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Offseason Update
Well, we have managed to re-sign two of our veteran players and group leaders, as LB Stephen Watkins and C John Houtz have both accepted new contracts. I had assumed they would all along, but they kept us hanging a while. So, nothing new there, but we avoid an uncomfortable interruption in chemistry there.
Incidentally, I failed to send in a stage file last season and saw John Houtz get cut – so we have already suffered a cohesion loss from him, as the in-game perspective is that he was a new FA signing mid-season last year (that’s why he was even an eligible free agent this year to begin with).
In the draft, I get a slightly itchy trigger finger, and deal up for a decent-enough affinity linebacker at pick 6(2). I don’t have terribly high hopes for Lorenzo McDowell, but he had a decent combine, has an affinity with LB Watkins, and his skill set suggests that he at least has measurable skills in run defense and the pass coverage we focus on (bump). A maxed-out punishing hitter rating and some special teams skills seem to make him a solid roster-filler at a position group (LB) where our youngest other guy is probably going to be 8th year injury-washout Travis Kuykendall (among others). I’m just bracing for damage to come at this group, and if McDowell sticks, he can bridge a gap for us there, a bit.
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