SE Christopher Haase (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88456)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>turned down a contract offer: 4yrs, $368,000,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>SILB Oscar Matthews (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89705)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as an unrestricted free agent from Minnesota: 2yrs, $7,660,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>RCB Adam Compton (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89825)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 2</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>turned down a contract offer: 4yrs, $74,000,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>RT Earl George (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=85266)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 3</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>turned down a contract offer: 3yrs, $66,000,000.</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

[QuikSand]

DC BUREAU


Not much to report. Only one FA signing, a young DB project. Still uncertain at multiple positions, including QB where we need to make a call this stage on pursuing our incumbent starter, who's okay at everything but not exciting.


Chemistry remains a riddle.

[QuikSand]

Well, I try to deal up from pick 1.19 to target a guy, but no takers... and we watch him go (to tzach) at pick 1.16. Dammit.

http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6202&p=57967&viewfull=1#post57967

Sigh.

[QuikSand]

PIT sends
6.22
2119 PIT 1st, 5th

BAL sends
1.19


...don't love this, but I had about six guys at pick 1.19 to choose among, and that's a bad sign. No clue what we'll do with the late rounders, but we'll figure something out. PIT just inked a new QB, I don't expect them to be bad, this shouldn't be a lottery ticket.

[QuikSand]

FA continues... this was a VERY consequential stage for the Ravens. Keep you eye on the ball - in this case, the bonus money. That's the real story here.


<table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" bgcolor="#D3D3D3"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>RCB Collin Calmus (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89791)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>4 years, $94,000,000 (Bonus: $74.0M. Salary: $5.0M, $5.0M, $5.0M, $5.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>53</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>53</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>LT Nate Clements (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89465)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>3 years, $30,000,000 (Bonus: $15.0M. Salary: $5.0M, $5.0M, $5.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>52</center></td><td bgcolor="#00A066"><center>52</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>SLB Douglas Harris (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86357)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>2 years, $72,000,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $36.0M, $36.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#99B833"><center>66</center></td><td bgcolor="#99B833"><center>66</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>SS Josue Maas (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89042)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>4 years, $148,000,000 (Bonus: $120.0M. Salary: $7.0M, $7.0M, $7.0M, $7.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#99B833"><center>63</center></td><td bgcolor="#99B833"><center>63</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QB Dean Sutter (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=84880)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>3 years, $198,000,000 (Bonus: $30K. Salary: $66.0M, $66.0M, $66.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>49</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>49</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>LDE Alfredo Tully (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=83734)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>1 year, $35,000,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $35.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#ffff00"><center>73</center></td><td bgcolor="#ffff00"><center>73</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

Okay, in descending order of importance:

DB Maas - we'll try to train him down under 200lb, but he's going to see the field as a CB first and foremost. Potentially our CB1 of the next several years. I mis-read the market a bit, paid $37m over second best at $28m, but after getting stung last round, I guess I played it safe a bit. Important signing, to the extent personnel at DB is important at all. I'll lean toward GOOD MOVE.


DB Calmus - he, on the other hand, we'll probably try to bulk up and play at free safety? I love the 100 rating anywhere, at interceptions is super intriguing, though he hasn't shown much on the field there. I will console myself with solid all-around coverage ratings - he's not a tackler (and could remain at CB, maybe nickel) but looks like another good addition. I wayyyy outpaced the market here, so it goes.

We'll get to a deeper look at our secondary later, but these two guys probably are enough for me to more or less declare this chemistry switch a grand success.


T Clements - this is just a fill-a-need pickup, because we have cap space. Paying 2x minsal for a pretty solid guy gives us future latitude with other super-expensive players. Modest price to pay, even though he doesn't crush it with chemistry (nominally he's taking up oxygen from a 95-personality gimp here, that's the real opportunity costs there)


So, anyone here still remember LB Mr. Wonderful? He's back. Maybe. Non-affinity guy, was always a problem on that front (he'd make a solid leader for a different team) but since we are pretty thin in that group for now, this no-bonus deal for his twilight years could actually make sense. If we think this is a team that is in position to do some real damage this year, keeping him around might make sense. Consider this a "team option." (Not enough people are doing this stuff, I only got him because nobody else bothered)


DE Tully can do it all, for a short percentage of our snaps. So, he's a no-risk, one-year potential fill-in. Basically the same deal as Mr. Wonderful, no affinity with our hoped-for group leader, but if we are in go-for-it mode it seems like he could help a bit this season. 15.5 sacks last season - just in case "real football" considerations matter at all here.


And most obviously of all, QB Dean Sutter. Here's the deal - 10th year guy, he's about as talented as my typical well-developed veterans get. Career numbers are not inspiring, but he's been in Jersey purgatory. If the AvInt rating is 40-ish, that may make it the best of my weak lot. Is he our starter? Are we ready to make a run? Those questions are tied together right now. But if we decide he's not important, we just cast him off with a rounding error cap penalty.

[QuikSand]

FWIW, after that spending spree, we sit at $23m as our top contract offer. That's modest, but not zero. We can do fill-ins here and there, and can always reverse course and drop three of these guys if we sense this year remains a "building" situation.

[QuikSand]

DC BUREAU

I think we have our starting QB for the immediate future. This guy was on the bench in Denver, just got one of those sudden boosts to all his combines - he's got a bar profile I like. Was my #1 QB target.

QB Emmitt Perkins (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88240)

If our RB/FB group comes together chem-wise, he will click with them, and should be neutral elsewhere. It doesn't look like I'm aligning chemistry across the offense, so a 1x affinity is the best we can do there.

Talent-wise, he's got some stuff good enough to build around, and if we manage to stumble into the next big thing, he's not super-expensive to cut bait on. Mentor, too, just in case.

I like this. Vision for the team is coming into focus, a bit, now.

[tzach]

Well, I try to deal up from pick 1.19 to target a guy, but no takers... and we watch him go (to tzach) at pick 1.16. Dammit.

http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6202&p=57967&viewfull=1#post57967

Sigh.


he looks great to pass the ball -- too bad he won't pass much (unless i fall into temptation)

[QuikSand]

Side note... the GML draft is moving like molasses. Same owners as pretty much every year. This is, to be honest, part of the reason I tend to trade out of the draft - it drives me mad. I honestly don't get the mindset of "I'm going to register, and then ignore this thing but insist on taking my full time allocation forever because reasons." Everyone makes mistakes, this is a long term pattern of just not giving a fuck.

[QuikSand]

Free agency continues... (thanks to Arizona and Atlanta for sitting out this stage, allowing me to have a snappy header in my paste below)

<center>NEW SIGNINGS</center><table style="border-collapse: collapse" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" bgcolor="#D3D3D3"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>LDE Gilbert Baxter (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88080)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $8,350,000 (Bonus: $100K. Salary: $3.8M, $4.5M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>22</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>22</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>SE Marco Conway (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=87660)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>2 years, $8,270,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.8M, $4.5M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>20</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>20</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>RB Ian Langham (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=91675)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>3 years, $8,940,000 (Bonus: $30K. Salary: $2.6M, $3.0M, $3.4M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>24</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>36</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>FL Andre Ledoux (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89309)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>2 years, $20,000,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $10.0M, $10.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>42</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>42</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>SE Rick Sampson (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89349)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $7,580,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.8M, $3.8M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>25</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>25</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

DE Baxter is important. He'll be our chem leader for years, a 100/97 guy, goldmine for me. I telegraphed this signing (here) and am glad nobody poached him or bid him up. Credit my boring writing, and people's DGAF attitude, and perhaps a modicum of decency. Anyway, big signing, small salary.


WR Ledoux is... mediocre in basically every way. I tend to go for some of these guys with two or three decent ratings, and voids elsewhere... with mixed results. Those voids might be a zero or might be a negative 55... so a guy here with 40 in everything, basically, probably deserves 40 targets. We'll see... mediocre in chemistry too. Bubble guy right off the bat, and an easy cap casualty if it comes to that (it almost certainly won't).


WR Conway and Sampson are chem guys. I failed to report earlier that one of my other chem WR guys got poached (Slade, by KC, seemingly for chemistry...bad sign to have another team actively seeking such guys in my same chem grouping) but no meaningful content here, these guys are not seeing the stat line.


The RB I have no idea what I was thinking. He's a 6-7 guy, high personality, roster filler candidate I guess.

[QuikSand]

Who should get targets in Baltimore?

For the season ahead, I think the roster is basically set. We're unlikely to draft anyone in round 3+ who makes much difference here. So, who do we have?

...this is not a pretty picture, to be honest.

WR Franz is 89 RR, that's big, but not a lot to go with it...cohesion
WR Stocz was our other build-around guy, he's similarly meh
WR Holtz in the slot, 89 RR 75 GD 43 courage okay solid
WR Woods only 18/21 RR so the rest is window dressing maybe?
TE Ogden not the star we wanted, low courage, starter but B not A
TE Terrell sneaky candidate to use a lot, 64 GD and Courage hmmm

Whether it's Wolf or someone else at the helm, he's not really being supplied enough "weapons" here to be totally fair

[QuikSand]

BAL draft update:

We dealt out of round one (got a 1st next year) and in round two, picked up one of the guys who was marginally in the mix for us to take in the mid-1st if we hadn't traded out...

http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6202&p=58018&viewfull=1#post58018

PR Tech rating is key... not maxed here, that's disappointing but not a shock. He might just develop into another one of those ear-pinner types that I like. Had immediate remorse after making the pick - there was a run-blocking OL also available also, and he might have been our starting C of the future. Let him go, with an idle thought about trying to trade up to get him in late 2nd... but he went almost immediately.

http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6202&p=58022&viewfull=1#post58022

...and to hated rival Pittsburgh, at that.

[QuikSand]

Hmm, noticed that we missed out on a decent TE, a guy I thought could slide over to play FB and potentially be our long term leader there. The influx of human-owned teams (due to multiple good owners suddenly taking on a second team in this league) is having ripple effects... not a shock, but it's an adjustment to make here.

[johnnyshaka]

Well, I got the TE but missed on Baxter despite offering more. He would have led to like 6 affinities. And he was a former Browns' draftee of mine. Damn you.

[QuikSand]

Well, I got the TE but missed on Baxter despite offering more. He would have led to like 6 affinities. And he was a former Browns' draftee of mine. Damn you.

No. Damn YOU. I was here (in these chemistry groups) first. Make your own sandbox. I'm not even touching the prime 9-10/12-1/1-2 group. Go over there and fill in your happy place.

[QuikSand]

While my tone there is pugnacious on purpose, I will reinforce that recognizing other chem-heavy owners (especially me) in your league is a meaningful consideration in weighing where (on the zodiac) to invest your leadership/affinities. Frex, with my Washington team, I'm not going to build my DB chemistry around the same 2-3/4-5/6-7 group that I have just newly committed to in Baltimore... it's not out of opportunism, it's just being pragmatic. I don't want to have to outbid to reach for the same guys in each draft/FA class as another team, for the same reasons. It's hard enough filtering that way, but to do it and then have to compete directly, routinely, against someone who is already committed - it's inherently sub-optimal.

And yes, I say this as a stakeholder in what johnny does with his other team. If he sticks with the same groups I am focusing on here, it will work out poorly for both him and me - he'll have trouble getting the guys he needs, and I'll have consistent competition for the guys I'd want. And I will be far less willing to let affinity gimps slide into open free agency with that tension present. It's just not a great setup for either of us.

[QuikSand]

Not getting worked up over free agency here, but:

(my usual copy/paste failing me here)


...


<table width="100%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1"><tbody><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>LG Donald Foreman (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=84361)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 8</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>re-signed as an unrestricted free agent</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>SLB Lorenzo Woods (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89767)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 8</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as an unrestricted free agent from Arizona: 3yrs, $22,500,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>TE Dominique Keith (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=85043)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 9</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>turned down a contract offer: 2yrs, $34,000,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>P Edwin Frederick (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=85322)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 9</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>re-signed as an unrestricted free agent</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>WLB George Kuklick (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=87267)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 9</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>turned down a contract offer: 3yrs, $27,000,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>LS Mackenzie Walton (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88548)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 9</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>turned down a contract offer: 1yrs, $4,700,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>RT Malachi Strong (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88615)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 9</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as an unrestricted free agent from Cincinnati: 2yrs, $7,580,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FL Lorenzo Baglien (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88471)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FA Stage 9</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as a free agent: 3yrs, $33,000,000.</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

Okay, G Foreman is back on a 1yr, no-bonus, nobody-else-interested deal. He's a solid starter, high cohesion, and our best play for right now. Fairly easy call.


I wanted Kucklick, put up a strong offer but got beat out by Ben/Atlanta. He's a run-blocking void but otherwise solid LB with really good pass-rushing ratings, so at 267 lbs I saw him having a role on the edge for us. We drafted a pass-rusher in round 2, and have a couple specialists there already - we'll be okay without him, he wasn't a long term solution to our LB shortage, regardless.


LB Woods is a patch-over at LB, where we project to be thin short term. Run D 63, PR Tech 89, no voids but 4 endurance. LB 4 kind of guy, let's hope our rookie class gives us a guy with promise to start ahead of him.


WR Baglien is one of those WR3/4 candidates, no-risk contract, weak affinity, decent skills, we'll see where we go with our young guy Woods - those two might be quibbling over the same roster slot, truth be told.


T Strong is just an affinity guy at OL, 97 personality but no starts, meh.

[QuikSand]

I have quietly released venerable DL Tully, and am now doing so with QB Sutter. We simply cannot possibly be in go-for-it mode this season. No real downside for the contracts we gave them, we're just declining a "team option" as I see it.

[QuikSand]

Ok, Ravens draft update:


http://gml.fof-belco.com/small/helmet2.png

Baltimore (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2): QuikSand takes WR Buddy Bridges (http://gml.fof-belco.com/draft/show_player.php?in_game_id=92654) with the 3.17 pick.

<table style="border-collapse: collapse" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="2" bgcolor="#C8C8C8"><tbody><tr><td valign="middle">Avoid Drops</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>25<->56</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Getting Downfield</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>69<->100</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Route Running</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>39<->70</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Third Down Catching</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>7<->38</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Big-Play Receiving</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>0<->31</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Courage</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>45<->76</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Adjust to Ball</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>61<->92</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Punt Returning</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>56<->87</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Kick Returning</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>0<->31</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Endurance</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>10<->40</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Special Teams
</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>4<->35</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table style="border-collapse: collapse" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="1" border="1" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tbody><tr><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>HT</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>WT</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>RAW</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>ADJ</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>DASH</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>SOL</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>BENCH</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>AGI</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>BRJU</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>POS</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>%DEV</center></th></tr><tr><td bgcolor=""><center>74</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>202</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>4.6</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>4.8</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>4.51</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>22</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>14</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>6.96</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>122</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>47</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>39</center></td></tr></tbody></table>


Watched my would-be C target and then an intriguing FB/TE fall off the board, so I take a WR based on bar profile in round three. If he somehow develops into a WR4/PR asset, that would be fine.





http://gml.fof-belco.com/small/helmet2.png

Baltimore (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2): QuikSand takes OLB Moe Thill (http://gml.fof-belco.com/draft/show_player.php?in_game_id=93043) with the 4.16 pick.

<table style="border-collapse: collapse" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="2" bgcolor="#C8C8C8"><tbody><tr><td valign="middle">Run Defense</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>10<->39</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Pass Rush Technique</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>52<->81</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Pass Rush Strength</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>8<->37</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Man-to-Man Defense</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>56<->85</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Zone Defense</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>34<->63</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Bump-and-Run Defense</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>28<->57</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Play Diagnosis</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>26<->56</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Punishing Hitter</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>45<->74</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Endurance</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>18<->48</td></tr><tr><td valign="middle">Special Teams</td><td>http://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/bluepic.pnghttp://gml.fof-belco.com/greypic.png</td><td>14<->43</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table style="border-collapse: collapse" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="1" border="1" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tbody><tr><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>HT</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>WT</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>RAW</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>ADJ</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>DASH</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>SOL</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>BENCH</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>AGI</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>BRJU</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>POS</center></th><th bgcolor="#FEF3BB"><center>%DEV</center></th></tr><tr><td bgcolor=""><center>74</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>255</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>5.1</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>4.9</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>4.63</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>22</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>18</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>7.36</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>115</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>28</center></td><td bgcolor=""><center>72</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

I think there's some stuff to like here... we're looking for a good-enough-to-put-on-the-field at this point, more than a star. Hopeful.

[QuikSand]

Well, early free agency wraps up, with more commotion (for us) than usual:


<table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" bgcolor="#D3D3D3"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QB Jackson Denny (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88264)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $7,760,000 (Bonus: $200K. Salary: $3.8M, $3.8M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>37</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>37</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QB Salvador Levine (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88265)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>5 years, $215,000,000 (Bonus: $50K. Salary: $43.0M, $43.0M, $43.0M, $43.0M, $43.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>43</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>43</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>LDE Terrell Mealey (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=85413)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $9,660,000 (Bonus: $200K. Salary: $4.5M, $5.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>28</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>28</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>SLB Renaldo Randolph (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=83904)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>1 year, $21,000,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $21.0M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>44</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>44</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center> </td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>QuikSand</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>LS Toby Tamburrino (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86855)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>2 years, $8,960,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $4.5M, $4.5M.)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center>18</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center>18</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

So, what do we have here? Are we becoming the IRL Bears and their seventeen tight ends punchline? Do we really need this many quarterbacks? Let's see.

First, the minsal deal with Denny is just another bite at the apple for a guy I liked last offseason but missed on. Longshot candidate to actually start this year for us, to be honest, I like "the cut of his jib," as they say in my sailing town.


Second, the what-the-heck play for QB Levine was meant to fail, but somehow landed us an experienced guy who's actually not terrible, on a no-risk deal (for lack of other offers). So, what do we have with that guy? Ben got a few solid seasons from him, with better surrounding personnel. AvInt doesn't look any better than any of my bums (we're in a bad chemistry group for intelligence, remember) so that's not it. Is he the answer? Mayyyyyybe?




LB Randolph is just a patch-over guy, huge cohesion and decent talent. DE Mealey is fading in talent, but remains worth a roster slot for his chemistry and maybe a pass rush here or there, especially if my rookie guy is garbage. Long snapper is a long snapper.

[QuikSand]

There's a tech issue, so I'll just share a renewal of our usual dose of insult and injury - Baltimore again ranks last with rotten draft class (http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6221&p=58227&viewfull=1#post58227)

[QuikSand]

...or maybe we'll see this undone. tech issues forcing a re-sim. maybe tomorrow.

[QuikSand]

Okay, no meaningful news for BAL in the re-sim, the stuff above stands.

I failed to get WR BJ Woods re-signed as a RFA, for no really good reason. He's a weak chem guy, that's probably part of my failure there. I reckon I will try in the open market, but won't be shocked if we get outbid.

Into late free agency, we have $45m in cap space, plus the theoretical space taken up by QB Levine ($43m/yr) and LB Douglas ($36m/yr). So, we are in a position to do something, if we are so inclined. Neither of those guys makes me flip the mental switch to "go for it" mode, so... well, we shall see.

67 players, a fully legal roster on board already, yeah nothing major happening this stage in all likelihood.

[QuikSand]

Rookie sneak peeks:

2nd rounder DE Gaines looks weaker than I had hoped, like maybe a DE 4 in time. Very disappointing - just glad we didn't reeeeeeeach in round one for him.

3rd rounder WR Bridges looks like he can be useful, as a WR4-5 type, with good GD and courage. Not high enough RR to be a force, but maybe he'll someday be a 40-target sort of guy. Not really worth a 3rd round pick, I guess, though.

4th rounder LB Thill looks more like it - one of those no-void guys, not great anywhere but seems likely to round into being capable of playing a bit. That's just fine for round four, but his 98/50 chem combo probably limits his long term value for us.

My scouts tagged WB Evan Justin as VU, so I threw a 6th round pick at him. Seems fine. If he somehow bumps up +10 in preseason, then we'll talk - for now, he looks like a high personality, high accuracy guy who can run around a bit - not awful.

And, 7th rounder DB Blackburn is one of those decent DBs who really don't merit any starts, but could be fine as the last guy active... but no special teams, no serious skills, what value does this guy bring to us absent a shocking move?


Weak draft, best thing I did was trade out, I just need the discipline to do more of that with a team like this.

[QuikSand]

DC BUREAU

The Washington team is a mess. Draft looks fine, but I really cannot decide what to do with chemistry and talent. The team will not be really strong for chemistry this year, that much is basically settled. I have serious problems at all three offensive groups, none of which have a clear solution - I'm already seriously considering dumping my OL chem plan and leaving the 1st and 3rd round OL we drafted this year on the wayside. That's just absurd.

Still time over the weekend to rethink everything, but... oh boy what a mess.

[QuikSand]

In the spirit of both "I need to trade away more draft picks," and "I'm still pissed that I missed out on that young center," we present our latest trade:

http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6226&p=58244&viewfull=1#post58244

A 2nd rounder for the right to pay an interior OL what he's asking for...likely dumb. But I have the cap space, this is a true need, and he's a very solid fit for what I want from the position. I think this might even put "run the damned ball" back into play short term for us.

[QuikSand]

Okay, late free agency for Ravens... brace yourself for a lengthy paste-it, it's not really that bad:


<table width="100%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1"><tbody><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FS Jake Conners (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89876)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>has begun a contract holdout</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>C J.R. Glode (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=90183)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Traded from Green Bay</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>RB Norman Hoover (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=85148)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>released</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>RB Ian Langham (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=91675)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>released</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>SE Rick Sampson (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89349)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>released</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FS Jake Conners (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89876)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed a renegotiated contract: 4yrs, $50,840,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>QB Richie Bryant (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=84069)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>released</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>C Russell Vanderpool (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=91874)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>released</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>RG Malachi Strong (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88615)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Changed position from RT to G</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>WLB Eddie Schultz (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88040)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>released</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>WLB Moe Thill (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=93043)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Changed position from SLB to OLB</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>QB Brett Wolf (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=89930)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>released</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>RB Vinny Connell (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=90827)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>re-signed as an unrestricted free agent</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>RB Abraham Woods (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=92495)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $5,200,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>RB Sam Crawford (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=92506)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $4,790,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FS Brayden Crotti (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=93185)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 1</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $5,200,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>SILB Dana Givens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=90517)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 2</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as an unrestricted free agent from St. Louis: 2yrs, $7,640,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>TE Vinny Money (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=91719)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 2</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as an unrestricted free agent from Arizona: 1yrs, $5,900,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>SLB Ashton Bruce (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=92178)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 2</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>turned down a contract offer: 2yrs, $5,560,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>SLB Rich Schenk (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=92224)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 2</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as an unrestricted free agent from New Orleans: 2yrs, $5,560,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>TE Wade Polley (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=92562)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 2</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $5,200,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FL Trent Kesselman (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=92606)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 2</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $5,200,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FL Jeremy Breck (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=92670)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 2</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as a free agent: 1yrs, $3,400,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>WLB John Roberts (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=93048)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 2</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as a free agent: 1yrs, $3,600,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FB Charles Schroeder (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88312)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 3</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $7,580,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FL B.J. Woods (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=90928)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 3</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>re-signed as an unrestricted free agent</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>RCB Mitchell Patterson (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=92369)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 3</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>re-signed as an unrestricted free agent</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>LCB Cameron Sasaki (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=93117)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 3</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as a free agent: 1yrs, $4,400,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FS Hunter Hay (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=93174)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 3</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $5,200,000.</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td><td width="15%" bgcolor=""><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>FS Burt Thomas (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=93210)</center></td><td width="15%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>Late FA Stage 3</center></td><td width="40%" bgcolor="#ffffff"><center>signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $5,200,000.</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

Okay, the incoming OL is important. Run-blocker first, I like going back to having a quality guy in there at C. Still mad at NE for ruining this career.

Also, have decided to just roll with Liverwurst as my RB/FB group leader.

I made a lot of cuts, but was more successful in landing free agents than I had expected, went over the 70 player limit, will get penalized for doing so. It happens.

Exciting?

TE Vinny Money, 2nd year guy who looks good enough to be a long term rotation/TE2 caliber addition.

S Burt Thomas is probably the standout among these 8th round rookies - looks better atm than the guys we drafted, mostly. Wasn't even on my 20-deep "priority" list as the draft ended. Ohhhhh, that's right... he's an overweight safety I wanted to try out at LB, that's why. We'll give him a look there after camp, who knows?

[QuikSand]

Oh, we did manage to bring back WR Woods (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=90928) on a one year fat deal. Still don't know whether he's a value added. Might not ever know. He got another offer, but it wasn't from an owner who makes me say "wait..." So, plan is likely to use him sparingly this season, in hopes he will re-up more reasonably as a RFA next year, with those rookie starts a more distant memory.

[QuikSand]

It's feeling like an "out with the old, in with the new" stage is upon us. Could just straight up release familiar faces like G Foreman, LB Randolph, DE Anthony... none look helpful enough to really catapult us into serious contention this year, and none project to have any real value in two or three seasons when we should be back on track.

[QuikSand]

...and I have posted WR Brad Franz up for trade. If we can get some value there, I think I will move on, he won't be here if/when we put it together, either.

[Chas in Cinti]

The times... they are a'changing...

[QuikSand]

Yeah, I don't know what the plan is with the team. The arrows are pointing toward a 2-3 QB having a triple affinity... and that seems like a short term plan. But do we start Jackson Denny (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88264)? Amir Walsh (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=91561)? Do either of those guys make me think we have a "plan" at that position? And do we have enough around whoever is taking the snap to make things work? I fear we don't.

This is not going to be a good season, independent of whether we squeak out 8-9 wins somehow. Need to get our act together - right now the only place that is really happening is at DB, and kinda at OL.

[QuikSand]

DC BUREAU

Unforgivable. I'm doing the training camp sim still undecided WTF I'm doing with this team, writ large. I now have in play the idea of positioning the entire offense in the same chemistry triad... why wasn't I at this point originally? Ugly. That team is feeling like a nearly lost cause as well... it's super-disturbing to have our incumbent QB get poached away BY BEN while I wasn't even really considering him as an option... only to later realize he might have been exactly the right fit for us, with a multiple affinity and a cohesion headstart. WTF are we doing? I'll tell you what we're doing... we're turning an 8-win team into an 8th-pick team and it is not very appetizing to play through.

[QuikSand]

Okay, training camp is in the bag. As I intimated earlier, we're paring back older players... some familiar players on the pre-camp cutdown list:


<center>RELEASED PLAYERS</center><table style="border-collapse: collapse" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" bgcolor="#D3D3D3"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>FS Brayden Crotti (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=93185)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center>10</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>29</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>LG Joey Dotson (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=83627)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center>12</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center>12</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>WLB George Harada (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88935)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>43</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>43</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>SLB Douglas Harris (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=86357)</center></td><td bgcolor="#99B833"><center>66</center></td><td bgcolor="#99B833"><center>66</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>SLB Renaldo Randolph (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=83904)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>44</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>44</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>WLB John Roberts (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=93048)</center></td><td bgcolor="#800080"><center>15</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>29</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>NT Aaron Stevens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=84573)</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>43</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>43</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#c8c8c8"><center>RG Malachi Strong (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=88615)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>29</center></td><td bgcolor="#008040"><center>41</center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>http://gml.fof-belco.com/slivers/helmet2.png</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>Baltimore Ravens (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampageroster.php?teamid=2)</center></td><td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center>SE Harrison Wynn (http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=90985)</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>26</center></td><td bgcolor="#0060A0"><center>26</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

Getting to 60 is always hard for me. QB is tough - I sorta want to see how everyone comes through preseason, you know? Rookie Justin looks like a pick machine - but if he bumps does he earn a roster slot? Is my flirtation with Amir Walsh finally over? And same with Jackson Denny? Why even consider investing in a 6th year minsal pickup? Does Ivan Wolf just inherit this mess out of a lack of options, for another year? And Levine...any chance we decide to take "a bunch of decent wrong bars" and try to play around that?

Ugh.

[QuikSand]

Here's an interesting view to share - scout ratings just for players who are new to the roster this year.

Front Office Football Eight
Baltimore Ravens Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Levine, Salvador 105 QB 6 44 44 5 yrs.
Denny, Jackson 109 QB 6 35 35 2 yrs.
Justin, Evan 115 QB 1 14 28 4 yrs.
Woods, Abraham 232 RB 1 33 38 2 yrs.
Crawford, Sam 227 RB 1 27 28 2 yrs.
Schroeder, Charles 331 FB 6 31 31 2 yrs.
Money, Vinny 446 TE 2 33 42 1 yr.
Polley, Wade 441 TE 1 27 32 2 yrs.
Baglien, Lorenzo 580 FL 6 46 46 3 yrs.
Ledoux, Andre 587 FL 5 41 41 2 yrs.
Kesselman, Trent 511 FL 1 27 32 2 yrs.
Breck, Jeremy 588 FL 1 21 31 1 yr.
Bridges, Buddy 585 SE 1 25 36 4 yrs.
Glode, J.R. 670 C 4 73 73 1 yr.
Clements, Nate 874 LT 5 54 54 3 yrs.
Fattel, Jackie 865 LT 3 37 53 3 yrs.
Gaines, Dustin 1193RDE 1 31 51 4 yrs.
Givens, Dana 1352SILB 4 43 43 2 yrs.
Matthews, Oscar 1359SILB 5 37 37 2 yrs.
Schenk, Rich 1356WILB 2 37 48 2 yrs.
Woods, Lorenzo 1458SLB 5 42 42 3 yrs.
Thomas, Burt 1447SLB 1 32 43 2 yrs.
Thill, Moe 1457WLB 1 32 44 4 yrs.
Maas, Josue 1524LCB 6 68 68 4 yrs.
Sasaki, Cameron 1523LCB 1 26 34 1 yr.
Calmus, Collin 1539RCB 5 53 53 4 yrs.
Hay, Hunter 1643FS 1 23 33 2 yrs.
Blackburn, Wade 1640FS 1 20 32 4 yrs.

A few thoughts:

RB Woods is the sort of guy I like in other leagues, not sure he's worth anything here. Good bar pattern to just "carry the ball" but in this zero injury league, do I displace a bunch of load from the two guys I'm paying real money to do that? Doubtful. Bubble guy here, RB3 in IHOF. Dang.

RB Crawford looks like he will bump in preseason, but to what? Bubble.

FB Schroeder had a legit shot to make the team and start at FB. That, or else we just go without a FB.

Hopeful about TE Money but my scout likes him a lot less than the league scout - bad sign, I think. TE Polley has huge personality, I wish he had special teams skill, he'd be a lifetime lockdown for us.

Baglien and Ledoux are "why not" receivers. Are they going to be helpful in three years? Dunno. Rookie Kesselman has two big bars (BPR and Courage) and I have no clue what to do with such a guy. Breck is big 3rd Down Rec...same.

Bridges looks like a pretty intriguing undrafted free agent... but since he's actually our 3rd round pick, I'm less excited. Kinda unfair. He'll make the team and maybe develop into...I dunno...a WR4 who returns punts well?

T Clements and Fattel both click with our new leader Shepherd (meh), both make the team this year I'm sure, Fattel likely starts at LG.

DE Gaines...same as WR Bridges, looks sorta okay for an undrafted afterthought. Except he was our 2nd rounder.

LB Givens is two bars, but two good ones - RunD 72 and PRTech 76/96. I think I can use a guy like him, even as a low-personality chem fit. LB Mathews is bubble guy, but needs starts to click in - "wrong" bars to really play. Schenk is a run stopper, low personality fit. Woods is another guy like Givens, RunD and PRTech, useful on the field, has his starts already. Thomas is the converted safety, looks like another decent all-around asset at LB. Thill is likely to bump up in preseason and grab a roster slot.

CB Mass will cover the top dog.

What do I do with CB Sasaki? 63 bump is nice, but his standout is 92 endurance. What manner of football player is that? Even if he bumps up, what good could he be?

S Hay is a cut, Blackburn will get to preseason, but... dunno.

[QuikSand]

Preseason is in the bag, where are we now?

Let's start with the rookies:
QB Justin - weird movement, bubble not insta-cut
RB Crawford bumps but to 28/28, worth anything at all? Cut
TE Polley nice +7 bump and 97 personality... maybe?
WR Breck huge -15 drop, ouch...bubble
WR Bridges -8 by league scout, rubbish, keep for PR potential
DL Gaines terrible preseason, he's an easy cut, 2nd round pick or not
LB Thomas nice +3 bump after S-to-LB convert, makes the team?
LB Thill 36->47 nice, he'll stick
CB Sasaki - what to do with him? Oh, cut him after -17 move.
DB Blackburn - also a cut, after a -3 preseason, middling ratings

Rotten draft strikes again. Ouch.

[QuikSand]

To my own surprise, I think I'm going with Salvador Levine at QB this season. I kinda like the rookie Justin, and I think I plan to keep him around but Levine is the best treading-water choice for right now, and... well, maybe after one solid season we could spin him into a draft pick? Doubtful. Ivan Wolf is going to ask for big money, no real reason to stick with him.

Going to run the ball more, here and there. Not a reinvention, just playing to our supposed strength. With a power C back in the saddle, I feel like we have a shot to get back to being effective there.

Prediction: 8-8 again, basically the most useless season

[QuikSand]

Well, in advance of the reveal... I'll say I am disappointed with my effort both teams right now. It's possible this traces to taking on a second fast-paced team here, maybe it's overextended my attention span. Regardless, the two teams both dropping to losing records seems very much in play, and while I'd ordinarily have hopes of better things to come... if this offseason is a guide, maybe not. I actually drafted well for the Washington team, not so much for the Ravens. Roster-building and so forth is fine, routine, meh.

My guess is Baltimore 8-8 and Washington 6-10, but there's a wide range of outcomes that would be unsurprising.

[QuikSand]

I'm not going to claim a kewpie doll or anything, this was a pretty easy guess:

GML: Baltimore Ravens 2118 (http://gml.fof-belco.com/teampage.php?teamid=2)

So, 8-8 Ravens. What do we learn from this?

QB Levine is no savior, but he's workmanlike and locked up long term, so...yay?
We committed to the run with solid effects - 3rd in league w 5.03 ypc
We dropped to league average in pass attempts, by design, yawn
I'm forcing targets to TE Ogden for lack of good alternatives - 6ypt meh
I let WR Franz walk into free agency, he responds with a nice 8.1 ypt season
Our D was *awful* against the run - 137 ypg and 22 rushing TDs whoa
Pass rush anemic at best, 18.2 PR% is terrible - like incalculably bad
Secondary is the shining light and saved out butts - again, by design

Mediocre team, mediocre draft pick, mediocre enthusiasm.

[QuikSand]

Special teams side note:

Punt returns: 20.0 (1st)
PR Allowed: 6.0 (3rd)

Kick returns: 28.3 (3rd)
KR allowed: 20.4 (1st)

I like what I'm seeing there, despite having lesser overall ST talent compared to a few seasons ago, we really delivered this season. My inexplicable man crush for CB/PR Shawn Vaughn continues - he finally put together a great season as return man and gunner. His slot as the only non-affinity guy on the whole defense is fairly solid.