Snakebitten: A Real-Time MP FOF thread - Page 29

QuikSand · 10-08-2020, 06:44 AM

WASHINGTON POWERS TO 14-2 RECORD, ANOTHER #1 SEED

Team summary: GML: Washington Football Team 2125

So, in other news, perhaps I am not completely washed as a GM
I thought this was my lesser team, they proved me wrong

QB Clancy was efficient and productive - 93 rating, we'll take it
WR trio all under 1,000 but Carrubba and Malone still efficient
TE Wells was solid in his TE role, rookie Calloway far less so, ugh
Running game fine, both Coates and mcInerny above 4ypc
DL really stepped up with stud DT Carlisle, 12 sacks/28 hurries
Team PR% was 3rd overall, ypa allowed mid-pack - meh
S Scott developing nicely - 13 PDs in overall good season at SS/FS
LBs Brew, Duda both playing well in coverage - by design

So... maybe not the unstoppable gameplanning juggernaut, but this team played really well, we pass the ball effectively and do everything else fairly well, and that's a recipe for winning games. We earned home field, but have tzach's Rams sitting across from us in the playoff bracket... so we'll see.

Nice season, pleasant surprise.

Chas in Cinti · 10-08-2020, 09:30 AM

Wow... first 14 win season in a while... first 4 win season ever?

QuikSand · 10-08-2020, 05:30 PM

Yeah, the last time we really went wayyyy upside down was a mess-up, used a horrid QB, and earned the top seed, and landed Leo to play QB for 14 years. It wasn't a deliberate tank, but ended up working out that way.

Here we will end up with something like pick 3 or 4, I think... so maybe we land a major impact player and get something out of this. I know I lament those "7th seed" seasons that happen every so often by saying - hey, if we're going to crap out, at least roll snake eyes so we can get a big draft pick. Well, here it is.

As for 14 wins - yeah, it's been a minute. Would have to look in-game, but prob 15-20 seasons, I'd say.

QuikSand · 10-09-2020, 06:50 AM

Well, given that guys like tzach and Ben and (this season) Pyser are tossing up huge regular seasons like donuts, it's kinda emberrassing to see how few and far between they are for this grinder, your author:

Thinking in terms of meaningful quarterback eras, for these Ravens in reverse chronological order...

Lyle got us 12 wins last season, that was his pinnacle (hopefully won't stay that way)
Levine had two double digit seasons, peaked at 11 wins in 2120
"Teddy Tightends" Farrell managed an 11.5 win season including a tie
"Jimmy Mc" McDaniel actually had a 12-win season in there, whoa
Shane Gelenaw actually ran ths show for 15 years, but maxed out at 13-3 x2
Someone named Howard posted 2x 12 win seasons in a short stint at QB
IN 2080 WE WENT 14-2 BEHIND QB G. BUSH EL PRESIDENTE
Then digging further, Irving Mathews captained 16-0 and 14-2 seasons
And the great Leo Griffin managed 11 straight 10+ wins, maxing at 14

So... yeah, it's been a minute.

QuikSand · 10-09-2020, 06:54 AM

...side note, it's been long enough I guess we can talk about it now... that great run behind uber QB Leo was marked by, no joke, 11 straight seasons where we won 10-14 games and then every single year went out in the divisional round. Didn't even make the conference championship game, bye weeks and home field advantage be damned. Wow. Snakebitten, indeed.

QuikSand · 10-09-2020, 06:55 AM

Oooh, Pyser, sorry, wrote that before seeing your 16-0 team suffer the same fate. So sorry. Too soon.

QuikSand · 10-09-2020, 06:58 AM

Washington manages an opening win, but we lose again to SF, at home in the conference championship game. They go on to lose to Cleveland.

Another "pretty good season" without any hardware to show for it. Alas.

Chas in Cinti · 10-09-2020, 08:05 AM

Looking forward to the draft... ought to be able to get 2 pretty damned good players in Baltimore...

QuikSand · 10-09-2020, 09:13 AM

Yeah... funny thing is, what a massive near-miss with that trade for the LB. My partner just didn't have his ducks in a row, so to speak, and the deal fell apart... but I was offering my 1st and 3rd this coming year to get a build-around young-ish LB. And, of course, mentally valuing that 1st rounder as if it were, say, pick 1.26.

Not 1.4, which is what we have. Yes, we're going to lose the coin flipping every time. We're in the 2-3-4-5 tier and start at slot 4 and rotate from there, naturally. But hey, we pick 2nd in the third round so we can get fired up over that.

QuikSand · 10-09-2020, 10:37 AM

A GML owner, looking to add to this draft, has made offers to both the BAL and WAS/DC teams... so I expect that one of those teams will sort out details on a trade-out move. So, I'll likely need to sort out which roster is more "complete" and befitting a two-pick draft. That should be simple, right? The 14-2 team needs little, and the 4-12 team needs a ton... but... maybe not that simple?

QuikSand · 10-09-2020, 01:35 PM

So, my Ravens... I might be into talks about dealing next year's 1st round draft pick. Mentally, what is the fair "valuation" of that pick, for my own purposes?

Coming off a 12-4 bye week year, I would nave answered this as roughly 1.26 this time last season, as mentioned above - i.e. we expect to be in the playoffs, but we're no cinch to be in the #29-32 conversation.

Now, layer on a weird 4-12 season. So, what for next year? If I really believe we're a very solid team that just suffered a hiccup, this is the ideal time to deal a future 1st, right? That's the "Moneyball" play, I'd think... someone out there who sees 4-12 and thinks they're buying a lottery ticket and will pay close to appropriately for that... I ought to sell high. Right?

Anyway... if I think that pick is worth 1.22, and someone else thinks it's worth 1.08, then it's time to deal.

QuikSand · 10-09-2020, 07:39 PM

DC BUREAU

Let's have a stroll through the DC/WAS roster, shall we?

Front Office Football Eight
D.C. United Roster, Scout Overview

Code:

  Player                #   Pos   Start Exp  Current Estimate Future Estimate  Cntrct 
Clancy, Rondell         109 QB          13   60               60               2 yrs. 
Matlosz, Winston        102 QB          4    23               37               1 yr.  
Stachelski, Chris       105 QB          4    20               34               1 yr.

So, easy assessment here - Clancy is the big deal, the others are for chemistry and little else. If Clancy were to retire after this year, Matlosz would be maybe Plan C, but well after I exhausted the usual channels of signing an undeveloped 23/59 6th round draft pick from one of MalcPow's drafts, trading with the nefarious tzach for his latest wunderkind, or drafting a sack of shit of my own.

Code:

  Player                #   Pos   Start Exp  Current Estimate Future Estimate  Cntrct 
McInerney, Albert       234 RB          7    52               52               ---    
Coates, Corbin          237 RB          3    44               46               2 yrs. 
Hackney, Brandon        344 FB          10   32               32               2 yrs. 
Rastok, Caiden          339 FB          7    19               19               2 yrs.

So, we're building around the fullbacks, actually - Rastok is happy collecting a paycheck and anchoring chemistry. Hackney can run block, play special teams, and for many years (cohesion) he has tucked everyone in after lights out (chemistry). Getting more than than from the FB position would be gravy.

At RB Coates seems fine, but not thrilling. McInerny got paid, but didn't deliver anything noteworthy - he had 1800 total yards last season but on a ton of volume, just 4.3 ypc. So... maybe Mc is back, more likely we splash around in the draft for a new RB1/RB2. Target area.

Code:

  Player                #   Pos   Start Exp  Current Estimate Future Estimate  Cntrct 
Wells, Weston           448 TE          4    48               48               1 yr.  
Lester, Lee             488 TE          2    36               40               1 yr.  
Calloway, Blake         481 TE          2    26               34               3 yrs. 
Corbett, Luis           487 TE          11   18               18               2 yrs.

Sigh. So, Wells is fine overall, and his production is... fine. But he's well under 7 ypt in his three seasons, including last season - so what would we be buying with a semi-fat extension? Really just cohesion. I felt like I had something in the two rookies - turns out we really did not. Local boy Lester at least will play special teams, Calloway looks like a washout with a 4 personality... sort of like "fat, drunk, and stupid." For the sixth straight offseason, more or less, target area.

Code:

  Player                #   Pos   Start Exp  Current Estimate Future Estimate  Cntrct 
Roach, Barry            522 FL          9    48               48               1 yr.  
Everhart, William       580 FL          8    45               45               2 yrs. 
Malone, Damon           582 FL          12   41               41               1 yr.  
Renfro, Anthony         513 FL          3    25               32               ---    
Carrubba, David         504 SE          7    62               62               2 yrs. 
Schultz, Arturo         583 SE          2    24               35               3 yrs.

Well, you should never stop looking to improve at WR, it's just too important. Inexplicably, Malone is back for more, I will assume his 41 dissolves to 32 or so, and he will be a mere carcass by week one, thinking Larry Fitzgerald, sadly. So, Carrubba needs to step into the real WR1 role, he's plenty good to be effective there, I worry more about Roach - he too is shy of the 7 ypt mark and that's not going to cut it at WR1/2/3. Major target area - definitely open to trading for talent here, drafting early, moving up to draft, or even signing a non-affinity player good enough to play at least the WR2 role. (Note: The best affinity fit guy out there, PR Jalen Snyder was pissed about playing time, so we cut him at the end of last season... in the real world, we'd be a complete cross-off, but I expect he will at least listen to an offer from us. He's just a return/ST guy, though, a near-void in RR means he can't play the position worth a damn.)

Code:

  Player                #   Pos   Start Exp  Current Estimate Future Estimate  Cntrct 
Fitzgerald, Anthony     660 C           10   73               73               2 yrs. 
Holsey, Branden         661 C           7    35               35               1 yr.  
Randle, Neil            770 LG          10   41               41               ---    
Hatcher, Neal           762 RG          6    60               60               2 yrs. 
Lyons, Shane            873 LT          9    68               68               ---    
Rodier, Donovan         874 LT          5    61               61               4 yrs. 
Walsh, Leo              867 LT          7    20               20               1 yr.  
Poston, Marlon          878 RT          3    39               41               2 yrs.

So, T Lyons is a huge run blocker, effective at LG, and looking for a fat deal. Makes sense to re-up with him if we can, except the OL chemistry looks marvelous without him, after such a long wait. I think it still would if we signed him, but because the FOF developer decides shit like this is best served in a fuckign enigma burrito, we don't get to know such things. So... there's a potential hidden cost to an already expensive deal to bring him back.

Regardless, the group is a strength - C Fitz was my maiden draft pick here, now a 10th year guy, and still knocking 'em down okay. G Hatcher was a great FA pickup last year, T Rodier is a great run blocker for RT - we have plenty to build around.

Code:

  Player                #   Pos   Start Exp  Current Estimate Future Estimate  Cntrct 
Kimsey, Miles           908 P           3    52               52               2 yrs. 
Lyons, Mike             1003K           2    57               57               3 yrs.

Fine, great, sure. Not looking/expecting to invest in studs here.

Code:

  Player                #   Pos   Start Exp  Current Estimate Future Estimate  Cntrct 
Sherman, Bubba          1190LDE         2    63               66               3 yrs. 
Gillespie, Samuel       1197LDE         4    50               50               1 yr.  
Hopper, Jessie          1193RDE         6    48               48               2 yrs. 
Carlisle, Malachi       1292NT          6    77               77               4 yrs. 
Sweeney, Aiden          1291NT          5    51               51               1 yr.

So, really happy with DT Carlisle, superficially - big year for this group last season. Sherman, last year's 1st, looks like my prototype LDE - mix of run stopper and pass rusher, he'll be good for a long time I think, the type we pay to keep around. Hopper (leader), Sweeney (run stopper), and Gillespie (ok at everything) round out a decent bunch, in need of a playmaker.

Code:

  Player                #   Pos   Start Exp  Current Estimate Future Estimate  Cntrct 
Brew, Manuel            1350SILB        3    58               58               2 yrs. 
Trammell, J.C.          1358SILB        9    47               47               1 yr.  
Ruddick, Paul           1340WILB        4    49               49               1 yr.  
Cassidy, Richie         1352WILB        2    32               38               1 yr.  
Duda, Terrance          1451SLB         11   75               75               ---    
Welch, Max              1453SLB         8    67               67               1 yr.  
Kinney, Andrew          1457SLB         3    42               48               2 yrs. 
Houston, Terrell        1449SLB         2    17               34               3 yrs. 
Maloney, Brett          1455WLB         6    59               59               1 yr.  
Jasper, Francisco       1456WLB         4    50               50               ---

Well, OLB Welch is that playmaker - listed as an OLB, more of an "Edge" and bringing the heat with all 243 pounds - to the tune of 38.5 sacks and roughly 10 PR% in his three seasons with us. Money.

Yeah, money might be the issue - held out last year then returned, could do so again. Non-affinity guy. I want to replace him. But sooo productive.

I should let Duda walk, but he too has been awfully productive. But the stable is full here, without getting into details. We keep finding "guys" without really wanting to... Brew was worth his 1st round pick, Ruddick definitely not, but we have them both and a bunch more.

Code:

  Player                #   Pos   Start Exp  Current Estimate Future Estimate  Cntrct 
Junker, Josiah          1527LCB         4    56               56               1 yr.  
Peterson, Cesar         1523LCB         7    40               40               ---    
Figures, Garrett        1529LCB         3    38               38               ---    
Franz, Taylor           1520RCB         5    53               53               2 yrs. 
Jeffrey, Colton         1547RCB         9    32               32               1 yr.  
Reese, Miles            1642SS          9    45               45               ---    
Garrett, Jared          1633SS          2    32               41               3 yrs. 
Scott, Tom              1630FS          4    55               55               1 yr.  
Brittain, A.J.          1645FS          5    29               40               ---    
Arndt, Luke             1638FS          9    17               17               1 yr.

Okay, I just enjoy building a secondary. At this point, the group is pretty solid on paper. Arndt is the chem leader, Junker and Franz the only two who don't click with him. Junker is a bump specialist, and good enough to stay, Franz a generalist who may not make it back. Jeffrey a KR who can play CB2 and do some ballhawking... Reese a solid all-around safety... Scott an emerging star...Garrett exceeded expectations in his first year and clicked in his affinity... Peterson should return again for cohesion, special teams, and if needed, some CB3/4 duty here and there.

If CB looked promising in the late first round, it could be a spot to invest. But I'm not really itchy about it. Would be fine going back out there with the same group.

Code:

  Player                #   Pos   Start Exp  Current Estimate Future Estimate  Cntrct Trippi, Caiden          665 LS          6    21               21               1 yr.  
   
$$ - player is suspended, ## - player is inactive,  
** = player is injured, %% - player is on IR.  
   
Players Under Contract: 43
Inactive: 0
On Active Roster: 43
   
Salary Cap: $734,500,000
Cap Room: $273,410,000
Maximum for New Player: $247,330,000
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $3,310,000
   
Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
Cap Room Required Next Year: $305,870,000

We have got cap space to use. I will need to spend some, but not a ton, to extend key players in walk years. We ought to be able to push some money around if there are target guys here or there - or just to re-up with a guy like Duda if we want to.

Not a rebuild, a reload. Feeling pretty good here. Parachute in an impact pass rusher and an above-replacement TE, affinity or not, and I think this team should be raring to go.

QuikSand · 10-10-2020, 07:50 AM

Draft first look: No shock, it will not be a great year to hold a very early pick.

There's a top-tier QB (named Sanderson, heh), who will go ahead of our pick at 1.4, but not a guy we'd want to deal up to target. I see two WRs who could easily take the other two spots ahead of us. That leaves... the rest.

I see a TE who misses an affinity by one day, a handful of big-bar guys at non-impact positions, and a couple affinity guys we'd generally be thinking about a move to the middle of the first to target. But no eye-popping wave of left tackles, shutdown corners, uber pass rushers, and the like who would make a comfy home here in Crabtown. Of course not.

I think dealing down is more likely that making a deal here for an additional early pick, I'll say that much.

Pyser · 10-10-2020, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuikSand

Oooh, Pyser, sorry, wrote that before seeing your 16-0 team suffer the same fate. So sorry. Too soon.

hehe. what a silly game this is.

crazy to see balt flame out this season, but as you've hinted at - often a useful thing. why go 7-9 when you can pick near the top of the draft. i inexplicably ended up with 1.2 about 8 seasons back and it launched our latest run, so, you never know.

QuikSand · 10-10-2020, 03:50 PM

Drat... the guy I was basically sold on for pick 1.4 goes ahead of us. Best laid plans, and all that - I helpfully "nudged" my pal MalcPow who held pick 1.1, poked fun about the QB, and he logged in and selected the shut-down (affinity match) CB who seemed like a sure thing for my pick. Alas.

QuikSand · 10-10-2020, 10:56 PM

So, Washington makes the deal to move up in this year's draft, and send out most of our picks...

JAX sends
2.6
2128 JAX 4th
2129 JAX 4th

WAS sends
2.30, 3.30, 4.30, 5.30, 6.30, 7.30
2128 WAS 5th
2129 WAS 5th

So, we will only have 1.30 and 2.06 this season. Suits us fine, I think, this roster doesn't have a lot of room for bubblers.

QuikSand · 10-11-2020, 07:15 AM

There's an AI team (glitch?) sitting on the clock at 1.3... I'm at 1.4, so I have a fairly clear picture of what we have to do with this pick. I have posted it for a trade-down... to no avail.

I expect pick 1.3 will be the top receiver available. I make the next best receiver as the fairly obviously next best guy.

If this league had free flowing trading, I'd think that guy could be a "I draft him, he does well enough in training camp, and then I get at least two 1sts for him" sort of player - max value. However...if I cannot even deal the pick when he's all but on the clock... ugh.

Add to that that if I were to just "take my guy" I would generate something of a Clelin Ferrell moment... with pick 4 YOU DID WHAT?

So, here we are. I'm stuck on what to do. Non-affinity BPA wideout seems like the obvious play here. I would so much rather get reasonable value to deal down to, say, pick 8-12 and take my reach guy there.

QuikSand · 10-11-2020, 02:38 PM

Okay, basically settled, I'll just take the best receiver available. List is two deep, both look like build-around talents. 11 and 18 are in their 9th season, Webster is fine but only asking for 4x minsal in his reneg, that tells you what you'd need to know there. Webster will soon need to be the follower, this rookie will be the leader, even without chemistry effects. Just can't win without passing game components.

My best chem fit guy will just have to wait for another time.

QuikSand · 10-12-2020, 06:03 AM

So... my "reach" guy for pick 1.4... the guy I was so embarrassed that I was going to take there that I basically decided I had to either trade down (to get him later) or just take a receiver with pick 4...

Tennessee: AVAILABLE takes S Landon Wilcox with the 1.3 pick.

Run Defense		64<->92
Man-to-Man Defense		55<->84
Zone Defense		63<->92
Bump-and-Run Defense		67<->96
Play Diagnosis		71<->100
Punishing Hitter		71<->99
Interceptions		69<->98
Punt Returning		0<->29
Kick Returning		0<->29
Endurance		69<->98
Special Teams		71<->100

HT	WT	RAW	ADJ	DASH	SOL	BENCH	AGI	BRJU	POS	%DEV
71	195	6.0	5.6	4.53	32	21	7.11	96	48	31

...he went with pick 1.03 to the BenBot AI. Okay, then. I guess I just got flummoxed by him being rated #59 in-game... but perhaps some of that was him being absurdly listed as a safety, and graded as too light for that position. He'll play so-so for the AI team, and hopefully one day will make his way to Baltimore to play corner.

QuikSand · 10-12-2020, 06:12 AM

Anyway...

Baltimore: QuikSand takes WR Juan Pearson with the 1.4 pick.

Avoid Drops		65<->93
Getting Downfield		72<->100
Route Running		72<->100
Third Down Catching		72<->100
Big-Play Receiving		70<->98
Courage		51<->79
Adjust to Ball		72<->100
Punt Returning		0<->28
Kick Returning		0<->28
Endurance		72<->100
Special Teams		26<->54

HT	WT	RAW	ADJ	DASH	SOL	BENCH	AGI	BRJU	POS	%DEV
72	194	6.7	6.9	4.26	43	14	6.85	106	66	36

So, I guess this worked out?

I mean... MalcPow presumably looked at these receivers and decided "nah." Then so did Ben's AI. Both of them took the affinity DBs I had decided to settle for, instead of this guy. (I'm skipping the QB who also got picked, that doesn't seem like a stretch)

That's my only real reservation here, to be honest.

If he works out, I think we can forecast a teamwide (well, offense-wide) chemistry shift down the road, which could be fun. This guy is a 3-4, and my OL recently shifted to that triad around a 10-11 leader. Easy enough to see us getting everyone in line there, in time. It's known to be a medium-skill but high-intelligence group... hmm, I could live with that.

QuikSand · 10-12-2020, 07:42 AM

Baltimore with a couple impactful signings in free agency:

QuikSand

BAL

G Sherman Kaminski (80/80) (Yr. 5)

signed as an unrestricted free agent from Detroit

4yrs, $182.0M (Bonus: $160.0M. Salary: $5.5M, $5.5M, $5.5M, $5.5M.)

QuikSand

BAL

DT Cole Rambo (57/57) (Yr. 5)

signed as an unrestricted free agent from New England

4yrs, $90.0M (Bonus: $68.0M. Salary: $5.5M, $5.5M, $5.5M, $5.5M.)

Maybe overpaid for the OL -- I paid $45.5, he turned down 3/120 from Houston (that guy, again). Anyway, we land a road-grater 100-RB guy who probably moves in to play C for us. C Cook is a 65 there, he's been adequate, but Kaminski looks like the truth.

I don't know why, but I get enamored with these other-bars DL. This guy Rambo (heh) has top two bars around 70, that's fine, but then he's really strong down below - Play D, Pun Hit, End, and Special Teams. Worth $22m a year? Nobody else even put in a bid. Alas.

Okay...foundational moves there. Along with the draft pick, of course. Happy with the direction thus far.

QuikSand · 10-12-2020, 08:01 AM

DC BUREAU

Good news on the free agent front for us - not only did we re-sign T Lyons, but he will step into line and become a follower, rather than leader, of our now immaculate OL chemistry scheme. Great turn of events!

We also grab a cheap, young-ish RB to compete for touches...

Washington Football Team

KickStand

RB Grayson Okeafor

2 years, $7,830,000 (Bonus: $200K. Salary: $3.6M, $4.0M.)

38

47

We still have cap space here, and while we let LB Duda get signed by the AVAILABLE Jets, we still have plans to spend at least some of this money.

QuikSand · 10-13-2020, 10:47 AM

Big free agent news in Baltimore...

QuikSand

BAL

ILB Brody Goodwin (71/71) (Yr. 5)

signed as an unrestricted free agent from Miami

4yrs, $244.0M (Bonus: $220.0M. Salary: $6.0M, $6.0M, $6.0M, $6.0M.)

This is the guy we tried to trade for last season... turns out we get him for, well, a ton of cap space, but no draft picks, and one year later. Can live with that.

We now shift to penny-pinching mode. More news to come, real life intervenes...

QuikSand · 10-13-2020, 01:55 PM

DC BUREAU

A couple of draft picks in the books, and our rookie draft here is wrapped up... good move for us, including to spare my sanity during a busy work week.

Washington: KickStand takes RB Xavier Bush with the 1.30 pick.

Breakaway Speed		71<->100
Power Inside		33<->62
Third Down Running		30<->59
Hole Recognition		69<->98
Elusiveness		71<->99
Speed to Outside		46<->75
Blitz Pickup		32<->60
Avoid Drops		46<->74
Getting Downfield		32<->60
Route Running		64<->93
Third Down Catching		71<->100
Punt Returning		0<->29
Kick Returning		0<->29
Endurance		57<->86
Special Teams		0<->29

HT	WT	RAW	ADJ	DASH	SOL	BENCH	AGI	BRJU	POS	%DEV
71	216	6.0	6.4	4.48	26	16	7.26	122	30	46

I don't spend early picks at RB often - but felt like this made some sense, at least. We fed our top two RBs over 300 carries last season for around 4.4 ypc... basically replacement value. With the line we have, I feel like we could be doing better. Yeah, a better gameplanner would help, but I'm too tired for that. So, we'll try out a young guy with bars that look good in the "right places" and see if that helps. And, this isn't a top-five pick, just a bottom-of-round-one pick, we're not hanging the franchise on him.

Washington: KickStand takes T Brayden Finneran with the 2.6 pick.

Run Blocking		42<->71
Pass Blocking		37<->66
Blocking Strength		71<->100
Endurance		58<->86

HT	WT	RAW	ADJ	DASH	SOL	BENCH	AGI	BRJU	POS	%DEV
74	303	5.9	6.5	5.13	40	42	7.57	113	-	46

The focus on the running game, and the OL, continues. Hopefully, this guy develops into a long term asset, perhaps at RT or RG? If the top two bars just stay toward the high end of that range, or maybe inch up a bit, we'll be in good shape - smart guy, good fit, head down, play ball.

QuikSand · 10-13-2020, 02:02 PM

DC BUREAU

Free agency eventful here, also...

KickStand

WAS

WR Mario Dunwoody (63/63) (Yr. 7)

signed as an unrestricted free agent from Atlanta

3yrs, $153.0M (Bonus: $135.0M. Salary: $6.0M, $6.0M, $6.0M.)

...

KickStand

WAS

WR Bradley Rubini (61/61) (Yr. 9)

signed as an unrestricted free agent from Detroit

2yrs, $56.0M (Bonus: $20K. Salary: $28.0M, $28.0M.)

...

KickStand

WAS

C Elliot Joyner (59/59) (Yr. 4)

signed as a free agent

3yrs, $45.0M (Bonus: $24.0M. Salary: $7.0M, $7.0M, $7.0M.)

...

Well, we wanted one WR, got both. Essentially a "team option" contract on Rubini, we'll sort that out. Dunwoody looks like a pretty good flanker, low BPR, we can work with that. Super high endurance... you'll note my continued and growing interest in that bar, if you pay attention here and to the roster itself. PRO: he comes off a nice 800-yard season with Ben's Falcons on 8 ypt, good... CON: Ben let him walk, and didn't even offer him in this stage (could be money, could be that 8ypt is rotten in his glittering offense and this guy is a bum)

We'll see - but that is a key part of our "we will spend money" thinking about this offseason. Wanted a WR, this was the best we could target. Incidentally, he's a 7-8 chem guy, so neutral with our current 7-8 leader, but that will at least get me kicking tires...

sabotai · 10-13-2020, 02:02 PM

I was really hoping Xavier Bush would fall to me in the 2nd round. I guess that means either I did a good job scouting or you did a bad job.

QuikSand · 10-13-2020, 06:53 PM

Well, I like pissing people off in this particular way, so that's good.

QuikSand · 10-14-2020, 08:05 AM

Ravens getting a little cap sensitive... one more deal in the books.

We send our early 3rd round pick to St Louis, the ever-reliable tzach, to land another DE who had fallen out of favor there: Marcus Shanle

For a couple seasons at around $8m, I hope he can deliver some quality pass rushing (likely from the outside) and help keep us in decent cap shape. Much more ready-to-go than a rookie. I'm running this team like we're in go-for-it mode, rather than coming off a dreadful lottery-pick year. So be it.

QuikSand · 10-14-2020, 08:09 AM

We now have four picks remaining (4,4,6,7) in this draft, and only 42 players currently signed. A guy like Jackson Baump might be among the "Lives in the Balance" here, as his base salary is near $40m, he wants a huge extension, and he comes off a pretty pedestrian 7 sack (8.1 PR%) effort last season in our down year.

I'm also getting competition for TE Gilbertson (after the first few stages of no interest) and I'll need to make a call whether he's worth keeping around. No obvious other alternatives that I see out there, so it's him or options similar to those I was contemplating during last year's holdout. I still have this sneaky feeling that our TE3 Huffman might do just fine with 80-100 targets.

QuikSand · 10-14-2020, 08:25 AM

...but all that said, this stage brought us two important guys for on-field talent and chemistry:

	Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	SILB Tyler Crawford	3 years, $20,400,000 (Bonus: $3.9M. Salary: $5.5M, $5.5M, $5.5M.)	45	45
	Baltimore Ravens	QuikSand	FS Thurman Owens	3 years, $43,500,000 (Bonus: $27.0M. Salary: $5.5M, $5.5M, $5.5M.)	50	50

LB Crawford can play inside, I think, and should be great for chem (100 Personality). This is his fifth year with us, so he's good for cohesion, too.

S Owens is the new DB group leader, and brings needed continuity. I gain some consumer surplus here, as I was initially willing to pay him a LOT more, and was able to back it off stage by stage. He's also good enough to step in and play at least as a rotation SS.

QuikSand · 10-14-2020, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuikSand

So, why draft this guy? We don't really need a WR. He has apparently rotten ratings. And the void at Route Running, the uber-rating for WR now in my book, appears to be a void.

Baltimore: QuikSand takes WR Tracy Tatum with the 4.25 pick.

Avoid Drops		42<->71
Getting Downfield		41<->69
Route Running		0<->28
Third Down Catching		31<->59
Big-Play Receiving		20<->48
Courage		21<->50
Adjust to Ball		45<->74
Punt Returning		19<->47
Kick Returning		23<->51
Endurance		15<->43
Special Teams		23<->51

HT	WT	RAW	ADJ	DASH	SOL	BENCH	AGI	BRJU	POS	%DEV
72	200	4.2	4.3	4.45	25	14	6.96	128	68	14

Well, I see a guy who blew out the combines. Kept coming up atop my searches and lists. Have been watching him since round two. No clue what good he might be. Have a fantasy that he's just a scrappy, hard-working, tough-as-nails football player who will do whatever it takes to be our WR4 forever. (i.e. a white guy that the commentator likes)

We'll see.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tzach

intriguing guy. if that 0 is not a 0 he's got a chance to climb to 50. i'll probably interview him for future reference

Well, a couple years later, what do we have from this "intriguing" guy?

Tracy Tatum

So, basically as advertised... good-looking player who can return kicks, gets along great with everyone, but has one problem. He can't play wideout. Straight-up void at RR, so I guess he's just garbage. But for us, he's great for chemistry, he might become our kick returner this year, and might not exactly be garbage after all.

QuikSand · 10-14-2020, 09:15 AM

DC BUREAU

Big move in free agency for us, too...

Washington Football Team	KickStand	FS A.J. Brittain	2 years, $8,120,000 (Bonus: $60K. Salary: $4.0M, $4.0M.)	30	44
Washington Football Team	KickStand	FS Efrain DeLizzio	3 years, $21,000,000 (Bonus: $30K. Salary: $7.0M, $7.0M, $7.0M.)	52	52
Washington Football Team	KickStand	SS Miles Reese	3 years, $20,000,000 (Bonus: $4.5M. Salary: $5.0M, $5.0M, $5.5M.)	41	41
Washington Football Team	KickStand	TE Jackson Sinclair	3 years, $108,000,000 (Bonus: $87.0M. Salary: $7.0M, $7.0M, $7.0M.)	56	56

The TE is the big news. He was the 2nd-rated guy out there, but the one I liked far better, and for a couple of years at least, I think we should, at long last, have a PLUS player there. Really hope so.

The DB moves add some stability and chemistry, we ought to be fine there.

QuikSand · 10-14-2020, 10:39 AM

A side note, if I may...

From time to time, I have issued various missives (here at FOFC) that dance around my central philosophy in the game - basically asset maximization. The most recent case is this thread, from a little while back...

Why Is This Guy On My Team?

So, as I was wandering through free agents, I ran across a guy I wanted to highlight here, for those intrepid souls who occasionally read this. Let's look at one guy, from one team, in this one league - a no-injury league with no serious cap pressure. (I'm picking Dallas... not meant as a slight on the current GM, the team has changed hands here and there, and... awww F it, they're hated rivals, yes we will pick on them)

Here's the guy: CB Gus Collins

So, we have all seen this story before, right? I can see the scout ratings... he comes in after the draft looking like he's got a lot of potential... scout sees 21/46, maybe a ballhawk in waiting. After the first offseason, we have reset our expectations... that 46 is gone, replaced by a 34.

(Incidentally, my scout is better than the league scout, and doesn't even grade him as highly)

We now know who this guy is. He is a bum.

So... from the Why is this guy on my team? thinking, what we need to do with this guy is prune him. In this league, especially, where depth is not needed for injuries... what is the value of him? Nothing at all.

Instead, Dallas keeps him on the roster, inactive but taking a roster spot, for four straight years, 64 games, doing absolutely nothing. (Technically, it looks like he was active one season, and got 71 snaps on special teams making zero tackles and affecting the box score in no way whatsoever) And now they, predictably, let him walk, because he is a bum and they know this.

This is a leak.

In a fast-moving, zero-injury league... one of the reasons Dallas can't catch up to the top teams is because they aren't doing all they can. Cut this bum. Replace him with someone else... try out another young player whose ratings are at least progressing in the right direction. Sign a guy who would contribute toward team chemistry in some way. Sign a guy who would actually add value on special teams. Get something from this roster spot. You have to.

I do not have this game mastered in the Way of the Python. I have not playtested the exact effects of the 7-pattern against 3-deep coverage. Some of those GMs will basically center their bell curves around a higher midpoint than mine.

But if I'm paying attention to my team, you can bet that I am thinking this way about every single slot on my roster. And if you're not... then you have a leak in your game.

QuikSand · 10-15-2020, 06:34 AM

Ravens with a puzzling set of free agent moves...

SLB Peter McKenzie	FA Stage 7	signed to a new contract: 2yrs, $5,930,000.
FB Nate Bryant	FA Stage 8	re-signed as an unrestricted free agent
RG Logan Reeg	FA Stage 8	re-signed as an unrestricted free agent
TE Reggie Williamson	FA Stage 9	signed as a free agent: 1yrs, $6,500,000.
RB Brody Madison	FA Stage 9	signed as an unrestricted free agent from Indianapolis: 2yrs, $13,000,000.
FL Phil McCormick	FA Stage 9	re-signed as an unrestricted free agent
QB Bradley Lynch	FA Stage 9	signed as a free agent: 2yrs, $7,650,000.

Coupled with a pair of draft picks...

Baltimore: QuikSand takes CB Deion Coble with the 4.5 pick.

Run Defense		4<->33
Man-to-Man Defense		0<->29
Zone Defense		68<->97
Bump-and-Run Defense		31<->60
Play Diagnosis		34<->63
Punishing Hitter		57<->86
Interceptions		0<->29
Punt Returning		0<->29
Kick Returning		71<->100
Endurance		62<->91
Special Teams		5<->34

HT	WT	RAW	ADJ	DASH	SOL	BENCH	AGI	BRJU	POS	%DEV
72	199	5.1	5.2	4.50	19	14	7.20	123	44	58

Baltimore: QuikSand takes RB Kenny Earnest with the 4.27 pick.

Breakaway Speed		7<->36
Power Inside		4<->32
Third Down Running		56<->84
Hole Recognition		49<->77
Elusiveness		19<->47
Speed to Outside		19<->47
Blitz Pickup		58<->86
Avoid Drops		24<->53
Getting Downfield		43<->71
Route Running		20<->48
Third Down Catching		57<->85
Punt Returning		48<->76
Kick Returning		0<->28
Endurance		43<->71
Special Teams		45<->73

HT	WT	RAW	ADJ	DASH	SOL	BENCH	AGI	BRJU	POS	%DEV
70	209	5.0	5.3	4.77	27	12	7.53	121	18	63

Something is definitely afoot here...

QuikSand · 10-16-2020, 08:47 AM

Ravens re-sign TE Gilbertson, as we wrap up early free agency...

RCB Max Chandler	FA Stage 10	re-signed as an unrestricted free agent
SLB Joe Davidson	FA Stage 10	signed as an unrestricted free agent from New York: 3yrs, $21,000,000.
TE Johnnie Gilbertson	FA Stage 10	re-signed as an unrestricted free agent

So, that's fine. We are at 57 players and just under the cap. Ought to make it through okay, after all.

QuikSand · 10-16-2020, 09:20 AM

Draft class semi-reveal is maybe a shade disappointing... WR Pearson is the obvious focus, and he looks, well, very good but not great? No maxed-out ratings, but lots that might project into the 80-ish range. Good enough to be a WR1, perhaps, but not a superstar.

Nothing shocking among the res of the picks - DB Coble is bound to become a favorite of mine, as a nickel back (zone specialist) and kick returner - I just love dudes like this.

QuikSand · 10-16-2020, 09:44 AM

DC BUREAU

Our only move at the end of early free agency is to again sign CB Peterson on a 1yr, all salary, contract.

Quick look at the draft class of two players: VERY happy with the looks of RB Bush, he might be more than we bargained for... and T Finneran looks about as expected. The trade-up was definitely necessary to get both of these guys, and I think it turned out to be a great move for us.

QuikSand · 10-18-2020, 09:21 AM

might f around and redo RB/FB chemistry for the Ravens

Chas in Cinti · 10-19-2020, 12:24 PM

so, what's the plan with Baltimore... throwing all over the field with all these WR?

QuikSand · 10-20-2020, 08:46 AM

...maybe?

I have made a concerted effort to build my new OL around pass protection... I don't know that I am going to really redo the gameplan, but I do think the oath forward is just to be excellent/effective in the air game and not worry much about the ground game

So... maybe? I already like to throw on 1st down a good deal. That by its nature makes us a pass-heavy team. I'm fine if my QB throws it 45 times a game, and we only run it 15. That's not us trying to catch up, that's just us trying to maximize what we want to do.

QuikSand · 10-20-2020, 09:49 AM

Ravens Cut-to-60 Day

So, yes, I am committed to moving this RB/FB group to the 3-4/5-6/10-11 triad. The only returning guy we have is FB Hillhouse, and there are multiple directions for him to take from here. 7th year guy Brody Madison looks okay to me as a RB1 to get most of the carries (barring a big ratings drop in preseason). So, that's the main thing. Among my rookies, I didn't get precisely what I wanted, but I do have an intriguing guy in "misfit toy" Jeff Stanton, who shapes up as a potential future group leader for us. If that were to play out, we'd have both our OL and RB groups in that triad, so our next QB could just sliiiiiide in and take the reins with double affinities. I like it.

Not much else very exciting, routine pruning mostly. Still mentally treating this team like a contender, and the 4-12 season like a hiccup.

QuikSand · 10-20-2020, 01:35 PM

The annual indecision over what young guys are worthy of the forced-starts-to-click-in-chemistry continues. Especially on defense and the O-line, it's always a challenge in this no-injury league.

QuikSand · 10-21-2020, 08:38 AM

Ravens RB situation is not pretty. Journeyman Madison will get the RB1 call, but the quartet of young guys we had through preseason is seemingly going to yield zero quality guys. I'm disappointed, my strike rate of finding at least "passable" has been pretty good. So it goes.

Jeff Stanton has a nice skill set except for a void in the "Hole Recognition" rating, as close to a "play football" rating as the position has. I think we will keep him in hopes of developing good chemistry around his 70/99 personality profile. He can play special teams, also.

I'll keep veteran FB Hillhouse - he's fading and no longer a chem asset, but adds cohesion and special teams, good enough for this year.

Anyway, thinning that group down to 4 (including a crazy affinity gimp, only a 2nd year guy) brings us to 56, to fairly little other pruning left to do.

Anyway... file is in. Expectations are hard to pin down - I don't see how we throw up another clunker, so I'll do the obvious moderated expectations, and say I think we are a 9 win team this year. What else do you say after you go 12-4 and 4-12 on consecutive seasons with no real explanation?

QuikSand · 10-21-2020, 11:26 AM

Standard painful cutdowns in DC, nothing worthy of a deep report.

Can we return to the top spot in the conference? Perhaps. Interesting dilemma at WR whether to split up the targets Malone always got (even last year he got 118 targets... stat line of 69-945-6) or keep him out there as at least a partial workhorse. We signed Dunwoody to take most of that load, but do you just... do it? (I'm going to try to have it both ways... hoping to see Malone with maybe 60 targets this season, and Dunwoody with healthy triple digits along with Carrabba)

How about I forecast an 11-5 season, with another narrow division win?

QuikSand · 10-22-2020, 07:50 AM

QuikSand · 10-22-2020, 07:50 AM

Ah of course the "blank post" curse...

QuikSand · 10-22-2020, 08:21 AM

RAVENS EKE BACK INTO POSTSEASON AS 10-6 WILDCARD

GML: Baltimore Ravens 2127

Okay, well I guess last season was the "blip" for the most part...
QB Lyle was again solid but not excellent - 6.69 37/16 89.4 meh
WR PVC dropped off badly, wow, only 659 yds on 127 targets
We really consolidated targets - only 5 guys on Team Summary screen
Running game that we officially ignore was just fine, 8th in ypc

D front got solid pressure, 21.6 PR% for t11th leaguewide
Shanle and Rambo led the way with 12, 12.5 sacks, DT Hitchcock too
LB Goodwin was wonderful at SLB, with 13 PDs and doing it all
Allowed 6.23 ypa to opponents passing - 10th overall, not bad

So, not a great team, but workable. I didn't deliberately overlook rookie WR Pearson, it just worked out that way I suppose. He'll get folded in next year for sure, especially if the decline from PVC is as serious as it appears.

So, that's fine. We don't look like a serious postseason threat, but we're at lest back to being relevant.

QuikSand · 10-22-2020, 08:28 AM

DC ... BLOWS IT AND MISSES PLAYOFFS AT 9-7

GML: Washington Football Team 2127

Wow. Not like 9-7 is a total collapse, but I just didn't see it coming.
QB Clancy just was not good enough: 6.33 31/24 77.8
RB Coates carried the main load, running game was league average
WR Dunwoody got 208 targets (more than expected) for 6.7 ypt
TE Sinclair only gets 6.07 ypt from his full workload - disappointing
Wow nobody did very well this year, WTF happened (just Clancy?)

Defense got pressure, without anyone putting up big sack numbers
We only allowed 5.50 ypa - that's great, and basically why we were okay
Run D was league average, that's fine

So basically the offense fell off a cliff? Clancy stinks? What the hell?
I wonder if Clancy will show up as one of those "combine collapses" next offseason
Feels like there's something rotten in the District

QuikSand · 10-22-2020, 08:41 AM

Not good for the "worth my time" underlying question.

QuikSand · 10-23-2020, 08:06 AM

Predictable one-and-done for the Ravens, and the Broncos...(checks notes)... yes, Broncos... win it all after a 15-1 season. Wow. An excellent young QB and you can just do soooooo much.

10-08-2020, 09:30 AM	#1402
Chas in Cinti High School Varsity Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Cincinnati, OH	Wow... first 14 win season in a while... first 4 win season ever? __________________ Email: [email protected]

10-09-2020, 06:50 AM	#1404
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Well, given that guys like tzach and Ben and (this season) Pyser are tossing up huge regular seasons like donuts, it's kinda emberrassing to see how few and far between they are for this grinder, your author: Thinking in terms of meaningful quarterback eras, for these Ravens in reverse chronological order... Lyle got us 12 wins last season, that was his pinnacle (hopefully won't stay that way) Levine had two double digit seasons, peaked at 11 wins in 2120 "Teddy Tightends" Farrell managed an 11.5 win season including a tie "Jimmy Mc" McDaniel actually had a 12-win season in there, whoa Shane Gelenaw actually ran ths show for 15 years, but maxed out at 13-3 x2 Someone named Howard posted 2x 12 win seasons in a short stint at QB IN 2080 WE WENT 14-2 BEHIND QB G. BUSH EL PRESIDENTE Then digging further, Irving Mathews captained 16-0 and 14-2 seasons And the great Leo Griffin managed 11 straight 10+ wins, maxing at 14 So... yeah, it's been a minute. Last edited by QuikSand : 10-09-2020 at 06:51 AM.

10-09-2020, 08:05 AM	#1408
Chas in Cinti High School Varsity Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Cincinnati, OH	Looking forward to the draft... ought to be able to get 2 pretty damned good players in Baltimore... __________________ Email: [email protected]

10-09-2020, 07:39 PM	#1412
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	DC BUREAU Let's have a stroll through the DC/WAS roster, shall we? Front Office Football Eight D.C. United Roster, Scout Overview Code: Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct Clancy, Rondell 109 QB 13 60 60 2 yrs. Matlosz, Winston 102 QB 4 23 37 1 yr. Stachelski, Chris 105 QB 4 20 34 1 yr. So, easy assessment here - Clancy is the big deal, the others are for chemistry and little else. If Clancy were to retire after this year, Matlosz would be maybe Plan C, but well after I exhausted the usual channels of signing an undeveloped 23/59 6th round draft pick from one of MalcPow's drafts, trading with the nefarious tzach for his latest wunderkind, or drafting a sack of shit of my own. Code: Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct McInerney, Albert 234 RB 7 52 52 --- Coates, Corbin 237 RB 3 44 46 2 yrs. Hackney, Brandon 344 FB 10 32 32 2 yrs. Rastok, Caiden 339 FB 7 19 19 2 yrs. So, we're building around the fullbacks, actually - Rastok is happy collecting a paycheck and anchoring chemistry. Hackney can run block, play special teams, and for many years (cohesion) he has tucked everyone in after lights out (chemistry). Getting more than than from the FB position would be gravy. At RB Coates seems fine, but not thrilling. McInerny got paid, but didn't deliver anything noteworthy - he had 1800 total yards last season but on a ton of volume, just 4.3 ypc. So... maybe Mc is back, more likely we splash around in the draft for a new RB1/RB2. Target area. Code: Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct Wells, Weston 448 TE 4 48 48 1 yr. Lester, Lee 488 TE 2 36 40 1 yr. Calloway, Blake 481 TE 2 26 34 3 yrs. Corbett, Luis 487 TE 11 18 18 2 yrs. Sigh. So, Wells is fine overall, and his production is... fine. But he's well under 7 ypt in his three seasons, including last season - so what would we be buying with a semi-fat extension? Really just cohesion. I felt like I had something in the two rookies - turns out we really did not. Local boy Lester at least will play special teams, Calloway looks like a washout with a 4 personality... sort of like "fat, drunk, and stupid." For the sixth straight offseason, more or less, target area. Code: Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct Roach, Barry 522 FL 9 48 48 1 yr. Everhart, William 580 FL 8 45 45 2 yrs. Malone, Damon 582 FL 12 41 41 1 yr. Renfro, Anthony 513 FL 3 25 32 --- Carrubba, David 504 SE 7 62 62 2 yrs. Schultz, Arturo 583 SE 2 24 35 3 yrs. Well, you should never stop looking to improve at WR, it's just too important. Inexplicably, Malone is back for more, I will assume his 41 dissolves to 32 or so, and he will be a mere carcass by week one, thinking Larry Fitzgerald, sadly. So, Carrubba needs to step into the real WR1 role, he's plenty good to be effective there, I worry more about Roach - he too is shy of the 7 ypt mark and that's not going to cut it at WR1/2/3. Major target area - definitely open to trading for talent here, drafting early, moving up to draft, or even signing a non-affinity player good enough to play at least the WR2 role. (Note: The best affinity fit guy out there, PR Jalen Snyder was pissed about playing time, so we cut him at the end of last season... in the real world, we'd be a complete cross-off, but I expect he will at least listen to an offer from us. He's just a return/ST guy, though, a near-void in RR means he can't play the position worth a damn.) Code: Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct Fitzgerald, Anthony 660 C 10 73 73 2 yrs. Holsey, Branden 661 C 7 35 35 1 yr. Randle, Neil 770 LG 10 41 41 --- Hatcher, Neal 762 RG 6 60 60 2 yrs. Lyons, Shane 873 LT 9 68 68 --- Rodier, Donovan 874 LT 5 61 61 4 yrs. Walsh, Leo 867 LT 7 20 20 1 yr. Poston, Marlon 878 RT 3 39 41 2 yrs. So, T Lyons is a huge run blocker, effective at LG, and looking for a fat deal. Makes sense to re-up with him if we can, except the OL chemistry looks marvelous without him, after such a long wait. I think it still would if we signed him, but because the FOF developer decides shit like this is best served in a fuckign enigma burrito, we don't get to know such things. So... there's a potential hidden cost to an already expensive deal to bring him back. Regardless, the group is a strength - C Fitz was my maiden draft pick here, now a 10th year guy, and still knocking 'em down okay. G Hatcher was a great FA pickup last year, T Rodier is a great run blocker for RT - we have plenty to build around. Code: Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct Kimsey, Miles 908 P 3 52 52 2 yrs. Lyons, Mike 1003K 2 57 57 3 yrs. Fine, great, sure. Not looking/expecting to invest in studs here. Code: Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct Sherman, Bubba 1190LDE 2 63 66 3 yrs. Gillespie, Samuel 1197LDE 4 50 50 1 yr. Hopper, Jessie 1193RDE 6 48 48 2 yrs. Carlisle, Malachi 1292NT 6 77 77 4 yrs. Sweeney, Aiden 1291NT 5 51 51 1 yr. So, really happy with DT Carlisle, superficially - big year for this group last season. Sherman, last year's 1st, looks like my prototype LDE - mix of run stopper and pass rusher, he'll be good for a long time I think, the type we pay to keep around. Hopper (leader), Sweeney (run stopper), and Gillespie (ok at everything) round out a decent bunch, in need of a playmaker. Code: Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct Brew, Manuel 1350SILB 3 58 58 2 yrs. Trammell, J.C. 1358SILB 9 47 47 1 yr. Ruddick, Paul 1340WILB 4 49 49 1 yr. Cassidy, Richie 1352WILB 2 32 38 1 yr. Duda, Terrance 1451SLB 11 75 75 --- Welch, Max 1453SLB 8 67 67 1 yr. Kinney, Andrew 1457SLB 3 42 48 2 yrs. Houston, Terrell 1449SLB 2 17 34 3 yrs. Maloney, Brett 1455WLB 6 59 59 1 yr. Jasper, Francisco 1456WLB 4 50 50 --- Well, OLB Welch is that playmaker - listed as an OLB, more of an "Edge" and bringing the heat with all 243 pounds - to the tune of 38.5 sacks and roughly 10 PR% in his three seasons with us. Money. Yeah, money might be the issue - held out last year then returned, could do so again. Non-affinity guy. I want to replace him. But sooo productive. I should let Duda walk, but he too has been awfully productive. But the stable is full here, without getting into details. We keep finding "guys" without really wanting to... Brew was worth his 1st round pick, Ruddick definitely not, but we have them both and a bunch more. Code: Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct Junker, Josiah 1527LCB 4 56 56 1 yr. Peterson, Cesar 1523LCB 7 40 40 --- Figures, Garrett 1529LCB 3 38 38 --- Franz, Taylor 1520RCB 5 53 53 2 yrs. Jeffrey, Colton 1547RCB 9 32 32 1 yr. Reese, Miles 1642SS 9 45 45 --- Garrett, Jared 1633SS 2 32 41 3 yrs. Scott, Tom 1630FS 4 55 55 1 yr. Brittain, A.J. 1645FS 5 29 40 --- Arndt, Luke 1638FS 9 17 17 1 yr. Okay, I just enjoy building a secondary. At this point, the group is pretty solid on paper. Arndt is the chem leader, Junker and Franz the only two who don't click with him. Junker is a bump specialist, and good enough to stay, Franz a generalist who may not make it back. Jeffrey a KR who can play CB2 and do some ballhawking... Reese a solid all-around safety... Scott an emerging star...Garrett exceeded expectations in his first year and clicked in his affinity... Peterson should return again for cohesion, special teams, and if needed, some CB3/4 duty here and there. If CB looked promising in the late first round, it could be a spot to invest. But I'm not really itchy about it. Would be fine going back out there with the same group. Code: Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct Trippi, Caiden 665 LS 6 21 21 1 yr. $$ - player is suspended, ## - player is inactive, ** = player is injured, %% - player is on IR. Players Under Contract: 43 Inactive: 0 On Active Roster: 43 Salary Cap: $734,500,000 Cap Room: $273,410,000 Maximum for New Player: $247,330,000 Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $3,310,000 Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0 Cap Room Required Next Year: $305,870,000 We have got cap space to use. I will need to spend some, but not a ton, to extend key players in walk years. We ought to be able to push some money around if there are target guys here or there - or just to re-up with a guy like Duda if we want to. Not a rebuild, a reload. Feeling pretty good here. Parachute in an impact pass rusher and an above-replacement TE, affinity or not, and I think this team should be raring to go.

10-19-2020, 12:24 PM	#1439
Chas in Cinti High School Varsity Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Cincinnati, OH	so, what's the plan with Baltimore... throwing all over the field with all these WR? __________________ Email: [email protected]

10-08-2020, 06:44 AM	#1401
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	WASHINGTON POWERS TO 14-2 RECORD, ANOTHER #1 SEED Team summary: GML: Washington Football Team 2125 So, in other news, perhaps I am not completely washed as a GM I thought this was my lesser team, they proved me wrong QB Clancy was efficient and productive - 93 rating, we'll take it WR trio all under 1,000 but Carrubba and Malone still efficient TE Wells was solid in his TE role, rookie Calloway far less so, ugh Running game fine, both Coates and mcInerny above 4ypc DL really stepped up with stud DT Carlisle, 12 sacks/28 hurries Team PR% was 3rd overall, ypa allowed mid-pack - meh S Scott developing nicely - 13 PDs in overall good season at SS/FS LBs Brew, Duda both playing well in coverage - by design So... maybe not the unstoppable gameplanning juggernaut, but this team played really well, we pass the ball effectively and do everything else fairly well, and that's a recipe for winning games. We earned home field, but have tzach's Rams sitting across from us in the playoff bracket... so we'll see. Nice season, pleasant surprise.

10-08-2020, 05:30 PM	#1403
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Yeah, the last time we really went wayyyy upside down was a mess-up, used a horrid QB, and earned the top seed, and landed Leo to play QB for 14 years. It wasn't a deliberate tank, but ended up working out that way. Here we will end up with something like pick 3 or 4, I think... so maybe we land a major impact player and get something out of this. I know I lament those "7th seed" seasons that happen every so often by saying - hey, if we're going to crap out, at least roll snake eyes so we can get a big draft pick. Well, here it is. As for 14 wins - yeah, it's been a minute. Would have to look in-game, but prob 15-20 seasons, I'd say.

10-09-2020, 06:54 AM	#1405
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	...side note, it's been long enough I guess we can talk about it now... that great run behind uber QB Leo was marked by, no joke, 11 straight seasons where we won 10-14 games and then every single year went out in the divisional round. Didn't even make the conference championship game, bye weeks and home field advantage be damned. Wow. Snakebitten, indeed.

10-09-2020, 06:55 AM	#1406
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Oooh, Pyser, sorry, wrote that before seeing your 16-0 team suffer the same fate. So sorry. Too soon.

10-09-2020, 06:58 AM	#1407
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Washington manages an opening win, but we lose again to SF, at home in the conference championship game. They go on to lose to Cleveland. Another "pretty good season" without any hardware to show for it. Alas.

10-09-2020, 09:13 AM	#1409
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Yeah... funny thing is, what a massive near-miss with that trade for the LB. My partner just didn't have his ducks in a row, so to speak, and the deal fell apart... but I was offering my 1st and 3rd this coming year to get a build-around young-ish LB. And, of course, mentally valuing that 1st rounder as if it were, say, pick 1.26. Not 1.4, which is what we have. Yes, we're going to lose the coin flipping every time. We're in the 2-3-4-5 tier and start at slot 4 and rotate from there, naturally. But hey, we pick 2nd in the third round so we can get fired up over that.

10-09-2020, 10:37 AM	#1410
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	A GML owner, looking to add to this draft, has made offers to both the BAL and WAS/DC teams... so I expect that one of those teams will sort out details on a trade-out move. So, I'll likely need to sort out which roster is more "complete" and befitting a two-pick draft. That should be simple, right? The 14-2 team needs little, and the 4-12 team needs a ton... but... maybe not that simple?

10-09-2020, 01:35 PM	#1411
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	So, my Ravens... I might be into talks about dealing next year's 1st round draft pick. Mentally, what is the fair "valuation" of that pick, for my own purposes? Coming off a 12-4 bye week year, I would nave answered this as roughly 1.26 this time last season, as mentioned above - i.e. we expect to be in the playoffs, but we're no cinch to be in the #29-32 conversation. Now, layer on a weird 4-12 season. So, what for next year? If I really believe we're a very solid team that just suffered a hiccup, this is the ideal time to deal a future 1st, right? That's the "Moneyball" play, I'd think... someone out there who sees 4-12 and thinks they're buying a lottery ticket and will pay close to appropriately for that... I ought to sell high. Right? Anyway... if I think that pick is worth 1.22, and someone else thinks it's worth 1.08, then it's time to deal.

10-10-2020, 07:50 AM	#1413
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Draft first look: No shock, it will not be a great year to hold a very early pick. There's a top-tier QB (named Sanderson, heh), who will go ahead of our pick at 1.4, but not a guy we'd want to deal up to target. I see two WRs who could easily take the other two spots ahead of us. That leaves... the rest. I see a TE who misses an affinity by one day, a handful of big-bar guys at non-impact positions, and a couple affinity guys we'd generally be thinking about a move to the middle of the first to target. But no eye-popping wave of left tackles, shutdown corners, uber pass rushers, and the like who would make a comfy home here in Crabtown. Of course not. I think dealing down is more likely that making a deal here for an additional early pick, I'll say that much.

10-10-2020, 03:50 PM	#1415
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Drat... the guy I was basically sold on for pick 1.4 goes ahead of us. Best laid plans, and all that - I helpfully "nudged" my pal MalcPow who held pick 1.1, poked fun about the QB, and he logged in and selected the shut-down (affinity match) CB who seemed like a sure thing for my pick. Alas.

10-10-2020, 10:56 PM	#1416
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	So, Washington makes the deal to move up in this year's draft, and send out most of our picks... JAX sends 2.6 2128 JAX 4th 2129 JAX 4th WAS sends 2.30, 3.30, 4.30, 5.30, 6.30, 7.30 2128 WAS 5th 2129 WAS 5th So, we will only have 1.30 and 2.06 this season. Suits us fine, I think, this roster doesn't have a lot of room for bubblers.

10-11-2020, 07:15 AM	#1417
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	There's an AI team (glitch?) sitting on the clock at 1.3... I'm at 1.4, so I have a fairly clear picture of what we have to do with this pick. I have posted it for a trade-down... to no avail. I expect pick 1.3 will be the top receiver available. I make the next best receiver as the fairly obviously next best guy. If this league had free flowing trading, I'd think that guy could be a "I draft him, he does well enough in training camp, and then I get at least two 1sts for him" sort of player - max value. However...if I cannot even deal the pick when he's all but on the clock... ugh. Add to that that if I were to just "take my guy" I would generate something of a Clelin Ferrell moment... with pick 4 YOU DID WHAT? So, here we are. I'm stuck on what to do. Non-affinity BPA wideout seems like the obvious play here. I would so much rather get reasonable value to deal down to, say, pick 8-12 and take my reach guy there.

10-11-2020, 02:38 PM	#1418
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Okay, basically settled, I'll just take the best receiver available. List is two deep, both look like build-around talents. 11 and 18 are in their 9th season, Webster is fine but only asking for 4x minsal in his reneg, that tells you what you'd need to know there. Webster will soon need to be the follower, this rookie will be the leader, even without chemistry effects. Just can't win without passing game components. My best chem fit guy will just have to wait for another time.

10-13-2020, 02:02 PM	#1426
sabotai General Manager Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: The Satellite of Love	I was really hoping Xavier Bush would fall to me in the 2nd round. I guess that means either I did a good job scouting or you did a bad job.

10-13-2020, 06:53 PM	#1427
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Well, I like pissing people off in this particular way, so that's good.

10-14-2020, 08:05 AM	#1428
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Ravens getting a little cap sensitive... one more deal in the books. We send our early 3rd round pick to St Louis, the ever-reliable tzach, to land another DE who had fallen out of favor there: Marcus Shanle For a couple seasons at around $8m, I hope he can deliver some quality pass rushing (likely from the outside) and help keep us in decent cap shape. Much more ready-to-go than a rookie. I'm running this team like we're in go-for-it mode, rather than coming off a dreadful lottery-pick year. So be it.

10-14-2020, 08:09 AM	#1429
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	We now have four picks remaining (4,4,6,7) in this draft, and only 42 players currently signed. A guy like Jackson Baump might be among the "Lives in the Balance" here, as his base salary is near $40m, he wants a huge extension, and he comes off a pretty pedestrian 7 sack (8.1 PR%) effort last season in our down year. I'm also getting competition for TE Gilbertson (after the first few stages of no interest) and I'll need to make a call whether he's worth keeping around. No obvious other alternatives that I see out there, so it's him or options similar to those I was contemplating during last year's holdout. I still have this sneaky feeling that our TE3 Huffman might do just fine with 80-100 targets.

10-14-2020, 10:39 AM	#1433
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	A side note, if I may... From time to time, I have issued various missives (here at FOFC) that dance around my central philosophy in the game - basically asset maximization. The most recent case is this thread, from a little while back... Why Is This Guy On My Team? So, as I was wandering through free agents, I ran across a guy I wanted to highlight here, for those intrepid souls who occasionally read this. Let's look at one guy, from one team, in this one league - a no-injury league with no serious cap pressure. (I'm picking Dallas... not meant as a slight on the current GM, the team has changed hands here and there, and... awww F it, they're hated rivals, yes we will pick on them) Here's the guy: CB Gus Collins So, we have all seen this story before, right? I can see the scout ratings... he comes in after the draft looking like he's got a lot of potential... scout sees 21/46, maybe a ballhawk in waiting. After the first offseason, we have reset our expectations... that 46 is gone, replaced by a 34. (Incidentally, my scout is better than the league scout, and doesn't even grade him as highly) We now know who this guy is. He is a bum. So... from the Why is this guy on my team? thinking, what we need to do with this guy is prune him. In this league, especially, where depth is not needed for injuries... what is the value of him? Nothing at all. Instead, Dallas keeps him on the roster, inactive but taking a roster spot, for four straight years, 64 games, doing absolutely nothing. (Technically, it looks like he was active one season, and got 71 snaps on special teams making zero tackles and affecting the box score in no way whatsoever) And now they, predictably, let him walk, because he is a bum and they know this. This is a leak. In a fast-moving, zero-injury league... one of the reasons Dallas can't catch up to the top teams is because they aren't doing all they can. Cut this bum. Replace him with someone else... try out another young player whose ratings are at least progressing in the right direction. Sign a guy who would contribute toward team chemistry in some way. Sign a guy who would actually add value on special teams. Get something from this roster spot. You have to. I do not have this game mastered in the Way of the Python. I have not playtested the exact effects of the 7-pattern against 3-deep coverage. Some of those GMs will basically center their bell curves around a higher midpoint than mine. But if I'm paying attention to my team, you can bet that I am thinking this way about every single slot on my roster. And if you're not... then you have a leak in your game.

10-16-2020, 09:20 AM	#1436
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Draft class semi-reveal is maybe a shade disappointing... WR Pearson is the obvious focus, and he looks, well, very good but not great? No maxed-out ratings, but lots that might project into the 80-ish range. Good enough to be a WR1, perhaps, but not a superstar. Nothing shocking among the res of the picks - DB Coble is bound to become a favorite of mine, as a nickel back (zone specialist) and kick returner - I just love dudes like this.

10-16-2020, 09:44 AM	#1437
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	DC BUREAU Our only move at the end of early free agency is to again sign CB Peterson on a 1yr, all salary, contract. Quick look at the draft class of two players: VERY happy with the looks of RB Bush, he might be more than we bargained for... and T Finneran looks about as expected. The trade-up was definitely necessary to get both of these guys, and I think it turned out to be a great move for us.

10-18-2020, 09:21 AM	#1438
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	might f around and redo RB/FB chemistry for the Ravens

10-20-2020, 08:46 AM	#1440
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	...maybe? I have made a concerted effort to build my new OL around pass protection... I don't know that I am going to really redo the gameplan, but I do think the oath forward is just to be excellent/effective in the air game and not worry much about the ground game So... maybe? I already like to throw on 1st down a good deal. That by its nature makes us a pass-heavy team. I'm fine if my QB throws it 45 times a game, and we only run it 15. That's not us trying to catch up, that's just us trying to maximize what we want to do.

10-20-2020, 09:49 AM	#1441
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Ravens Cut-to-60 Day So, yes, I am committed to moving this RB/FB group to the 3-4/5-6/10-11 triad. The only returning guy we have is FB Hillhouse, and there are multiple directions for him to take from here. 7th year guy Brody Madison looks okay to me as a RB1 to get most of the carries (barring a big ratings drop in preseason). So, that's the main thing. Among my rookies, I didn't get precisely what I wanted, but I do have an intriguing guy in "misfit toy" Jeff Stanton, who shapes up as a potential future group leader for us. If that were to play out, we'd have both our OL and RB groups in that triad, so our next QB could just sliiiiiide in and take the reins with double affinities. I like it. Not much else very exciting, routine pruning mostly. Still mentally treating this team like a contender, and the 4-12 season like a hiccup. Last edited by QuikSand : 10-20-2020 at 09:55 AM.

10-20-2020, 01:35 PM	#1442
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	The annual indecision over what young guys are worthy of the forced-starts-to-click-in-chemistry continues. Especially on defense and the O-line, it's always a challenge in this no-injury league.

10-21-2020, 08:38 AM	#1443
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Ravens RB situation is not pretty. Journeyman Madison will get the RB1 call, but the quartet of young guys we had through preseason is seemingly going to yield zero quality guys. I'm disappointed, my strike rate of finding at least "passable" has been pretty good. So it goes. Jeff Stanton has a nice skill set except for a void in the "Hole Recognition" rating, as close to a "play football" rating as the position has. I think we will keep him in hopes of developing good chemistry around his 70/99 personality profile. He can play special teams, also. I'll keep veteran FB Hillhouse - he's fading and no longer a chem asset, but adds cohesion and special teams, good enough for this year. Anyway, thinning that group down to 4 (including a crazy affinity gimp, only a 2nd year guy) brings us to 56, to fairly little other pruning left to do. Anyway... file is in. Expectations are hard to pin down - I don't see how we throw up another clunker, so I'll do the obvious moderated expectations, and say I think we are a 9 win team this year. What else do you say after you go 12-4 and 4-12 on consecutive seasons with no real explanation? Last edited by QuikSand : 10-21-2020 at 09:15 AM.

10-21-2020, 11:26 AM	#1444
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Standard painful cutdowns in DC, nothing worthy of a deep report. Can we return to the top spot in the conference? Perhaps. Interesting dilemma at WR whether to split up the targets Malone always got (even last year he got 118 targets... stat line of 69-945-6) or keep him out there as at least a partial workhorse. We signed Dunwoody to take most of that load, but do you just... do it? (I'm going to try to have it both ways... hoping to see Malone with maybe 60 targets this season, and Dunwoody with healthy triple digits along with Carrabba) How about I forecast an 11-5 season, with another narrow division win?

10-22-2020, 07:50 AM	#1445
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md

10-22-2020, 07:50 AM	#1446
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Ah of course the "blank post" curse...

10-22-2020, 08:21 AM	#1447
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	RAVENS EKE BACK INTO POSTSEASON AS 10-6 WILDCARD GML: Baltimore Ravens 2127 Okay, well I guess last season was the "blip" for the most part... QB Lyle was again solid but not excellent - 6.69 37/16 89.4 meh WR PVC dropped off badly, wow, only 659 yds on 127 targets We really consolidated targets - only 5 guys on Team Summary screen Running game that we officially ignore was just fine, 8th in ypc D front got solid pressure, 21.6 PR% for t11th leaguewide Shanle and Rambo led the way with 12, 12.5 sacks, DT Hitchcock too LB Goodwin was wonderful at SLB, with 13 PDs and doing it all Allowed 6.23 ypa to opponents passing - 10th overall, not bad So, not a great team, but workable. I didn't deliberately overlook rookie WR Pearson, it just worked out that way I suppose. He'll get folded in next year for sure, especially if the decline from PVC is as serious as it appears. So, that's fine. We don't look like a serious postseason threat, but we're at lest back to being relevant.

10-22-2020, 08:28 AM	#1448
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	DC ... BLOWS IT AND MISSES PLAYOFFS AT 9-7 GML: Washington Football Team 2127 Wow. Not like 9-7 is a total collapse, but I just didn't see it coming. QB Clancy just was not good enough: 6.33 31/24 77.8 RB Coates carried the main load, running game was league average WR Dunwoody got 208 targets (more than expected) for 6.7 ypt TE Sinclair only gets 6.07 ypt from his full workload - disappointing Wow nobody did very well this year, WTF happened (just Clancy?) Defense got pressure, without anyone putting up big sack numbers We only allowed 5.50 ypa - that's great, and basically why we were okay Run D was league average, that's fine So basically the offense fell off a cliff? Clancy stinks? What the hell? I wonder if Clancy will show up as one of those "combine collapses" next offseason Feels like there's something rotten in the District