Alright, Let's Do this Thing! FOF7 Rise of the Jaguars

[Abe Sargent]

Week 6 – If my pledge to win more in the division is important, then today’s trip to 5-0 Indianapolis is vital. We need to win. Whew! We edge them 38-37. That was close. Bortles is MVP, and NFL Offensive Player of the Week, with 37 for 52, 450 yards, and 5:2. Lee grabbed 97 yards and 3 scores, Robinson 160 yards, WR Joshua Wild was 4 for 29 and a score and WR Donnie Crawford rocked a score as well. CB Meadows grabbed a pick. Forced fumble by SS iloka – recovered by CB Hopkins.

No major injuries either.

Week 7 – We host the 2-3 Titans. We win 24-3. Bortles is MVP with 23 of 31 276 and 2:0. RB Gohl rushed 23 for 141 and a score. Lee was 98 yards and a score and TE Delaroche grabbed the other. S Tate added a pick, and both DE Butler and Velazquez added a pair of sacks to their totals. DT Grossman had 1.5 as well. OG Satre, clearly back from his injury, rocked 5 KRB, and a pancake, and C Pearson added 3 to his KRB total.

MLB Irving Ward has been a bit not-good, so I’m moving to MLB Robinson to push and see what I have there


Week 8 – We arrive in the Midwest to face the 4-2 Chiefs. We leave victors at 38-17. Bortles was MVP with 21 for 26, 190, and 3:0, and Gohl rushed 13 for 86 and 2 scores., Lee got 109 yard and a score and WR Blackmon the other two scores. Picks by CB Dennard, Hopkins, and DE Willis. CB Hopkins also forced a fumble that DE Velazquez recovered who had 2,5 sacks on the day. Satre with 4 KRB and a pancake.

Now WR Allen Robinson is injured for a couple of weeks with a sprained knee. I bench him, move Blackmon up.


Week 9 – We host Denver next. They are just 2-5. Bortles is NFL Offensive Player of the Week, and Game MVp, with 26 of 35 for 300 and 3:0. Lee grabbed 113 yards, WR Crawford 5 for 64 and a score, Blackmon and Wild each grabbed scores, Gohl added a rushing one on the ground. Picks by CB Jenkins, Meadows, and FS Tavon Wilson. Velazquez added 1.5 sacks, and MLB forced a fumble that DE Butler recovered. RT Sherrod and OG Theo had 3 KRB each.

Not bad lads!

We have an injury. C Roger Pearson is out for a much with a pulled calf muscle. FB Will Johnson is questionable for a week with a broken finger.

The AFC North:

Jags – 7-1
Colts – 6-2
Texans – 4-4
Titans – 3-5

I expected the Texans to be more of a threat this year. Haven’t seen it yet.

At the half-way mark, DE Velazquez leads the league with 12.5 sacks.

[Abe Sargent]

Week 10 – We head to 4-4 Chargers and come back with an adequate victory – 27-20. Bortles is MVP with 23 of 32 and 226 2:1., and Gohl rushed for a score. TE Delaroche and WR Crawford caught scores. Picks by CB Hopkins and Meadows. OG Satre had 5 KRB and a pancake.

FB Johnson and WR Robinson are back from injury.

DT Javier Fisk is doubtful with abdominal strain for 5 weeks.

I am down to just two DTs.

So I toss Julian Small on IR. I sign DT Beau Allen, who’s a guy we know well, to come back and help out out. He played 5 of his 6 years with us now.


Week 11 – We host the Texans. We crush them 38-12. Bortles, MVP, with 20 of 32 for 306 and 4:1. Gohl rushed for 106 yards and a score. Lee grabbed 138 yards and 2 scores, Blackmon and Crawford scores as well. Forced fumble by DT Grossman recovered by CB Meadows.

We have another injury – WR Robinson, hyperextended his elbow is his first game back and is doubtful for a pair of weeks, and I bench him. Again. SS Cyprien is out for two weeks with a triceps thing. S Iloka will start for him. This time I’m starting WR Wild in his spot to see what the rookie can do.


Week 12 – We head to Carolina to face the woeful 3-7 Panthers. We win 27-23, and Gohl rushed for 113 yards and a score while OG Satre paved the way with 5 KRb and a pancake. DE Butler racked up a pair of sacks. Pick by CB Hopkins, WR Wild had 4 for 85 and a score, and TE Delaroche a score as well.

In injury news, WLB Justin Houston is questionable with a triceps thing, but I’ll keep him in. LT Goldhammer is probable.

Week 13 – We have a game on the road against the 6-5 Patriots. I think this is setting up to be a trap game, so I sift our game plan a bit to push things around. And we win 40-24. Bortles is MVP with 28 of 40, 354 ,2:0. Rushign scores by Gohl and backup RB Brook. Lee added 107 yards to his total, and Blackmon and Crawford had scores. DT Grossman with 2.5 sacks and Velazquez added 2 himself.

Back from injury C Pearson, FL Robinson, SS Cyprien. TE Delaroche is injured and questionable for a few weeks.

We are 11-1, and the Colts are 10-2.

[Abe Sargent]

Week 14 – We head to Atlanta and win 28-20. DE Velazquez is NFL Defensive Player of the Week with 3 sacks, 5 hurries, and 4 QB knockdowns. OG Satre rocked 3 KRB and a pancake. And a pick by SS Iloka. Bortles, Game MVP and NFL Offensive Player of the Week, was 25 of 29 for 313 and 3:0. He hit Robinson for 8 grabs, 120 yards, and 2 scores and Wild for a 3rd score. RB Brooks rushed for the final score.

WLB Houston is back to 100%.


Week 15 – We head to Houston and….lose….35-30. Gohl and Brooks each rushed for a score, and Bortles was a frantic 33 for 46, 408 yards, but 2:4. He hit Lee for 1 score and Crawford for the other. Pick by CB Meadows.

QB Bortles is probable with a sprained thumb and Lee with knee tendinitis. Both will start next week.


Week 16 – We host the Saints. We thump them 38-13. Bortles is Game MVp with 27 of 34 for 3471 and 3:1 and Brooks added a rushing score on the ground, Lee was 7 of 143 for 2 scores and WR Wild the other one. SS Cyprien forced a fumble that CB Meadows recovered and scrambled 16 yards for a TD. C Pearson rocked 4 KRB and OT Goldhammer 3.

Indy lost to Atlanta, and for the first time since week 5 or 6, the Colts have not been one game behind us.

They can’t beat us next week, and we are locked into 2nd place in the AFC playoffs, the Ravens are 14-1. We are guaranteed a bye.

Week 17 – We host the Colts. No matter what happens today, we get a bye and the Colts are #5. It’s just for fun. But these are the Colts. I’m going all out – I can rest folks next week! The Colts can’t. I want momentum, and I want to push these guys around after they swept us last year.

We win 31-3.

RB Gohl was injured after collecting 106 yards on the ground and was spelled by Brooks, who scored.

Bortles, MVP, was 20 of 31 today and just had 193 yards and 2:1.

Lee had a score and 57 yards, and Blackmon the other TD Catch.

We had picks today by S Tavon Wilson, ILB Melvin Robinson and WLB justin Houston

CB Janoris Jenkins forced and recovered a fumble

OT Derek Sherrod rocked 5 KRB.


A few injuries of note –

CB Shane Hopkins is questionable with a strained hammy for an unknown about of time

RB Walter Gohl is questionable with a sprained knee

WR Lee, QB Bortles, and LT Goldhammer are all probable

[Abe Sargent]

The 2019 NFL Playoffs!!!


The AFC Playoff Roster:

#1 Baltimore Ravens 15-1
#2 Jacksonville Jaguars 14-2
#3 Buffalo Bills 12-4
#4 San Diego Chargers 11-5
#5 Indianapolis Colts 11-5
#6 Pittsburgh Steelers 10-6

All have at least double digit wins. A strong group;



We are better than the NFC teams!


Wild Card Weekend!

The Colts travel to San Diego
The Steelers travel to Buffalo

The Lions head to the desert to take on the Cardinals
The 8-8 #6 seed 49ers head to the Bucs to face them here in Florida


3 of the 4 road teams hold

Arizona won 27-17
Indy stuffed them 33-9
Pittsburgh did the same 33-6
And the 49ers just edged the Bucs 17-13

[Abe Sargent]

NFL Playoffs Week #2 –

The Cardinals are heading out to Green Bay
The 49ers to Dallas

In the AFC the Steelers at going to try and upend their division rival 15-1 Ravens. The only loss the Ravens had this year was to the Steelers. That could be a good matchup.


And we are hosting the Colts. Again. After the trouncing we gave them two weeks ago, do they have a hope? We won in their place early on, but barely, 38-37.

No major injury news.

We win 30-17

Bortles is our MVp with 32 of 43 for 316 and 3:0, and hit Robinson twice for cores and 16 yards and RB Gohl for a score. Pick by CB Bryan Meadows.

Baltimore won 20-17 in a close game, Green Bay defeated Arizona (22-10) and Dallas San Francisco (36-31)

OG Theophilakatosthisguysnameiswaytoobiglakos is probable but we’ll start him next week anyway.

[Abe Sargent]

The 2019 NFL Championship Games


NFC features #1 14-2 Cowboys vs the #2 11-5 Packers


And in the AFC…


A battle that the odds-makers call a push, The #2 seed 14-2 Jacksonville Jaguars head to Baltimore to take on the 15-1, #1 seed Ravens!!



We kick a FG with 0:03 seconds left in the game to go up 31-28 and we win!!!

RB Brooks had a score on the ground

Bortles was 19 of 31 for 266 and 3:1

Lee was 5 for 118 and 1
Robinson was 6 for 121 and 2


In the NFC the traveling Packers won 36-14


We have a few injuries

CB Bryan Meadows is out with a stress fracture.

OG Satre is questionable with a triceps
RG Theo exacerbated his injury and is now questionable as well

RCB Shane Hopkins is still questionable as well.

So, for the Super Bowl.

I place CB Bryan Meadows on IR. And I sign a vet who knows this situation – Aqib Talib.

At CB Jenkins and Dennard will start the Super Bowl.

Back from injury are Bortles, Lee, GOhl and Wild. Satre will still start…..

I move some of my starters to special teams for the big game too. For example, WLB Houston is now a gunner.

[Abe Sargent]

The 2019 NFL Super Bowl


In a battle of #2 seeds!


Your NFC Champion 11-5 Green Bay Packers

Vs

Your AFC Champion 14-2 Jacksonville Jaguars


Who will win? Check it out today, only on FOX!!!


On their opening drive, Green Bay drives down the field, and QB Aaron Rodgers hits JT Stuber for a 44 yard pass for a score….

It would be the last time Green Bay scored.

Bortles nails TE Delaroche for a 3 yard pass in the last 12st to answer.

Then Gohl nets a 2 yard rush in the 2nd, and Blackmon is hit by Bortles for 11 yards before the half.

Post half, Blackmon’s 34 yard catch and score is the lone score of the 3rd quarter.

And Tyler Bernard caps things off with a FG in the 4th.

We win 31-7


Bortles is the Super Bowl MVP with 23 of 32, 187, and 3:0.

Picks were had by FS Tavon Wilson and…..CB Aqib Talib, who we played as a dimeback. Dude clearly wanted to prove himself!

[Abe Sargent]

League Awards:


Super Bowl MVP:

QB Blake Bortles


Defensive Player of the Year:

DE Cesar Velazquez


All-Pro First Team:

WR Marqise Lee
DE Cesar Velazquez


All-Pro Second Team:

CB Shane Hopkins


That’s right Hopkins!

And dang, hello Velazquez!

[Travis]

NICELY DONE!

Here's hoping there's a title defense in the future!

[Abe Sargent]

Stats:


Passing:

QB Blake Bortles – 14 starts, 346 of 476, 3996 yards, 73.3%, 37:12, 113.5 rating, 28 sacks,

Bortles looks solid in basically 13.5 games of stats.

QB Raul Hall, 2 starts, 71 of 95, 814 yards, 74.7%, 8:1, 123.7 Rating, 7 sacks

When your backup does that well, I think we would all agree that we have a strong sub. You cannot argue with that. And if we didn’t win that stretch earlier with Hall, we would have rocked the #5 seed and the Colts would have been #2. Would we still have won on the road and made it to the Super Bowl?


Rushing:

RB Walter Gohl – 244 for 1225, 11 rush TDs; 37 catches for 175 yards.

5th most rushing yards in the league, and tied for 2nd most TDs. That’s not a bad year, and I didn’t think we’d get a big reduction in production after dropping DeMarco Murray and I’m glad to see that was the case.


Receiving:

WR Marqise Lee, 119 for 1625 and 19 scores.
WR Robinson, 12 starts, 57 for 784 and 3 scores
WR Blackmon, 51 for 593 and 7
WR Wild, 43 for 557 and 5
TE Delaroche, ,38 for 410 and 5
WR Donnie Crawford, 15 for 254 and 6

Everybody was catching TD passes!

I like what TE Delaroche brought to the team. Delaroche has two things going for him – he’s an undrafted 2md year guy that’s 42/42 now, and can step in ans my starter next year, and he has an exceptional affinity with our receiving leader, Marqise Lee. Robinson does as well. It seems like Lee is always finding another level.


Special Teams:

WR Blackmon – Was 2nd in the league in KR Avg with 28.5. Only CB Justin Green ,who had two scores in 25 returns, had more.

RB Reggie Brooks – Signed in part to take over Punt Return duties, was 5th in the league among qualifiers for PR average of 11.6.

K Tyler Bernard, 22 of 24, 65 of 66 PAT. Long of 51
P Brad Nortman, 81 punts, 40.6 average - lowest in the league by far. 29 in 20



Defense:

DE Cesar Velazquez, 50 tackles, 18 assists; 22.5 sacks, 5 blocks passes, 25 hurries, 33 QB Kd
DE Kenneth Butler, 33 and 12; 8.5 sacks, 1 block, 16 huries, 2 QBKD
DE Glen Willis, 11 and 2 tackles; 6 sacks, 1 block, 13 hurries, 10 QB KD
DT Quentin Grossman, 33 and 6; 4 sacks, 2 blocks, 6 hurries, 4 QB KD
DT Colin Hover, 20 and 18; 3.5 sacks, 2 blocks, 5 hurries


Zang Cesar!


SLB Courtney Upshaw – 70 solos and 21 assists; 1 pick, 3 pasdef
MLB Melvin Robinson – 10 starts, 64 and 29, 1.5 sacks, 1 pick, 6 pasdef
WLB Houston – 34 and 11, 1 pick, 1 INT RET TD, 2 pasdef


Not a good year for my LB corps


CB Shane Hopkins – 8 picks, 18 pasdef
CB Bryan Meadows – 5 picks and 13 padef
FS Tavon Wilson – 4 picks and 6 pasdef
CB Darqueze Dennard – 1 pick, 10 pasdef
SS Jonathan Cyprien – 11 starts, 4 pasdef
SS George Iloka – 1 pick and 9 pasdef

I think it might be time to jettison Cyprien for Iloka. But we had strong CB play from my rookies the last two drafts in Meadows and Hopkins. Good job!


Blocking -

OG Marquis Satre, 29 KRB, 8 pancakes, 0 sacks allowed
C Roger Pearson, 12 starts, 28 KRB, 1 pancake, 6 sacks allowed
RT Derek Sherrod, 20 KRB, 10 sacks allowed
OG Deion Theophilakos, 15 starts, 19 KRb and 8 sacks allowd
OT Cedric Goldhammer, 16 KRB and 10 sacks allowed

FB Will Johnson, 10 KRB, 3 pancakes. I love Will!

This was a down year for Satre, who suffered with minor injuries much of the season. And was still the best O-Line on a team, so I can’t complain that much. Meanwhile Pearson would have been something nice. Among qualifiers in the league with at least 12 games, Pearson had the 2nd best Block Percentage at 50.9; he was really on fire.

Come on Goldhammer! At some point in time you have to shake off that new car smell and step up to the plate! I’m really glad about extended Pearson. Hopefully Deion Theo will be a nice complement for Satre moving forward now that he got a lot of that green out of his system.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Travis

NICELY DONE!

Here's hoping there's a title defense in the future!

Thanks!!!

[Abe Sargent]

Team Awards:

Offensive Player of the Year – RB Walter Gohl – Despite a weak year in blocking for us, Gohl was still 5th most in rushing yards in the league and 2nd most in rushing TDs. And this isn’t exactly a guy like DeMarco Murray, you know? As of right now, our scouts place Gohl as the 14th best RB in the league. (Murray dropped to 51/51, so we cut him at precisely the right time, btw). To get these stats, on a pass-happy team, that didn’t give him great blocking, is pretty good stuff. Good job buddy! Gohl just fits us. And cheaply! We have him signed through 2021, this is just his 5th year he’s 25 years old, he’s a solid 54/54 guy and he’s a 1.98 cap hit this year)


Defensive Player of the Year – DE Cesar Velazquez – Velazquez pulled a Satre. What do I mean? He led the league in two key stats – sacks and QB knockdowns. He was a force of absolute disruption in the backfield and a key reason we went 14-2 in the regular season. My D Line has gone from a regret to a joy.


Special Teams Player of the Year – WR Justin Blackmon – Had another really good year returning the ball. He just continues to give us really good field position after our opponents score and we need momentum back. That hidden yardage really adds up!


Rookie of the Year – WR Joshua Wild – Virtually every rookie I signed and drafted either was inactive or so deep on the chart that little happened, with two exceptions. WR Wild and Crawford. Wild rocked a solid and respectable 12.95 yards/catch and 5 scores. Can’t argue with success!


Heart Award – WR Donnie Crawford – For a late round pick with little value behind four very good wideouts, Crawford did surprisingly well. When your 5th WR had 6 Tds during the year, that’s something worth spending some time giving out accolades. Thanks Donnie!

[Abe Sargent]

After the season is over, and we won our first Super Bowl in year 6 of this dynasty, where are my players now, the ones we care about?


SE Joshua Wild is now 59/83. That’s a huge gain in skill, and he rose to the 2nd best player on the Green page. Here take a look:





You can just see a few differences here and there! As of right now, just as a 59 current, Wild is a strong WR. But now WR in the game has a potential (or current) in the 80s, other than Wild. So there is a chance that Wild could be the best receiver in the NFL is a year or two.

The first WR to go in the draft to the Bengals at 1/21 Is 59/78 right now. So both look really nice. We both won the NFL draft.

To be fair though, I thought I had won it last year when I took Goldhammer late in the 1st and he was clear and away the best player on the board and he’s been a weak link two years running.

WLB Houston dropped to 62/62. He’s 31, and he dropped his salary over the next two years for us to extend him. He’s fine, I wouldn’t need to move him.

Ideally, I’d like to see if I can trade for a major TE. There are 9 Tes that have a rating of 60 or more. I’d love to see if I could secure one for our team. None are slated to be FA. KC has two, since they drafted the stud in the draft this year, and they already had 66/66 Travis Kelce.

FB Johnson dropped ot 54/54

That’s look like its about all it for major changes to stuff.

[Abe Sargent]

End of the 2019 Season –

Performance - 86
Value – 82
Profit – 79
Roster Strength – 25

77 Score

Salary cap rises 6.4 mill

[Abe Sargent]

New Hall of Fame – Brady, Brees, Andre Johnson, Jared Allen, Jason Witten, DeMarcus Ware

Retirements:

We lose OLB Justin Houston and CB Aqib Talib. Damn it Justin!


Others of Note:

CB Leon Hall
TE Martellus Bennett
OT Joe Thomas
ILB Lawrence Timmons
RB Knowshown Moreno
QB Tony Romo
CB Cary Williams
OT Ryan Clady
WR Eric Decker
TE Jermaine Gresham (Bye Bye!)
WR Calvin Johnson
WR Dexter McCluster
CB Sam Shields
DE Chandler Jones
ILB Jerod Mayo
C Morgan Cox
CB Jerraud Powers
QB Eli Manning
CB Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie
CB Ellis Lankster (Bye Bye!)
QB Ben Roethlisberger
QB Phillp Rivers
DE Cliff Avril
RB Alfred Morris

Wow that’s a lot of QBs leaving. Romo, the other Manning, Rivers and Ben Ben. That really hurts the QB position in the league

As of right now:

QBs by current value

CJ Ellison – Ravens, took him 1.4 in the THREE AWESOME QB draft – 85/85
Andrew Luck – 77/77
Rich Dillon – Bucs, 1.1 pick in the Ubre QB draft, 75/75
Russell Wilson, 70/70 – dropped
Logan Thomas – 65/65
Cam Newton – 63/63
Blake Bortles – 61/61
Teddy Bridgewater – 59/59
Johnny Manziel – 58/58

And honorable mention to Rodney Drietzt, 58/73, with the Saints, the 3rd of the Ubre QBs taken 1.2,

Rodgers? 55/55
Dalton? 51/51
Matt Ryan? 50/50

Russell Wilson fell some in value post-signing with the Texans. Still threw for 5389 yards though.

It won’t be long before some others begin to drop and retire

[Abe Sargent]

Team stuff?

We made 21 mill last year

We are now worth 776 mill, 14th lowest

3rs best Roster
18th best support
14th worst economy
5th worst stadium


96.5% attendance


Staff?

We pick 25th. Once again our Assistant Coach was promoted somewhere else. There is a better STR Coordinoatr there and I move ot him as well.


Str Coor – Wesley Lincoln. 34 yers old, 850k, strength is specialization, and solid bars, all in the 60s-ish.

Asst. Coach – Irv Richmond, 59, 1.38 mill, QB focus, I chose him because he was good with scouting and interviewing. Was 55/44 as a head coach of the Rams. (He’s basically Jeff Fisher)

[Abe Sargent]

FAs:

TE Maloney
DT Allen
CB Dennard
FS Tate
LS Johnstone

No reason to use a tag on those folks!

RFA:

TE Doctrow
RT Richardson

And that’s it. I have 46 players under contract and just 11 mill under the cap – 4.2 for other non-draft acquisitions.

Let’s head to FA

My only major need is at LB to replace Houston.

Who am I losing at the end of 2020?

RT Derek Sherrod
P Brad Nortman
FB Will Johnson
SLB Courtney Upshaw
FL Justin Blackmon
FL Allen Robinson
QB Raul Hall
NT Colin Hover
MLB Irving Ward
RCB Shane Hopkins
LCB Jacob Tudor
TE JR Delaroche


There are a ton of good, quality Ps out there in FA. 6 Punters have a current rating of 50+. No reason to focus on Nortman.

[MizzouRah]

Congratulations Champs!

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Congratulations Champs!

Yay champs!

Took 6 years, which is feasible. We got a great year in year three with a 13-3 season I didn't expect. Made it to the Bowl only to lose. Then we lost Bortles and ran against an undefeated Denver juggernaut the next year, and then we got a major in-season collapse that dropped us to #5 and we couldn't get out of the away-game problem while in-division Houston made it all of the way to the Bowl (but lost). This felt like our year, with only 15-1 Ravens a team that felt like it would be a threat, and when the Packers defeated their 14-2 NFC foes to make it out, it seemed like everything aligned perfectly this year. About time too!

[Abe Sargent]

So here are my major requirements:

1 – sign CB Shane Hopkins to a new deal
2 – Find a good OLB to replace Houston
3 – See if I can trade for a really high quality TE
4 – Figure out my WR problem. I have one too many quality WRs.
5 – Figure out who my future is at MLB – Robinson or Irving – can’t extend both
6 – Hunt for some good deals in FA as always
7 – Prepare my roster for a good Best-Player Available draft again.
8 – Figure out and resign, or not, a few major players.

I sign RFA RT Richardson to a two year deal for us

I can lose a mill off this year’s cap by resigning FB Will Johnson to two more years. He’s 30 and already dropped once to 54/54. I think we can let him play this year, and then move on. Or cut him and save 3.5 mill. The only issue is that he’s my backfield leader.

Neither Blackmon nor Robinson are getting any trade offers on the market. No GM is interested, no matter how much cap space they have. Which is off I feel.

Who do I want more:

Blackmon is 30; Robinson 26

That’s really what it comes down to in my mind.


I extend WR Allen Robinson by three more years. I move Wild over to Flanker so him and Lee and start, and Robinson will be my 3rd guy now.

[Abe Sargent]

I cut P Brad Nortman – I’ll sign another in FA.

I extend QB Raul Hall by a year

OLB Upshaw wants his contract tripled to be extended. Nope!

Do I want to move from Cyprien to iloka officially this season?

I trade Cyprien for the 4th and 6th round selections in next year’s draft to the Oakland Raiders.

I extend SS Iloka’s deal by two more years. We are now committed to him.

I only hope I can get a pick at the back of the 2nd round this year like I did a few years ago when I snagged CB Hopkins at the 2.31 spot. I extend him to a 5 year deal, with 7.39 mill cap hit this year.

Now we’ve got the Hopkins thing figured out. What else?

Ward or Robinson? Who’s to be my MLB?

Robinson wants twice as much money to be extended. He’s two years younger, and I have to admit that I’m fond of keeping my own draftees when they work out. I’ll hold off a decision for now.

For cap reasons, and to chase some FA, I cut FB Johnson. Sorry Will! I love ya!

[Abe Sargent]

Now I have 4.8 mill in cap room to chase players pre-draft.

What about that TE? Could I acquire one?

I call up KC. Their #1 need is a starting MLB, and oh look, I have two.


They don’t want to trade away their stud they just drafted, he;s a fan favorite.

I trade MLB Melvin Robinson for TE Travels Kelce and their 3rd rounder in 2022

TE Travis Kelce – two years left, we are paying him 6 mill this year and next. 30 years old, 69/69 TE, welcome to the club.

I extend MLB Irving Ward for two more years. Even on the downside of his career, this is a major improvement, and I got a 3rd rounder in the future too. Winning!

I cut Justin Blackmon to make some more cap space to pursue FA, now that TE Kelce is on my roster.

[Poli]

All caught up now! Congrats!

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Poli

All caught up now! Congrats!

Thanks!

[Abe Sargent]

Let’s move forward

I look over the FA that I like, so see about a nice offer:

P Leslie Bridgeman – the best one in FA
SLB Shawn Branton – The best OLB in FA


I’m not going to prioritize getting a new FB right now.

There is a 53/53 TE out there and he wants more money his first year than Kelce get’s paid.

What are other areas of need?

FB
Backup TE
Backup WR
Future (or current) replacement for OT Derek Sherrod
P
Future starting DT, or none at all
Backup LB
Backup CBx2
Backup S

Not a lot. After cuts and trades, we are still rocking 43 players under contract

So I might as well make a stab at a cheap FB – FB Robbie Wheatley

[Abe Sargent]

Any others that I like? Let’s push and see


Week 3 – Nothing

Week 4 – Nothing

Week 5 – CB Dennard signed with the Cowboys

Week 6 – OG Mike Iupati signed with Oakland

Week 7 – We sign SLB Shawn Branton. I slide him to WLB. He has an affinity with SLB Courtney Upshaw

Week 8 – We sign LS Grayson Johnstone; CB Jeremy Harris signs with Green Bay

Week 9 – We sign FB Wheatley. Meanwhile FB Johnson is heading to St. Lous and Manti Te’o to Cleveland

Week 10 – We sign P Bridgeman.

I have just 260,000 left in cap space after those signings. We have 47 players under our roster and look good for the draft.

I take a quick look to see if there are any others I want to attack. Any great deals? Nah, I’m ready to commit to the draft now.


Time to do some interviews. Try and find folks still at the 1.32 spot of quality. This is a very Center heavy draft with a ton of talent, including a Center who appears to be the next incarnation of OG Satre, as a C. I have Pearson, but would I be willing to swap him out? Nah, I’ve committed too much for Pearson financially. Hmm… could I move Pearson back to OG? If you’ll recall, I drafter Pearson as an OG in the 2nd and then moved him to C for me.


Week 11 – Blackmon signs with Houston. He’ll be catching balls from QB Russell Wilson. P Nortman signed with the Bucs.

Week 12 – CB Alec Bowbliss signed with the Steelers. TE Maloney with the Broncos

[Abe Sargent]

The 2020 NFL Draft

The Skins take DT Alex Sweeney to open things up.

We are picking at X.32 each round, and we have the 4.17 and 6.15 as well

I interviewed both of the players at the top of the draft at the 1.32 spot. Both OTs, and both came back underrated. Either one looks adequate, but not sexy. One is a pass blocking specialist and very strong, but with little run blocking. The other is a blocking specialist for both, but with little strength. I take that one – Myron Starks.

A few good players head off the board and I look around to see what BAP sort of picks are rocking the block…. Ohh…RB? Last year’s huge run on RB, hundreds of quality ones went, has dropped the value of those out there and several RBs are here looking really nice at the 2.32 spot. RB Shawn McIntyre, for example, has a blue combine number is every single stat save for broad jump. I look at a few to find a special teams specialist that I like named Jose Rivers.

We’re at the back of the 3rd now, and it looks time to begin taking stuff I need. No RBs I don’t need ya, sorrys, you know? I grab CB Colton Hanks

Our 4.17 arrives, that we traded for. The best player on the board who is not something we already drafted, other than Qb, is ILB Brent Greer. So I grab Greer. He has a potential affinity, which is nice.

At the end of the 4th I decide to take the QB that is still on the board. I don’t need it. But QB Hardy Schaefer is quite the BAP here. He has an affinity and he looks to have really strong bars. But he is super green – 10% developed. I grab him

Another need pick arrives and I tag CB Owen Horn, who looks like a really strong returner and special teams guy for my team.

6.15 sees me snag a backup FB in case my signed guy sucks. Then at 6.32 I pick a WR and then a TE with my final selection.




The 2020 Jacksonville Jaguars Draft Class

1. OT Myron Starks, Stanford
2. RB Jose Rivers, Duke
3. CB Colton Hanks, Arizona
4. ILB Brent Grer, Temple; QB Hardy Schaefer, Notre Dame
5. CB Owen Horn, Central Michigan
6. FB Dashawn Chorak, Georgia Tech; WR Roman Fahey, North Texas
7. TE Skip Hillery, Oregon State

[Abe Sargent]

Whoa!

We got an A+ draft report. That doesn’t happen. Let’s look at my rookies!

We have 2 on the Green Page:

OT Myron Starks is the 4th lowest player on the Page, but he’s there. RB Rivers is on there too. Two other RBs chart more highly than Rivers, all were taken in the 2nd round.

Early rookie impressions?

RT Starks – 23/66
RB Rivers – 43/63
FB Chorak – 21/50
QB Schaefer – 8/47
TE Hillery – 21/42
WR Fahey – 19/40
MLB Greer – 17/32
CB Hanks – 23/49
CB Horn – 15/33

So we had a lot of 40s potential in there. But OT Starks and RB Rivers appear to be really solid investments. Again, this is early days, but that looks promising.


Let’s move to Late FA

I have a hold out. SLB Courtney Upshaw.

I didn’t use a lot of money in draft stuff, so I have about 3 mill in spare cap room to extend Upshaw. I don’t have enough cap space to extend him, and I still need to sign more folks.

I need a 4th S on my roster. I make a vet minimum offer to bring back FS Tate.

I am way too far up against the cap for normal offers…

I can make some cuts though. Like RB. Even if Jose Rivers busts, I can comfortably drop a RB now for cap reasons. I cut RB Matthew Dorsey and QB Edgar Estevez.

I cut OT Sherrod to clear up cap space, but it’s a risk. He’s my O Line leader, but has no conflicts or affinities. My new leader is OT Glenn. Uh oh. I have three conflicts with him. He’s just a backup OT mentor guy. I cut Glenn as well. I make an offer to a veteran, mentor, OT that can come in and I make an offer to RT Terrance Richmond, 37/37; 7 years old, from the Bills, to come in. He’d be my leader, and mentor to OTs, and OG Tinkis and OT Starks are happy about that too.

I make an offer to UFA C Luis Dillon and WLB Lukas Schmadl

There are a few UFas that look really good I’m steering clear of for affinity reasons (22/49 TE Raymond Malio) and a logjam at the position (FB 18/52 Corbin Poole)

Week 2 – We sign C Dillon, FS Tate – I bump up my offer to WLB Schmadl to fend off competition

Week 3 – I sign RT Richmond. WR Van Linn agreed to teams with Seattle

Week 4 – WLB Schmadl is coming to Jacksonville

Anyone else out there that intrigues me?

Not really. I would re-sign Upshaw, but I’m pissed at the hold out, I’ma make him wait.

[Abe Sargent]

Are you ready for the camp time?


Post-Camp, let’s look at my OT Myron



He’s nothing too exciting with the 22 strength, but I think we’d all agree that he’s a solid 1.32 OT selection will can come in and start, and be a potential house down the road. If he winds up in the 60/60 area someday down the road, then Starks is a strong guy. Plus, he’s gotten a little bit better from the draft, when he was supposedly 23/66 and now 29/68.

[Abe Sargent]

Any of my other rookies bust or boom significantly?

RB Rivers is 44/62 and looking fine. He started – 43/63, so the camp really didn’t help – odd.

Here’s the RB now:




He’s the 4th best RB in the draft, and a solid backup for Gohl, and who knows about the future?

[Abe Sargent]

CB Colton Hanks from my 3.32 pick boomed a bit and is now 27/52,and that’s pretty sexy. He is the 6th best CB by current ability and the 5th by potential according to our scouts. Getting him 3.32 is strong stuff.

Some later picks waffled or dropped though. QB Schaefer as one example.

WR Wild is now 56/83 and 27/36 for Donnie Crawford. Other players from the 2019 draft have dropped or not climbed, and that draft is now just solely about Wild it seems. Guys we drafted like 3rd round OG Tinkis (22/36), are done. In fact, UFA RT Artie Richardson is the 2nd best player from last year’s draft at 29/43 on our team. 2nd rounder WLB Mitchell looks horrendous. This was all about Joshua Wild. Who may end up being something, so that’s a solid grab, but still…


In the rest of the 2020 draft, as I mentioned, there was a house of an OC Brady Stevenson, who went 1.22 to the Bucs, and post-Camp is 53/90.

The best O Lineman generated in the last six years is Satre at 95/59. The next highest is 2nd year OG 76/76 and then 75/75 OT Archie Chustz. C Stevenson can be a real house as you can see.

The best OT in the draft was 1.23 Aidan Veal, who is 48/83. We didn’t get that lucky. If I had realized, I would have traded up to get him. Starks is good, but just downright sinful. The Chargers just won that draft! You don’t get a player that good at that important of a position outside of the top ten. 1.8 Denver took the top OT on the board and he’s 45/68 which isn’t embarrassing or anything. Cooper Wayt also went to the Cards at the 1.26 spot, and he’s 22/63. So we have the solid 29/68 Starks. Three QBs went with potentials in the high 50s or low 60s in the first round as well.

[Abe Sargent]

I have to make some post-Camp cuts:

C Ross President, last year’s 6th rounder
DE Oscar Freeman
WLB Roderick Mitchell, last year’s 2nd rounder

I sign UFA LDE Tyler Hastings, a 22/32 guy

I extend OLB Courtney Upshaw by two more years. He comes off of his hold-out.


We have 2.6 mill in cap space after that. His cost to extend dropped down after camp. Let’s look at our roster, and then begin to ask some questions:


QB Bortles 61/61 – Raul Hall has dropped to 28/28. I don’t see me using him for too much longer.

RB Walter Gohl (54/54) with Reggie Brooks at 45/45 and a good return man and rookie Rivers too.

FB Robbie Wheatley – 50/50 and cheap and our backfield leader too

TE Travis Kelce – 68/68; JR Delaroche, 42/42

WR Wild - 56/83 and Lee – 71/71 and Robinson – 50/50 are still rocking things hard-like

C Pearson – 52/52

OG Satre – 95/95 and studly; Theophilakos – 44/56 – and backup Linder is 41/41

OT sees Goldhammer at 53/53; Starks with 29/68 and backup/mentor Terrence Richmond at 38/38

P Leslie Bridgeman – 57/57; K Tyler Bernard – 60/60; LS Grayson Johnstone

DE Butler – Dropped to 48/48; Velazquez is 67/67 and DE Willis 38/38

DT Grossman is 54/54; Hover 43/43

At LB we have Irving Ward at MLB with 53/53; Upshaw at SLB with 53/53 and recent signee Shawn Branton, the best OLB in FA at 52/52. No good backups though - the best is OLB Leon Russell at 39/39

For CBs we have starters and draftees CB Bryan Meadows – 51/51 and Shane Hopkins – 59/59; backups include Janoris Jenkins at 49/49; Jacob Tudor at 40/40 and rookie Colton Hanks with a 27/52 spot.

Meanwhile at the safety spot we traded Cyprien in the offseason and are now committed to SS George Iloka (56/56) and FS Tavon Wilson returns – (53/53). Both are older (30 and 30 respectively) so this is not a permanent answer, but they both work.

[Abe Sargent]

Here are players of note with their contract up at the end of the year:

DT Hover; TE Delaroche; CB Jacob Tudor; LG Brandon Linder

That’s not a lot, obviously. Hover is 29 years old, and I decide to extend his deal by two years at 2.5 mill. Even at 43/43, if I end up bringing in someone later who is a lot better, Hover can slide to back-up. And that locks up Hover.


We sold 55,600 season tickets after I increased prices in the post-season to reflect the Super Bowl win.

What do others think:

8th best QB, 3rd worst backup
16th best RB, 6th best reserves
12th best FB
5th best TE; 9th best reserve
5th best WR; 4th worst reserve
19th best C; 6th worst reserve
2nd best OG; 7thg worst reserve
12th worst OT; 9th worst reserve
15th best P; 11th best K
9th best DE; 6th worst reserve
18th best DT; 8th worst reserve
8th worst MLB
18th best OLB; 7th worst reserve
10th best CB; 12th worst reserve
14th best S; 4th worst reserve

[Abe Sargent]

I’m considering extending OG Theophilakos this year, rather than next. The contract of Theo, CB Meadows, and OT Goldhammer all end 2021. Goldhammer has not played that well, and wants a ton of money to sign a post-draft deal, so I may just let him go. Meadows wants real money too. Last year he had 5 picks and 13 pasdef. Another year like that and I may just do that. Theo though is not fully developed. To sign him long term is just an upgrade this year from a 840k hit to 2.64 mill. Next year he bumps from 1 mill to 3.3, Then he is signed for 3.6 and 4. The benefit is that I lock him down now, when it’s a 44/56 guy. If he has a really good season, I don’t want to cost too much money to lock him up. I did that with DE Butler for example, and it worked out.

Another concern is that I remove any draft flexibility with great interior linemen by signing Theo full time. What if I get a really good high-quality player in the late 1st or into the 2nd? I probably lose some of my flexibility to chase whoever is still good on the board. For example, I grabbed Theo in the 3.29 spot. I also snagged C Pearson at the 52/52 spot, and he was an OG I moved over, and was better as an OG in the mid-60s, but I had o line flexibility built in. What happens if that falls off because I sign Theo.

I hold off for now. Might as well get through the Exhibition games!

Week 2 - We lose to Seattle 34-31. RB Rivers is questionable.

Week 3 – We beat the Vikings 35-24. CB Hopkins is out for 3 weeks.

Week 4 – We lose to Arizona 20-17.

Week 5 – We smash the Pack 38-7. TE Kelce has tonsillitis and will miss 3 weeks with it.

After busting post-camp, and showing nothing since, I cut 6th rounder FB Dashawn Chorak, and we are at 53.

Alright, folks, let’s go get another ring!

[Abe Sargent]

The 2020 Regular Season

Week 1 – We travel to Houston to face the Texans in our opening game. We win 41-38. But, we have some bad news. Hold on though. MVP is Blake Bortles who has 32 of 44 for 312 and 1:0. RB Gohl caught that scout, and was 20 for 49 yards and a score in the ground. RB Brooks also had a rushing scores. With my offense just accounting for 3 scores, how did we get 41 points? RB Brookes had a 67 yard punt return for a score. DT Quentin Grossman a 8 yard fumble recovery for a score. Then add in 2 FGs, and that’s our 41 points. Pick by S Tavon Wilson, DE Velazquez and DT Hover with forced fumbles, 2 sacks by DE Velazquez, picking up right where he left off from last year’s Defensive MVP Campaign, 1 sack by Grossman. 3 KRB for backup OG Brandon Linder.

Next week, CB Hopkins will return to our lineup.

Multiple major injuries from the game though:

FL Joshua Wild is out for 3 weeks with a hyperextended elbow
CB Janoris Jenkins doubtful with pulled groin
RG Deoin Theo, doubtful with abdominal straing
QB Blake Bortles, questionable, strained quads

That’s not good.

I don’t want this season to be injury-apocalypse. I toss on inactive roster everyone but Bortles. Linder, Hopkins, and Allen Robinson are starting again.

Week 2 – We host and crush the Lions 38-10. Bortles injured, is still MVP of the game with 27 of 38 for 234 and 3:1. Lee has 10 catches 105 yards and 2 scores. RB Gohl carries the rock for 124 yards and 2 scores 20 carries, and backup RB Brooks rocks 12 for 68 while spelling him. TE Skip Hillery catches the final score. CB Bryan Meadows with 2 picks and S Wilson with one. Sacks by DE Butler, DE Willis, DE Velazquez. 5 KRB by C Pearson, 4 and a pancake by Satre. 3 by Linder and Goldhammer.


Bortles was upgraded to probable.


Week 3 – We host the Bills and send them back losers 24-13. Defensive Player of the Week and Game MVP is DE Velazquez with 9 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and 1 hurry and 3 knockdowns. He was a force all game long. 2 sacks by DT Hover too. S Iloka grabbed a pick. OG Satre had 3 KRB and another pancake. Bortles was 25 of 36 for 3:1, Golh was 14 carries for 59 yards, and Lee was 7 catches for 132 and 1 score, WR Robinson rocked a TD Catch as well as RB Hutchins, our 4th guy, just in for Wild and normally inactive. I mean Bortles will hit ya. Last week is was 3rd strong rookie and 7th rounder TE Hillery with a score. Have two hands? Are you standing? Bortles is going to nail you for a score. And one of those is negotiable.

New injury – DT Quentin Grossman, questionable with a bruised sternum for 6 weeks.

No one is coming back yet. I’ll leave Grossman in for now. He’s pretty key to our D Line.

Week 4 – We host the undefeated Bengals and win 27-10. Bortles was again MVp with 26 of 37 for 303 and 3:0 – WR Roman Fahey, our 6.32 rookie and 5th WR this year was 10 catches for 150 yards and 1 score. WR Robinson was 7 for 81, and FB Wheatley and WR Lee had the others. RB Gohl rocked 15 carries for 115 yards. Picks by CB Hopkins and Meadows. DE Velazquez added 2 sacks and 2 knockdowns, and S Iloka notched a sack as well. OT Goldhmamer with 4 KRB.


More injuries:

WR Lee is out for with a pulled calf muscle for 4 weeks.
TE JR Delaroche is out for 3 weeks with a concussion
RB Reggie Brooks is out for 2 weeks with a strained abductor muscle.

Coming back:

TE Kelce

I’m bringing WR Wild back one week early too.

That’s it.

[Abe Sargent]

Week 5 – We host Cleveland and barely emerge winners 44-38. Bortles, MVP, 38 or 49, 492 and 4:2, WR Wild is 13 for 160 and 2 scores, TE Kelce, in his first game with us after trading for him is 7 for 101, and RB Gohl and FB Wheatley with receiving scores too. Meanwhile Gohl is 23 for 166 and a score on the ground, and 2nd rounder RB Jose Rivers rushes for another. CB Tuder with a pick, and No sacks on the day at all. OG Satre, Linder, and OT Goldhammer all had 4 KRB. FB Wheatley had 2 and a pancake.

There is a reason I kept extended Linder with min-sal contracts, and it was in case of a injuries to my peops. Right now, he has 13 KRB in 21 KRO for a large 61.9%, and just 1 sack allowed in 4 starts and one game subbed in for Theo. I don’t need to extend Theo. Even without Linder as my OG, we’ll be fine I think.

Back from injury – OG Theophilakos, CB Jenkins. Theo is back, but because he’s the hot-guy, Linder will remain in for now. No reason to punish success.

Week 6 – We host the 4-1 Colts, and this is a major game for us. Which we lose. 31 to 35. Argh. Bortles? 32 of 47 for 2:1 and 331 yards – WR Wild for 10 and 120, WR Fahey for 7 and 79 and 1 score, WR Robinson for another TD, RB Gohl for 19 and 104 and 1, WR Donnie Crawford rushes for a score on a reverse. No picks or fumbles by us, 2 sacks by S Iloka, 1 by Grossman. OG Satre with a pancakes and 4 KRB and OG Linder with 3 KRB on 4 KRO.

WR Allen Robinson is out with a strained Achilles tendon for 4 weeks.

Coming back is RB Brooks.

I am required to have 4 active and healthy WR on my roster, I currently have 3. I activate Lee, who is doubtful. I will not be playing him, Donnie Crawford is starting at SE.

Week 7 – We head to Pittsburgh to face the 2-4 Steelers. It’s not even close – 47-21 us. I was a little worried with injuries, but I didn’t need to be. We’re a professional team Bortles, MVP again, 30 of 44 for 228 and 4:1. WR Fahey with 9 for 65 and a score, WR Crawford with 5 for 47 and 2 scores, and TE Kelce with the other . RB Brooks, spelling Gohl, grabbed a ground TD. Picks by OLB Upshaw, S Iloka, And CB Hopkins. Fumbled recovered by Iloka as well. We had a crazy play where RB Brooks fumbled the ball away, our only fumble on the day. It was recovered, and then as it was being returned, WR Wild forces a fumble of his one, and OG Satre falls on it to end the play. Weird stuff. Sacks by DT Hover, DE Butler, and S Myles Clinton, OG Satre with 5 KRB and 3 pancakes. Linder was stymied, and I’ll move back to Theo next week,


Injury news – TE Delaroche is back from injury.

Week 8 – We travel to the 4-3 Ravens and barely emerge 35-34. We were down by 13 with 6 minutes left, and then Wild caught two TDs on back to back drives, the last at 0:36 to win the game. RB Gohl had 53 on 11 for 1 score, and Bortles rushed for a score too. He was 34 of 51 for 372 and 3:3. Kelce had 8 for 73, Wild 7 for 105 and 2, and RB Brookes added an aerial TD grab. Picks by OLB Upshaw and MLB Ward. 1.5 sacks by DT Fisk, and 1 by ILB Ward. C person with 5 KRB, and Satre with 3 and a pair of pancakes as well.


Injury news – RB Brooks s out again for 2 weeks wth a strained calf musle. FB Wheatly is probable with a bruised ribcage for a few weeks,

Coming back – Marqise Lee and Bortles’s injury is now over that he was nursing the first half of the season.

At the halfway mark:

AFC South

7-1 – Jaguars
5-3 Colts
4-3 Titans
3-4 Texans

In Afc Bengals are 7-1, and Jets 6-1 and both Broncos and Chiefs 6-1. Lots of top talent there. In the NFC, just one team with one loss and 2 with two losses. We have 5 with one though. So we aren’t in the clear by any means.

Stats?

Gohl is 3rd in rushing yards, tied for 4th in rush TD
Velazquez is in from of league in sacks,
Satre in league lead with KRB and more than twice as many pancakes (9) as the next highest (4)

Satre is an entire O Line by himself!

Alright, let’s keep this wagon train a-moving!

[Abe Sargent]

Week 9 – The Titans head into town and leave 4-4 after we blast-hammer them 45-15. Bortles, Game MVP and Offensive Player of the Week rocked 28 of 32 for 450 and 5:0, hitting Lee for 156 yards and 3 scores, Wild for 137 and 1, and WR Fahey for 82 and a score as well. Gohl added 66 on 14 for a score, and Rivers had 58 on 8 as a backup. Very little running, today was all air. OG Theo, fresh off his stint on the bench, had 4 KRB out of 4 KRO and Goldhammer added 3 and a pancake. 2 sacks by DT Hover and 1 by DT Small. We even had a pick by rookie and backup CB Owen Horn.

We have a bye next week, but DT Grossman, FB Wheatley are all healed. Fl Robinson and RB Brooks will return post-bye as well

Everyone is back from all injuries, not even a single probable lingers!

Week 11 – We host the Texans fresh off their 42-16 thumping of the Colts last week. They clearly want to send out a message that they are still in this division. Don’t worry, we win 28-17. Bortles, MVP, 26 of 36 for 293 and 2:0; Wild with 105 yards and a score, RB Rivers with a catch; RB Golh rushes 20 for 80 and a score; picks by CBs Jenksins, Hopkins, and the other rookie CB Hanks. DE Velazquez with the game’s lone sack.

Injuries?

MLB Irving Ward, probable
LCB Jacob Tudor, out for one week
RB Jose Rivers, questionable for 2 weeks.


Week 12 – We travel to 6-4 Vikings and emerge victorious 45-25. Bortles is MVP and Offensive Player of the Week with 34 of 38 for 381 and 5:0, and hit Lee for 8 passes, 116 yards, 2 scores; WR Wild 10 for 80; WR Robinson 4 for 91 and a score; FB Wheatly and TE Kelce for scores as well. Gohl was 15 for 89 and a score. OLB Upshaw and CB Meadows grabbed picks, CB Shane Hopkins forced a fumble, DT Small, with the game’s lone sack, C Pearson with 3 KRB.


In injury news – CB Tudor is back. Meanwhile OLB Upshaw is doubtful for a month with a pulled groin, and I pull him for next game at least.


Week 13 – We head to San Diego back don’t have a any travelling woes as we emerge victorious 30-3. Bortles, MVP, 20 of 29, 299, 3:0, Lee with 129 and a score, WR Robinson with 69 and one, and TE Kelce with 20 and a score as well. Picks by S Iloka and CB Hanks. Forced Fumble by DE Velazquez, recovered by DE Butler. 2.5 sacks on the day by Cesar, and DT Small added 1 as well. C person with 3 KRB.

RB Rivers is back form injury. Meanwhile Iloka, is probable.

[Abe Sargent]

Week 14 - We host, and just trounce the Bears, 42-3. GOhl rushed 16 for 58 and 3 scores, and Bortles, MPV, was 23 of 31 for 376 and 2:1. Lee was 7 for 78 and a score and Wild was 7 for 182 and the other score. CB Jenkins for a 23 yard pick and score, and CB Meadows and MLB Ward added a pick each as well. 7 players on our team got a sack, but no one had more than 1.0 on the day. Goldhmmaer with 3 KRB.

MLB Ward, Iloka, RCB Hanks are all done with minor injuries. TE Kelce is out for 3 weeks with a strained calf muscle though. Delaroche is back in to start. Meanwhile OG Marquis Satre is doubtful with turf toe. Linder will start again.

Week 15 – We host the Colts. If we win today then we win the AFC South. We don’t lose. We win 44-19. Denefive Player of the Week is DE Glen Willis, who subbing for our Des racked up 3 sacks. DE Velazquez was quiet with sacks, but had a blocked pass, 3 hurries and 2 knockdowns. Not like he wasn’t there! FB Wheatley had 3 KRB. Picks by MLB Ward and CB Meadows. Bortles was MVP with 23 of 27 for 262 and 3:0 and he he TE Delaroche for 677 yard and a score on the day, as well as FB Wheatley and WR Crawford for scores. Gohl rushed for 99 yards and a score.

In injury news DT Hover is doubtful for 2 weeks with a hyperextended knee and I bench him. DT Fisk will start. DT small has been a great pass rush specialist, but he’s not good against the run at all.


Week 16 – We head to Green Bay to take out the Pack. 24-6. This was closer than the score indicated. CB Bryan Meadows was Game MVP and Defensive Player of the week with 3 picks, 2 returned for 64 and 50 yard scores. DT Grossman grabbed 1.5 sacks. OT Goldhammer with 3 KRB and 1 pancake. QB Bortles was 24 of 34 for 238 and 1:0, and hit Robinson for a score and Lee for 105 yards.


Injuries? No major news, but a few people like DT Fisk and FS Wilson are now probable.


We have secured a first round bye.


Week 17 – We travel to Tennessee and win 21-17. DE Velazquez is MVP and Defensive Player of the Week with 2.5 sacks, OT Myron Starcks had 4 KRB and a pancacke, sacks by FS Tavon Wilson and 1.5 by Grossman. Pick by backup OLB Shawn Branton and forced fumble by Grossman, recovered by Meadow, who ran it back for a score. Gohl had 16 for 107 and a score. Bortles was 23 on 32 for 158 and 1:! And hit TE Delaroche for that score.


We finish 15-1.

[Abe Sargent]

The 2020 NFL Playoffs!


The AFC Seeds:

#1 Jaguars, 15-1
#2 Bengals 13-3
#3 Chiefs 13-3
#4 Jets 11-5
#5 Broncos 10-6
#6 Colts 10-6


Both Houston and Tennessee finished 9-7. Every team in our division had a winning season.

This week the Colts travel to KC and the Broncos head to NY.

In the NFC, they have just 2 teams with 10+ wins in the playoffs, #1 seed 12-4 Seattle and #2 seed Dallas Cowboys with 11-5. Then they have 9-7 as two division winners and two 8-8 teams as Wild Card recipients.



Winners – Jets over Broncos 30=17
Chiefs over Colts 38-14
Bucs over Vikings 21-7
Packers over Lions 38-34



Week 2, Divisional Round


Several of our players are back from injury over the last two weeks.

Still out? OG Satre, CB Jenkins

The Jets travel to north Florida and the Chiefs head to Cincinnati


We win 38-27

Bortles, MPV – 27 of 33, 309, 5:0. Lee for 10 catches and 108 yards and a TD. Wild Had 7 for 82 and 2 scores. WR Robin 4 for 61 and a score, and TE Kelce the last one. Picks by CB Hopkins and Meadowns, Forced fumble by DE Butler, sacks by Butler and S Wilson,


But?

DE Cesar Velazquez is out for 6 weeks with a separated shoulder
RB Brooks is out with an appendectomy.

I place them both on injured reserve.

Meanwhile the Bengals won 21-16, the Cowboys over Pack 31-28 and the Seahawks over the Bucs 30-20.

[Abe Sargent]

The AFC Championship


Your #1 seed 15-1 Jaguars host the #2 seed 13-3 Cincinnati Bengals!


We are favored by 4.

Meanwhile, Dallas is favored by 3 on the road.


Here we go!

Damn. We win 55-20.

Bortles? 23 of 32 for 370 and 4:2 – scores by Wild, lee, Lee, and Gohl, and Wild had 7 grabs for 203 yards. Gohl rushes 18 times for 100 yards and 2 scores, and Rivers rushed for another. Picks by Hopkins, Ward, Tudor, and Hopkins. DT hover with a sack.

For next week, OG Satre is back from turf toe. CB Jenkins is also back.

However, CB Colton Hanks is doubtful and backup C Luis Dillon out with a pulled calf muscle.


Meanwhile, Seattle won 23-0.


Now, if you’ll recall, we lost to Seattle in the 2016 Super Bowl. Then we defeated the Packers in last’s years 2019 Bowl.

[Abe Sargent]

The 2020 Super Bowl


Your AFC Champion #1 seed, returning Super Bowl Champion 15-1 Jacksonville jaguars

Vs

Your NFC Champion #1 seed 12-4 Seattle Seahawks


The Seahawks are without star WR Sebastian Ratcliff, and stud 75/75 FS Earl Thomas. We are without 4 players today. Despite being without reigning Defensive MVP of the League last year, DE Velazquez, we are favored by 9 points. Last year Green Bay wasn’t even in the game, and we won 31-7. Can we do the same to the Seahawks and revenge ourselves for the 2016 loss? Can we repeat as champions?

The Jaguars lose the toss and the Seahawks take the ball in the 2nd half. The Jaguars open with a four minute drive that RB Gohl breaks op for a 32 yard scamper for a TD at the 11:09 mark.

The first play by the Seahawks is a pass, picked by FS Tavon Wilson by the Jaguars. A few players late, Walter Gohl catches a 7 yard pass for a score with 10:03 on the 1st quarter clock.

Then the Seahwks drive a bit and punt. The Jags get it, drive, and then cap it with a RB Walter Gohl un for 6 yards for a score with 3:40 in the 1st and the Jags are up 21-0.

Not flummoxed, the Seahawks take the ball down the field and Parker Johnson breaks free for a 20 yard run to reciprocate, and its 21-8.

The Jags do the same, nonplussed, ad Joshua Wild catches a 7 yard pass from Bortles with 9:39 on the clock to make it 28-7. Then the Seahawks do the same, answering with a pass to Michael Crabtree for 4 yards with 6:39 left. The Jags are stopped by huge sack by OLB Ingram and go 3 and out. Inside the 2 minute warning, the Seahawks hit Parker Johnson for a 2 yard pass and the half its 28-21.

Both coaches make defensive adjustments in the second half, and where the first half was about offense, the second is about defense and its plays. Bortles his Joshua Wild in the middle of the 3rd for a score to go up 34-21, and that stands as the second halfs only score by either team.

Jags win 34-21.

Bortles, MVP, 27 of 34 for 3:0, 297 yards, Wild was 6 for 88 and 2 scores, Lee was 9 for 99. Gohl rushed for 110 yards and 2 scores. Pick by Wilson, Sacks by DE Willias and DT Hover. 3 KRB by Satre and Starks, and Satre had a pancake as well.


The Jaguars have won the 2020 Super Bowl Baby!

[Abe Sargent]

Season Awards:


MVP of the Year: QB Blake Bortles
Super Bowl MVP: QB Blake Bortles
Offensive Player of the Year: QB Blake Bortles
Defensive PotY (Was Khalil Mack, in case you care)

All League First Team:

QB Blake Bortles; DE Cesar Velazquez

All League Second Team:

CB Bryan Meadows

Well, welcome to the award show Bryan!

[Abe Sargent]

Stats!


This is Bortles’ best year for us, ever. Take a look:


QB Blake Bortles, 445 of 605, 5004 yards, 45:11; 73.6%, 115.0 Rating, 33 sacks, 2 fumbles

Led the league in…passing % (Next highest was Dalton with 72.2), passing yards (Next highest was Luck with 4896), passing TDs (45, next highest was Andy Dalton with 40), and was second in QB Rating behind Dalton who had 116. Among 16 game starters, Bortles was 4th fewest sacks, and fewest fumbles, by far.

His previous records in the first 6 years were 4499 yards, 38 TD, 113.5 Rating, and such. Even other stats are among his best, like 11 picks was his second fewest (He had 10 picks in 2018).


Rushing

Walter Gohl, 261 for 1321 yards, 5.06 ypc, 14 rush TD; 31 catches, 310 yards, 2 TD


Gohl had 3rd most rushing yards in the league and was tied for the most rush TD. Frankly, I think All League wouldn’t have been out of reach. Good job Gohl! His backup stated due to injury, and none had more than 311 yards. But Gohl was a rock for us. DeMarco who?


Receiving


WR Joshua Wild, 13 starts, 80 for 1124 and 7 scores
WE Lee, 12 starts for 70 for 930, and 11 scores
WR Robinson, 87 for 704 yards, 5 scores, 12 starts
WR Roman Fahey, 54 for 622 and 4
TE Travis Kelce – 9 games, 34 for 336 and 3
FB Wheatley, 32 for 220 and 4 scores
WR Crawford – 8 for 258 and 3
TE Delaroche – 24 for 271 and 2

Also catching TDs RB Jose Rivers, Reggie Brooks, Chandler Hutchins, TE Skip Hillery. Literally all four RB, our FB, all three TE, and all five WR. In fact, just four of those players only caught a single score.

Now our stats are a bit wonky due to the rotating WR problems we had when all of my big three were out for a while, and both starting TEs took a dive, and backup RBs of quality did so a well. So this isn’t the best look at my receivers this year.


Special Teams:

K Tyler Bernard, 21 of 22, long of 42, 71 of 71 PAT.
P Leslie Bridgeman 86 punts, average 44.6; 32 in 20.
RB Reggie Brooks, 1 PR RET TD; 7th best PR Average in league among qualifiers with at least 10 returns.
CB Colton Hanks, 1 KR RET TD; Among qualifiers, with at least 20 returns, was 9th best in league


Man, you can see how powerful our offense was. We has just 22 FG attempts and none were outside the 25 yard line?

Defense:

DE Cesar Velazquez, 40 solos and 16 assists, 17 sacks, 3 blocks, 22 hurries, 22 knockdowns; 2 forfum
DT Quentin Grossman – 37 and 7, 6 sacks, 2 blocks, 9 hurries, 7 Knockdowns;2 fumrec, 1 for TD
DT Colin Hover, 14 starts, 29 and 11, 6 sacks, 2 blocks, 10 hurries, 9 knockdowns
DE Glen Willis, 13 and 6 tackles; 5 sacks, 1 4 and 3.
DE Kenneth Butler – 26 and 7, 3 sacks, 4, 15 and 5.

I need to see more from Butler, that’s inexcusable.


SS George Iloka, 100 solo tackles, 24 assist, 3 sacks, 1 hurry, 3 picks, 3 pasdef
MLB Irving Ward, 78 and 30 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 hurries, 3 picks, 7 pasdef
FS Tavon Wilson55 and 14, 1 sack, 1 hurry, , 2 picks and 10 pass def
OLB Courtney Upshaw, 11 starts, 47 and 17 tack, 3 picks, 2 pasdef
WLB Shawn Branton, 26 and 3 tack, 1 pick, 4 pasdef

CB Shane Hopkins, 3 picks, 12 passdef
CB Bryan Meadows, 9 picks, 2 INT RET TD, 7 pasdef, 1 fum rec TD
CB Janoris Jenkins, 12 games, 2 picks, 1 INT RET TD, 5 pasdf

Man, Shane Hopkins last year had a ton of picks, and Meadow was low picks but high pasdef. Hopkins was All Pro. This year, Meadow sis all pro and Hopkins has the low pick, high pasdef season. That’s an odd switch up.



Blocking

OG Satre, 13 starts, 31 KRB and 9 pancakes, 2 sacks allowed
C Roger Pearson, 31 KRB, 1 pancacke, 7 sacks allowed
OT Goldhammer, 26 KRB, 2 pancackes, 15 sacks allowed
OT Myron Starks, 21 and 1 pancakes, and 3 sacks allowed
OG Brandon Linder – 17 KRB and 1 sack allowed
OG Deion Theo – 10 starts, 11 KRB and 2 sacks allowed

FB Robbie Wheatley, 8 KRB, 2 pancakes, 15 special teams tackles,

Satre slowed down for those four games after the half-way mark, and that was sad. But Pearson does as he always dos, and Goldhammer finally had a good KRB game, but man, he was a sieve over there. By the way, the 15 sacks allowed for Goldhammer in 16 starts is more than his rookie season (when he had 12) and even last year (when he had 10). Now, he has more KRB by far than the previous two years (15, and 16 respectively) but I didn’t want to see him abandon the passing game to that extent!

[Abe Sargent]

Alright, awards!



Offensive Player of the Year: QB Blake Bortles. He broke his records all over the place and was the best in the league at numerous stats. At a time when he was nursing an injury for weeks, and he had rotating receivers all over, he was still racking up TDs, yards, and wins.

Defensive Player of the Year: CB Bryan Meadows. He had a very compelling season, including a Defensive Player of the Week award for the league. He won the All Pro award on the back of the last two weeks when he notched 3 picks and 1 fumble recovery, three of which were brought back for scores. But that stuff counts!

Special Teams Player of the Year: RB Reggie Brooks, he had good solid Punt returns averages, a score, and was a strong contributor on special teams all year long. Thanks buddy!

Rookie of the Year: OT Myron Starks – Sure, he was a highly touted 1st rounder, but he had a pretty strong rookie campaign anyway. Just three sacks allowed? 21 KRB and 1 pancake? That’s not a bad place to start at all. Especially the low sacks. He had a better season as a rookie than Goldhammer ever had in three seasons.

Heart Award: SE Roman Fahey, this 6th rounder was a great addition to the club, and when the big names were faltering, he really brought some aerial magic to the game. He ended with 622 yards and 4 scores – that’s a very good campaign for a 6th rounder, rookie, 5th on the depth chart sort of guy. And frankly, he pushed Myron for Rookie of the Year award. Meanwhile, 2nd year 6th rounder and last year’s Heart Award winner WR Donnie Crawford, fully developed, 4th on the depth chart, and even with a start or two in there, only managed 258 yards and 3 scores.

[Abe Sargent]

Score!

Team Performance – 90
Franchise Value – 83
Profit/Loss – 83
Roster Strength – 24

Total Score – 80

Retirements of Note:

We lost no one.

QB Alex Smith
QB Joe Flacco
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
TE Jared Cook
WR Percy Harvin
WR Michael Crabtree
WR Pierre Garcon
C Nick Mangold
C Nicky Fitzgerald
RG Jonathan Cooper
LT Tyron Smith
DE Ray McDonald
DE Michael Bennett
DT Tyson Jackson
SLB Clay Matthews
LCB Joe Haden
RCB Vontae Davis

Now super-major name there other than, perhaps, Matthews.

[Abe Sargent]

This year we made 56.54 mill - last year we made 21.96 mill;
7th worst stadium
THE best Roster
11th best support
17th worst economy; 16th best economy
14th best franchise value – $852,620,000
98.6% attendance

Stadium Overview – Public Support for new Stadium is very low

We rose ticket prices much higher than our market would normally suggest after the Super Bowl win and our attendance rose by 2% and our revenue is way up. We also cut 6 mill from our costs at the same time.

The Jaguars Head Coach, Roosevelt Bonilla, won Coach of the Year.

New Inductees into the Hall of Fame – Kevin Williams, Vince Wilfork, Jason Peters


The salary cap rose 6.4 mill

We submit a stadium offer to renovate the parking lot, stadium turf, and double luxury boxes to 150 and increase club seats by 2100. That’s 207 million, and we off to pay 103,000,000. We’ll see what happens, J’ville doesn’t really have the funding, market, or desire for a major new pimp stadium, so we can renovate the one we have!

We give a raise to R. Bonilla to keep him on our staff as the head coach.

[Abe Sargent]

Staff Draft

We now draft 18th.

When the OC comes up, we have two other choices that are a tiny bit better (Ours is 64, those are both 65 in suitability). I check them out to see if I want to make a play.

Ours – TE focus, 64 years old, 2 years left, 0 interviewing, halfway in scouting, poor INT, motivation, discipline, 3 bars of player dev, and 3.5 bars of young talent, and 2.5 bars of play calling. That’s the base line.

Yeah, I go elsewhere:

OC Trevor Dyrda, 64 years old, 3 bars, and a bit more in player dev, 3 bars, young talent, 1 bar int, nothing in motivation, 3.25 bars in discipline, 3.23 bars in playcalling, a little less than 2 in scouting, and 1 in interviewing.

Alright, DC time. I like our current guy and keep him

Assistant Coach? Our has a 54 suitability, and there are multiple people up there that are better.

I hire

Assist. Coach Tyler Polumbus, O Line, and 36 years old, and better in many places. 60 suitability.

We like the strength guy and keep him too,



Now let’s check out my roster:

We have these RFAs:

TE JR Delaroche
C Luis Dillon
DE Tyler Hastings
WLB Lukas Schmadl


And then these UFAs:

FS Brendan Tate
RG Brandon Linder
DT Julian Small

And that’s it! We have 45 players under contracts, and with the draftees, we’re a tad over our cap (we’re actually 6.1 under).

There’s no one there to feasibly franchise.

I move my ticket prices up again.

Are there any obvious, pre-FA cuts? Not really.

[Abe Sargent]

Let’s enter free agency!


So, looking over my roster, here are the major players in the final year of their deals:

QB Blake Bortles
TE Travis Kelce
DE Kenneth Butler
CB Janoris Jenkins
LT Cedric Goldhammer
RB Walter Gohl
RB Reggie Brooks
QB Raul Hall
CB Bryan Meadows
LS Grayson Johnstone
RG Deion Theophilakos
CB Bryan Meadows

Do you remember when I drafted Deion and Cedric and mentioned that was a winning draft? Well, now it’s not. Cedric wants a pay upgrade from 2.6 mill to 8 mill this year, and it goes up from there. But he hasn’t played into it! Deion wants to bump to 2.5, and then 3, 3.3, and 3.7.. That’s not bad actually. Waiting on him worked out, in case I want to re-up him.

Blake Bortles signs a four year extension. It drops his cap hit from 25 mill to 19.5 this year, 19.9 next, and then 21, 23 and 26. That’s done and we can move on.

I need to get some cap space ready, because next year? These are the major players with contracts in the final year of their deal in 2022:

SE Marqise Lee
OG Marquis Satre
DE Cesar Velazquez
FL Joshua Wild


And then we have starters OLB Upshaw, FS Wilson, SS iloka, K Bernard, DT Hover, MLB Ward, P Bridgeman, WLB Branton, and backup DE Glen Willis. That’s a major year next year.

So I can’t do a lot of shopping this year in FA< because I want to save cap space for next year.

I want to bring back TE Delaroche but he wants 5 mill a year from the start, Sorry buddy!

None of my other RFAs are in the mix right now.

Of my UFas, the only one I want to bring back in Brandon Linder again.



So let’s work on the deals for this year’s expiring talent.

Here are my needs for FA:

1). Resign CB Bryan Meadows, if possible
2). Look at trade possibilities for Goldhammer
3). Figure out what to do with Theophilakatos, which can wait until post-draft if needed
4). Grab some depth at LB
5). Get a better backup at QB than Raul Hall,
6). Figure out TE Travis Kelce
7). Try to come up with a long-term RB plan.
8). To sign, or not to sign, DE Kenneth Butler, who had a down year last year.
9). Is it time to en-youthen one of my Safety positions? Both of them are 31 and in their 10th year in the league.
10). Find good, cap friendly deals as always
11). Are there any roster-defining studs that may change the plans?

Let’s begin!

[Abe Sargent]

I begin by looking over the FA market to see what’s there. The best player is injured 67/67 5th year vet Giovanni McNeil, who has a repetitive concussion syndrome. That might be a good opportunity later, to take a flyer on.

We then had 66/66 MLB Perry Farley, and 63/63 DE Cameron Jones (11th year vet though, yuck).

I’ll take a gander at pricing later, but for right now, there are no lights-out sort of players for us.

I shop Goldhammer. Who is interested and has the cap space? The Packers, 39ers, and Giants are all really big fans. Doesn’t look like I can get too much beyond a 3rd rounder for him. So I turned a 1st high profile guy into a 3rd? That’s not good value. Ugh. But it’s worth it. I want to get the 2/5 from the Giants by offering Goldhammer and my 3rd, but I can’t get in a few more picks (like a 5th or anything) for it. Hmmm. The 49ers pick 2/14. What can I give up for that one? I try my 3rd, 4th, 6th and 7th. But nothing.

I hold off for now. I can get a 3rd later after I look over my roster more.


Meadows increases his cap hit from 1.3 to 7.2, and then 8.8 and 9.57. And this is for a guy that’ 51/51. His pick production was 1, 5, and 9. His pas defe was 8, 13, and then 7. Did he get lucky this year? I am going to hold off. He might be the sort of player htat you keep for another year, go to FA< and then resign for a lot less dollars. And I can’t lock down a cap hit next year of 8.8 mill when I have to resign all of my other dorks.

Kelce wants to go from 6.6 this year to 6.8 and then 7.8 and 8.2. Again, I think he might be someone who’s price will drop after hitting FA.

And if not, that’s okay. I traded for two years of a stud TE and I can move on.


I want to take a look at RB, LB, and QB in FA to see what sort of folks are running around

[Abe Sargent]

Alright, let’s hit FA


Alright, stage 2 has arrived, and now we can make offers for players out here.


I want to start with RB. Now I can wait on my RB plan until next year, because Gohl wants mad money for an extension.

Out in FA world we have a few high-40s folks, and we can resign DeMarco Murray, 46/46 to a 2.550 mill, one year deal. But I don’t need anyone this year. I’m in a good place in terms of RB, but three are expiring this year. I’ve often been able to pick up a good 50+ RB for cheap, but that’s not happening this year it seems. Ah well, RB will wait until next. We’ll know more about Jose Rivers then anyway! Maybe he’ll develop into my guy?

(Although he’s down to 44/52). Meanwhile OT Myron Starks has grown to 53/71

Alright, what about the LB world? I could use a cheap, cap-friendly body, particularly at WLB since Branton played poorly last year. Preferably younger. I could go for 47/47 WLB Sio Moore, but he’s in his 9th year. Maybe I could move someone over from SLB?

I make an offer to SLB 46/46, 6th year vet Bobby Turner, for 2 years, for 1.8 this year and 2.1 next. He’s unhappy with the Vikings and looking for a new place

If I trade Goldhammer, and I don’t draft a replacement, can I find one in FA? We’ll be fine, I have 41/41 Terrence Richmond if I need.

OG Brandon Linder wants 2.12 mill in cash, the first time he’s ever wanted real money in his career, so it’s time to cut the Linder cord as my reliable backup. Ah well. Good luck! Don’t forget to write!

Any cheaper safeties out there that bring a younger game? Yes, there’s a 50.50 4th year vet, hold on. He wants 4.00 mill first year though, so no thanks. Safeties are hard to find.

Okay, how about backup QB? I like 9th year vet QB Landry Jones, 33/33 who just wants a one-year deal or 31/31 7th year Bruce Roethlisberger who wants three years. Landry is the better deal. I make QB Jones an offer.


After having great depth for me at DE, Glen Willis, at age 28, has been a great player. His contract is up in two years, and he’s making 2.5 mill this year. There is a cheap DE out there, 8th year vet Howard Snyder, 47/47, wants 2.3, then 2.6 and then 2.9. If I were to let go of DE Butler, and perhaps push yup Snyder, that’s not much of a loss. Butler is 48/48, but he always played well:

His first five years:

2016 - 0 starts, 4.5 sacks, 1 block, 6 hurries
2017 – 10 starts, 4.5 sacks, 1 block, 7 hurries, 1 knockdown
2018 – 16 starts, 11 sacks, 3 blocks, 16 hurries, 1 knockdown
2019 – 16 starts, 8 sacks, 1 block, 16 hurries, 2 knockdwn
2020 – 16 starts, 3 sacks, 4 blocks, 15 hurries, 5 QB Kn

Now, the fact that his sack total drops to its lowest ever, is scary. The fact that it didn’t drop with other stats though may just be bad luck. If he’s getting me 8-11 sacks each year, along with the other stuff, he’s worth the price upgrade to 6-8 mill. But if he’s not? That’s bad money, He was an undrafted guy I really enjoyed. But that’s not worth it.

He might also be the sort of person that’ll drop in price when hitting FA.

Meanwhile, I can chase a cheaper DE that’s just as good. Butler is a run-stopping specialist after all.

Here’s my target – 46/46, DE, 4thyear vet, wants 2 mill deal worth 1.9 and 2.4. I make Webster an offer. Again, I want to hedge my bets for next year’s cap.

I renegotiate CB Shane’s deal from last year to free up some money. I now have 14.63 mill in cap space, and of it, 7.7 for new players. With my new cash I extend RB Reggie Brooks by two years. He’ll still be in the 2 mill range (2 mill this year, then 2.12 and 2.25)

I’m making an offer to NT Brant Missouri, 5th year man from Houston. 49.49. He’ll replace DT hover, whom I’ll likely cut if I sign. I like Brant a lot.

Alright that gives me four targets. Let’s advance a week.

Stage 2 – Nothing major to report. I increase DT Missouri’s deal by 450k in signing bonus to jump ahead of the Steelers.

Stage 3 – Nothing new to report. We are in front of all of our targets.

Stage 4 – DT Missouri signs with us for 11.58 million over 4 years! Technically, he was the best DT on the board as well. I move him to LDT. I release DT Hover.

We have a bit of a leader conflict in the secondary. CB Bryan Meadows is now my leader, and SS George Ilunga has a minor conflict and CB Colton Hanks a major one. I look for someone who can come in and be a new leader and make everyone happy.

Whoa! RCB Blaine Degrange would come in and make nice with three people on my team. But he wants 5.4 mill and he’s just 42/42. Nope! How about Camden Becker, a FS who would make a little nice and is 960k and is 41/41 and a 6th year vet. That’s much better.

Stage 5 - SE Justin Blackmon signed with the Seahawks, and RB Murray the Browns.

Stage 6 – RDE Dana Webster joins us. There are a lot of players that haven’t been made offers yet in FA so I check them out.

The most intriguing UFA no one has touched is SS 50/50 Paniagua, who is a 4 mill hit immediately, and just a 4th year vet. Not bad. And safeties are hard ot get, nd it’s a youth movement from Wilson. But, Wilson is 2.2 mill, signed through this and next year, and doesn’t have any holes, and Paniagua has a huge weakness at bump and run and just a 17 in zone d. If the price drops, maybe.

Stage 7 – Nothing major

Stage 8 – Nothing

Stage 9 – We sign QB Landry Jones, NE signed SS Paniagua.

Stage 10 – We sign SLB Bobby Turner. DT Small signed with the Jets.

Stage 11 – We sign FS Camden Becker

Anyone out there with reduced demands?

Brandon Linder has dropped his one to 1.6 mill, still more than he has ever made in a year. Idiot.

Anyone out there that fell through the cracks.

Other than the badly injured CB, there are a ton of FB (For of the top six players are FB) C, Three of the top 6 are C, and TE. There is a cheap backup TE since Delaroche doesn’t want to resign – TE KC Davison, 6 year vet, 47/47. I want to hold off until post draft though.

Time to look at the draft and do some interviews:

Looks like we have some good, high quality QB Talent in this years draft with two authentic stars on the
Board, and one maybe. We have what looks to be five strong starting candidates, 1st round talent OG folks. The kind you can swap in for Deion Theo.

I interview the top five OGs to see if any fit for a trade or fall to 1.32. There is a strong TE there as well, TE Flory. I interview him. I interview the 3rd and 4th OT on the board. I interview some safeties as well. There’s a strong WLB candidate at the 3rd best on the board I check out.

Alright let’s go.


Stage 12 – Brandon Linder signs with Minnesota for the inflated price.