Snakebitten: A Real-Time MP FOF thread

[Chas in Cinti]

Wow... can you link the receiving stats for Baltimore? Interested to see since you've invested so heavily there...

[QuikSand]

Baltimore team stats, I think

GML: Baltimore Ravens 2127


and futile attempt to embed:

NAME	G	GS	TGT	CTCH	CTCH%	YD	TD	YPT	YPC	YAC	YAC/CTC	DRP	PSPLY	TGT%	PEN
SE Warren Behne	16	1	159	102	64.2%	1143	10	7.2	11.2	468	4.59	7	589	27.0%	1
FL Christopher Webster	16	1	111	64	57.7%	831	9	7.5	13.0	304	4.75	10	580	19.1%	1
TE Johnnie Gilbertson	16	1	126	74	58.7%	812	9	6.4	11.0	274	3.70	8	576	21.9%	5
FL Parker VanCaeyzeele	16	16	127	61	48.0%	659	4	5.2	10.8	206	3.38	11	344	36.9%	2
RB Brody Madison	16	1	47	34	72.3%	321	1	6.8	9.4	194	5.71	3	519	9.1%	0
TE Alexander Huffman	16	15	16	10	62.5%	164	1	10.3	16.4	47	4.70	0	249	6.4%	1
FB Kristopher Hillhouse	16	0	19	15	78.9%	125	1	6.6	8.3	20	1.33	2	158	12.0%	2
RB Jeff Stanton	16	15	6	5	83.3%	87	1	14.5	17.4	56	11.20	0	91	6.6%	0
SE Juan Pearson	16	15	11	7	63.6%	70	0	6.4	10.0	31	4.43	0	83	13.3%	0
TE Lionel Arndt	16	0	8	6	75.0%	20	2	2.5	3.3	24	4.00	0	55	14.5%	0
FL Phil McCormick	16	0	1	1	100.0%	3	0	3.0	3.0	0	0.00	0	71	1.4%	0

RECEIVING

[QuikSand]

Big news in DC... retirement list includes our former battery, both QB Clancy and WR Malone go out. Not exactly on top, but hey they got a ring together...we'll call it sorta like Ken Stabler and Fred Biletnikoff... neither one will go down on the short list of all-time greats, but all things considered it's good they actually "won one" together.


So, okay then, work to do in the capital city. I do not have anything that would pass for a Plan B at the QB position, had fully counted on another 2-4 years of Clancy's "good enough" effort. Now we'll have to actually work, I guess.

[Chas in Cinti]

Webster seems to be developing well... Pearson, IRL, would be so blown away as a "bust" there would be no coming back from it... in FOF, will the development take a hit?

[QuikSand]

I think Pearson will be fine - early signs didn't point to great, but he should remain a top-15 WR. He'll get fed next season, okay.

[QuikSand]

Oh, and I fell out of deep details... this guy got a better offer and left our team without me making a fuss over it...

TE Marcus Hartman

Guess that worked out for him, eh?

[QuikSand]

Ravens - new DC looks fine: William Harden GML Staff Page

Here's the roster situation overall:

Front Office Football Eight
Baltimore Ravens Roster, Scout Overview
   
  Player                #   Pos   Start Exp  Current Estimate Future Estimate  Cntrct 
Lyle, Austin            109 QB          9    39               39               2 yrs. 
Bridges, Archie         106 QB          4    22               30               1 yr.  
Campbell, Albert        125 QB          2    8                26               1 yr.  
Madison, Brody          241 RB          8    41               41               1 yr.  
Stanton, Jeff           233 RB          2    29               31               1 yr.  
Hillhouse, Kristopher   349 FB          10   42               42               ---    
Busch, Tre              343 FB          3    11               17               2 yrs. 
Gilbertson, Johnnie     440 TE          6    47               47               1 yr.  
Huffman, Alexander      481 TE          7    38               38               ---    
Arndt, Lionel           485 TE          3    19               31               ---    
Webster, Christopher    512 FL          5    58               58               2 yrs. 
VanCaeyzeele, Parker    511 FL          10   49               49               2 yrs. 
McCormick, Phil         583 FL          6    36               36               1 yr.  
Tatum, Tracy            517 FL          4    25               32               1 yr.  
Olman, J.J.             516 FL          6    23               26               ---    
Behne, Warren           518 SE          10   82               82               3 yrs. 
Pearson, Juan           588 SE          2    48               70               3 yrs. 
Hanley, Rodolfo         586 SE          8    19               19               2 yrs. 
Collins, William        580 SE          10   13               13               1 yr.  
Cook, Shaun             663 C           10   52               52               ---    
Emmons, Blaine          762 LG          6    86               86               3 yrs. 
Newsom, Robaire         779 LG          3    44               56               2 yrs. 
Kaminski, Sherman       765 RG          6    76               76               3 yrs. 
Caver, T.J.             861 LT          4    60               60               1 yr.  
Linquist, Levon         868 LT          3    56               58               2 yrs. 
Raymond, Carlton        878 LT          7    32               32               ---    
Douglas, Kim            864 LT          11   5                5                1 yr.  
Garcia, Ricky           860 RT          4    39               43               2 yrs. 
Moore, Reggie           902 P           9    85               85               2 yrs. 
Thomas, Mario           1003K           14   85               85               ---    
Rambo, Cole             1192LDE         6    64               64               3 yrs. 
Espinosa, Joey          1193LDE         6    47               47               1 yr.  
Shanle, Marcus          1199RDE         6    61               61               2 yrs. 
Bruce, Broderick        1194RDE         5    41               41               1 yr.  
Hitchcock, Alexis       1295NT          5    72               72               3 yrs. 
Turner, Brandon         1296NT          7    56               56               3 yrs. 
Truong, Giovanni        1290NT          4    39               39               1 yr.  
Davidson, Joe           1350SILB        7    45               45               2 yrs. 
Crawford, Tyler         1354SILB        11   40               40               2 yrs. 
Schenk, Rich            1356WILB        12   33               33               ---    
Goodwin, Brody          1445SLB         6    78               78               3 yrs. 
Sorota, Tyrus           1415SLB         13   36               36               ---    
Lang, Wayne             1458WLB         4    48               48               1 yr.  
Duran, John             1459WLB         7    33               33               1 yr.  
Boyd, Ernest            1526LCB         9    52               52               2 yrs. 
Atkins, Quentin         1537LCB         4    47               47               ---    
Kindred, Matt           1532LCB         8    44               44               ---    
Coble, Deion            1520LCB         2    37               38               3 yrs. 
Owens, Thurman          1644SS          9    48               48               2 yrs. 
Stone, Ken              1648SS          6    47               47               1 yr.  
Gallagher, Ian          1631FS          3    57               57               2 yrs. 
O'Neal, Dylan           1630FS          5    42               42               ---    
Henson, Jordan          469 LS          4    20               20               2 yrs. 
   
$$ - player is suspended, ## - player is inactive,  
** = player is injured, %% - player is on IR.  
   
Players Under Contract: 41
Inactive: 0
On Active Roster: 41
   
Salary Cap: $739,500,000
Cap Room: $168,190,000
Maximum for New Player: $140,380,000
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $2,860,000
   
Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
Cap Room Required Next Year: $485,450,000

We have our standard complement of draft picks at slot 23... and a reasonable amount of cap space to target needs, I think.

K Mario Thomas is still really good - has the experiment played out sufficiently, or do I feel compelled to stick with him (and pay up in free agency)? To be honest, the stat advantage of a high-skill kicker seems so indirect, it's hard for me to look back and justify all the cap space spent (in this league it's basically fine, but elsewhere I think I will remain a late-round or after-draft and always-cheap believer for that position. Seriously... almost every kicker seems to connect on about 85% of field goals, whether he's 78/78 or 38/38... so why pay? Kickoffs? Meh.

Elsewhere, DB depth is probably my top watch spot, as well as adding some good fits anywhere I can, as always.

[QuikSand]

Interesting RFA dilemma guy (this is fun, to me)...

http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=98992

So, nice young DB. I have played him at nickel back and CB2, here and there. He's clicked in chemistry effects, but with only a 36 personality. He has some skills I like, but not all of them - no interception skill to speak of (though 5 picks in limited play?!?) and borderline special teams for us. His performance thus far has been okay but not great - a 78 PD% is okay, but likely buoyed by those picks, which may not be repeatable.

He's asking for 4/$45m - a pretty solid deal. We could load up the bonus and make it cheaper, maybe 9-10m/yr but that's still around the 3x the veteran minimum. That makes him a player we would be investing in and... well, to me that's a dilemma. This is my last window to get him inked without competition... but would AVAILABLE be interested in this guy? Would a human owner? I don't really know.

Will mull... but he's not getting that 4/45 anytime really soon.

[QuikSand]

...as a frame of reference, here's what $10m or so a year should buy me in free agency: http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=93997

No spring chicken, but this guy is probably good for two solid seasons of solid CB play, he will get interceptions, he will be very strong for chemistry. So, that would be another use of the same amount of cap resources as the younger RFA above.

Cohesion says stick with the guy we have, and that matters too. This is not easy.

[QuikSand]

DC BUREAU

Panic button. I'm nearly there. Clancy walks, and I'm left with my dick in my hands.

Roster snapshot:

Front Office Football Eight
D.C. United Roster, Scout Overview
   
  Player                #   Pos   Start Exp  Current Estimate Future Estimate  Cntrct 
Reeves, Clyde           112 QB          5    29               34               ---    
Matlosz, Winston        102 QB          5    25               37               1 yr.  
Stachelski, Chris       105 QB          5    22               34               ---    
Bush, Xavier            230 RB          2    58               68               3 yrs. 
Coates, Corbin          237 RB          4    46               46               1 yr.  
Okeafor, Grayson        225 RB          5    35               35               1 yr.  
Vasilatos, Billy        236 RB          2    34               48               ---    
Hackney, Brandon        344 FB          11   26               26               1 yr.  
Rastok, Caiden          339 FB          8    12               12               1 yr.  
Sinclair, Jackson       486 TE          9    50               50               2 yrs. 
Wells, Weston           448 TE          5    48               48               ---    
Lester, Lee             488 TE          3    41               41               ---    
Corbett, Luis           487 TE          12   12               12               1 yr.  
Dunwoody, Mario         510 FL          8    60               60               2 yrs. 
Roach, Barry            522 FL          10   50               50               ---    
Everhart, William       580 FL          9    45               45               2 yrs. 
Levine, Kaden           517 FL          12   36               36               ---    
Carrubba, David         504 SE          8    60               60               1 yr.  
Schultz, Arturo         583 SE          3    26               34               2 yrs. 
Peters, Dalton          589 SE          3    26               40               ---    
Fitzgerald, Anthony     660 C           11   69               69               1 yr.  
Joyner, Elliot          651 C           5    55               55               2 yrs. 
Carpenter, Miguel       659 C           2    27               42               ---    
Holsey, Branden         656 C           8    26               26               ---    
Hatcher, Neal           762 RG          7    52               52               1 yr.  
Alexander, Ivan         777 RG          2    20               41               ---    
Rodier, Donovan         874 LT          6    65               65               3 yrs. 
Lyons, Shane            873 LT          10   60               60               2 yrs. 
Finneran, Brayden       875 LT          2    46               59               3 yrs. 
Poston, Marlon          878 RT          4    39               39               1 yr.  
Adams, Sebastian        918 P           8    60               60               ---    
Kimsey, Miles           908 P           4    43               43               1 yr.  
Lyons, Mike             1003K           3    56               56               2 yrs. 
Sherman, Bubba          1190LDE         3    66               66               2 yrs. 
Gillespie, Samuel       1197LDE         5    50               50               1 yr.  
Hopper, Jessie          1193RDE         7    43               43               1 yr.  
Card, Kent              1179RDE         3    33               40               ---    
Carlisle, Malachi       1292NT          7    75               75               3 yrs. 
Sweeney, Aiden          1291NT          6    50               50               1 yr.  
Brew, Manuel            1350SILB        4    58               58               1 yr.  
Trammell, J.C.          1358SILB        10   44               44               ---    
Clancy, Sky Dog         1396WILB        3    43               43               ---    
Ruddick, Paul           1340WILB        5    41               41               ---    
Cassidy, Richie         1352WILB        3    34               34               ---    
Donaldson, Freddie      1398MLB         2    20               38               ---    
Welch, Max              1453SLB         9    58               58               ---    
Kinney, Andrew          1457SLB         4    45               45               1 yr.  
Houston, Terrell        1454SLB         3    21               34               ---    
Maloney, Brett          1455WLB         7    59               59               2 yrs. 
Junker, Josiah          1527LCB         5    57               57               3 yrs. 
Peterson, Cesar         1523LCB         8    40               40               ---    
Figures, Garrett        1529LCB         4    38               38               ---    
Radomile, Weston        1524LCB         3    33               41               ---    
Maeser, Joseph          1545LCB         2    26               38               ---    
Franz, Taylor           1520RCB         6    53               53               1 yr.  
Jeffrey, Colton         1547RCB         10   31               31               2 yrs. 
Reese, Miles            1642SS          10   46               46               2 yrs. 
Garrett, Jared          1633SS          3    38               43               2 yrs. 
Scott, Tom              1641FS          5    55               55               3 yrs. 
DeLizzio, Efrain        1635FS          6    49               49               2 yrs. 
Brittain, A.J.          1634FS          6    24               29               ---    
Arndt, Luke             1638FS          10   10               10               2 yrs. 
Trippi, Caiden          665 LS          7    21               21               1 yr.  
   
$$ - player is suspended, ## - player is inactive,  
** = player is injured, %% - player is on IR.  
   
Players Under Contract: 38
Inactive: 0
On Active Roster: 38
   
Salary Cap: $739,500,000
Cap Room: $199,710,000
Maximum for New Player: $170,110,000
Front Office Football Eight
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $40,210,000
   
Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
Cap Room Required Next Year: $350,140,000

Not even a gigantic amount of cap space, if we were to plunge in after a free agent QB. Oh boy.

Well, the good news here, I guess, is that the roster around my QB-to-be isn't awful. We have an OL I am proud of (though chemistry suffered by retirements). We have a young RB I believe can be a centerpiece, which may be called upon short term here. And we have enough talent in the receiving corps to help bring a mediocre passer to respectability.

Honestly... thinking back on Clancy and the fairly disappointing efficiency we got from him in recent years (despite his hefty rating and salary)... fuck him. We'll be fine. I don't think we have this year's starter on the roster right now, but even if we do and it's just Maintenance Maitlosz, we might still be a winning team. Let's goooooooooooo

[QuikSand]

Baltimore...truth is there isn't a whole lot I am dying to do with this cap space. I guess that begs for a team-friendly deal with somebody (and possibly we just re-up with the kicker after all) but... in stages 2-3, we do... absolutely nothing. Nothing accepted, nothing rejected, nothing. I have 10 offers out there, we're in the lead on them all (a sign that nobody else is that interested) and that's...well, basically just fine.

[QuikSand]

DC BUREAU

Two solid veteran signings this stage...nothing eye-popping, just good fits:

	Washington Football Team	KickStand	MLB Dwight Heffernan	4 years, $64,000,000 (Bonus: $40.0M. Salary: $6.0M, $6.0M, $6.0M, $6.0M.)	50	50
	Washington Football Team	KickStand	SS Adrian Rasmussen	3 years, $27,000,000 (Bonus: $30K. Salary: $9.0M, $9.0M, $9.0M.)	48	48

The LB likely steps into the void created by my two non-affinity guys phasing out (one by retirement, one by my unwillingness to re-sign). He's a do-it-all guy who could play anywhere. The S is a ballhawk, and that could prove helpful... I'm on deck in the rookie draft and hope to pair him up with a kindred spirit soon. (If my desired guy gets taken ahead of us, I will be gutted, he's such a perfect fit)

[QuikSand]

I mean...




Washington: KickStand takes CB Sam Gramentine with the 1.17 pick.

Run Defense		16<->47
Man-to-Man Defense		52<->83
Zone Defense		33<->64
Bump-and-Run Defense		69<->100
Play Diagnosis		26<->57
Punishing Hitter		69<->100
Interceptions		68<->99
Punt Returning		0<->31
Kick Returning		69<->100
Endurance		29<->60
Special Teams		52<->83

HT	WT	RAW	ADJ	DASH	SOL	BENCH	AGI	BRJU	POS	%DEV
70	180	5.6	5.7	4.49	27	18	6.98	120	49	30

I guess I/we don't really know whether players other than the key offensive cogs "really matter" (cf. video chats)... but if they do, then this guy seems like a guy who would matter. If he ends up being a top shelf bump cover man, a ballhawk who grabs 5+ picks a year, and a plus kick returner... I'm thrilled with the pick. He looks roughly as good above as he did to my scout, so I'm very glad to see those 100 ratings keeping it 100, baby.

[QuikSand]

So, Baltimore's pick is in...




Baltimore: QuikSand takes RB Alvin Garrett with the 1.23 pick.

Breakaway Speed		16<->44
Power Inside		18<->46
Third Down Running		55<->83
Hole Recognition		41<->69
Elusiveness		72<->100
Speed to Outside		17<->45
Blitz Pickup		67<->95
Avoid Drops		31<->59
Getting Downfield		62<->89
Route Running		72<->100
Third Down Catching		22<->50
Punt Returning		0<->28
Kick Returning		0<->28
Endurance		53<->81
Special Teams		48<->75

HT	WT	RAW	ADJ	DASH	SOL	BENCH	AGI	BRJU	POS	%DEV
71	221	6.3	6.7	4.65	32	18	6.96	129	32	59

Now, one way to look at this is that we had a need at RB, we've committed to moving to the 3-4/5-6/10-11 group there anyhow, and this guy has an intriguing set of skills that could certainly fit there... so, we'll go with that.

I mean, it's definitely not that I just...uhhh...forgot to log into the draftatronic thingie and got auto-picked. No way, definitely the "strategy" thing, definitely.


We're excited to have him aboard.

[QuikSand]

Ravens free agency update...

	Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	K Mario Thomas	2 years, $36,000,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $18.0M, $18.0M.)	74	74
	Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	LCB Grayson Walkiewicz	3 years, $36,000,000 (Bonus: $15.0M. Salary: $7.0M, $7.0M, $7.0M.)	56	56

No shocks here. I basically decided to re-up with K Thomas last stage, seeing no major prospects out there for us. And I had wanted DB depth - Walkiewicz (?) gives us a bump/man type, which I tend to use in the CB1/2 role with some success. Not a young pup, but a good fit, and has grabbed 11 interceptions the last two seasons for Philly.


We're still splashing around a bit...have some money to spend, it'll do that. Next stage might be interesting.

[QuikSand]

DC BUREAU


So, Jacksonville made a serious push to get our WR Barry Roach. An affinity guy, 10 year vet, big cohesion plus... but on the field, meh. We rate him 53 overall, but he's barely a 7 ypt sort of guy. I decide to let him go. So now they're in for $50m for his next three years, which seems odd. They are also after our TE Wells. No chemistry angle that I can see. Why?




We swing a minor trade deal (with St. Louis, natch, to whom we have become the "regular punch" I fear) to land a new OT, a guy we expect to promote to chem leader soon, and around whom our fellas will dance gleefully. Problem solved for a while, at least.

[QuikSand]

So, things have happened, I suppose.

[QuikSand]

Most interesting turn of events for the Ravens, as we wrap early free agency, is that our RB starter is holding out. He's on a team-friendly min-bonus contract, and we just signed a first round running back - so this seems like a curious move to make, wearing my little-men-inside-the-game hat for a moment.

Anyway, about that draft...

16

BAL

QuikSand

1(23) RB Alvin Garrett 54/57 2(23) WLB Jamal Shelton 29/48 6(23) LDE Steve Calvin 26/52 3(23) WLB Al Bush 21/51 4(23) RDT Randal White 20/50 5(23) WLB Abel Wasczewski 19/46

1(23) RB Alvin Garrett 54/57 2(23) WLB Jamal Shelton 29/48 6(23) LDE Steve Calvin 26/52 3(23) WLB Al Bush 21/51 4(23) RDT Randal White 20/50 5(23) WLB Abel Wasczewski 19/46

63.2

SHOCKINGLY good outcome for me, driven by the RB pick which I of course orchestrated fully.


I obviously was throwing darts at the LB position, and don't mind that we lost out in free agency on a decent, but not thrilling, do-it-all-okay sort of guy. I'll take stock of the rookies, and decide what to do on our still-unsigned returning veterans.

[QuikSand]

Some minor, long-term, bad news, I will point out... rookie RB Alvin Garrett does have a toxic chemistry mix of 99 Leadership, 32 Personality, meaning he likely won't be allowed on our team after his first 4-6 years. He'll become a major player as a group leader, and unless he's really way above replacement, we'll either cut or trade him to void him becoming a milquetoast chem leader. Meh.

[QuikSand]

DC BUREAU


Meanwhile, down I-95, a big "perfect fit" signing at the end of early free agency has me happy...

	Washington Football Team	KickStand	FL Kaden Levine	1 year, $8,500,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $8.5M.)	37	37
	Washington Football Team	KickStand	LCB Matthew Osborne	4 years, $46,000,000 (Bonus: $18.0M. Salary: $7.0M, $7.0M, $7.0M, $7.0M.)	50	50
	Washington Football Team	KickStand	QB Chris Stachelski	2 years, $8,140,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $4.1M, $4.1M.)	21	35

CB Osborne is a zone master and a chemistry monster, I love it. Expect to see a lot of him in the nickel/dime roles, he should be very very good for us there.





I have already shared my relative pleasure with the top pick in our rookie draft... here's the typically lukewarm BenBot evaluation:

21

WAS

KickStand

1(17) LCB Sam Gramentine 31/60 2(19) RDT Donovan Farkas 32/57 4(11) P Tristan Reynolds 56/73 7(17) K Curtis Dunkin 36/70 3(18) RB Lenny Ehlert 30/37 4(17) C Korey Robinson 17/54

1(17) LCB Sam Gramentine 31/60 2(19) RDT Donovan Farkas 32/57 4(11) P Tristan Reynolds 56/73 7(17) K Curtis Dunkin 36/70 3(18) RB Lenny Ehlert 30/37 4(17) C Korey Robinson 17/54

60.4

[QuikSand]

More from DC... basically very excited about this roster, despite having no legitimate plan for the QB position, which I have heard is somewhat important.

Expect heaping helpings of RB Xavier Bush this season. Might as well run the kid into the ground, right?

[QuikSand]

Okay, lots of signings in late free agency. WAS got clipped for gong over 70 players after we got nearly everyone we targeted (that's always dicey math, but we'll survive without a 6th round pick).

Baltimore notables:
TE Jose Sims might stick as a special teams chem guy
WR Kendrick Murray as yet another everything-but-catch-asses wideout

Washington notables:
2nd year TE Drew Goodspeed - wow, very excited, minimum TE2 potential
(no rookies, so we paid a draft pick for air, awesome)

Fun twist with TE Goodspeed... three other offers in for this guy, two were basically the vanilla "offer him what he asks for" and one smarter one was "offer him the same thign he asked for but more money to beat out the AI teams." I went in a totally different direction... a huge one year offer that will retain him as a RFA next year. I have the cap space, he won't get starts for us (he already has what he needs) and presumably I can re-up next offseason for less than the $7m/yr he was being offered from the runners-up. I like it.

Not a lot of news, really...

[QuikSand]

Ravens file is in. Rookie RB should be strong. Soph WR should get his share. OL looks good. Pass rush in shape. Secondary hopefully solid. I think we're in a good position for a solid postseason position, I want 12 wins and a bye.

Washington look good in nearly every respect. I like the OL, I think the young RB is a star in the making, our defense has gelled and I love the new DB additions. QB, well, that's the exception, I'm starting Maitlosz, a guy we picked up exclusively to serve as a long term chemistry booster. Now, my scout tags him at 22/28, and we're going to ask him to pitch it around, quite a lot. Is this an 11-win team with a strong QB? Perhaps. With a mere caretaker at QB, perhaps more like 8-8. Nobody to blame but myself.

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

I think we're in a good position for a solid postseason position, I want 12 wins and a bye.

RAVENS GET 12 WINS AND A BYE

GML: Baltimore Ravens 2128

So, what happened here? Basically right as planned...
QB Lyle was okay again, not great, but passable with 6.58 35/12 91.1
Rookie RB Garrett tops 1,000 yards rushing on 4.7 ypc, run game solid
WR Pearson steps into the WR1 job and delivers 8.4 ypt, great
other receivers waning - Behne 7.6, PVC absent, Webster 3.9 (!?!)
TE Gilbertson just sucks, and/or my gameplan does... 4.8 ypt
Just an above average offense all around, good not great

Pass rush was very solid, led by Rambo Shanle Hitchcock (new faces settled in)
Run defense weak but that's not my real concern
Teamwide pass defense % low (51.1 27th) but opponents only 5.9 ypa
Hard to figure, was our pass defense actually "good" beneath the numbers?

Anyway... we're solid, get home field in the AFC, and I guess we're a contender

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

Nobody to blame but myself.

WASHINGTON GM: "NOBODY TO BLAME BUT MYSELF," EYES EARLY DRAFT PICK

So, this sucked, or rather we sucked. Bigly.

GML: Washington Football Team 2128

Well, we will pick in the 1.4-1.6 range, and I guess that's solace (cf. my Ravens)
OMG QB Maitlosz was dreadful, 6.57 32/34 72.8 yeah that's about it
WE WERE -33 IN TURNOVER MARGIN WTAF
RB Bush just barely topped 1,000 yards on 4.4 ypc, that's fine
Three 1K receivers, but none over 7 ypt, just woefully inefficient

Defense seemed okay but couldn't take the ball away ever
Pass rush fine, but secondary worst rated in PD% yikes
Solid against the run, awesome, everyone had huge leads all year


Awful. I did not tank, but didn't go all out to field a credible QB, I thought my cohesion/chem/so-so guy would be good enough. Very wrong there. Well, we get an early pick here, and it feels like we are duty bound to grab the BQBA and run with him, right?

[QuikSand]

In possibly related news, I must have messed something up with my depth charts on the DC/WAS team... I had carefully planned out playing time for a number of young defensive players, and it got all bollocks-ed up. So it goes, another rotten facet of a terrible, forgettable season.

[QuikSand]

Ravens go one and out in the postseason. So it goes.

[QuikSand]

Ravens lose FB Hillhouse to retirement - that's the biggest name. Also our C, who got demoted last year after we signed a new starter. No major worries there.

United/WFT lose nobody, though longtime WR Barry Roach retired from whomever he suckered into giving him a juicy contract last offseason.

So...structurally intact, basically.

[QuikSand]

...had a little moment there, it felt like I might have gotten onto a bit of a run. My Chesapeake team just managed to win it all in the IHOF, and if my Ravens had held their #1 seed and gotten it done in GML, I'd be sitting on two titles at once.

I am playing half-heartedly in another league and doing poorly, and have taken a co-owner role in still another and that's off to a slow start... so no path to a "grand slam," but it would have been nice to put back-to-back titles across two leagues together, at least.

[QuikSand]

DC BUREAU

First peek at the draft... wow, the DC faithful are going to be miserable when we have to take a BPA linebacker or safety or something at pick 1.5. Just zippo there at QB, I mean... nothing. Bad luck. Was totally ready to make a huge move to get to pick 1 or 2 for the big move-the-needle guy. Rats.

[QuikSand]

DC BUREAU

We make a trade to deal down from 1.5 to 1.8 (pick up a 2nd next year) and still get the guy I would have taken at pick 5...




Washington: KickStand takes WR Melvin Marshall with the 1.8 pick.

Avoid Drops		73<->100
Getting Downfield		53<->81
Route Running		72<->99
Third Down Catching		73<->100
Big-Play Receiving		21<->48
Courage		52<->79
Adjust to Ball		73<->100
Punt Returning		0<->27
Kick Returning		0<->27
Endurance		46<->73
Special Teams		69<->96

HT	WT	RAW	ADJ	DASH	SOL	BENCH	AGI	BRJU	POS	%DEV
71	194	5.0	5.2	4.45	32	15	6.96	105	67	5

So...with no QB worth getting excited about, I target the other "impact position" with a wideout. Not a complete player, but I hope he can step into a WR2 role for us long term and be good. Chem fit, naturally, so I'm okay with this.

[QuikSand]

Hmmm...it appears I may have failed to upload my BAL file? Alas.


Nobody got poached, and I don't think we would have won out on any big ticket guys, so no major harm done. I stink with draftee interviews anyway.

[QuikSand]

More happening with draft than free agency... a quick set of paste-ins here:




Baltimore: QuikSand takes WR James Bridges with the 1.28 pick.

Avoid Drops		71<->100
Getting Downfield		72<->100
Route Running		34<->62
Third Down Catching		21<->49
Big-Play Receiving		57<->85
Courage		72<->100
Adjust to Ball		45<->74
Punt Returning		0<->28
Kick Returning		0<->28
Endurance		72<->100
Special Teams		72<->100

HT	WT	RAW	ADJ	DASH	SOL	BENCH	AGI	BRJU	POS	%DEV
67	193	4.7	4.9	4.48	19	14	6.95	103	51	20

This will prove to be an unwise pick, I now think, but it solidifies our move to the 3-4/5-6/10-11 affinity triad for the WR/TE group. Arguably silly move to make coming off a #1 seed season. We made a small trade to grab a suitable leader for the switch, as well.




Washington: KickStand takes QB Rod Swift with the 2.4 pick.

Screen Passes		38<->66
Short Passes		0<->28
Medium Passes		13<->41
Long Passes		58<->87
Deep Passes		28<->56
Third Down Passing		28<->56
Accuracy		22<->50
Timing		72<->100
Sense Rush		68<->96
Read Defense		27<->55
Two Minute Offense		33<->61
Scramble Frequency		49<->77
Kick Holding		46<->75

HT	WT	RAW	ADJ	DASH	SOL	BENCH	AGI	BRJU	POS	%DEV
76	228	4.2	4.8	4.66	28	12	7.52	103	83	31

Okay...not sure if there's anything here, but with a run-blocking OL and a pass-heavy gameplan, I went after a guy who seemingly has high "Sense Rush" skills. We'll see if he can, you know, play football and stuff.





Baltimore: QuikSand takes CB Steven Parker with the 2.28 pick.

Run Defense		44<->73
Man-to-Man Defense		39<->68
Zone Defense		52<->81
Bump-and-Run Defense		71<->100
Play Diagnosis		70<->99
Punishing Hitter		1<->30
Interceptions		47<->76
Punt Returning		0<->29
Kick Returning		0<->29
Endurance		35<->64
Special Teams		68<->97

HT	WT	RAW	ADJ	DASH	SOL	BENCH	AGI	BRJU	POS	%DEV
69	185	5.8	6.0	4.49	26	15	6.91	105	42	45

A more conventional pick here for the Ravens, I passed on DB at the end of round one because there were several I liked, and I got one here. I use bump a lot, he's solid there, good chem fit, should play special teams - yes. We'll just whistle past that void in the static "punishing hitter" bar for now.


= = =


I have posted a "spare parts" trade block for some of the supporting WR/TE guys who will fall out of favor with the chem switch, but I don't expect any big offers.


My plan (in BAL) is to keep Lyle around to play QB and preserve his cohesion... but now that he will be a zero-chem guy, it's at least conceivable that I stray from that path. We don't have a legit guy to look forward to, though - best we have is a no-talent all-chem run-around backup fella who has no business taking actual snaps.


{arches eyebrow} hmmmmmm

[QuikSand]

Details slowing, I know. Nothing much happening here.

Ravens are committed to a move to the new chemistry triad for the WR/TE group, that has been a focus. I did re-sign TE Gilbertson, for some reason, mostly because I don't think I have even a semi-legit TE1 option for this year without him. But it was a two year deal, and he could still be a cut next season. Baltimore is close to the cap, and probably done with meaningful activity.

Washington/DC (I need to pull the string there I guess) still has cap space, but no major plans on what to do with it. Rookie likely gets the call at QB this season, we'll "see what we have" for 16 games in this league. Likely another wasted year, but I still like a lot of the other pieces we have in place for the near future.

[QuikSand]

Definitely not used to seeing my GML drafts rated mid-pack by the BenBot...

17

BAL

QuikSand

1(28) SE James Bridges 30/55 3(30) TE Jose Palmer 26/55 2(28) RCB Steven Parker 31/60 4(28) WLB Ian Emery 29/44 3(28) FL Mitchell Stuart 21/43

1(28) SE James Bridges 30/55 3(30) TE Jose Palmer 26/55 2(28) RCB Steven Parker 31/60 4(28) WLB Ian Emery 29/44 3(28) FL Mitchell Stuart 21/43

66.0

So, what does the sneak peek reveal?

WR Bridges is interesting... but may have too low a RR rating for it to matter enough to merit the early pick. Legit GD, BPR, Courage - all good - but if RR can't get to the projected 46 he'll be one of those failure-to-launch receivers. I don't really need a WR1 here, but wanted a WR2. Meh.

CB Parker can play bump, but he's not as good as I would have hoped. TE Palmer looks like an all-around decent player, a possible future TE1 for us, actually, nice find (reach pick, he was wayyyy down the big board). LB Emery has a few low ratings, but might end up being an interesting role player - bars at RunD, Zone, and ST are all respectable and I can shape that sort of clay into starts for sure.

Looks like our trade for the 2nd round QB autopicked by someone else didn't go through, to that's pending. He looks okay, but nothing special. Stay tuned.

[QuikSand]

...oh, and for the Ravens faithful... WR Bridges has a 2 personality rating, and so he doesn't even register an affinity. Dammit.

Our two late-round fullback (or possible TE conversion) picks didn't even register above, and only one has the hoped-for special teams skill to even merit a kicking of the tires. Meh.

[QuikSand]

DC BUREAU

now, a draft rated 31 out of 32... that's more of my sweet spot...

31

WAS

KickStand

1(8) SE Melvin Marshall 24/63 4(5) NT Brayden Hendrickson 30/55 4(7) RCB Bryson Farmer 25/46

1(8) SE Melvin Marshall 24/63 4(5) NT Brayden Hendrickson 30/55 4(7) RCB Bryson Farmer 25/46

55.0

Anything to see here?

A low-developed receiver is always going to take some "projection," but if his RR bar can actually make good on its promise (laughable 3/81 now) then we might indeed have something here. Not a perfect prototype for either pure flanker or split end, but I think he could be productive. Enough that I will check into mentoring on the roster. He'll get out there right away, at least a bit.

QB Swift was a reach...and what do we have here? Probably a runaround guy destined to be a QB2 rather than a QB1. 74 Sense Rush is good, but there's not enough to go along with it. Nice 4th round pick, weak for round two.

DT Hendrickson looks like he could last as a run-stopping DT, a role that seems easy to fill but you seemingly want a guy for it. So, there's a job for a guy like this. Fine.

CB Farmer looks like a rotation-caliber decent DB to me, can't play the run but on 3rd and long could play any CB slot, that's kinda handy.

Chem-wise: WR Marshall is a goldmine (68/98), but DT Hendrickson only has a 5 personality... so maybe that thing about "a job for him" not so much after all. On this team, that might not cut it.


I don't hate the draft. If we get the 1,000 yard receiver we needed, that would be fine.

[QuikSand]

DC BUREAU

Roster dilemma... DE Gillespie thinks he's a big deal. Is he?

He seems to me like the classic case of the "hey I got nine sacks!" that happens in both NFL and FOF, but means fairly little. Ratings progression is nice, stats progression is nice, and I'm perfectly happy with the contract we gave him last year for around $10m, roughly 2.5x minsal in this league.

But he wants $18m and is holding out for a 3yr deal. Make sense? I ave the cap space now, so it's mostly about the commitment.

Bubba Sherman on the other side just got $28m, and in the real world, that would be an issue here. But Sherman is gonna march to 10 sacks every year, I'd think... he is a far more certain commodity for us.

Thing is, I don't really have another guy to toss in there right now to really play solid DE. I have a 77-PRTech LB who weighs 259, he could get some work and likely put up some decent stats. Another younger, lighter, lesser guy for a rotation. A 5th year FA signee who's a bit more run stopper than pass rusher but would be okay in a platoon. No one guy, though.

Bottom line: I'm going to pay up and keep the band together. It's three years, it will pass. For the cohesion and the lack of clear alternatives - I think this is the right move.

[QuikSand]

Ravens Late free agency... fill 'er up!

	Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	SE Chance Burgess	2 years, $8,200,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $4.1M, $4.1M.)	29	29
	Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	SE Cary Campos	2 years, $8,240,000 (Bonus: $60K. Salary: $4.1M, $4.1M.)	26	26
	Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	WLB Cedric Dailey	2 years, $5,600,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.8M, $2.8M.)
	Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	LDE Kelvin Escribano	2 years, $5,600,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.8M, $2.8M.)
	Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	SE Tyrell Fuller	2 years, $5,160,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.4M, $2.8M.)
	Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	FB Tony Poston	2 years, $5,160,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.4M, $2.8M.)
	Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	RDT Fernando Russ	2 years, $5,160,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.4M, $2.8M.)
	Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	RB Jeff Stanton	2 years, $6,850,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.2M, $3.6M.)	30	32
	Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	TE Silas Wappler	2 years, $8,090,000 (Bonus: $360K. Salary: $3.6M, $4.1M.)	39	39
	Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	RDT Tucker Warren	2 years, $5,660,000 (Bonus: $80K. Salary: $2.8M, $2.8M.)

Only one guy here gets anything more than the minbonus, so that shoudl tell you most of the story. Quick peek says...


*** This TE Wappler is a great fit in the new chem scheme, and probably shapes up as a future 50-target guy, ideally. Good blocker, good special teams, 88 personality, and already has his starts. Great value pick up there.


** I can't rule out DT Tucker Warren making the final 53 - we have 6 DTs on the roster right now and I cannot imagine carrying more than 7 DL total, so it's not a "need position" but he has the pieces I tend to like from bargain bin rookies


** Similar story with ILB Cedric Dailey, if we could get him starts, he'd be a nice LB6/ST guy for years...he's got some coverage skills, I may look to see if we could sneak him in for his starts this year without tumult


* In what seems to be a pattern, I have another guy in the category "wide receiver good at various things not including catching passes" in Tyrell Fuller... on a team with lower standards for such things, having 75 ST, 40 KR, and a 52 personality affinity might be enough to make the team. Here, unlikely.


I managed to leave the roster at the absolute minimum 7 OL despite having a ton of extra guys nearly everywhere else. Seems odd. Not worried in a zero injury league, I just can't afford a random bust here.



We do have a suspension - a 99 personality guy, at that. With my new understanding of such things, I think this is a free affinity for me, and I couldn't be much happier about that. Joe Davidson, you're a goddamned hero.

[QuikSand]

..as a side note, it is really tough to shift gears between this league (with zero injuries) and a normal league where that's a factor in many ways.

As I have downgraded the level of attention I actually put into my teams (might not be super evident here, but it's definitely been the case recently) it has become harder for me to remember, over at CCFL frex, that I really need a quality versatile OL6 on that team in case a guy dies, like he just did (and I am standing there with my terrible affinity gimp as maybe the only guy available to play right tackle).

Anyway... some things are easy enough to scale to speed. Staying mentally in tune with chemistries and league-mentality is among the tougher ones.

[QuikSand]

DC BUREAU

	Washington Football Team	KickStand	RB Freddie Faneca	2 years, $5,160,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.4M, $2.8M.)
	Washington Football Team	KickStand	TE Lee Lester	3 years, $12,570,000 (Bonus: $300K. Salary: $4.1M, $4.1M, $4.1M.)	41	41
	Washington Football Team	KickStand	RDE Jonathan Stephenson	2 years, $5,600,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.8M, $2.8M.)
	Washington Football Team	KickStand	RB Billy Vasilatos	2 years, $7,300,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.6M, $3.6M.)	33	41
	Washington Football Team	KickStand	MLB J.C. Weaver	2 years, $5,600,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.8M, $2.8M.)

Fewer roster slots available here... and fewer comments about the batch of babies. Meh.

[QuikSand]

Cut to 60 in Baltimore... I typically carry 3-4 players at RB/FB and exit camp with... uhh...9. And 5x TE. So... my path from 63 to 60 to 53 will pretty substantially revolve around decisions there.

RB1 is Garrett, no brainer. High Endurance, he'll do it all for us. So we need complementary players for special teams and chemistry, mostly.

RB Stanton has 78 special teams and a strong chem combo of 70/99, and has his starts. Garrett is a chem bum (99/32) so we won't worry about him, but if Stanton steps in as a leader from the 5-6 group... both of my late round rookies are neutral and cut-worthy. Same with RB Vance, basically.

...

Instead, I think I will develop a chemistry gimp. I have a 6th year guy from group 10-11, no real skills, but he's a 55/90. I can press him into leadership by the back half of the season and he will be...okay for now. Meh.

[QuikSand]

ok, regular season upon us, after a busy day for me otherwise

BAL projection: 10-6, wild card

WAS projection: 8-8, no playoffs

not feeling up to really writing anything here

[QuikSand]

Well, well... as is often the case with my fantasy football teams, moderate benign neglect is just the tonic... pretty sure 26 wins across the two teams is a high water mark...

[QuikSand]

Ravens Power To 14-2, Repeat As AFC Top Seed

GML: Baltimore Ravens 2129

Okay, what happened here? I expected regression, did I undersell this team?
QB Lyle posted a 97 rating, high for him... 7.48 ypa, 41/18, wow
WR Pearson emerged as a do-it-all, build-around wideout w 8.81/1692/18
RB Garrett put up studly numbers in full duty 5.26/1453/13

Pass rush clicked at 23.9%, league best there, lots of sacks
Opposing passers managed only 5.74 ypa, also league best

Jesus we were great on paper, like among my best teams in memory

[QuikSand]

Washington Rebound With 12-4 Season, Division Title

GML: Baltimore Ravens 2129

Well well, was it just getting back to respectable QB play?
Minsal QB Osborne posts a perfectly luau-worthy 6.92 40/16 93.9
WR Dunwoody anchors targets with big season 8.28 1300 9
RB Xavier Bush is great 5.54 1774 11 (over 2,000 from scrimmage)

Pass rush posted 21%, ranks 7th... PD% allowed 61.9, 3rd
Yielded only 6.04 ypa passing, not bad (11th)
Lots of individual guys with a 10+ passes defensed, seems high


12 wins isn't enough for a bye week (glares at Ben, tiebreak winner)
...but we could be 13-3 Minnesota, in a wild card after tiebreaker

Anyway, not an overpowering season, but a +8 swing in team wins is nice

[Chas in Cinti]

Nice!

[QuikSand]

yeah right on time, i've been wondering whether it was time to cut back

still might be, but...

[Kodos]

Sometimes the game throws you a bone. Like when you're playing the slots and thinking "I've thrown away about enough money here" and then you win a small jackpot that convinces you to keep playing a bit longer.

[QuikSand]

...a jackpot, albeit a small one...

GML POSTSEASON RECAP

GAME RESULTS
Wild Card Round	BOX		Chicago Bears (rgvicedo)	33-41	San Francisco 49ers (Juggernaut)		LOG
Wild Card Round	BOX		Cleveland Browns (Scrooge)	10-34	New England Patriots (pyser)		LOG
Wild Card Round	BOX		Jacksonville Jaguars (finkellll)	10-13	Denver Broncos (jstraub80)		LOG
Wild Card Round	BOX		Philadelphia Eagles (Jeremiah)	28-32	Washington Football Team (KickStand)		LOG
Divisional Round	BOX		Denver Broncos (jstraub80)	36-21	Houston Texans (MattC)		LOG
Divisional Round	BOX		New England Patriots (pyser)	16-10	Baltimore Ravens (QuikSand)		LOG
Divisional Round	BOX		San Francisco 49ers (Juggernaut)	29-6	Minnesota Vikings (johnnyshaka)		LOG
Divisional Round	BOX		Washington Football Team (KickStand)	27-30	Atlanta Falcons (Ben E Lou)		LOG
Conference Round	BOX		New England Patriots (pyser)	30-6	Denver Broncos (jstraub80)		LOG
Conference Round	BOX		San Francisco 49ers (Juggernaut)	21-35	Atlanta Falcons (Ben E Lou)		LOG

The GM Challenge Bowl Result
Front Office Bowl	BOX		Atlanta Falcons (Ben E Lou)	40-41	New England Patriots (pyser)		LOG