Code:
Milan, Don 19 QB 14 3 3 1 yr.
Blackledge, Todd 15 QB 6 39 39 1 yr.
Marino, Dan 1 QB 6 82 82 5 yrs
We'll live and die by Marino's arm. That's all there is to it.
Code:
Dickerson, Eric 42 RB 6 52 52 2 yrs
Gray, Mel 36 RB 5 27 27 2 yrs
Fontenot, Herman 32 RB 4 33 33 3 yrs
Hoge, Merril 20 RB 2 18 24 2 yrs
Dickey, Curtis 21 FB 9 43 43 3 yrs
Clark, Jessie 23 FB 6 34 34 1 yr.
Dickerson and Dickey start again, Hoge the #2 back, Fontenot the receiving back, Gray the return specialist, Clark the FB. It's a system that works well for us, even if it is somewhat problematic in terms of the roster spots it takes up.
Code:
Spagnola, John 82 TE 10 27 27 1 yr.
Novacek, Jay 87 TE 4 46 46 5 yrs
Monk, Art 85 FL 9 61 61 2 yrs
Lipps, Louis 86 FL 5 49 49 1 yr.
Watson, Steve 89 SE 10 51 51 2 yrs
Duper, Mark 83 SE 7 44 44 1 yr.
Kemp, Perry 80 SE 2 29 29 2 yrs
I probably should've picked up another TE, but Spangola's the backup nonetheless. Novacek has blossomed into a real star. I switch Watson to FL and Lipps to SE, so Monk and Lipps will be the starting WRs, Watson can use his burner speed as the #3 WR and Duper will be the 4th man. We still need to get more youth at WR, but we're fine for now. Kemp is a surehanded 5th WR.
Code:
Carter, David 51 C 12 32 32 1 yr.
Grant, Will 54 C 11 18 18 1 yr.
Dellenbach, Jeff 53 C 4 47 47 3 yrs
Dawson, Dermontti 52 C 1 27 55 3 yrs
Hough, Jim 78 LG 11 19 19 1 yr.
Farrell, Sean 65 LG 7 50 50 2 yrs
Commiskey, Chuck 63 RG 8 45 45 2 yrs
Long, Terry 60 RG 5 36 36 1 yr.
Eatman, Irv 71 LT 6 35 35 1 yr.
Zimmerman, Gary 66 LT 5 63 63 4 yrs
Taylor, Roger 68 RT 8 45 45 1 yr.
Blair, Paul 76 RT 3 41 41 2 yrs
Gruber, Paul 61 RT 1 14 25 3 yrs
Ouch. Good thing I drafted Dawson, because Grant fell off a cliff,
dropping from 40something to 18. Just another move that makes me look brilliant. In any event, it'll be Zimmerman-Farrell-Dellenbach-Commiskey-Taylor as our starting five. Blair really disappointed in run-blocking last year and Taylor's pass-protection is underrated. Blair-Long-Dawson the 3 reserves. I hate to do it, but I have to cut Hough and Grant. Well, Grant I'll cut for sure. Hough I'll see if I can find a way to keep stashed on. Gruber, Carter, Eatman are inactive.
Code:
Melville, Dan 16 P 10 75 75 1 yr.
Norwood, Scott 4 K 4 46 46 3 yrs
We're fine here, though Norwood's short-leashed.
Code:
Greer, Curtis 73 LDE 9 48 48 2 yrs
Collins, Glen 70 LDE 7 33 33 1 yr.
Strauthers, Tom 94 LDE 6 35 35 1 yr.
Simmons, Clyde 98 RDE 3 49 49 2 yrs
Cross, Jeff 95 RDE 1 21 44 4 yrs
Burt, Jim 97 LDT 8 40 40 1 yr.
White, Brad 96 LDT 8 41 41 1 yr.
Hart, Roy 75 LDT 1 7 29 3 yrs
Dokes, Phil 91 RDT 12 20 20 1 yr.
Saleaumula, Dan 93 RDT 2 49 49 2 yrs
Greer-White-Saleaumula-Simmons with Burt and Cross the reserves. Hart gets cut and everyone else is put on the inactive list.
Code:
Odom, Cliff 55 MLB 9 52 52 2 yrs
Barnes, Roosevelt 92 MLB 7 39 39 1 yr.
Herrod, Jeff 57 MLB 1 30 63 4 yrs
Matthews, Clay 90 SLB 11 35 35 1 yr.
Tippett, Andre 59 SLB 7 51 51 3 yrs
Cobb, Gary 58 WLB 10 54 54 2 yrs
Tippett-Odom-Cobb for sure. I'm tempted to move Herrod to SLB as he appears to be better suited to the outside than in the middle and it'd rectify an alarming concern at reserve OLB, where Matthews is no longer the player he once was. But then what becomes of our future at MLB? What do you guys think?
Code:
Byrd, Gill 34 LCB 6 66 66 3 yrs
Allen, Carl 43 RCB 12 24 24 1 yr.
McDaniel, LeCharls 37 RCB 8 36 36 1 yr.
Brock, Lou 24 RCB 2 24 24 2 yrs
Burrus, Lloyd 25 SS 8 58 58 3 yrs
Sullivan, John 45 FS 5 38 38 1 yr.
Gibson, Antonio 27 FS 3 34 35 1 yr.
Everett, Thomas 28 FS 2 60 60 3 yrs
Byrd-McDaniel-Burrus-Everett. Our CB situation is really worrying right now. Sure, Byrd is a shutdown type, but McDaniel has lost a step and neither Brock or Allen are reliable nickelbacks. What I may do is put one of the backup safeties in at the nickel CB spot. I don't know yet. Gibson might have to shift over to SS, as we have no bona fide backup S.
We're overwhelming favorites to repeat despite my concerns about our defensive backfield, so much so that the next closest team to our 100 power rating is the Chicago Bears (75), followed by the New Orleans Saints (67). We don't even get another AFC team until the Kansas City Chiefs (53).
So still some things to think about it as we head into preseason and we have some weaknesses now that we haven't had in a while. But I think we'll be okay and the pieces appear to be in place for a 6th straight Super Bowl appearance and our 10th in 13 years. Even if we don't make it, 5 straight Super Bowl appearances and 9 in 12 years is pretty damned impressive.
