2017 OUTLOOK
A more in depth look at the roster heading into our fifth year. In the power rankings/roster strength, we are 12th but still first in the AFC North.
QUARTERBACKS
Code:
Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct OnTeam
Weeden, Brandon 3 QB QB 6 49 49 2 yrs. 2012
Bernius, Jonathan 2 QB 4 31 39 3 yrs. 2014
Solano, Wade 4 QB 2 23 41 2 yrs. 2016
%%Starks, Luther 5 QB 1 11 25 2 yrs. 2017
Weeden has been consistently solid for the past four seasons. A pair of 4 interception games last year were the only blemish on an otherwise solid performance. I have plenty of confidence in Bernius based on the way he has played in every pre-season and think that he is far better than his numbers.
BACKFIELD
Code:
Lyons, Jeffrey 36 RB RB 2 45 45 3 yrs. 2016
Ingram, Mark 24 RB 7 29 29 3 yrs. 2017
Foster, Arian 27 RB 9 28 28 2 yrs. 2016
##Castillo, Bernie 43 RB 2 24 35 1 yr. 2016
Sherman, Anthony 38 FB FB 7 50 50 1 yr. 2015
Lyons is the guy this year. He's got a shitty endurance bar though so hopefully Ingram and or Foster can give him some decent relief. Castillo is a former UDFA that just barely stuck around.
RECEIVERS
Code:
Gresham, Jermaine 85 TE TE 8 40 40 2 yrs. 2015
Hickman, Jared 87 TE 1 25 35 4 yrs. 2017
Gordon, Josh 13 FL FL 6 67 67 3 yrs. 2012
Franz, Rod 80 FL 3 30 30 2 yrs. 2015
Dionne, Alexander 86 FL 2 24 27 3 yrs. 2016
##Harper, Harvey 82 FL 1 18 30 4 yrs. 2017
Byrd, LaRon 84 SE SE 6 39 39 2 yrs. 2017
Little, Greg 18 SE 7 38 38 1 yr. 2011
##Johnson, Brant 83 SE 1 18 36 1 yr. 2017
We haven't been able to draft WR to save our lives in FOF7, with Dionne (2nd), Franz (4th), and Harper (5th) all looking like busts. Johnson is a UDFA that impressed in camp but he's on the bubble. I'm hoping Gordon and Little stay healthy and see a lot of targets.
O-LINE
Code:
Mack, Alex 55 C C 9 64 64 2 yrs. 2009
##Lauvao, Shawn 66 LG 8 58 58 1 yr. 2010
Kruger, Edgar 64 LG LG 4 36 36 1 yr. 2014
Owens, Ken 61 LG 2 27 50 3 yrs. 2016
Thompson, J.B. 68 RG RG 5 54 54 3 yrs. 2017
Thomas, Joe 73 LT LT 11 86 86 1 yr. 2007
Reeves, Clifton 63 RT RT 3 38 46 2 yrs. 2015
##Harrigan, Irving 75 RT 2 18 34 3 yrs. 2016
McGregor, J.T. 69 RT 1 15 48 1 yr. 2017
One of our biggest strengths. Thompson had a nice boost in the exhibition season. Lauvao is in the final year of his contract but with former 3rd rounder Owens emerging as a viable starter coupled with his age, this is likely his final year.
D-LINE
Code:
Bailey, Wes 76 LDE LDE 4 49 58 1 yr. 2014
Montgomery, Marlon 78 LDE 2 37 48 3 yrs. 2016
Hardy, Greg 94 RDE RDE 8 46 46 1 yr. 2014
Hughes, John 93 RDE 6 38 38 1 yr. 2012
##Aghajafari, Tracy 74 RDE 1 20 38 4 yrs. 2017
Taylor, Phillip 98 NT NT 7 81 81 1 yr. 2011
Reid, Blake 99 NT 3 28 34 2 yrs. 2015
##Ifill, Billy 79 NT 1 16 29 4 yrs. 2017
It has taken Bailey a few years to get there but he's finally developing into the player we though he could be when we took him in the middle of the1st round four years ago. Montgomery appears to be a steal in the 7th and should push Hardy out after this season.
LINEBACKERS
Code:
Collins, Jamie 96 SILB SILB 5 53 53 2 yrs. 2016
%%Ellard, Leonardo 50 SILB 5 31 31 3 yrs. 2017
Babka, Blaine 91 WILB WILB 4 51 51 3 yrs. 2017
Moore, Sio 90 WILB 5 30 30 2 yrs. 2016
Mingo, Barkevious 51 SLB SLB 5 74 74 4 yrs. 2013
Ahn, Anthony 54 SLB 1 22 36 4 yrs. 2017
Sheard, Jabaal 97 WLB WLB 7 66 66 3 yrs. 2011
Rayburn, Kyle 59 WLB 3 34 36 2 yrs. 2015
Another one of our strengths, thanks to inheriting Mingo and Sheard and the way that they have developed. Babka should provide another solid option. Hopefully Ahn can develop a bit.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Code:
Haden, Joe 23 LCB LCB 8 48 48 2 yrs. 2010
Davis, Will 32 LCB 5 34 34 1 yr. 2017
%%Bennett, Herman 30 LCB 2 17 28 3 yrs. 2016
Ellard, Javier 49 RCB RCB 3 30 39 2 yrs. 2015
Turner, Micah 37 RCB 1 23 31 4 yrs. 2017
Gray, Liam 45 SS SS 4 60 60 3 yrs. 2014
Rowlette, Kenyon 39 SS 3 35 35 2 yrs. 2015
Elam, Matt 22 FS FS 5 44 44 2 yrs. 2016
Krueger, Tyrus 29 FS 1 27 51 4 yrs. 2017
##Boswell, Jason 34 FS 1 16 31 1 yr. 2017
I'm regretting letter McFadden walk, considering I have the money under the cap to keep him. That and losing Cary Williams. I was really hoping counting on former 1st round pick Ellard developing and that hasn't happened. It's sink or swim time for him now. We are solid at safety though, Gray is a stud.
SPECIALISTS
Code:
Koch, Sam 1 P 12 28 28 2 yrs. 2014
Signor, Austin 16 K 5 44 44 3 yrs. 2017
Wagoner, Ted 58 LS 5 20 20 2 yrs. 2013
Signor is a small upgrade. Koch could use replacing but really hasn't been any worse than middle of the pack.
ROOKIE REPORT
2.20 - OLB
Anthony Ahn (19/43 --> 22/36)
2.29 - DE
Tracy Aghajafari (17/36 --> 20/38)
3.29 - S
Tyrus Krueger (21/53 -->27/51)
4.29 - TE
Jared Hickman (25/39 --> 25/35)
5.29 - WR
Harvey Harper (18/30 -->18/30)
6.29 - DT
Billy Ifill (11/27 --> 16/29)
7.29 - CB
Micah Turner (19/32 --> 23/31)
UDFA - QB
Luther Starks (7/38 --> 11/25)*Injured Reserve
UDFA - WR
Brant Johnson (13/20 --> 18/36)
UDFA - T
JT McGregor (12/48 --> 15/48)
UDFA - S
Jason Boswell (12/26 --> 16/31)
As an aside, I'm still trying to sort out what these progressions mean. A guy like Wes Bailey went like this
YEAR TC EX
2014 57 43
2015 41 42
2016 33 63
2017 63 63
As a result, I find that I am trying to give my draft picks at least that third exhibition season to find out what they are like. Often times, that leaves me cutting UDFA guys that I would keep in FOF2K7 like Johnson and Boswell above. Tough decisions.