2023 preseason
After a great regular season, we fizzled out in the postseason, and disappointed. We remain a very powerful team, and expect to be a top contender once again this year.
Transitions and League Observations
We have one retirement – rather unexpeceted. DT Donavan Capstraw, a decent reserve lineman for us, has retired after his sixth season.
RB Rob Dillon, the career rushing leader, has finally retired, also. That gives our man Gus Stewart an excellent chance to take the title this season – he’s around 500 yards behind, and Stewart has yet to miss a game for us in his nine year career.
Front Office Decisions
Earnest Carlisle, our Offensive Coordinator, is up for a new deal – and we will endeavor to retain him. Our front office is getting a bit long in the tooth (he is 68) but they are still pretty solid for now. We work out a new two year deal with him, and are done with out front office moves.
Roster Review
Here is the nutshell of where we start out:
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Players Under Contract: 35
Salary Cap: $75,000,000
Cap Room: $14,420,000
Maximum for New Player: $11,200,000
So, 18 players with $11 million – tough spot. It gets worse, when you realize that we have
nobody signed at the single most expensive spot on the roster, quarterback. We’ll look at each position group.
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Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Dixon, Glenn 19 QB 4 58 68 ---
Brock, Deion 2 QB 11 56 56 ---
Houston, James 17 QB 13 36 36 ---
Sheaffer, Herb 3 QB 2 15 35 1 yr.
I would love to bring back both Brock and Dixon. I don’t expect many bidders for Brock (he doesn’t have the ratings that attract a lot of attention) and Dixon is restricted. Ideally, we might be able to lock up both of them in the later FA stages, and stay solid for the next few years there. Dixon certainly seems like the future – but Brock has been very, very solid for us. James Houston is worth considering for emergency duty at most – but adds a nice historic flavor.
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Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Stewart, Gus 39 RB 10 71 71 ---
Lee, Marshall 31 RB 8 43 43 1 yr.
Sims, Daryl 37 RB 5 32 34 1 yr.
Oh, one more expensive position to fill – running back. Gus Stewart is out of contract, too. Marshall Lee was rather disappointing last season, and Daryl Sims is a nice utility back – but we don’t have a play at RB without Stewart. So rack up a few dollars here, too, I suspect.
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Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Beers, Preston 48 FB 5 57 57 1 yr.
Breeding, Lamar 46 FB 2 28 37 2 yrs
Sellers, Karl 80 TE 8 80 80 2 yrs
Bleeck, Rod 86 TE 3 35 35 ---
Johnston, Donnell 81 TE 2 21 39 1 yr.
We’re solid here – Karl Sellers is now a bona fide injury risk, but he remains very productive when playing. Preston Beers is a good fit for my offense, a solid starter for us.
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Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Parker, Dwayne 88 FL 3 40 44 1 yr.
Tilton, Cornelius 83 FL 11 33 33 2 yrs
Pritchett, Don 89 SE 6 64 64 1 yr.
Pendleton, Ted 82 SE 7 51 51 ---
Foug, Gino 85 SE 3 32 41 ---
Fender, Ethan 87 SE 2 26 32 2 yrs
Ted Pendleton has been pretty solid for us, but we have options here. Parker is a decent guy, good enough to start. And Gino Foug seemed to make some plays last year in part time duty. I’d like to return everyone, but money will be the issue here.
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Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Beyer, Jackie 57 C 4 73 73 1 yr.
O'Donnell, Earl 54 C 5 52 52 ---
Somerville, Moe 68 RG 7 75 75 1 yr.
Cunningham, Ted 56 RG 5 49 52 2 yrs
Sandmeyer, Casey 67 RG 2 8 31 1 yr.
Meier, Chris 61 LT 2 18 36 1 yr.
Baugh, Glenn 69 LT 2 6 49 2 yrs
Wilson, Irv 66 RT 6 50 50 ---
Glaspie, Nathan 78 RT 11 36 36 2 yrs
Last contract year for both all-star linemen Beyer and Sommerville. We might end up blowing this group up after this season. For now, though, we are in okay shape – but still looking for a real answer at tackle. Irv Wilson is an option, but I’d much prefer to land a real, solid, true left tackle.
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Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Palmer, Roy 15 P 2 63 74 2 yrs
Bass, Peter 14 K 3 79 79 1 yr.
Both are solid, no complaints.
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Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
McCombs, Randal 94 LDE 9 42 42 2 yrs
Lane, Blake 70 LDE 9 30 30 ---
McKenzie, Emmitt 79 LDE 4 28 32 ---
Finch, Zach 77 RDE 4 69 71 2 yrs
Worsham, Drew 92 LDT 9 77 77 3 yrs
Alston, Leo 90 LDT 12 32 35 1 yr.
Heap, Riddick 99 RDT 2 45 58 4 yrs
Cash, Floyd 76 RDT 3 27 33 ---
Drake, Cole 93 RDT 2 13 29 1 yr.
On the surface, we are set with four solid starters. The reality is that DT Drew Worsham –a very steady and productive player, is an obvious target for a cut. He’ll make over $10 million this year, and we are going to need that cap space, period. We can probably get by with Alston as a starter (pure run stopper), but will need to add at least one productive player here somehow.
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Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Michl, Gino 59 WILB 8 66 66 ---
Wallace, Andrew 55 MLB 12 54 54 2 yrs
Gunn, Brandon 52 MLB 8 49 51 ---
May, Steven 50 SLB 10 61 61 1 yr.
Dodge, Kurt 91 SLB 13 42 42 2 yrs
Wilkerson, Russell 97 SLB 4 32 34 ---
Adamson, David 51 WLB 6 53 61 3 yrs
Last year we struggled, but ended up with several guys signed. This year it will be Michl who will be tough to land – I suspect we will see him head elsewhere. Wallace, May, and Adamson will be okay as a starting trio, with Dodge as a reserve and pass rusher. We need depth, but can probably afford to lose Michl.
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Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Enochs, Ty 28 LCB 9 49 49 1 yr.
Furr, Randy 32 LCB 11 44 46 ---
Diaz, Monty 34 LCB 12 42 42 ---
Musum, Matt 33 RCB 2 17 37 2 yrs
Mascorella, Stanley 47 RCB 3 12 41 1 yr.
Weed, Kirk 24 SS 15 44 44 ---
Eskridge, Kenneth 20 FS 12 69 69 2 yrs
Helmuth, Pat 35 FS 6 42 54 1 yr.
We need to have bodies to put out there at CB – I like Randy Furr, and we’ll see if he can come back cheaply. Enochs can still start, but the two young guys really are not capable of playing much. At safety, nobody will pursue Kirk Weed, and I expect I can bring him back very cheaply for another season or two. We ought to be okay, if we can just land one decent corner for modest money.
So – resolve things with Gus Stewart and at least one quarterback. These are high profile decisions, to be sure. We’ll limp through on the defensive front, and will try to get somewhere on the offensive line.