Snakebitten: A Real-Time MP FOF thread

[Chas in Cinti]

Still, a great season... congrats!

[Kodos]

Nooo! The Falcons choke away another Super Bowl against the Pats!

[QuikSand]

Yeah... pyser has been a nemesis for me in this league, he has a strong track record with the Pats and we have clashed many many times. He's dropped into this thread a couple times for one reason or another (I won't rehash our little border wars... more like dustups) but we'll curse his name and try to do better next time.

Same goes for Ben across many leagues, goes without saying mostly. He;s not going to hang out here, though.

[QuikSand]

DC BUREAU

Biggest news in the season turnover is that my routine "get guys pretend starts" angle came due again with its biggest side effect - early retirements for players who are playing a ton but not "starting."

WR David Carrubba retired...dammit.

So... we are not in awful shape, but that certainly doesn't help things.

[QuikSand]

...in other awesome news..since I switched my chemistry setup in Baltimore, I'm kinda on the lookout for a QB born in the 304 chem group. Nothing in this draft, so I just didn't bother, but it's something I'd like to luck into.

Here's the guy Ben drafted in round five...

SOLECISMIC AWARDSMVP: 2129
OPOY: 2129
THE GM CHALLENGE BOWL MVP: 2129
1ST TEAM: 2129
2ND TEAM:
OROY: 2129

OH HAI

sigh

[QuikSand]

DC BUREAU

So, a QB conundrum awaits, I presume. After a horrid year with the wrong guy taking snaps, I threw spaghetti against the wall. Didn't love anyone for early 1st, but reached a bit in the early 2nd and got a "maybe worth a look" young QB:

Rod Swift

To me, here's what I think I see... Sense Rush > 70 is good, especially with a line that's kinda built to run block. That with the solid ScrFrq suggests he'll run around a bit for us, which I like if he's okay at it... but there's little to suggest he's got any real rushing skills. And the BELCO website suggests a very low AvInt rating, so he's a pick machine. Overall... probably not a lot here. I didn't draft him with especially high hopes, and he doesn't look like he'll go down as a "hit."

Now...we also tossed a minsal contract at this guy, whom I ended up starting for the year (largely because I didn't think Swift was going to get it done)...

Steve Osborne

So, Osborne looks like the standard "so so journeyman" type... hasn't played to speak of, but looks like he could be okay. So, we slot him in for this one-shot league, and...

WHOA. Wel, no caps, I suppose, more like... hey that was pretty nice. Osborne posts 40 TDs and a 93 passer rating and leads a turnaround from 4-12 to 12-4. Awesome.

So, now what? Osborne is going to want to get paid, one way or the other, but a holdout seems likely. He's thinking over $50m/yr. And why not?

So...we suddenly have a tricky situation on our hands, perhaps. I can afford the $40m it would take to sign him, at least short term... I doubt I have a lot of high priority FA targets out there. So, it's in play to keep him around, but not a certainty, maybe he was merely okay where the last guy sucked... or we just got a reversal of some bad luck from the prior season (likely).

Anyway... QB and wins tend to go hand in hand in our minds. Here, fans would not stand for us letting this guy walk, but... could we?

[QuikSand]

DC BUREAU

One very nice thing happened according to plan... our DB leader retired, but I had his successor already on hand, and the transition was very smooth. Here's the whole roster with chem effects shown:

Front Office Football Eight
D.C. United Roster, Attitude Advisory
   
  Player                #   Pos   Start Noted Playing Time    Chemistry  
Stachelski, Chris       105 QB                      2 Affinities wit  
Osborne, Steve          106 QB                      1 Affinity with   
Swift, Rod              124 QB                      1 Affinity with   
Bush, Xavier            230 RB                        
Vasilatos, Billy        249 RB                        
Hackney, Brandon        344 FB                      Backfield Leader  
Rastok, Caiden          439 TE                      Receivers Leader  
Wells, Weston           448 TE                      Affinity          
Lester, Lee             488 TE                      Exceptional Affi  
Goodspeed, Drew         484 TE                      Exceptional Affi  
Everhart, William       580 FL          MN          Exceptional Affi  
Dunwoody, Mario         510 FL                        
Farrell, Greg           589 FL                      Strong Affinity   
Ehlert, Lenny           518 FL                      Exceptional Affi  
Schultz, Arturo         583 SE                      Exceptional Affi  
Marshall, Melvin        508 SE                      Exceptional Affi  
Fitzgerald, Anthony     660 C           MN          Exceptional Affi  
Staton, Harris          666 C                       Exceptional Affi  
Lyons, Shane            773 LG          MN          Exceptional Affi  
Hatcher, Neal           762 RG          MN          Exceptional Affi  
Clark, Melvin           776 RG          MN          Mild Affinity     
Rodier, Donovan         874 LT          MN          Affinity          
Finneran, Brayden       875 LT                      Exceptional Affi  
Camacho, Luciano        861 RT                      Offensive Line L  
Reynolds, Tristan       914 P                         
Lyons, Mike             1003K                         
Gillespie, Samuel       1197LDE                     Strong Affinity   
Sherman, Bubba          1190LDE                     Affinity          
Hopper, Jessie          1194RDE         MN          Defensive Front   
Carlisle, Malachi       1292NT                      Strong Affinity   
Sweeney, Aiden          1291NT          MN          Exceptional Affi  
Henderson, Ralph        1298NT                        
Brew, Manuel            1350SILB                    Exceptional Affi  
Ruddick, Paul           1340WILB                    Exceptional Affi  
Korey, Rick             1351WILB                    Exceptional Affi  
Cassidy, Richie         1352WILB                    Exceptional Affi  
Heffernan, Dwight       1446SLB                     Strong Affinity   
Kinney, Andrew          1457SLB                     Exceptional Affi  
Houston, Terrell        1454SLB                     Exceptional Affi  
Maloney, Brett          1455WLB                     Mild Affinity     
Osborne, Matthew        1531LCB                     Secondary Leader  
Junker, Josiah          1527LCB                     Affinity          
Gramentine, Sam         1522LCB                     Strong Affinity   
Stephens, Shannon       1526RCB                     Exceptional Affi  
Bernard, Mickey         1532RCB                     Exceptional Affi  
Reese, Miles            1642SS          MN          Exceptional Affi  
Rasmussen, Adrian       1628SS                      Strong Affinity   
DeLizzio, Efrain        1635FS                      Exceptional Affi  
Scott, Tom              1641FS                      Affinity          
Trippi, Caiden          665 LS                        
   
$$ - player is suspended, ## - player is inactive,  
** = player is injured, %% - player is on IR.  
   
Players Under Contract: 37
Inactive: 0
On Active Roster: 37
   
Salary Cap: $749,500,000
Cap Room: $296,100,000
Maximum for New Player: $264,370,000
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $35,630,000
   
Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
Cap Room Required Next Year: $208,870,000

So, among other things - we see that the DB group is in GREAT shape, chem-wise. Osborne (no relation) is 89/100 and secure in the leadership role, he's also an excellent nickelback, and will be worth extending. I'm actually pretty cool with the talent level there, too -- Junker might actually get an extension, young CB Gramentine is good enough to play CB1, S Rasmussen is really good too, and the rest are role players that add up nicely overall.

The roster above already includes a FB-to-TE position switch for Rastok, which is very likely. So, if I'm looking for chem help, it's probably at the RB-FB group, where it won't be hard.

[Pyser]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

Yeah... pyser has been a nemesis for me in this league, he has a strong track record with the Pats and we have clashed many many times. He's dropped into this thread a couple times for one reason or another (I won't rehash our little border wars... more like dustups) but we'll curse his name and try to do better next time.

Same goes for Ben across many leagues, goes without saying mostly. He;s not going to hang out here, though.

ha. those are some minor dust-ups, no bad blood there.

I do wish we were in the same division, but I think it's hard for both of us to ignore 110 years of team history at this point to make it happen. maybe someday i can take on a 2nd team in the nfc east

[QuikSand]

Yeah, honestly if there's one thing I feel like I'm missing in this fast-moving league it's hatred. Would be better with hatred.

The only guy I have it in for is Houston guy, but he doesn't even post on the league board, much less here.

[QuikSand]

RAVENS FLOCK

Biggest news is that, as feared, Ben seems committed to his brilliant young QB, and fairly recently started becoming at least chemistry-curious...meaning I now have company in the 3-4/5-6/10-11 triad for those chem/leader guys. I do not like this development.

No major plans for big-splash free agents...I mostly like where we are in Baltimore, and we will be locking things up and reinforcing our chem/depth this offseason, for the most part.

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

Yeah, honestly if there's one thing I feel like I'm missing in this fast-moving league it's hatred. Would be better with hatred.

Duh.

It's so obvious.

HATE BEN

[QuikSand]

So, things happen... free agency is underway.

Ravens face competition from Ben for all offensive groupings, looks like he's more than just flirting with chemistry, he at least wants leaders who connect with his QB. (Takes a note on this)

Washington/DC team re-upped with our WR we had expected to let walk (a retirement of a build-around guy can do that) but we lost our LG in open bidding by being stingy. So it goes.

[QuikSand]

Draft updates from late first round:




Baltimore: QuikSand takes ILB Emmitt Sanderson with the 1.28 pick.

Run Defense		63<->93
Pass Rush Technique		67<->97
Pass Rush Strength		18<->48
Man-to-Man Defense		50<->80
Zone Defense		0<->30
Bump-and-Run Defense		65<->94
Play Diagnosis		52<->82
Punishing Hitter		63<->93
Endurance		70<->100
Special Teams		47<->77

HT	WT	RAW	ADJ	DASH	SOL	BENCH	AGI	BRJU	POS	%DEV
70	236	6.0	5.8	4.58	33	24	7.29	112	30	47

...I mean... duh...




Washington: KickStand takes G Luke Champagne with the 1.31 pick.

Run Blocking		59<->87
Pass Blocking		49<->77
Blocking Strength		71<->98
Endurance		36<->64

HT	WT	RAW	ADJ	DASH	SOL	BENCH	AGI	BRJU	POS	%DEV
76	317	6.0	5.7	5.07	35	35	7.76	98	-	33

In light of the mention above that we just lost our starting LG, this move feels wise. Interior line was getting old, but the need accelerated with that FA loss.




Fun twist here... VILLIAN (Ben) traded up with WAS to get their first rounder, explicitly doing so to get ahead of BAL who wanted the same stuf OL he ended up taking.


I shared with him my impression... my first real two-team conundrum... the trade made total sense for WAS, but I felt it was likely that he was indeed targeting the OL, and that was the guy BAL wanted at pick 1.28. Eventually, I felt like the true spirit of the "dual team sign off" was that I shouldn't even act in unprovable ways that are motivated by my interest in the other team...so Washington took the deal, grabbed our 3rd rounder (good value for a slot when I wasn't really in love with the prospects), and still got the good-fit OL that we had atop our list. I did indeed screw the Ravens, but so be it.

[Kodos]

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

...I mean... duh...

On more than one level, that looks like a no-brainer pick.

[QuikSand]

In potentially interesting news, it looks like I have managed to leave the Ravens without the cap room to re-sign their free agent QB, who has captained the team to two straight #1 seeds. That was smart.

But hey I got a chemistry friendly lineman!

Stay tuned...

[QuikSand]

Ravens have one star DT holdout (whom we surely cannot re-sign), and WFT have four holdouts. My lack of due diligence at work, I reckon. Ugh.

[QuikSand]

So, in a draft where the Ravens actually used a full batch of picks, one from each round... is this a bad sign that only three guys (including a bum? kicker) even made it onto the BenBot draft ranking grid?

lol we suck at this

27

BAL

QuikSand

1(28) MLB Emmitt Sanderson 36/63 2(28) LG David Hopkins 25/56 6(28) K Rusty Wynn 30/38

1(28) MLB Emmitt Sanderson 36/63 2(28) LG David Hopkins 25/56 6(28) K Rusty Wynn 30/38

53.9

To my eyes...

Yes, LB Sanderson looks good and is bound to become a favorite in these parts... he doesn't seem to understand the idea of "coverage" but I'm sure that will be fine. He might end up as a weird combo... run stopper in our base D, and edge rusher against the pass. He'll likely move to the Will and set up camp there as a high endurance full timer.

G Hopkins loos okay to me, really. Not great, but a nice 4th round pick. Whom we took in the 2nd round.

BenBot is correct, our picks from 3-4-5-7 look like garbage. We need one more DB to make me feel okay for this year, and I doubt either of these rookies even make the team.

Awesome things happening here.

Headline:

Ravens Follow Up Huge Regular Season with Playoff Flop, Disappointing Next Year

...you be the judge... real life or this thread?

[QuikSand]

Ravens are going to look pretty similar to last year, basically that's fine. We re-upped with QB Lyle, we cannot possibly afford to re-sign holdout DT Hitchcock, we had to let our uber punter and kicker go, basically all victims of my attention deficit here. It's possible to play FOF without deep attention, but to play it the way that my style demands (specifically the deep attention to chemistry) is really hard. For a variety of reasons, I have eased up on the time commitment to this, and it's showing. So it goes. We ought to be fine, but special teams are going to suffer - our P/K combo will drop from league-best to maybe league-average.

In this league specifically, an unresolved holdout seems to be intractable, I think. He might return during the camp stage, I suppose, but if he doesn't I think I have to cut him... the only alternative is to let him sit there unsigned at the start of the season, and let the AI do whatever pruning it wants if he were to report. For my team, that would likely mean the loss of some chemistry anchor bum, who looks useless to the AI but is very important to me. So I will likely end up just releasing him in the cutdown to 53 stage, barring a good twist in the training camp stage.

[QuikSand]

In related news, my Washington QB holdout rejected my short term offer, and now I feel I pretty much have to just give him his requested reneg, as much as that pains me. It's fairly cut-friendly, only $36m in bonus over 4y, but since I already feel it's very much in play to exercise that... I don't love this.

[QuikSand]

Ravens making cuts and shifts, in an effort to re-up DT Hitchcock for a couple pricey years, and keep the D7 intact. Stay tuned for preseason.

Wash/DC has re-signed QB Osborne, and will bring him back as "the guy" after a fantastic debut last season.

[QuikSand]

Files in

Predict BAL 11-5, WAS 10-6

[QuikSand]

Ravens Strong Again, But Settle for WC Behind UberBrowns

Season summary: GML: Baltimore Ravens 2130

What happened?

QB Lyle regressed a bit, but still was effective overall, 6.98 36/18 88.9
Running game was sweet! Garrett 4.64 and Vance 6.61 (more to say here)
WR Pearson remains the focus, duh, and WR Webster playing second fiddle
TE Palmer gave us a nice 7 ypt season, been a while since we saw that at TE
Overall, very efficient offense: 5.05 ypc (5th), 6.98 ypa (3rd) - love that

Pass rush was solid, overall 22.9 PR% ranking 8th
DL Rambo-Shanle-Hicks were all effective
LB Goodwin was excellent overall, LB Evans (94 zone) had 17 PDs (!?!?!)
S Gallagher is a coverage star, anchors very good secondary stats w 83.8 PD%
CB Olshansky was my add-on guy for his 77 Int... posted 81.7 PD% w/o picks

Overall, very pleased with this team. I'm going to look back on the pair of receivers we didn't get a ring with regret - I feel like I frittered away opportunity there. But this team is playing well... maybe the embedded high intelligence with the move to the 3-4/5-6/10-11 triad is paying hidden dividends? I'm very open to the notion that positioning my entire offense in the 2-3/4-5/6-7 grouping was just a long term disadvantage.

Anyway... 12-3-1 is a nice season, third best in the league, and ordinarily gets us a bye week. But we're a road wild card because divisions make people happy. So be it, we will try to work our way back to CLE and tear them up.

[QuikSand]

Incidentally, I deliberately gave my RB2 just one job this season... carry the ball when we are in the 11 formation. Here's the guy, and the results:

Alvin Vance

So... basically he's a two bar guy, but the two bars are worth paying him, I think. Hole Rec is the overpowered rating, we think, especially if the line is good (and mine is, at least inside, for run blocking). So, I wanted to get him carries this year, and he delivered -- 6.6 yards per carry and only 1 fumble. I like it, a lot.

Is this partially testament to the 11 formation being good for running? Puts the D into its pass coverage guys and sets up running success that way? Perhaps, and maybe more so in a one-shot league. Anyway, I like this guy and will hope to replicate the RB2 duties like this going forward if I remember.

[Chas in Cinti]

I was envisioning a regression... glad I was wrong!

[QuikSand]

12-4 Washington Wins Division, But Faces Wild Card Draw

Team summary: GML: Washington Football Team 2130

What happened here?

QB Osborne predictably crashed back to earth and threw picks again, 6.46 29/25 76.2
(seriously, with that line how on earth did we win 12 games?)
Running game was ... fine... Xavier Bush posts 4.72 ypc on 1109-4 no fumbles
Receivers were fine, nothing special on a team w only 6.5 ypa, natch
Tight ends posted under 6 ypt, I just cannot get that working here
Slightly above average efficiency: 4.74 ypc (12th), 6.55 ypa (14th)

Defense, oh yeah, pass rush 25.7% ranks 2nd overall
DE Erik Amari was the big addition - 13 sacks, 41 hurries, rounds out group
(he was a draftee we cut, seeing no path to starts, now the prodigal son)
Secondary played fairly well overall PD% 61.5 was 9th

Seriously, this is a 9 or 10 win team that won 12 games, there it is.

[QuikSand]

Unsurprisingly, we get pretty much what you'd expect from pretty good teams in the wild card round... an opening win, and then a loss on the road at a bye team. Both teams, same fate.

http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showt...ll=1#post62454

Can't post contents here, link will have to do. Hats off to...{checks notes}... oh, this fuckin guy.

[QuikSand]

Unsurprisingly, we get pretty much what you'd expect from pretty good teams in the wild card round... an opening win, and then a loss on the road at a bye team. Both teams, same fate.

http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showt...ll=1#post62454

Can't post contents here, link will have to do. Hats off to...{checks notes}... oh, this fuckin guy.

[QuikSand]

Well, one thing is for sure - our double barreled receiver draft era is over. No titles, some good seasons, but overall less than we would have hoped for.

#11, Parker VanCaeyzeele, the inside guy and return man

#18, Warren Behne, the split end

I liked that they were so different. I thought we'd do a lot with them. I haven't cracked the code with the air-it-out-forever gameplan, but I get the ball to my wideouts pretty well overall.

So, PVC posts Top-15 seasons through most of his prime, Behne goes out with a roughly 7.75 ypt number (hie endurance was a perpetual factor), and that's that. Behne was overlooked last season and won't re-sign, he will play elsewhere for a final season or two. They put up 21,000 yards receiving between them - not too bad.

[QuikSand]

First stage of free agency... not gonna lie, Ravens were just throwing money around...

	Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	QB Albert Campbell	2 years, $8,300,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $4.1M, $4.1M.)	16	29
	Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	LCB Deion Coble	3 years, $30,000,000 (Bonus: $13.5M. Salary: $5.5M, $5.5M, $5.5M.)	41	41
	Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	RCB Henry Garcia	4 years, $188,000,000 (Bonus: $144.0M. Salary: $11.0M, $11.0M, $11.0M, $11.0M.)	71	71
	Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	RG Sherman Kaminski	3 years, $144,000,000 (Bonus: $111.0M. Salary: $11.0M, $11.0M, $11.0M.)	66	66
	Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	LDE Cole Rambo	3 years, $81,000,000 (Bonus: $48.0M. Salary: $11.0M, $11.0M, $11.0M.)	58	58
	Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	FS Landon Wilcox	4 years, $192,000,000 (Bonus: $148.0M. Salary: $11.0M, $11.0M, $11.0M, $11.0M.)	70	70

So... we re-up with run blocking OL Kaminski, but miss out on a similar, younger guard who stays with SF. CB Garcia and S Wilcox both fit our play and chem schemes, and should make a major talent infusion into our secondary, which has been bound together with smoke and mirrors for a while. Great moves.

So, are we broke now? Nope. Still $100m to offer. Feeling okay about all this.

[Kodos]

Making it rain!

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Making it rain!

damn straight we are

[QuikSand]

Okay, Ravens update... I let slide the stage to offer our starting C, he was asking for a fortune, and we drafted a G last year, so he is gone and the plan will be to plug in the young guy at G, and use run-blocker Kaminski at C, where he ought to be devastating. I'm okay with that. teetering on using my late 2nd round pick on a G also, mostly for lack of more attractive options.

We also lost our backup RB Lincoln Vance to a fat offer from Denver. He is custom built for a no-injury league like ours... special teamer, one good bar, even without any endurance to speak of. Well, he'll cash in with that fine Colorado weed and a bag of money. So, RB has moved onto my radar for this draft, especially as I don't think we will extend our starting RB Garrett, who is fine but has a bad chemistry mix of 99 Leadership to 32 Personality.

So...40 signed + 7 draft picks + 8 free agents where we lead ... we're on target to bring this together okay, I reckon.

[QuikSand]

Oh, sorta skipped over this in the two-stage file today... Ravens re-upped with our top LB, so the "keep it going" remains intact, mostly:

Baltimore Ravens

QuikSand

SLB Brody Goodwin

2 years, $64,000,000 (Bonus: $42.0M. Salary: $11.0M, $11.0M.)

83

83

We are the top team in the league over the last three seasons' regular season records (we will conveniently whistle right past the fact that pyser's Patriots have won the last two titles) so it seems to make sense to run it back, right?


I cannot afford everything, but an 80-something player with chemistry and cohesion is worth a big check for a couple more years, surely... even if we have just spent two first rounders at LB, I guess.

[QuikSand]

[QuikSand]

sonofabitch it ate my whole draft update

[QuikSand]

yeah, momentum here has waned a bit... i have been keeping up with the team, but it was dispiriting to have a somewhat thorough write up of my first five picks just go *poof* on account of....uhhh... html?

Anyway, draft is nearly over, I will post the BenBot summary with the presumably bad news that we are again rated 26 and 31 or whatever. It painfully clear that I really should just trade away my draft each year for both teams, and build through free agency. I should pre-post that soon for next season, since I will almost certainly be in that spot, independent of whether we're picking 1.31 or 1.13.

[QuikSand]

So, fun but predictable twist for the Ravens... RB1 Alvin Garrett has held out, and is completely unaffordable. 2,500 rushing yards the last two years as a serious workhorse...that's solid production at nearly 5 yards a pop.

So, if he's gone (likely), where are we?

Let's check out the draft with this in mind, since our RB2 already got cherrypicked away...

25

BAL

QuikSand

1(28) SLB Chase Brock 45/61 3(28) RB Carl Naranjo 40/51 4(28) LDE Derek Cox 33/49 6(28) RB Darien Farr 32/43 2(28) RG Troy Givens 18/47 5(28) FB Austin Hall 25/40

1(28) SLB Chase Brock 45/61 3(28) RB Carl Naranjo 40/51 4(28) LDE Derek Cox 33/49 6(28) RB Darien Farr 32/43 2(28) RG Troy Givens 18/47 5(28) FB Austin Hall 25/40

62.9

A better-than-usual draft for us, rated #25 out of 32? Awesome? (heh)

At RB, I think we will be fine... I'd expect something like a 60/40 split between the big orange Carl Naranjo (who looks like a solid, but high-elusiveness, RB1 to me), and Darien Farr who probably plugs into some satellite role, catching passes and maybe returning punts. I doubt we get 5ypc here, but we should be league average, maybe.

Top pick LB Chase Brock looks very solid to me, as a three-down guy probably suited to play Sam long term. For right now he will probably rotate into both ILB and OLB slots.

The rest? meh per usual...

[QuikSand]

Ahh, two more holdouts for the Ravens - LB Bush and DL Hicks. Great. We likely could afford to bump one of them. Likely will not.

[QuikSand]

Okay, I'm officially (backing up but) ditching my "DC United" colors and logo, and will follow suit with the WTF schema... meh

[QuikSand]

The WTF draft snapshot:

22

WAS

KickStand

1(27) LDE Miguel Hatch 39/69 6(27) RB Victor Tavares 35/48 3(27) RB Cris Elliott 41/53 2(27) FB Alex Marsh 29/59 7(27) TE Mario Nichols 24/39 2(5) FL Kris Burmbaugh 26/40

1(27) LDE Miguel Hatch 39/69 6(27) RB Victor Tavares 35/48 3(27) RB Cris Elliott 41/53 2(27) FB Alex Marsh 29/59 7(27) TE Mario Nichols 24/39 2(5) FL Kris Burmbaugh 26/40

65.1

Having your 6th round pick ranked second highest here is a mixed blessing, obviously. My thoughts:

-We really needed pass rushing help. Hatch should do that. Not great, but good. I see a 9-sack season as his eventual baseline... not 15, but 9, okay.

-FB Marsh is destined to play TE, and on first look...he'll be a blocker, not a guy we can count on as a receiver. Dammit.

-The RB pair looks pretty good...Xavier Bush is signed for 3 years to be RB1, but these guys could serve as RB1/RB2 is needed, I think...will tinker with WR switches but unlikely

Overall, fine. No holdouts here in Washington, we have cap space, and can look to make a selective splash if needed.

[QuikSand]

Late free agency, usually with a few twists... I love finding young decent players who won't be stars but who do have their starts. Also, of course, the 8th round rookies, where I hardly ever have a team-year go by without picking up someone who makes the final 53.

...young OL might be from the former category. Not sure what we're doing overall with the bottom tier of our current 63 Ravens...

[QuikSand]

Ravens offered our holdout RB a FAT one year deal, and he said no. Le'Veon Bell style. Go get 'em podnah, hope it works out for you.

As a reminder - he's pretty good, not great. And he's a chem problem waiting to happen as a future leader without personality. So, a big multi year commitment makes zero sense.

Send in the clowns.

[QuikSand]

Was sneakily hoping RB Garrett would just report after the preseason, but no dice. So, he'll be a cut. Just not workable to reneg after preseason. Same with the other holdouts. Sucks, I managed this poorly, I feel. Lack of full attention playing a larger and larger role with my too many FOF teams. Something really has got to give.

Anyway, it's cut to 53 day, and the 3 holdouts make the first steps simple. More loss of talent than cohesion here, so that's workable.

QB Austin Lyle is in decline, and has no chemistry effects with our offense. But he comes off a strong season and the team has been winning a ton, so we will keep him in place for at least this one more year. RB Naranjo will be RB1 and should be replacement level or so, maybe behind our line he can post 4.8 ypc or so? We'll sort out the RB2/3 situation this stage.

Along the OL, we will have to count on soph G Hopkins (meh) to start at RG, because this year's 2nd rounder Givens looks like garbage. We're basically at 4.5 quality starters, with our tackles both being just pass protectors. Not perfect.

On defense...whatever, talent is fine, LB is thin but high quality, and same for the DB group. Should be well above average if that even matters.

Prediction: Ravens go 11-5 and that's good for either a 2,3, or most likely 5 seed.

[QuikSand]

Yes, WTF will also field a team this season. I may or may not write anything up there. Swamped today, haven't even done a file.

It's a 9-win team, I think/fear. It might be time to give it up.

[MIJB#19]

We'll still be reading, even if draft write-ups vanish and if you drop on WTF.

[QuikSand]

thanks. kind of a tough run here in realworldville, but i'm up to it.

[QuikSand]

(full season summary eaten by the forum because reasons)

[QuikSand]

right of course, it cannot possibly be easy

[Chas in Cinti]

hey man... we're along for the ride either way... so make this what you need it to be, if that means you need to lighten it up for a while do so... there will always be another iteration of Misfit Toys to look forward to...