[Ben E Lou]

2019

Roster Shaping

Given that there was no WR available in free agency rated better than 53, I decide that the time is not now to invest in a big-dollar FA QB who could get hurt before I can get him any serious receiving help.. Kyle England is the 2nd-best WR available via free agency, so I re-sign him, also re-sign QB Steller. I also trade away TE Kris Gordon, who has a conflict with England, for a draft choice. Here are the new FA's I sign in the main stage:

TE Kim Hutton (67/72), 3yrs/$16.8M-- He's a 9-year veteran who usually catches 50-70 passes per year and has been an all-pro once.

C Jeremy Allen (44/48), 2ys/$4M-- Not much available at this position, but this journeyman is an upgrade who has an affinity with...

RG Jeremy Dunn (57/57), 3yrs/$9.6M--Dunn has a lifetime 40.3 BPct, but appears to be somewhat injury-prone. He steps in as o-line leader, and creates several affinities besides the one wiht Allen.

LT Brenden Brady (54/57), 2yrs/$6.0M--7th-year man who was a four-year starter and one-time All-Pro in Minnesota, but lost his starting spot (appears due to injury). He's got solid ratings across the board.

FS Jessie Prieto (48/50), 5yrs/$24M--He's been a very solid performer for KC in his four years up to now.

FL Herb Battle (46/46), 2yrs/$3.13M--Not all that good, but has an affinity with Kyle England and appears to be good enough to start for us and give an upgrade at the position from last year. Battle's a fourth year man who spent the last three as the WR3/WR4 for Carolina, it would appear from his stats. He'll probably start and move Mario Claybrooks to WR3.

K Torrin Guthrie (39/48), 2yrs/$2.5M)--Signed to a no-bonus contract. Has hit 80% of his FG's in 3 seasons prior to now.

DRAFT

1(17): LT Jessie Kerley (19/67)--Will get moved to RT and will see playing time there this year.

1(31): FL Omar Hurm (23/59)--Will be WR3 or WR4 this year in all likelihood. Pretty solid possession receiver.

2(14): C Ernest Kramer (24/63)--Has the potential to be our starter in a couple of years.

2(31): LCB Joseph McElroy (26/53)--Agile corner who could be a starter one day. Nickel or dime guy for now.

3(2): QB Dan Stevens (21/49)--QB who likes to stretch the field. Looks like he should have at least decent ratings across the board. Knows 11 formations. I may sign a mentor to help bring him along.

3(23): TE Dan Hansen (23/72)--I only have one TE under contract, and Hansen looks like a good all-around TE for the future.

Key Preseason Injuries

None.

REGULAR SEASON RECAP

KEY INJURIES: SS Preston Armijo tore his rotator cuff in Week 4, and missed the balance of the season..

2019 Regular Season (8-8)				Passing	Rushing	Receiving	Attendance
Week 1	11	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	27	B.Steller 10-20-128	A.Ballard 4-37	O.Hurm 3-76	79,000
Week 2	20	at Houston Texans	23	B.Steller 13-26-197	A.Ballard 18-91	K.England 3-101	64,600
Week 3	26	at New York Giants	20	B.Steller 21-31-218	A.Ballard 30-104	K.England 7-59	89,000
Week 4	21	Seattle Seahawks	6	B.Steller 15-22-117	A.Ballard 24-190	H.Battle 4-39	78,100
Week 5	Bye Week
Week 6	16	at Arizona Cardinals	21	B.Steller 19-30-192	A.Ballard 24-108	H.Battle 5-88	41,300
Week 7	14	Carolina Panthers	20	B.Steller 17-28-223	A.Ballard 16-69	H.Battle 5-94	79,000
Week 8	27	at San Francisco 49ers	45	B.Steller 10-21-217	A.Ballard 8-33	H.Battle 4-105	80,800
Week 9	12	St. Louis Rams	7	D.Sims 10-21-113	A.Ballard 20-94	K.England 3-34	77,300
Week 10	13	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	23	D.Stevens 14-27-156	A.Ballard 14-52	L.Teel 2-53	55,700
Week 11	17	New Orleans Saints	7	B.Steller 15-27-194	B.Compton 8-49	H.Battle 1-63	78,100
Week 12	19	at Tennessee Titans	7	B.Steller 23-37-285	A.Ballard 22-64	H.Battle 4-56	41,200
Week 13	31	Chicago Bears	7	B.Steller 13-16-154	A.Ballard 24-150	H.Battle 2-44	79,000
Week 14	23	Jacksonville Jaguars	38	B.Steller 11-21-111	B.Compton 6-56	H.Battle 2-56	80,000
Week 15	7	at New Orleans Saints	24	B.Steller 21-31-174	B.Compton 5-26	H.Battle 5-50	66,800
Week 16	17	Indianapolis Colts	7	B.Steller 20-27-231	A.Ballard 38-125	H.Battle 6-94	79,000
Week 17	31	at Carolina Panthers	6	B.Steller 17-23-199	B.Compton 18-93	B.Compton 6-75	79,500

Passing	Att	Comp	Yards	Yd/Att	TD	Int
Ben Steller	360	225	2640	7.33	12	15
Duane Sims	44	21	337	7.65	1	2
Dan Stevens	42	23	301	7.16	1	3
Team	447	270	3278	7.33	14	20

Rushing	Pos	Att	Yards	Yd/Att	TD
Adam Ballard	RB	300	1279	4.26	11
Barry Compton	FB	102	488	4.78	4
Team	---	437	1895	4.33	18

Receiving	Pos	Target	Catch	Yards	Yd/Ctch	YAC	TD
Herb Battle	FL	91	53	916	17.2	185	4
Barry Compton	FB	71	46	341	7.4	175	1
Adam Ballard	RB	55	33	222	6.7	88	1
Kyle England	SE	59	32	467	14.5	135	3
Omar Hurm	FL	53	30	415	13.8	54	1
Mario Claybrooks	FL	44	26	343	13.1	54	2
Kim Hutton	TE	31	23	248	10.7	77	1
Team	---	447	270	3278	12.1	806	14

Defense	Pos	Tackle	Assist	Sack	Hurr	Ints	Dfnsd
Jessie Prieto	FS	84	34	0.0	0	3	10
Bruce Falkenberg	MLB	84	24	2.0	2	1	4
Archie Stephens	RCB	73	21	0.0	0	3	13
Alfred Wilcox	LCB	66	17	0.0	0	1	6
Mel Fletcher	SLB	63	23	5.0	2	1	7
Donovan Rawls	RDT	61	27	3.5	8	0	0
Bo Shields	WLB	56	14	3.0	1	0	2
Leo Herndon	LDT	55	21	6.5	16	0	2
Stanley Tubbs	FS	48	16	0.0	0	1	3
Vernon Stephenson	WLB	41	9	0.0	1	0	1
Travis Walsh	LDE	35	8	5.5	19	0	0
Andy Wishon	LCB	31	8	1.0	0	1	8
Burt Kletch	RDE	28	16	9.5	23	0	0
Orlando Lechler	MLB	27	2	0.0	0	1	2
Maurice Buchanan	LDT	21	8	1.5	9	0	1
Preston Armijo	SS	19	9	0.0	0	0	2
Cory Burbank	LDT	16	8	2.5	1	0	0
Team	---	903	275	40.0	83	13	63

Atlanta Team Rank Rushes 437 22 (T) Rushing Yards 1895 12 Yards Per Carry 4.33 9 (T) Pass Attempts 447 32 Completions 270 29 (T) Passing Yards 3278 24 Yards Per Attempt 7.33 7 3rd Down Conversions 38.5 30 Points Per Game 19.0 16 (T) Turnovers 26 24 (T) Turnover Margin -7 26 (T)

Opponents Team Rank Rushes 508 28 (T) Rushing Yards 1927 20 Yards Per Carry 3.79 4 Pass Attempts 531 23 Completions 308 16 Passing Yards 3579 24 Yards Per Attempt 6.74 13 3rd Down Conversions 45.5 22 Points Per Game 18.0 12 Turnovers 19 25 Turnover Margin +7 5 (T)

With mediocre receivers, Steller's QB rating climbs up to near the league average. He's probably worth one more season as the starter if I can get a 65-to-75-rated receiver in the lineup.

PLAYOFF RECAP

None.

AWARDS

FB Barry Compton--1st Team All Pro

LT Grenden Brady--1st Team All Pro

RCB Archie Stephens--2nd Team All Pro