Snakebitten: A Real-Time MP FOF thread - Page 36

QuikSand · 04-23-2021, 07:58 PM

Yeah, yeah. So I'm told.

QuikSand · 04-24-2021, 08:05 PM

Okay, Ravens into a new year. Retirements hit us with some old-timers, WR Pearson, TE Palmer, and DE Dotson all had a great run here. We need to get younger and apparently better. Let's see what we can do on that front.

As it stands, QB Cary Alfonso is at risk of becoming the long term plan by default. Not great. Nothing at RB is worth mentioning here. WR Matt Douglas is the key to the offense, rated all of 46/46. Not a good scene right now.

The OL is in very good shape.

We are maybe one DL short of a full complement, okay there. LB Trey Martin may want to return for his 13th season, but we have quite a lot to work with there. DB is thin, but for two straight years we have signed and used an after-draft rookie to good effect, so now we have some youth there. One quality addition there, either a big free agent or an early rookie, would be very welcome.

Pulling stuff together for the first stages of free agency... the planning is afoot! With our early picks, I'd expect DB and maybe DL... but we sometimes just go with the flow. The WR and TE positions are wild cards, as usual, would love to add something of value in either or both, if we can swing it.

QuikSand · 04-25-2021, 11:48 AM

WFT Roster Rundown...

Code:

  
Front Office Football Eight
Washington Football Team Roster, Scout Overview
 
  Player                #   Pos   Start Exp  Current Estimate Future Estimate  Cntrct 
Thornton, Myles         133 QB          3    24               37               2 yrs. 
Swift, Rod              106 QB          13   26               26               ---    
Iacuessa, Korey         112 QB          3    8                24               1 yr.

Okay, so Rod Swift is pretty good, at least for us. Over 22,000 yards passing and a 64-24 career W/L record, despite being cut twice and never being of any interest to anyone else. I guess we re-sign him?

Thornton is a possible have-a-look guy at some point, KI is a mere chem factor still not actuated.

Code:

  
Greenway, Efrain        235 RB          4    44               44               ---    
Killian, Frank          232 RB          6    41               41               1 yr.  
Hodel, Ted              241 RB          2    27               36               3 yrs. 
Perreault, Tracy        238 RB          4    32               32               1 yr.  
Kinney, Ray             344 FB          9    53               53               ---    
Lynch, Tre              331 FB          3    19               37               1 yr.

Weird season here. I pay Killian based on a big 2139 campaign with 5.6 ypc, he responds but hitting the buffet circuit and grinds out merely 3.1 ypc after the new contract, awesome.

So, is Greenway actually decent? 5.65 ypc sounds familiar... so if I pay him will he, too, fall off the deep end? Beats me, but he only wants $8m/yr so he'll likely be RB1.

Hodel didn't get a carry last season (I messed up my depth chart appafrently, and Rex didn't see him as "touch the ball" material. So, who knows.

Code:

McDaniel, Devon         447 TE          3    46               46               1 yr.  
Fasani, Ernie           482 TE          9    41               41               ---    
Lehmann, Elijah         486 TE          8    39               39               1 yr.

I value TE, but the results from TE on this team have been basically comically bad. Fasani has been comparatively productive in limited roles, if we re-up with him, maybe I give him the main job in the 12 formation, which I use a lot.

McDaniel looks like a blocker only, but he was the best of the lot so, I don't know what to do here. Nobody grabs me, really.

Code:

  
Botte, Andrew           588 FL          9    49               49               2 yrs. 
Moorehead, Ellis        519 FL          9    45               45               2 yrs. 
Peters, Jessie          515 FL          8    38               38               1 yr.  
Hines, Winfred          581 FL          13   29               29               ---    
Tubbs, Leland           518 SE          5    49               49               1 yr.  
Tatum, Johnnie          580 SE          3    46               49               2 yrs. 
Vanderpool, Duane       514 SE          8    45               45               1 yr.  
Quackenbush, Jimmie     513 SE          9    1                1                ---

Okay. Nobody rated over 50, but five guys just below that level. Weird setup. Maybe this season it's Botte at FL, Tubbs at SE, and Tatum in the slot? Not sure. We're okay here, overall.

Code:

  
Pommier, Ernest         676 C           8    65               65               2 yrs. 
Champagne, Luke         777 LG          12   45               45               ---    
Perkins, Earl           768 LG          5    39               39               ---    
Davidson, Tom           873 LT          7    81               81               1 yr.  
Bishop, Charles         870 LT          3    52               52               2 yrs. 
Starling, Dusty         860 LT          2    23               51               3 yrs. 
Colvin, Carlton         878 LT          5    20               45               1 yr.  
Frye, Howie             864 RT          5    20               20               ---

On paper, we look fine. Chem-wise I am still working on it, and am not satisfied. Things could come together, though. Re-signing Champagne is a weird prospect - his cohesion surely has helped us, but would I rather be developing younger players?

Code:

  
McIntyre, Cameron       905 P           4    53               53               ---    
Emerson, Riley          1003K           2    71               71               3 yrs.

We're okay here, I will re-up with P McIntyre and be done with it. Emerson is not a stud, but he's worth keeping around.

Code:

  
Quinn, Wally            1199LDE         5    73               73               4 yrs. 
Dominguez, Wade         1191RDE         6    42               42               1 yr.  
Hatch, Miguel           1197RDE         11   39               39               ---    
Leandri, J.T.           1290NT          12   45               45               ---    
Baker, Les              1296NT          9    36               36               ---

Okay, so I make fun of myself for putting too many early draft resources here, but at this point... we really need to. Quinn is a fine starter. Leandri is a chem leader who likely won't be back. SO what, then? The rest are just pass rushers. We need depth, at the very least.

Code:

  
Cranwell, Lawrence      1353SILB        4    48               48               1 yr.  
Harding, Conner         1345WILB        5    53               53               1 yr.  
Figurelle, Sammy        1459SLB         10   52               52               1 yr.  
Kieta, Damien           1448WLB         8    65               65               3 yrs. 
Peterson, Joshua        1452WLB         3    49               49               2 yrs. 
Halela, Jason           1458WLB         9    31               31               ---

Thin here but I like what we have, mostly. Open to adding, but ideally just a complementary piece or two.

Code:

  
Bradley, Derek          1517LCB         8    75               75               3 yrs. 
Davison, K.C.           1537RCB         3    33               45               ---    
Shelton, Asher          1530RCB         4    43               43               1 yr.  
Horst, Douglas          1525RCB         5    40               40               ---    
Brady, Michael          1643SS          3    49               49               ---    
Alston, Jeff            1639SS          6    46               46               1 yr.  
Donhoff, Bennett        1624FS          5    40               40               1 yr.  
Traxler, Max            1629FS          8    36               36               ---    
Brocklebank, Devon      666 LS          4    17               17               1 yr.

Another area where we look fine on paper, but I am not settled. Bradley is a shut down CB1, great. Grady rode the pine last year and is furious, he's an after-camp signing if anything.

Alston is the chem lead right now, and that might stick, but I don't love it.

Code:

   
$$ - player is suspended, ## - player is inactive,  
** = player is injured, %% - player is on IR.  
   
Players Under Contract: 32
Inactive: 0
On Active Roster: 32
   
Salary Cap: $804,500,000
Cap Room: $333,250,000
Maximum for New Player: $304,260,000
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $14,250,000
   
Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
Cap Room Required Next Year: $237,100,000

So, lots of cap space here to work with. For a bye week team, still feels like much to do.

QuikSand · 04-26-2021, 10:18 AM

Okay, opening stage of free agency...my Ravens took a stab at a free agent QB but he took the monster offer, predictably:

QB Daryl Daniels	FA Stage 3	turned down a contract offer: 3yrs, $379,930,000.
NT Charlie Perreault	FA Stage 3	signed as an unrestricted free agent from Dallas: 4yrs, $204,000,000.

We did, as consolation, land a nice nose tackle, not an impact position, but now one I don't have to worry about for a good while.

Chas in Cinti · 04-26-2021, 10:26 AM

I think the DT is an impact signing... although you're always able to patch together a successful front 7, you were shockingly thin at DL this offseason...

Does he match your chem, if so that's a real nice pickup...

QuikSand · 04-28-2021, 08:45 AM

DT signed for Ravens - chem fit
DT signed for WFT - no chem

We'll live, either way. Have cap space to burn on both teams.

QuikSand · 04-28-2021, 08:46 AM

As free agency and the draft have progressed, sorry for lack of frequent updates. Most interesting (?) subplot is in this draft class I saw two big-bar fullbacks, and ended up drafting them both (WFT in 1st, BAL in 2nd) with an eye toward them playing as TEs. That switch has been a mixed bag for me (and others) but we'll give it a shot.

QuikSand · 04-30-2021, 09:49 AM

Okay, early FA done, draft assessments out, humbling as always:

28

BAL

QuikSand

1(25) SE Marvin Maxfield 36/54
4(26) RT Rondell Singleton 28/54
3(25) LDT Trenton Carr 30/43
2(26) FB Lionel Martens 24/65

58.4

WR Maxfield is a RR-first guy, the sort who doesn't seem exciting but it just feels like "able to get open" is a central skill, and dodging that fact is pointless. Fine, we're in. Bottom tier draft, per usual, but some pieces that should click into the roles we have in mind for them, overall.

21

WAS

KickStand

2(28) RDT Dillon Samuels 38/70
1(28) FB Dale Fau 36/65
3(28) RDE Lamar Williams 28/54
3(31) RCB Jalen Hastings 24/48
5(28) LCB Trent Shields 30/42
4(28) RCB Levon Ruark 22/40
6(28) RDE Jesse Snyder 23/41

60.7

Well, well. Not so bad? I suspect this DT may be one of those "one max bar but it's really a 130" guys that not everyone believes truly exist. So, that's kinda cool. FB Fau is 249lb, I'm confident his move to TE will be smooth, and if so, we might have a TE1 plan after all, for the first time in quite a while. The DB depth might turn out to be long term good stuff.

QuikSand · 05-03-2021, 09:57 AM

Late free agency, lots of dabbling... bonus money tells most of the story:

Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	P John Hoffman	1 year, $13,800,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $13.8M.)
Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	RG Lamar Stewart	1 year, $2,540,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $2.5M.)
Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	LS Bob Thompson	1 year, $7,000,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $7.0M.)

...

Washington Football Team	KickStand	RB Tre Broudy	2 years, $6,060,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.0M, $3.0M.)
Washington Football Team	KickStand	C Byron Cheatom	2 years, $5,580,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.5M, $3.0M.)
Washington Football Team	KickStand	FB Spencer Dennis	1 year, $6,400,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $6.4M.)
Washington Football Team	KickStand	WLB Jason Halela	1 year, $6,000,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $6.0M.)	33	33
Washington Football Team	KickStand	FL Winfred Hines	1 year, $7,000,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $7.0M.)	30	30
Washington Football Team	KickStand	RCB Douglas Horst	1 year, $7,000,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $7.0M.)	39	39
Washington Football Team	KickStand	WILB Damian Ingram	1 year, $2,600,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $2.6M.)
Washington Football Team	KickStand	FL Marcus Sampson	2 years, $7,410,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.5M, $3.9M.)	14	26
Washington Football Team	KickStand	FL Alan Spahr	1 year, $5,500,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $5.5M.)	30	36
Washington Football Team	KickStand	WLB Elijah Stadler	1 year, $6,500,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $6.5M.)	22	32

QuikSand · 05-04-2021, 08:20 AM

Ravens rookie class, sorted by scouted future rating:

51/66 P John Hoffman (UDFA) - we plunged in with fat one year deal, solid

40/54 WR Marvin Maxfield (1.25) - RR top rating, high courage, looks ok

31/54 RT Rondell Singleton (4.26) - big run blocker, future at C/RG?

24/53 TE Lionel Martens (2.26) - switch to TE was unkind, marginal

33/44 DE Trenton Carr (3.25) - high dev, end-of starting roster talent

35/37 RB Colin Pharms (6.26) - mystery but good chem numbers

23/36 CB Elliot Hill (7.25) - big 94 personality only chance to stick

14/34 QB Junior Starks (UDFA) - big scrambler, marginal skills

12/19 QB Donovan Hobgood (5.25) - scout loved him, scrambler too

6/11 G Lamar Stewart (UDFA) - great chem guy if we can manufacture starts

This isn't awful, but it's lacking the super-fit mid-rounder that sometimes saves my low-rated efforts.

QuikSand · 05-04-2021, 08:34 AM

Heh, I look at QB Junior Starks, he's a guy I signed just to stash as a future chem leader (Group 10, 74 Leadership, 91 Personality)... and right now I am mulling tossing him in to start this season at QB. LOL or FML?

QuikSand · 05-04-2021, 11:11 AM

Okay, let's look at the WFT rookies, the same way:

46/70 NT Dillon Samuels (2.28) - run stopper, very strong, odd overall rating 38/65

TE Dale Fau (1.28) - convert okay, but bar mix is disappointing, TE2?

34/54 DE Lamar Williams (3.28) - run stopper, borderline contributor

21/46 FB Spencer Dennis (UDFA) - possible long term asset, RB ST and chem

27/46 CB Jalen Hastings (3.31) - zone guy, maybe long term nickel?

28/43 FS Levon Ruark (4.28) - nice safety depth w a few bars in right places

27/42 C Byron Cheatom (UDFA) - void at pass protection, likely cut

27/40 DE Jesse Snyder (6.28) - run stopper, special teams, bubble guy

34/40 CB Trent Shields (5.28) - high dev man/bump/int guy, intriguing

20/30 RB Tre Broudy (UDFA) - high elusiveness contra play, longshot

The game loves DT Samuels, so I presume there's really something there. We're thin at D7, and I'm always intrigued by young DBs, so we have some clay to work with here, at worst. If CB Shields booms (possible?) then I might be really happy with this class.

QuikSand · 05-04-2021, 11:12 AM

Fun fun, the board no longer recognizes my carriage returns, I have to go edit them in after the fact, cool

QuikSand · 05-05-2021, 09:50 AM

Ravens QB Conundrum

I do not expect this team to be very good this season. With all our smoke and mirrors, we probably won't fall below 6-7 wins, but I don't think we can win 11.

Our incumbent starter is in year three, and I think we know who he is... he's, maybe, Chase Daniel. So-so game manager, not a guy you win with, but won't embarrass you:

Cary Alfonso

So, if he goes in, we should expect another 82-rated season, under 7 ypa, and a ratio like 27/18. Not awful...good enough to be on the fringe, but nothing to shout about. Hard to see Alfonso as the long term answer, obviously.

So, two rookie options are here. The first is the late round pick my scout graded as VU but who now looks like a sack of monkey shit:

Donovan Hobgood

So, what we get there is near-max ScrFrq, pretty good timing bar, and a 4.51 dash. And likely a ton of interceptions. Would he throw for less than 6.5 ypa? Don't know. Would we be a lot worse with him starting? Don't know.

Then, I picked up another rookie, mostly eyeing him as a possible shift to RB/WR for purpose of becoming a chem leader in the sparsely populated 10-11 group:

Junior Starks

And now, oddly enough... I see a case for him to actually start at QB. ScrFrq 97 by my scout, better Sense Rush than Hobgood, and he's got accuracy rather than timing. All told, he's actually the better fit, I think. Both guys should be pick machines, I guess -- is that a known facet of using the "smart" triad for your offensive chemistry, perhaps?

Anyway...weighing my options. If Hobgood doesn't get the starting job, he likely just gets cut. Starks has chem angles to keep around, one way or another. In a no-injury league, less pressing to have serious quality at QB2.

QuikSand · 05-05-2021, 11:00 AM

...okay, file is in. Junior, grip it and rip it!

Predictions:
-Ravens go 8-8 behind very chaotic QB situation
-Junior leads a solid running game, with 700+ yds
-Defense is what keeps us from fully falling apart
-no-bonus signing LB Rodgers works his way our into long term plans
-we look for a legit answer at QB next offseason, not on roster yet

QuikSand · 05-05-2021, 01:01 PM

File sent for WAS. I have no idea why Rod Swift seems to be effective at QB, but I'm not looking to muck it up. Actually got my "starting" lineup set properly here, after a couple seasons away from that level of detail. Maybe the attention will actually set us back.

Prediction:
10-6, a mild regression to the mean

QuikSand · 05-06-2021, 08:29 AM

QuikSand · 05-06-2021, 08:29 AM

ah of course... i genuinely do not understand why some formatted posts from the other BB work, and why some fail

QuikSand · 05-06-2021, 08:33 AM

Well, anyway...

Listen, let's think of this as a carnival game. The one where you throw the baseball and the gun tells you your pitch speed. (it's usually rigged, by the way) The goal there, despite all the evidence of my adolescence, isn't to throw harder than your buddy, it's to properly guess the speed of your throw.

So here... if the goal was simply to win lots of football games, then this season was not great.

But... if the goal was to correctly forecast how things would play out, then I will award myself top marks.

QuikSand · 05-06-2021, 08:36 AM

8-8 Ravens Stall Behind QB Chaos
GML: Baltimore Ravens 2141

I mean, yeah, we had this... Starks was actually replacement level
Starks did lead the running game, but it was bad not solid
Just a bad scene overall, but our floor isn't tank-worthy so meh

QuikSand · 05-06-2021, 08:39 AM

11-5 Washington Earns Weakass Wild Card
GML: Washington Football Team 2141

So, we're fine again, nothing special, just solid overall
WR Tubbs remains super-productive as our downfield SE
H-back Fau had 680yds receiving, but on awful 4.7 ypt ugh
The team lacks a central concept now, other than chemistry/cohesion

Oh, and also as predicted, Julio's Eagles have wholly seized the division at 15-1

QuikSand · 05-07-2021, 09:14 AM

WFT get a guy into the HOF, unusual for me:

RB

Xavier Bush (2127-2137)

81

Washington Football Team

RUSHING: 1813-9389 rush, 5.2 ypc, 54TD, 20 fmb.
RECEIVING: 531 tgt, 358 catches, 3028yds, 5.7 ypt, 32TD, 18 drp.
SPECIAL TEAMS. PR: 0-0-0.0 avg.-0 TD. KR: 0-0-0.0 avg.-0 TD. 1 st tk.

QuikSand · 05-07-2021, 03:32 PM

So, have we seen enough from RB Ted Hodel? Played RB2 last year, posted sub-replacement stats when Greenway was putting up 4.88 ypc in the same offense. He was a 2nd round draft pick for unusual (for me) reasons - really highly rated in-game, I think big combines but no good bars. He now looks utterly replaceable from the scrapheap.

QuikSand · 05-07-2021, 04:11 PM

Might fuck around and replace my entire WTF offensive line...

QuikSand · 05-09-2021, 11:30 AM

So, the GML is held hostage by some asshat who joins a super-fast-moving league and then doesn't check in for days and days... draft stalled after 3 picks, everyone's twiddling thumbs. Fun fun.

First FA file is in for both teams.

WFT line situation isn't that complicated - not many good leaders in the 9-10/12-1/1-2 triad I have built in there, my current intended leader just got pushed out of the lead by a bad-leader quality OL, actually my best guy. This would be two straight years I'd cut/trade my best OL in the name of chemistry...just feels like the wiser move would be to start over, maybe in the triad where the rest of our offense has settled for years.

BAL QB situation is 100% unsettled. Not fully out of the question to return to Cary Alfonso as the caretaker guy, I suppose - he's cheaper now after a year riding the pine.

QuikSand · 05-10-2021, 09:09 AM

Okay, free agency opens up today. BAL had some tricky situations, and went after a couple big a splash free agents. I tend to toot my own horn when I nail this... so I should lay it out when I miss badly, like here:

Nice young WR

2142	FA Stage 2	signed as an unrestricted free agent from Dallas: 3yrs, $314,130,000.
2142	FA Stage 2	turned down a contract offer: 3yrs, $303,000,000.
2142	FA Stage 2	turned down a contract offer: 4yrs, $316,000,000.
2142	FA Stage 2	turned down a contract offer: 4yrs, $200,950,000.
2142	FA Stage 2	turned down a contract offer: 4yrs, $204,000,000.
2142	FA Stage 2	turned down a contract offer: 3yrs, $228,020,000.
2142	FA Stage 2	turned down a contract offer: 5yrs, $324,630,000.
2142	FA Stage 2	turned down a contract offer: 4yrs, $196,740,000.
2142	FA Stage 2	turned down a contract offer: 4yrs, $180,000,000

I go $79m... enough to make him the 2nd-highest paid WR in the league. I miss by tens of millions per year. And will carry ungodly amounts of unused cap space. Big fail. I could have had him.

A good running back

TRANSACTIONS

2142	FA Stage 2	signed as an unrestricted free agent from Chicago: 3yrs, $193,320,000.
2142	FA Stage 2	turned down a contract offer: 4yrs, $196,000,000.
2142	FA Stage 2	turned down a contract offer: 5yrs, $367,880,000.
2142	FA Stage 2	turned down a contract offer: 3yrs, $90,000,000.

Okay, so I just whiff here too. A game-changing RB sounded fun. Instead we underbid both guys, and get nothing. We'll stand around with our dicks in our hands this season.

QuikSand · 05-10-2021, 09:36 AM

I have put the BAL picks on the block... am not enthralled by anyone for our pick at 1.15, hoping for a white knight who is more into this draft class.

QuikSand · 05-10-2021, 10:40 AM

Side note, relevant to this as an "insight" thread, as much as a "dynasty" thread... check out this post, the summary of outstanding free agent offers in this league.

http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showt...ll=1#post66152

See, in particular, how many guys where my team BAL or WAS is the only bidder. That is definitely how I roll, when I pay attention.

QuikSand · 05-10-2021, 05:47 PM

Well, WFT drafted a QB in the first round... it looks like the max sense rush is for real, and if the rest lives up to billing, he could be "good enough." Given the number of AI teams in this league using Ben's drafting algorithm, I harbor no suspicions that I'm getting away with anything great here, but he might be our next guy to get a shot in the event Rod Swift ever retires.

Washington: KickStand takes QB Cris McGovern with the 1.23 pick.

Screen Passes		1<->32
Short Passes		0<->31
Medium Passes		55<->86
Long Passes		1<->32
Deep Passes		33<->65
Third Down Passing		31<->62
Accuracy		36<->67
Timing		69<->100
Sense Rush		69<->100
Read Defense		3<->35
Two Minute Offense		45<->76
Scramble Frequency		36<->67
Kick Holding		39<->70

HT	WT	RAW	ADJ	DASH	SOL	BENCH	AGI	BRJU	POS	%DEV
73	203	4.6	5.2	4.56	34	10	7.32	114	94	20

QuikSand · 05-11-2021, 07:26 AM

So, BAL dealt away our entire slate of draft picks, for 1-7 next year from New Orleans (who drafted from the 1.4 slot this season). A bit of convenience, a bit of not liking this draft, and a bit of lottery ticket mentality, all rolled together. Good here.

QuikSand · 05-11-2021, 07:39 AM

WAS missed out on the crown jewel DB in free agency, but we did land a solid guy as a consolation:

KickStand

WAS

S Cristian Rochon (59/59) (Yr. 5)

signed as an unrestricted free agent from Miami

3yrs, $93.0M (Bonus: $72.0M. Salary: $7.0M, $7.0M, $7.0M.)

QuikSand · 05-11-2021, 07:43 AM

At DB with the WTF, we already have our build-around CB1 star in Bradley - but he's 9th year, starting to fade a bit. Still CB1 by a comfortable margin, and still posting great numbers.

Rochon is a 5th year guy, could play at CB or S, far better in man coverage than Shelton. Just gives us more options back there, which I like. Rochon could become CB1 in a couple seasons, as well.

QuikSand · 05-11-2021, 09:12 AM

So, the math with the BAL roster has gotten sorta interesting...with no rookies coming aboard (via the draft at least)...

39 signed now
11 lead offers
02 RFAs we expect to sign
---
52 players on target

I am often at 65 at this point... not sure whether I have real ambition to load up with longshots, but we have hella cap space, through my own doing.

QuikSand · 05-14-2021, 09:55 AM

So, no rookie review from an empty draft class in BAL, but we do have a full complement in Washington, so let's see what the BenBot renders in its cold judgment:

braces for a 30th ranking

29

WAS

KickStand

3(23) TE Clyde Humphries 27/41
4(24) WILB Kenyon Lane 26/47
2(24) SS Alexis Gruttadauria 31/37
6(24) LT Clifton Heninger 12/45

41.9

So, two teams don't even show up, so we're nominally 29th out of 30. Great.

So, the big news here is that my first-round sense-rush-bar QB doesn't even make the list of notable draftees, an awful sign. It was admittedly a stab in the dark, I don't know how to draft non-obvious QBs, I will admit, so I knew this was just a longshot play. He looks to me like exactly what he was billed as... a hard-to-sack guy who can't do much with the ball other than run around with it. Ugh.

Now, to my eye, I think I'll get three or four guys who stick around for a while from this draft class, but if we basically flushed the first rounder... then yeah, a D-minus sounds about right.

QuikSand · 05-14-2021, 09:58 AM

So, with the WFT, I need to decide whether this is a "play to win" season. I'm still undecided on my OL conundrum (not fully documented here, but we have a chem problem)... and now RB Greenway is holding out. We re-sign him for big money if we think we are a possible 12-win contender. If not... we likely let him walk, he's merely the latest guy to run pretty well in our system here. And if I muck up the OL then it won't matter who runs behind them, presumably.

With a possible long term titan atop our division right now (and maybe for the long haul) I don't know what my proper play is.

QuikSand · 05-14-2021, 10:36 AM

...okay not too hard to resolve this. The plan to re-do the whole OL this offseason is scrapped. We may either go light on chem (likely) or light on talent (possible) but we will, for now, stay in the same triad and keep our veterans around.

I put in an extension offer to RB Greenway to make him wealthy for two, not three, seasons.

Might all come together as we try to squeeze another unreasonably good season out of our genuinely poor, unheralded QB Rod Swift.

QuikSand · 05-14-2021, 10:58 AM

Seriously crazy career path for Rod Swift:
http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=101709

Only played for WAS, but in his 13 seasons:
bench
bench
mop up duty
not on a roster
not on a roster
decent starter (ranked #13 in league)
...holds out, gets fat 2yr deal
bench
...gets cut before earning back half of deal
not on a roster
...re-signed cheap
bench
top-10 starter
top-10 starter
...holds out, gets legit 3yr big money deal
top-5 starter
top-5 starter
top-5 starter

QuikSand · 05-17-2021, 08:50 AM

Okay, late free agency is wrapped... especially important for the no-draft Ravens. As always, bonus is the key to our mental commitment here... (i.e. I'm willing to toss some salary around, but if there's no bonus attached, assume I'm just fooling around and the guy doesn't feel important)

Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	RCB Griffin Alcott	2 years, $6,100,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.0M, $3.0M.)
Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	MLB Brad Barker	2 years, $6,100,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.0M, $3.0M.)
Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	LDT Carlos Emerson	2 years, $5,620,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $2.6M, $3.0M.)
Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	RB Devin Gantry	1 year, $6,000,000 (Bonus: $3.0M. Salary: $3.0M.)	31	36
Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	LS Terrell Maine	2 years, $6,100,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.0M, $3.0M.)
Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	K Thurman McWaters	1 year, $9,000,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $9.0M.)	42	42
Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	FL Mitch Michl	1 year, $3,900,000 (Bonus: $1.3M. Salary: $2.6M.)

So, RB Gantry started as an undrafted rookie in Tampa Bay, played reasonably well, and then got left to the wind. He's got 93 personality and his starts, so that's a nearly sure thing to make my team this year, thus the bonus. Voids in both breakaway speed and power inside cap his upside, but he might be a useful guy in some role here or there... 4.5 ypc last season isn't awful (it's wayyyyyyy better than any of my current guys posted here last year).

WR Michl looks to us like a 78/98 special teamer, thus the money for him. Projects as a fake-starts guy this year, then a WR5 or so for a long time. meaningful asset to me, the way I play this game. Nobody else seemed interested...just one minsal offer from JAX.

Washington Football Team	KickStand	RG Kelvin Chandiramani	2 years, $6,140,000 (Bonus: $60K. Salary: $3.0M, $3.0M.)
Washington Football Team	KickStand	LS Jeremy Ellis	1 year, $4,000,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $4.0M.)
Washington Football Team	KickStand	SLB Charlie Ficorelli	2 years, $6,100,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.0M, $3.0M.)
Washington Football Team	KickStand	RB Francisco Ford	2 years, $6,100,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.0M, $3.0M.)
Washington Football Team	KickStand	LT Les Gibson	2 years, $6,100,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.0M, $3.0M.)
Washington Football Team	KickStand	LT Leo Goodrich	2 years, $8,900,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $4.4M, $4.4M.)	28	40
Washington Football Team	KickStand	FB Reggie Greening	1 year, $4,500,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $4.5M.)
Washington Football Team	KickStand	LCB Cooper Hughes	3 years, $11,940,000 (Bonus: $60K. Salary: $4.0M, $4.0M, $4.0M.)	22	37
Washington Football Team	KickStand	QB Korey Iacuessa	2 years, $8,420,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $4.0M, $4.4M.)	11	34
Washington Football Team	KickStand	RB Kaden Joyner	1 year, $4,400,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $4.4M.)
Washington Football Team	KickStand	TE Devon McDaniel	2 years, $32,000,000 (Bonus: $22.0M. Salary: $5.0M, $5.0M.)	47	47
Washington Football Team	KickStand	FL Alan Spahr	1 year, $4,500,000 (Bonus: $0K. Salary: $4.5M.)	32	36
Washington Football Team	KickStand	FS Wesley Winslett	2 years, $6,100,000 (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $3.0M, $3.0M.)

good lord that looks like a lot of new WFTers, we might have triggered a penalty for going over 70, ugh

QuikSand · 05-17-2021, 09:22 AM

So yeah, we went to 74 players in this stage with the WTF WFT, so that will result in a draft pick loss. Might be okay, tbh, as I think we got a couple guys who might prove more valuable than the pick we eventually lose.

Need to make several cuts before training camp, so decision time comes early here.

I'm half tempted to just cut bait on our first round QB... but I guess that investment merits at least seeing if something magical happens in preseason (it won't). He may not make the 53, though.

RB is a definite slot... we plan to "start" Sampson and make him a long term affinity gimp, so he's in. Greenway will click with Sampson as leader, so he's in as RB1 after a solid season last year and a fat two year deal. That leaves one or two active slots available... I signed Thomer to be a special teams guy (85), so maybe RB3? There's Hodel, still, meh.

The undrafted rookies are the play, probably. Joyner and Ford both have the high elusiveness that many GMs dislike, but Joyner especially looks the part to get maybe 90 touches, maybe mostly in passing situations. High volatility guy, could break one or two long plays and add some value there. He's the favorite, I'd say, for the RB2 gig.

FB Fau will be around too, and he's also a candidate to just take a bunch of handoffs or swing passes, he's not bad but might be a replacement caliber ball carrier.

QuikSand · 05-17-2021, 09:40 AM

Okay, WFT file is in, ready for camp. Cutdowns not that painful, but we're hoping to make a consequential signing in this stage, too. Stay tuned.

QuikSand · 05-18-2021, 09:22 AM

So, anything to write about? Training camp stage, usually slow news day.

Oh yeah, WFT had a couple of moves here:

LT Clarence Kane	Pre-Training Camp	signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $16,000,000.
RT Benjamin Phillips	Pre-Training Camp	signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $5,640,000.

So, T Kane is just a pretty good-looking prospect, inexplicably cut, and available at a weird stage, thus no competition for the bid. Nice. The added twist is that he's in the chem triad that my RB and WR groups are... so if we really did want to edge in that direction, he would be a nice easy build-around piece for us to do so with. I missed out in pursuing a new chem leader earlier this offseason, but someone would come along surely. Kane is an 11-12 guy, rookie T Heninger is a 7-8 guy, and afterthought rookie guy Phillips (also grabbed this stage) is another 11-12 guy. The pieces could fall together fairly easily here.

QuikSand · 05-18-2021, 09:30 AM

Do we cut this guy even before seeing the preseason ratings movement?

http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=112609

Ugh.

QuikSand · 05-18-2021, 09:49 AM

...I pulled the trigger to cut him, only to later reconsider and do it over. He'll "get a look" ugh.

QuikSand · 05-19-2021, 10:30 AM

Okay, preseason in the books. Cutdown to 53 and regular season time.

Baltimore has no quarterback. This seemingly escaped my notice, heh. I guess we go back to Alfonso, who is pissed about his benching and unwilling to extend. With him I reckon we could get modestly negative WAR... like 6.4 ypa, 26/18, and 84 rating. Okay, I guess we do that. Starts was worse than that last season, and his running game wasn't sufficient to overcome it, I don't see a high ceiling for either guy, we need a real plan there. The plan for Starks might well be for him to Tebow over to play a skill position, and be an affinity gimp TE3 or something. But that likely will have to come after he gets cut this year, he's the one guy standing in the way of a perfect chemistry set here:

Code:

Front Office Football Eight
Baltimore Ravens Roster, Attitude Advisory
   
  Player                #   Pos   Start Noted Playing Time    Chemistry  
##Cote, Levon           104 QB          MN          3 Affinities wit  
Alfonso, Cary           102 QB    QB                3 Affinities wit  
Starks, Junior          107 QB                        
##Murray, K.C.          236 RB          MN          Exceptional Affi  
##Cooper, Edgar         224 RB                      Backfield Leader  
##Pharms, Colin         220 RB                      Exceptional Affi  
Gantry, Devin           234 RB                      Exceptional Affi  
Machado, Cristian       223 RB    RB                Potential Affini  
Spaulding, Amari        338 FB    FB                Exceptional Affi  
Meadows, Britt          437 TE                      Exceptional Affi  
Tipton, Stan            442 TE                      Strong Affinity   
Turnbull, Derek         481 TE                      Exceptional Affi  
Buhlmann, Ronald        440 TE    TE                Exceptional Affi  
##Jackson, Alec         580 FL          MN          Receivers Leader  
Douglas, Matt           529 FL          MN          Exceptional Affi  
Strickland, Phil        518 FL                      Strong Affinity   
##Hampton, Fernando     512 FL                      Exceptional Affi  
Jefferson, Peter        585 FL    FL                Exceptional Affi  
##Perez, Drew           589 FL                      Exceptional Affi  
Michl, Mitch            517 FL                      Potential Affini  
Maxfield, Marvin        584 SE    SE                Exceptional Affi  
##Nichols, Chase        669 C           MN          Offensive Line L  
Miranda, Marlon         663 C     C                 Affinity          
##Singleton, Rondell    664 C                       Strong Affinity   
##Stevens, Leon         773 LG          MN          Exceptional Affi  
Billig, Bryant          776 LG    LG                Strong Affinity   
Harvill, Nate           766 RG                      Exceptional Affi  
Willis, Lewis           775 RG    RG                Strong Affinity   
Banks, Salvador         767 RG                      Potential Affini  
Lugar, Rodolfo          861 LT    LT                Exceptional Affi  
##Starks, Damien        872 LT                      Exceptional Affi  
Morris, Cristian        865 RT    RT                Exceptional Affi  
Hoffman, John           974 P                         
McWaters, Thurman       1003K                         
Cowdrick, Denzel        1197LDE   LDE               Exceptional Affi  
Carr, Trenton           1198LDE                     Potential Affini  
Emerson, Carlos         1149LDE                     Potential Affini  
##Andrews, Bart         1194RDE                     Exceptional Affi  
Manning, Oscar          1192RDE   RDE               Exceptional Affi  
Burns, Casey            1196RDE                     Affinity          
Norris, Donte           1293NT                      Mild Affinity     
##Cady, Sawyer          1295NT                      Exceptional Affi  
Perreault, Charlie      1299NT    NT                Strong Affinity   
Pringley, Howie         1359SILB                    Mild Affinity     
Rodgers, Scottie        1357SILB  SILB              Exceptional Affi  
Somogyi, Silas          1355WILB  WILB              Strong Affinity   
Wehmeyer, Kyle          1458SLB                     Defensive Front   
Patton, Dakota          1415SLB   SLB               Mild Affinity     
Mohammed, Sebastian     1452SLB                     Mild Affinity     
Barker, Brad            1491WLB   WLB               Potential Affini  
Hughes, Elias           1530LCB   RCB               Exceptional Affi  
Hill, Elliot            1522LCB                     Potential Affini  
Crews, Jorge            1526RCB   LCB               Strong Affinity   
Lucky, Tom              1639SS    SS                Secondary Leader  
Renes, Alfredo          1643SS                      Strong Affinity   
Alcott, Griffin         1641SS                      Potential Affini  
Ellingsen, Steven       1628FS                      Exceptional Affi  
de Leon, Branden        1633FS    FS                Strong Affinity   
Maine, Terrell          668 LS

Behold. Shiver in ecstasy.

QuikSand · 05-19-2021, 11:15 AM

Okay, both files in. I think both teams are probably on target for roughly .500 seasons... QB will hold back BAL but that team could get good with a couple free agent additions. WAS might squeeze one last good season out of Rod Swift, but he'll be running for his life behind a rotten OL in transition.

I hate 8-8, but two of those would be about par here.

QuikSand · 05-20-2021, 07:25 AM

GML is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get...

11-5 Ravens Make Unexpected Run to Conference Title, Fall in Bowl Game

Right, definitely makes sense. The team was pretty good on paper, I thought, so we were just a QB away... our QB played a bit better than I had feared, and viola, we're not bad, and caught fire a bit...

GML: Baltimore Ravens 2142

QB Alfonso was fine, not great, so it's not like he "figured it out"
Rushing game lol, top rusher had 44y yards, whatevs
Is there actually a good team under here, I don't see it
Ahh, the D, they played well, #4/#2 in yards/points allowed
Well, I'll still tally this up as luck, in large part

QuikSand · 05-20-2021, 07:28 AM

Washington Lays a 6-10 Egg, Amidst Roster Chaos

So yeah... well within my expectations range, but still ugh

GML: Washington Football Team 2142

I sold out Swift here, put him behind an awful OL, and it showed
Season basically a wash for everyone except WR Tatum (wow)
Defense being average despite awful offense = hats off, i guess
Work to do here, I want this to be the nadir, not the trend

QuikSand · 05-20-2021, 07:31 AM

..and if you had told me a division rival would wint it all, I'd say "sure, Julio has the Eagles clicking, we're just hoping that division might yield a wild card (to us in Washington)."

But here we are: the 8-8 Giants, piloted by AVAILABLE, win it all after bashing the shit out of my Ravens in the title game. Awesome.

With the one-shot sim in this league, I missed out on the chance to have humanity on my side against the AI, like they hopefully would have been in a week-by-week sim league... but since we choked, maybe it's for the better.

QuikSand · 05-21-2021, 08:45 AM

Okay, league is in the FA1:2 stage, due Monday morning. I am getting some R&R this weekend, and if that leads to me putting some thoughts down here on these teams, fine. If not, it's because I had better stuff to do, also fine.

Cheers.

Chas in Cinti · 05-21-2021, 09:45 AM

Enjoy the weekend... and congrats? on the bowl run...

04-25-2021, 11:48 AM	#1753
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	WFT Roster Rundown... Code: Front Office Football Eight Washington Football Team Roster, Scout Overview Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct Thornton, Myles 133 QB 3 24 37 2 yrs. Swift, Rod 106 QB 13 26 26 --- Iacuessa, Korey 112 QB 3 8 24 1 yr. Okay, so Rod Swift is pretty good, at least for us. Over 22,000 yards passing and a 64-24 career W/L record, despite being cut twice and never being of any interest to anyone else. I guess we re-sign him? Thornton is a possible have-a-look guy at some point, KI is a mere chem factor still not actuated. Code: Greenway, Efrain 235 RB 4 44 44 --- Killian, Frank 232 RB 6 41 41 1 yr. Hodel, Ted 241 RB 2 27 36 3 yrs. Perreault, Tracy 238 RB 4 32 32 1 yr. Kinney, Ray 344 FB 9 53 53 --- Lynch, Tre 331 FB 3 19 37 1 yr. Weird season here. I pay Killian based on a big 2139 campaign with 5.6 ypc, he responds but hitting the buffet circuit and grinds out merely 3.1 ypc after the new contract, awesome. So, is Greenway actually decent? 5.65 ypc sounds familiar... so if I pay him will he, too, fall off the deep end? Beats me, but he only wants $8m/yr so he'll likely be RB1. Hodel didn't get a carry last season (I messed up my depth chart appafrently, and Rex didn't see him as "touch the ball" material. So, who knows. Code: McDaniel, Devon 447 TE 3 46 46 1 yr. Fasani, Ernie 482 TE 9 41 41 --- Lehmann, Elijah 486 TE 8 39 39 1 yr. I value TE, but the results from TE on this team have been basically comically bad. Fasani has been comparatively productive in limited roles, if we re-up with him, maybe I give him the main job in the 12 formation, which I use a lot. McDaniel looks like a blocker only, but he was the best of the lot so, I don't know what to do here. Nobody grabs me, really. Code: Botte, Andrew 588 FL 9 49 49 2 yrs. Moorehead, Ellis 519 FL 9 45 45 2 yrs. Peters, Jessie 515 FL 8 38 38 1 yr. Hines, Winfred 581 FL 13 29 29 --- Tubbs, Leland 518 SE 5 49 49 1 yr. Tatum, Johnnie 580 SE 3 46 49 2 yrs. Vanderpool, Duane 514 SE 8 45 45 1 yr. Quackenbush, Jimmie 513 SE 9 1 1 --- Okay. Nobody rated over 50, but five guys just below that level. Weird setup. Maybe this season it's Botte at FL, Tubbs at SE, and Tatum in the slot? Not sure. We're okay here, overall. Code: Pommier, Ernest 676 C 8 65 65 2 yrs. Champagne, Luke 777 LG 12 45 45 --- Perkins, Earl 768 LG 5 39 39 --- Davidson, Tom 873 LT 7 81 81 1 yr. Bishop, Charles 870 LT 3 52 52 2 yrs. Starling, Dusty 860 LT 2 23 51 3 yrs. Colvin, Carlton 878 LT 5 20 45 1 yr. Frye, Howie 864 RT 5 20 20 --- On paper, we look fine. Chem-wise I am still working on it, and am not satisfied. Things could come together, though. Re-signing Champagne is a weird prospect - his cohesion surely has helped us, but would I rather be developing younger players? Code: McIntyre, Cameron 905 P 4 53 53 --- Emerson, Riley 1003K 2 71 71 3 yrs. We're okay here, I will re-up with P McIntyre and be done with it. Emerson is not a stud, but he's worth keeping around. Code: Quinn, Wally 1199LDE 5 73 73 4 yrs. Dominguez, Wade 1191RDE 6 42 42 1 yr. Hatch, Miguel 1197RDE 11 39 39 --- Leandri, J.T. 1290NT 12 45 45 --- Baker, Les 1296NT 9 36 36 --- Okay, so I make fun of myself for putting too many early draft resources here, but at this point... we really need to. Quinn is a fine starter. Leandri is a chem leader who likely won't be back. SO what, then? The rest are just pass rushers. We need depth, at the very least. Code: Cranwell, Lawrence 1353SILB 4 48 48 1 yr. Harding, Conner 1345WILB 5 53 53 1 yr. Figurelle, Sammy 1459SLB 10 52 52 1 yr. Kieta, Damien 1448WLB 8 65 65 3 yrs. Peterson, Joshua 1452WLB 3 49 49 2 yrs. Halela, Jason 1458WLB 9 31 31 --- Thin here but I like what we have, mostly. Open to adding, but ideally just a complementary piece or two. Code: Bradley, Derek 1517LCB 8 75 75 3 yrs. Davison, K.C. 1537RCB 3 33 45 --- Shelton, Asher 1530RCB 4 43 43 1 yr. Horst, Douglas 1525RCB 5 40 40 --- Brady, Michael 1643SS 3 49 49 --- Alston, Jeff 1639SS 6 46 46 1 yr. Donhoff, Bennett 1624FS 5 40 40 1 yr. Traxler, Max 1629FS 8 36 36 --- Brocklebank, Devon 666 LS 4 17 17 1 yr. Another area where we look fine on paper, but I am not settled. Bradley is a shut down CB1, great. Grady rode the pine last year and is furious, he's an after-camp signing if anything. Alston is the chem lead right now, and that might stick, but I don't love it. Code: $$ - player is suspended, ## - player is inactive, ** = player is injured, %% - player is on IR. Players Under Contract: 32 Inactive: 0 On Active Roster: 32 Salary Cap: $804,500,000 Cap Room: $333,250,000 Maximum for New Player: $304,260,000 Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $14,250,000 Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0 Cap Room Required Next Year: $237,100,000 So, lots of cap space here to work with. For a bye week team, still feels like much to do.

04-26-2021, 10:26 AM	#1755
Chas in Cinti High School Varsity Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Cincinnati, OH	I think the DT is an impact signing... although you're always able to patch together a successful front 7, you were shockingly thin at DL this offseason... Does he match your chem, if so that's a real nice pickup... __________________ Email: [email protected]

05-04-2021, 08:20 AM	#1760
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Ravens rookie class, sorted by scouted future rating: 51/66 P John Hoffman (UDFA) - we plunged in with fat one year deal, solid 40/54 WR Marvin Maxfield (1.25) - RR top rating, high courage, looks ok 31/54 RT Rondell Singleton (4.26) - big run blocker, future at C/RG? 24/53 TE Lionel Martens (2.26) - switch to TE was unkind, marginal 33/44 DE Trenton Carr (3.25) - high dev, end-of starting roster talent 35/37 RB Colin Pharms (6.26) - mystery but good chem numbers 23/36 CB Elliot Hill (7.25) - big 94 personality only chance to stick 14/34 QB Junior Starks (UDFA) - big scrambler, marginal skills 12/19 QB Donovan Hobgood (5.25) - scout loved him, scrambler too 6/11 G Lamar Stewart (UDFA) - great chem guy if we can manufacture starts This isn't awful, but it's lacking the super-fit mid-rounder that sometimes saves my low-rated efforts. Last edited by QuikSand : 05-04-2021 at 08:25 AM.

05-04-2021, 11:11 AM	#1762
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Okay, let's look at the WFT rookies, the same way: 46/70 NT Dillon Samuels (2.28) - run stopper, very strong, odd overall rating 38/65 TE Dale Fau (1.28) - convert okay, but bar mix is disappointing, TE2? 34/54 DE Lamar Williams (3.28) - run stopper, borderline contributor 21/46 FB Spencer Dennis (UDFA) - possible long term asset, RB ST and chem 27/46 CB Jalen Hastings (3.31) - zone guy, maybe long term nickel? 28/43 FS Levon Ruark (4.28) - nice safety depth w a few bars in right places 27/42 C Byron Cheatom (UDFA) - void at pass protection, likely cut 27/40 DE Jesse Snyder (6.28) - run stopper, special teams, bubble guy 34/40 CB Trent Shields (5.28) - high dev man/bump/int guy, intriguing 20/30 RB Tre Broudy (UDFA) - high elusiveness contra play, longshot The game loves DT Samuels, so I presume there's really something there. We're thin at D7, and I'm always intrigued by young DBs, so we have some clay to work with here, at worst. If CB Shields booms (possible?) then I might be really happy with this class. Last edited by QuikSand : 05-04-2021 at 11:12 AM.

05-14-2021, 10:58 AM	#1787
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Seriously crazy career path for Rod Swift: http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=101709 Only played for WAS, but in his 13 seasons: bench bench mop up duty not on a roster not on a roster decent starter (ranked #13 in league) ...holds out, gets fat 2yr deal bench ...gets cut before earning back half of deal not on a roster ...re-signed cheap bench top-10 starter top-10 starter ...holds out, gets legit 3yr big money deal top-5 starter top-5 starter top-5 starter Last edited by QuikSand : 05-14-2021 at 10:59 AM.

04-23-2021, 07:58 PM	#1751
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Yeah, yeah. So I'm told.

04-24-2021, 08:05 PM	#1752
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Okay, Ravens into a new year. Retirements hit us with some old-timers, WR Pearson, TE Palmer, and DE Dotson all had a great run here. We need to get younger and apparently better. Let's see what we can do on that front. As it stands, QB Cary Alfonso is at risk of becoming the long term plan by default. Not great. Nothing at RB is worth mentioning here. WR Matt Douglas is the key to the offense, rated all of 46/46. Not a good scene right now. The OL is in very good shape. We are maybe one DL short of a full complement, okay there. LB Trey Martin may want to return for his 13th season, but we have quite a lot to work with there. DB is thin, but for two straight years we have signed and used an after-draft rookie to good effect, so now we have some youth there. One quality addition there, either a big free agent or an early rookie, would be very welcome. Pulling stuff together for the first stages of free agency... the planning is afoot! With our early picks, I'd expect DB and maybe DL... but we sometimes just go with the flow. The WR and TE positions are wild cards, as usual, would love to add something of value in either or both, if we can swing it.

04-28-2021, 08:45 AM	#1756
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	DT signed for Ravens - chem fit DT signed for WFT - no chem We'll live, either way. Have cap space to burn on both teams.

04-28-2021, 08:46 AM	#1757
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	As free agency and the draft have progressed, sorry for lack of frequent updates. Most interesting (?) subplot is in this draft class I saw two big-bar fullbacks, and ended up drafting them both (WFT in 1st, BAL in 2nd) with an eye toward them playing as TEs. That switch has been a mixed bag for me (and others) but we'll give it a shot.

05-04-2021, 08:34 AM	#1761
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Heh, I look at QB Junior Starks, he's a guy I signed just to stash as a future chem leader (Group 10, 74 Leadership, 91 Personality)... and right now I am mulling tossing him in to start this season at QB. LOL or FML?

05-04-2021, 11:12 AM	#1763
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Fun fun, the board no longer recognizes my carriage returns, I have to go edit them in after the fact, cool

05-05-2021, 09:50 AM	#1764
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Ravens QB Conundrum I do not expect this team to be very good this season. With all our smoke and mirrors, we probably won't fall below 6-7 wins, but I don't think we can win 11. Our incumbent starter is in year three, and I think we know who he is... he's, maybe, Chase Daniel. So-so game manager, not a guy you win with, but won't embarrass you: Cary Alfonso So, if he goes in, we should expect another 82-rated season, under 7 ypa, and a ratio like 27/18. Not awful...good enough to be on the fringe, but nothing to shout about. Hard to see Alfonso as the long term answer, obviously. So, two rookie options are here. The first is the late round pick my scout graded as VU but who now looks like a sack of monkey shit: Donovan Hobgood So, what we get there is near-max ScrFrq, pretty good timing bar, and a 4.51 dash. And likely a ton of interceptions. Would he throw for less than 6.5 ypa? Don't know. Would we be a lot worse with him starting? Don't know. Then, I picked up another rookie, mostly eyeing him as a possible shift to RB/WR for purpose of becoming a chem leader in the sparsely populated 10-11 group: Junior Starks And now, oddly enough... I see a case for him to actually start at QB. ScrFrq 97 by my scout, better Sense Rush than Hobgood, and he's got accuracy rather than timing. All told, he's actually the better fit, I think. Both guys should be pick machines, I guess -- is that a known facet of using the "smart" triad for your offensive chemistry, perhaps? Anyway...weighing my options. If Hobgood doesn't get the starting job, he likely just gets cut. Starks has chem angles to keep around, one way or another. In a no-injury league, less pressing to have serious quality at QB2.

05-05-2021, 11:00 AM	#1765
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	...okay, file is in. Junior, grip it and rip it! Predictions: -Ravens go 8-8 behind very chaotic QB situation -Junior leads a solid running game, with 700+ yds -Defense is what keeps us from fully falling apart -no-bonus signing LB Rodgers works his way our into long term plans -we look for a legit answer at QB next offseason, not on roster yet

05-05-2021, 01:01 PM	#1766
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	File sent for WAS. I have no idea why Rod Swift seems to be effective at QB, but I'm not looking to muck it up. Actually got my "starting" lineup set properly here, after a couple seasons away from that level of detail. Maybe the attention will actually set us back. Prediction: 10-6, a mild regression to the mean

05-06-2021, 08:29 AM	#1767
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md

05-06-2021, 08:29 AM	#1768
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	ah of course... i genuinely do not understand why some formatted posts from the other BB work, and why some fail

05-06-2021, 08:33 AM	#1769
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Well, anyway... Listen, let's think of this as a carnival game. The one where you throw the baseball and the gun tells you your pitch speed. (it's usually rigged, by the way) The goal there, despite all the evidence of my adolescence, isn't to throw harder than your buddy, it's to properly guess the speed of your throw. So here... if the goal was simply to win lots of football games, then this season was not great. But... if the goal was to correctly forecast how things would play out, then I will award myself top marks.

05-06-2021, 08:36 AM	#1770
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	8-8 Ravens Stall Behind QB Chaos GML: Baltimore Ravens 2141 I mean, yeah, we had this... Starks was actually replacement level Starks did lead the running game, but it was bad not solid Just a bad scene overall, but our floor isn't tank-worthy so meh

05-06-2021, 08:39 AM	#1771
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	11-5 Washington Earns Weakass Wild Card GML: Washington Football Team 2141 So, we're fine again, nothing special, just solid overall WR Tubbs remains super-productive as our downfield SE H-back Fau had 680yds receiving, but on awful 4.7 ypt ugh The team lacks a central concept now, other than chemistry/cohesion Oh, and also as predicted, Julio's Eagles have wholly seized the division at 15-1

05-07-2021, 03:32 PM	#1773
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	So, have we seen enough from RB Ted Hodel? Played RB2 last year, posted sub-replacement stats when Greenway was putting up 4.88 ypc in the same offense. He was a 2nd round draft pick for unusual (for me) reasons - really highly rated in-game, I think big combines but no good bars. He now looks utterly replaceable from the scrapheap.

05-07-2021, 04:11 PM	#1774
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Might fuck around and replace my entire WTF offensive line...

05-09-2021, 11:30 AM	#1775
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	So, the GML is held hostage by some asshat who joins a super-fast-moving league and then doesn't check in for days and days... draft stalled after 3 picks, everyone's twiddling thumbs. Fun fun. First FA file is in for both teams. WFT line situation isn't that complicated - not many good leaders in the 9-10/12-1/1-2 triad I have built in there, my current intended leader just got pushed out of the lead by a bad-leader quality OL, actually my best guy. This would be two straight years I'd cut/trade my best OL in the name of chemistry...just feels like the wiser move would be to start over, maybe in the triad where the rest of our offense has settled for years. BAL QB situation is 100% unsettled. Not fully out of the question to return to Cary Alfonso as the caretaker guy, I suppose - he's cheaper now after a year riding the pine.

05-10-2021, 09:36 AM	#1777
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	I have put the BAL picks on the block... am not enthralled by anyone for our pick at 1.15, hoping for a white knight who is more into this draft class.

05-10-2021, 10:40 AM	#1778
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Side note, relevant to this as an "insight" thread, as much as a "dynasty" thread... check out this post, the summary of outstanding free agent offers in this league. http://gml.fof-belco.com/forum/showt...ll=1#post66152 See, in particular, how many guys where my team BAL or WAS is the only bidder. That is definitely how I roll, when I pay attention.

05-11-2021, 07:26 AM	#1780
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	So, BAL dealt away our entire slate of draft picks, for 1-7 next year from New Orleans (who drafted from the 1.4 slot this season). A bit of convenience, a bit of not liking this draft, and a bit of lottery ticket mentality, all rolled together. Good here.

05-11-2021, 07:43 AM	#1782
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	At DB with the WTF, we already have our build-around CB1 star in Bradley - but he's 9th year, starting to fade a bit. Still CB1 by a comfortable margin, and still posting great numbers. Rochon is a 5th year guy, could play at CB or S, far better in man coverage than Shelton. Just gives us more options back there, which I like. Rochon could become CB1 in a couple seasons, as well.

05-11-2021, 09:12 AM	#1783
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	So, the math with the BAL roster has gotten sorta interesting...with no rookies coming aboard (via the draft at least)... 39 signed now 11 lead offers 02 RFAs we expect to sign --- 52 players on target I am often at 65 at this point... not sure whether I have real ambition to load up with longshots, but we have hella cap space, through my own doing.

05-14-2021, 09:58 AM	#1785
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	So, with the WFT, I need to decide whether this is a "play to win" season. I'm still undecided on my OL conundrum (not fully documented here, but we have a chem problem)... and now RB Greenway is holding out. We re-sign him for big money if we think we are a possible 12-win contender. If not... we likely let him walk, he's merely the latest guy to run pretty well in our system here. And if I muck up the OL then it won't matter who runs behind them, presumably. With a possible long term titan atop our division right now (and maybe for the long haul) I don't know what my proper play is.

05-14-2021, 10:36 AM	#1786
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	...okay not too hard to resolve this. The plan to re-do the whole OL this offseason is scrapped. We may either go light on chem (likely) or light on talent (possible) but we will, for now, stay in the same triad and keep our veterans around. I put in an extension offer to RB Greenway to make him wealthy for two, not three, seasons. Might all come together as we try to squeeze another unreasonably good season out of our genuinely poor, unheralded QB Rod Swift.

05-17-2021, 09:22 AM	#1789
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	So yeah, we went to 74 players in this stage with the WTF WFT, so that will result in a draft pick loss. Might be okay, tbh, as I think we got a couple guys who might prove more valuable than the pick we eventually lose. Need to make several cuts before training camp, so decision time comes early here. I'm half tempted to just cut bait on our first round QB... but I guess that investment merits at least seeing if something magical happens in preseason (it won't). He may not make the 53, though. RB is a definite slot... we plan to "start" Sampson and make him a long term affinity gimp, so he's in. Greenway will click with Sampson as leader, so he's in as RB1 after a solid season last year and a fat two year deal. That leaves one or two active slots available... I signed Thomer to be a special teams guy (85), so maybe RB3? There's Hodel, still, meh. The undrafted rookies are the play, probably. Joyner and Ford both have the high elusiveness that many GMs dislike, but Joyner especially looks the part to get maybe 90 touches, maybe mostly in passing situations. High volatility guy, could break one or two long plays and add some value there. He's the favorite, I'd say, for the RB2 gig. FB Fau will be around too, and he's also a candidate to just take a bunch of handoffs or swing passes, he's not bad but might be a replacement caliber ball carrier.

05-17-2021, 09:40 AM	#1790
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Okay, WFT file is in, ready for camp. Cutdowns not that painful, but we're hoping to make a consequential signing in this stage, too. Stay tuned.

05-18-2021, 09:30 AM	#1792
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Do we cut this guy even before seeing the preseason ratings movement? http://gml.fof-belco.com/playercard.php?playerid=112609 Ugh.

05-18-2021, 09:49 AM	#1793
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	...I pulled the trigger to cut him, only to later reconsider and do it over. He'll "get a look" ugh.

05-19-2021, 11:15 AM	#1795
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Okay, both files in. I think both teams are probably on target for roughly .500 seasons... QB will hold back BAL but that team could get good with a couple free agent additions. WAS might squeeze one last good season out of Rod Swift, but he'll be running for his life behind a rotten OL in transition. I hate 8-8, but two of those would be about par here.

05-20-2021, 07:25 AM	#1796
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	GML is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get... 11-5 Ravens Make Unexpected Run to Conference Title, Fall in Bowl Game Right, definitely makes sense. The team was pretty good on paper, I thought, so we were just a QB away... our QB played a bit better than I had feared, and viola, we're not bad, and caught fire a bit... GML: Baltimore Ravens 2142 QB Alfonso was fine, not great, so it's not like he "figured it out" Rushing game lol, top rusher had 44y yards, whatevs Is there actually a good team under here, I don't see it Ahh, the D, they played well, #4/#2 in yards/points allowed Well, I'll still tally this up as luck, in large part