The Blazin' Bees | A Front Office Football MP Dynasty

[arton86]

Hey guys! It's been a long, long time since I've been around. I love football, and I love writing dynasty threads. For me, it's all about the immersion, and there are few games that offer the engaging simulation experience that FOF does, in multiplayer.

Here, I chronicle the front office events of my team, the Utah Bees, in the a fictional pro football league called the OSFL, as we strive to extend a recent run of dominance even as age begins to bite away at the team's best. We're going to cover how we got here, and roll right into the frenetic current-day efforts at staying on top.

INTRODUCTION
Platform: Front Office Football v6.4
League: OSFL
Format: 32-team fictional
Franchise: The Utah Bees
GM'd seasons: 2014-present
Current season: 2028 offseason as of thread start.



This is going to be a Dynasty rich with storylines, especially from a team management standpoint. That's where the meat of the FOF game is, and I hope you'll join me as we follow the team's decision-making brass over the course of the seasons.

These Bees are in the midst of the most historic run the league has ever seen. But the sharks are gathering in the water. The stars are aging. Storm clouds and the coming transition loom, even as they try to hang on to their current glory.

Enjoy!

THE BLAZIN UTAH BEES!

^ The man. The franchise. The Randy Boone.

When the perennially mediocre Bees franchise traded up in the first round of the 2018 draft to call on east coast signal-caller Randy Boone for a wild west gambit, the reactions were mixed. On the one hand, whispers were that the Utah Front Office had tried to move up as high as 1.2 (they would eventually draft him #14 overall)...on the other, Utah gave up its second rounder that year and the quarterback who went at their original position, Mickey Baines, turned out to be a rookie revelation and quickly established himself as one of the league's most talented QBs.

But while Randy sat and learned behind Ellis Wynn - one of the gun-slingin' greats of his day - the Bees were putting some big time plans in motion. In 2020, armed with a new receiver, Boone put the league on notice with a 32 TD - 4 INT season...but a heartbreaking Week 16 injury extended the Bees' playoff wins drought to desperate levels.

By 2022, however, the Bees were seeing everything come together at once. They demolished the league in the regular season, made the Bowl, and haven't stopped since.

Six seasons, six bowls, three rings later, the Bees are the new terror of the OSFL. Is there no end to the madness? Will no team stand up to this wanton aggression? Stay tuned...

Utah Bees Initial Offseason Depth Chart - 2028
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	Alvin Foley	Bryan Sidharta	Chester Haddix
TE	Mario Bradford	Edwin Blades
LT	Artie Samuels	Max Reese
LG	Mo Giles	Jared Craig
C	Stephen Wells
RG	Mo Marchant
RT	Geoff Keisel	Gene Sinclair
WR	Hunter Vandersommen	Ray Mansker	Wade Morton	Shane Littlefield
QB	Randy Boone	Roderick Sikkenga	Brent Patten	Leroy Kurtzman
FB	Mario Evanswhite	Kerry Duran
HB	Ryan Green	Michael Glenn	Dexter Van Der Woude	Gilbert Money
Base 3-4 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	Emmanuel Logan	Ted Kau
NT	Harris Wheeler	Doug Hopkins
RDE	Rondell Tyler	Byron LaPorte
LOLB	Norbert Slaten
LILB	Dan Harper	Terrell McDonald
RILB	Troy Conant	Dixon Goldade
ROLB	Mathew O'Donnell	Ike Arias
CB	Mitchell Prescott	Bobby Plantilla	Stephen Easton
SS	Brent Driscoll	Butch McKinnon
FS	Wally Burgess	Lance Morris	Chester Foster
CB	Quinn Robinette	Sean Finley	Grady Hett
Special Teams
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
K	Troy Parrish
P	Courtney Ellison
H	Brent Patten
PR	Stephen Easton
KR	Chester Haddix
LS	Mario Bradford

[arton86]

Meet the B-teaM

QB

#4 Randy Boone 68/68, 11th yr
11th year, 34 years old. Randy's at the top of his game. He's never even had a 4000-yard season in Utah's run-heavy attack, but make no mistake, the Bees rely on his cold-blooded efficiency. Randy delivers the wins, big time, and has never been better, coming off his first Super Bowl MVP and the most convincing title win of his career. Three rings in four years.

#14 Roderick Sikkenga 37/37, 8th yr
The current heir apparent. ex-UDFA Sik's been the understudy his entire career, and while no team is likely to pay for his services, we feel we have one of the best backup situations in the league with him around.

RB

#30 Ryan Green 44/44, 5th yr
Green wasn't expected to take the handoff of the torch at this position. A 5th-round backup for years, with an incoming round 1 rookie already charged with succeeding the team's recently retired franchise back. But he fended off the competition, and turned in a great season. He's not a carry-the-load guy, but was clearly the most reliable back in the new Utah committee.

#49 Michael Glenn 33/44, 2nd yr
Glenn's the 1st round RB that makes people say, "This is why nobody drafts RBs high anymore." He's fast, strong, and talented, but losing the job was a huge upset. He never earned a start as a rookie and averaged 3.58 ypc, fumbling 4 times. Glenn will need to prove it in his sophomore campaign.

FB

#43 Mario Evanswhite 60/60, 7th yr
Evanswhite was poached from the Washington Bombers as a young free agent, and took over the starting role after years of developing as a backup. He's an all-around, every-down fullback who blocks with aggression and is a solid outlet receiver.

#46 Kerry Duran 39/39, 9th yr
Duran caught our eye in the draft by running a 6.95 agility drill, which is the kind of result that turns heads for corners and receivers. A longtime starter, the 9-year vet has been relegated to reserve/ST duty, but has been an athletic, multi-talented fullback over the years. Utah carries two TEs because Duran's expected to answer that call when needed.

TEs

#34 Mario Bradford 60/60, 8th yr
Drafted in the same round as Duran - the 6th - one year later. Bradford started life as a fullback, but the Virginia Military product quickly made the move Duran was considered for and didn't. He's become a more than reliable cog in the short pass game, and one of the top road-grading TEs you'll find.

#85 Edwin Blades 49/55, 3rd yr
Blades was a top target for us in the '26 draft, and we traded high into the 2nd round to nab him. While Bradford does well in the short game, Bradford stretches the field like you wouldn't believe, and gives us a lethal 2-TE combo. Blades, in fact, is probably at this point, our best receiver. Period.

WRs

#89 Alvin Foley 49/49, 12th yr
Foley was the lynchpin of the Utah Air Attack for a full decade. He survived a gruesome ACL tear in 2026, though, and while he's made a comeback, it's hard to tell how much he has left in his tank. The good news for the Bees - we've shown we can win without him, even in the playoffs.

#80 Hunter Vandersommen 36/36, 11th yr
Vandy arrived in Utah via trade very early in his career, and over time developed into a #3 option. After Foley's injury, he got more chances, and wrested control of a starting spot in 2027. This guy is fast, but that's not just it. His rapport with Boone appears to be something special, and he's projected to continue in a starter role.

#81 Bryan Sidharta 55/55, 6th yr
Once upon a time, Foley had a lethal running mate in Colin Fletcher. Fletcher eventually fell out of favor with Utah brass, and was traded for the younger, slightly less explosive Sidharta. Sidharta was lost early in his first season to elbow surgery. And he lost his job to Vandersommen the next year. He has a big contract in hand, but he's not yet earned it.

#86 Ray Mansker 40/40, 6th yr
Mansker was considered a big reach as a 2.32 in 2023, and he's yet to establish himself. However, he's an extremely legitimate deep threat. One of our aces in the hole.

#87 Chester Haddix 47/47, 4th yr
Haddix turned out far better than we could have hoped for a 4th round pick. In addition to being an unexpectedly great kick returner, Haddix is a well-rounded WR that we're starting to develop a ton of confidence in.

#39 Wade Morton 34/40, 3rd yr
A former running back who made the move to the slot in the pros. Morton hasn't made the field much, but captivated coaches by dominating the hell out of every single preseason game he's been in.

#88 Shane Littlefield 35/35, 4th yr
The latest addition to Utah's WR derby. Littlefield is a total Vandersommen doppleganger, and with a weak draft pool, we were comfortable parting with a 3rd-round pick for him.

OL

#56 C Stephen Wells 65/65, 10th yr
As good a run stopper as they come.

#77 G Mo Giles 68/68, 6th yr
Total monster.

#79 G Jared Craig 42/42, 7th yr
A late round pass block specialist. Originally envisioned as a starter, but has had trouble keeping his job.

#74 G Mo Marchant 48/48, 6th yr
A more recent free agent acquisition whose better strength and run blocking ability has pushed him above Craig, although there's some rotation here.

#66 T/G Artie Samuels 52/53, 4th yr
OK, I just f'd up here. Samuels was an all-world left tackle we traded a future 1st + 2nd for, but I managed to switch him to guard and it's too late to go back. We'll be forced to play him out of position for now. He's still my best blind-side defense.

#73 T Geoff Keisel 63/63, 9th yr
Keisel was a guy we managed to trade for very little, and he's developed well over the years. He's more of a run blocker, so he's really the guy we should have moved to guard, if at all.

#70 T Max Reese 55/55, 3rd yr
We were expecting fairly little when we settled on this pick in the middle of round 2. Reese has turned out to be a fantastic pass blocker, though, and a huge steal for us.

K/P

#6 Courtney Ellison 62/62, 4th yr
We had the punter issue only semi-resolved for years before we brought in Ellison in Late Free Agency. Ellison has a huge leg...really knocks it out of the park. 48.2 average (not net) in '27.

#3 Troy Parrish 76/76, 7th yr
Parrish is just one of the top kicker's in the leg. Incredible combination of power and accuracy; weaker on the kickoffs. Now he's in a contract year.

DE

#99 Emmanuel Logan 59/59, 10th yr
Part 1 of the Denver Duo - players we nabbed via trade with our division rival Denver Grizzlies in 2021. Logan's in decline, but he's still our best pass rushing end.

#78 Rondell Tyler 53/53, 9th yr
Tyler is a 3-down run stopper with some pass rush ability, and a solid find in free agency recently.

#75 Ted Kau 29/46, 2nd yr
Last year's 1.17 pick. Nice size for a 3-4 end at 6'4, 286. Bull rush isn't really in his arsenal. At this stage....it looks like a badly blown pick.

#72 Byron LaPorte 25/50, 2nd yr
The Bees used the '27 draft to remake its DE corps. LaPorte was our 2nd rounder, but while he's stronger, he doesn't have the same pass rush potential as Kau.

DT

#76 Harris Wheeler 48/48, 7th yr
Wheeler was an unexpected Week 1 trade in 2027, solidifying a position that had been wiped out by age. Boston was desperate to get rid of him and Utah gave up only a 5th. Wheeler's been very steady, but came with an escalating contract that is becoming a concern.

#90 Doug Hopkins 34/38, 5th yr
Hopkins arrived via trade in '26, and fell really far short of projections to date. The Bees gave him another chance with a new contract, at the veteran minimum.

ILB
#50 Dan Harper 71/71, 7th yr
Harper's a fun draft story. We gave up the world for this guy, when we hit up Matty, the St. Paul Bandits GM at 2.3, looking for a trade only to find we were both targeting the same guy. At the end of it all, we had given up all four of our 2nd rounders that year...but he's captained this defense as one of the game's best linebackers.

#58 Troy Conant 53/53, 8th yr
Unlike Harper, Conant was a cheap investment - an overlooked 4th rounder that has turned into a stifling run-stopper. He's a liability in coverage and doesn't see the field in Nickel sets.

#96 Terrell McDonald 35/35, 5th yr
We seem to make a living out of poaching Washington Bombers rookie free agents, and McDonald is the latest of the series. He's not great, but acceptably solid, and earns his keep here with his special teams value.

#98 Dixon Goldade 37/47, 3rd yr
Goldade's rising behind the scenes. Primarily a run stopper; his coverage ability is a bit lacking in our eyes, but we have few other young 'backers.

OLB

#95 Norbert Slaten 55/55, 10th yr
A versatile linebacker who's been a stud his entire career for Utah, whether it was blitzing off the edge, stopping the run, or blanketing TEs. Extension talks broke down late in 2027, and now he's franchised.

#57 Matthew O'Donnell 48/48, 8th yr
O'Donnell rode the bench for years behind Part 2 of the Denver Duo, the since-departed Carlos Melnick. Melnick was the best pass rusher the Bees had ever seen. Then O'Donnell finally gets his shot, and 17.0 sacks in his first year of starting says we have a new sherrif in town...

#54 Ike Arias 42/42, 3rd yr
Arias is a pass rush specialist drafted to succeed O'Donnell. He turned in 9.5 sacks in his sophomore campaign...as a backup.

CB

#41 Quinn Robinette 62/62, 8th yr
Hard to believe that Robin has spent the past two seasons declining. We made a big move up for him in the first round, much to the dismay of Yuma Aces GM JulioRiddols - who paid us back a year later by nabbing linebacker Riddick Schulz just ahead of us.

#35 Mitchell Prescott 72/72, 6th yr
Prescott was a safety we picked early in the first round and has never made the transition as well as we hoped. He's still got the look of a safety playing out of position at corner, but we've never really had anyone better.

#32 Stephen Easton 48/48, 7th yr
Easton was a 2nd rounder we really believed in, but hasn't been consistent in coverage. We don't mind as long as he continues to be the best punt returner the league has (possibly) ever seen.

#28 Bobby Plantilla 27/34, 2nd yr
Plantilla's our rising star. Here's a hard-hitting safety who made the transition to corner beautifully, turning in a 5-pick rookie campaign.

#21 Scottie Finley 33/34, 3rd yr
Finley was an unheralded 6th round pick whose star has also been quietly rising behind the scenes here.

#23 Grady Hett 30/44, 3rd yr
Hett's a guy who lays the wood, but we're not sold on his cover abilities yet. He's a 5th round pick who's shown enough promise to not lose his job, but hasn't shined in coverage like Plantilla or Finley.

S

#31 Brent Driscoll 57/57, 8th yr
Driscoll has been a run-stopping, pass-coverage asset over the years. He's the cover / run-support total package, and he has turned in an impeccably consistent career of doing both for the Bees.

#48 Wally Burgess 67/67, 4th yr
When Burgess kept slipping in round 1 of the '25 draft, we jumped all over that s---. Burgess is the quintessential cover safety. Total ballhawk, and covers like the best of them. He's going to need to bounce back from a rough '27, though.

#44 Lance Morris 47/47, 7th yr
UDFAs aren't supposed to be this good. Morris is the picture-perfect backup safety, a ballhawking threat with athleticism and cover ability who can play either strong or free.

#20 Chester Foster 33/33, 12th yr
Foster made a big statement about his loyalties by returning to the Bees on a 1-year, low-bonus, $1.61 million deal when other teams offered considerably more. A former starter and current rotational player with 233 special teams tackle to his name, as Utah's top gunner for many seasons.

#36 Butch McKinnon 27/48, 3rd yr
We've bent over backwards to keep Butch on the final roster as 5th safety, because he's got major run-stopping potential and we see him as a successor candidate for Brent Driscoll. What he needs to do is show a coverage dimension that he hasn't yet.

The draft so far...

This was not a good draft to be in. The weakest talent pool the league has probably ever seen - teams were falling over each other trying to get out.

1.20 G Ryan Thingvold
We moved up using a 1st and a 2nd to make this unfortunate selection, just before we accidentally stuck our own LT at guard. We'll have to roll with 5 guards for the forseeable future. Thingvold was literally the last guy we had anywhere close to a Round 1 grade on.

2.12 LB Tyrone Nelson
With our star 'backer of the past ten years franchised - and having big question marks due to age anyway - we looked for someone who could replace him as early as this year. Nelson.....is a serious project. But we see some solid coverage potential in him, which is most important. If he develops into a capable run stopper, that'll be a nice bonus. He won't be a great blitzer, but at least he can do it.

2.26 T Antonio Mitting
We had to secure the last guy with a round-2 grade here. Artie Samuels moving from LT to LG means that if we're going to carry 3 tackles, we can't afford to have two older guys there or even one average one. Mitting's not very strong, but he has terrific agility and wingspan. He might get bowled over on occasion, but he's not going to be a 6'6, 325 lb turnstile.

Remaining Picks

...with a trade just finalized, the Bees have moved out of the 3rd round. We still have the following selections to make:

4.10
4.32
6.28
6.32
7.23
7.28

Unfortunately, it's looking really dry. If we're unable to keep deferring to future years, we'll have to come up with a pool of longshots here, the kind that don't make rosters.

We don't even see anyone that could conceivably stick as an undrafted free agent. But once the rounds go by and the better players move off the board, things inevitably change...

[arton86]

Background on FOF

Player Ratings

Highly rated players are not common in FOF - the talent pool is really wide, and most players are average, bad, or really bad. As a rule of thumb...

60+ Premier player at the position.
50-60 Very good starter.
45-50 Solid to good player.
35-45 Mediocre to average
0-35 Below average to bum

If he's 70+ he's one of the elite players in the league. 80+ is very rare and it's extremely likely he was drafted at the top of the first round. 90+ is a generational talent. Extreme superstar stuff.

Although, lower rated players can still be deployed to devastating effect if they have the right set of skills. A guy who really excels in a few key things, for example, can be much more useful than jack-of-all trades average joe, even if they're both 30-rated.

Masking

All players in FOF start out masked to various degrees - that is, you don't really know what you have in them. Over the years, the layers get peeled away as they gradually unmask.

This is a predictable process. The first training camp and first offseason movement will let you know what direction, and to what degree, a guy is unmasking.

A guy who starts out 30 rated can unmask into the 70s. And vice versa.

Age and random volatility boom/bust hits (in various degrees) can still affect a player at any training camp, though. It's the great equalizer.

Outlook

FOF, like the NFL, is a pass-dominated game. Should you be allowed to accumulate incredible playmakers at WR and pair it up with a QB, you can put on a serious show of fireworks. As a result, WR especially, is a position people put a premium on.

The early days of the Utah run were built around a pair of very good (but not quite superstar) receivers. We're facing a very different outlook today, but we like this style of play a lot. Strong in the trenches, and a myriad of overlooked, but athletic guys playing WR and TE. You can get by with guys in the OL.......welll, sorta. Maybe if they're all pass blockers. But put together 5 monsters, and you'll be extremely difficult to deal with.

It's going to be hard for this team to hang with some of the most explosive sets of receivers in the league, but if there's anyone who can do it, it's the star QB that's been with the team for eleven seasons.

Only trouble? He's in the last year of his deal. And he wants $$$. Boy does he want $$$.

[arton86]

The Boone Dagger
Present day

Bees QB Randy Boone has always been a company man.

Not super hyped out of college, the Bees were one of the few teams to be hot after him, and (probably) the only one that wanted to move as high as the top few picks to get him.

And he's been grateful, taking Brady-esque deals over the years. His two major contract extensions with the Bees since his rookie signing in 2018 - the first in '21, the second in '24 - have been extraordinarily friendly, and he accepted restructures on both of them at a time when his market value was considerably higher.

This time, though, Randy means business. If the Bees don't extend him, they will be forced to use the franchise tag - which will likely be cheaper than an extension, but considerably offensive. He's seeking over $100 million on a 4-year deal.

The Plan
Although the Bees are flushed with cap space momentarily, it will almost entirely vanish if Boone signs the kind of deal he wants. Early estimates indicate as much as $18 million in additional hits over his current cap cost.

GM Toby Moran, who's practiced fairly stringent financial discipline over the last five or so years, has been quoted as saying, "We have to prepare for the possibility that we will be completely uncompetitive in all free agent markets this year, including among the rookies."

The ideal situation for Utah would be a franchise tag in '29 that pushes off the deal by one year, and making that one the last probable contract of his career. A deal made now likely means one more end-of-career contract for the quarterback.

If a deal isn't done by the early July deadline before training camp starts, however, the Bees risk a costly contract holdout that likely would result in significantly higher compensation to keep their man.

It's long been thought that the miserly Utah franchise would play hardball even with their six-time Super Bowl quarterback. It's not know, however, if they can afford to do so.

[arton86]

Boone deal heats up, then fizzles
Present Day

Contract negotiations with Randy Boone heated up over draft weekend, with the team coming up with an offer that reportedly included as much as $60 million guaranteed over the next four years, but the sides parted without reaching a deal.

There's some suggestion, however, that the parties are not too far away.

"Randy's a trooper", said his agent, Peter Schaffer, who also represents six other Bees. "He's extremely loyal and he trusts that the franchise will do right by him, eventually. He's not the kind of player who would ever hold out of any training camp or even optional OTAs, even if I advised him to."

"Which I did, by the way," he added.

With the Boone camp all but giving up their considerable leverage and negotiating position, the doors appear open for Utah to use its cap space -- 6th most in the league -- to lock down its other long-term vets.

The team will now have the option of using the tag on Boone in the offseason, although that projects to be expensive. This year's QB tag comes in a cool $17.52 million, and the top quarterback's salary in 2029 will increase 20% to over $26 million.

Instead, it's more likely that the team will use the generous amount of in-season negotiating time now afforded to it, to get a deal done now for their star quarterback, and reserve a possible franchise tag for the end of his career, when it becomes less an insulting necessity and more a sensible reward.

[arton86]

The 2028 Draft Continues
Present day

4.10 | P Patrick Schwartz, Northwestern
The Bees were rumored to have lukewarm interest in Luther Lyon, a quarterback who was selected earlier in round 3 by South Maryland. They made a surprise of it by waiting until 4.10, and then making Schwartz the second punter selected in this draft.

Schwartz has a phenomenal leg, and it's a matter of whether his pro Special Teams coaches can work on those mechanics a touch more. We were waiting for the other shoe to drop, and it did not too long after, with the Boston Fighting Irish trading for incumbent Utah punter Courtney Ellison with their 2029 6th round selection.

Ellison is now replaced after just two seasons in Utah, spectacular as they were (as far as punters seasons go).

4.32 | DE Omar McWilliams, Colgate
With 1st- and 2nd- round investments at defensive end in the previous year's draft, Utah went the DE route again, demonstrating their commitment — or perhaps desperation — in fortifying a rapidly aging d-line.

McWilliams is a small school prospect with speed and stature. He's pretty athletic for a 6'7, 290-lb guy, and at that size, he might be poised for a move to nose in the Utah 3-4 - a position currently lacking in top and depth.

6.28 | RB Josh Clovis, Eastern Michigan
The Bees were without a 5th rounder this year, having shipped it north to the Anchorage Gladiators for two late selections last year (neither made the team).

In Clovis, the Bees have a solid inside runner with soft hands who might be asked to move to the slot - although his overall receiving abilities might not be good enough for the move. However, the Front Office was quite high on this small-school runner at his natural position too. Got a little feeling this might be a steal, this late...

6.32 | CB Adam O'Neill, Purdue
O'Neill wasn't exactly big time at a school like Purdue, but he's the solid 4-year starter that isn't necessarily known for his athleticism. He had a pretty rough showing at the combine, but his headhunting ways in coverage led the Bees to gamble on adding another 'enforcer' to their secondary.

O'Neill frequently struggled in coverage, though, and probably won't be considered for run support. It remains to be seen if he has any sort of talent in defending OSFL receivers one-on-one.

The 7th Round

When everyone else winds down, the Utah talent acquisition machine heats up. For a draft bereft of early or mid-level talent, we sure had a lot of prospects catch our eye at the end, and worked the draft phones to acquire a bevy of 7th round picks at low cost.

Originally, Utah held the 7.23 and 7.28 selections.

By sending a 7th from 2029 (which originally belonged to San Francisco), the Bees picked up 7.14 - which they turned over to Columbus for the 7.29 and 7.32.

The Bees then sent a 6th in 2029 (from Portland) to Punxsutawney for the 7.27, and Punxsutawney's 2029 7th.

In the end, Utah secured five targets before they could be bid on as undrafted free agents.

7.23 | G Mercury Garcia, Arizona
7.27 | S Wayne Bouman, Indiana
7.28 | FB Michael King, Ohio State
7.29 | G Colin Cassidy, Syracuse
7.32 | WR Juan Connelly, Stanford

These are all extreme longshots to make the roster, but you never know when you might stumble upon a gem. Connelly is of particular interest. He didn't attend the combine, but had solid speed and great production in two years of starting for the Tree. We saw him as a playmaker with pretty solid upside, and not someone we wanted to let loose into UDFA waters.

Utah did a similar thing in the previous draft, and nobody stuck except 7.32 guard Jerald Henry, a midseason promotion due to injury. Could history repeat itself?

With the draft concluded, the crazy UDFA season begins...teams around the league are blowing up phones to be the first one in on their targets. Now that all 224 draftees are off the board, even the creme de la crap starts looking like the turd de la shine.

[arton86]

[Archives] — A New Era in Utah
2019 (9 seasons ago)

Decorated veteran Ellis Wynn's career in Utah has drawn to a close, and it's marked a significant changing of the guard for the Bees.

Since arriving via free agency three seasons ago, Wynn has enjoyed one of the league's most enviable WR corps. Danny Viola and Chester Quinteros are two of the league's best ever, and after Viola's retirement in 2016 he was promptly replaced by first round deep threat Alvin Foley.

But while Wynn posted gaudy numbers, he was never able to duplicate the playoff success of his one-and-done predecessor Aaron Barrett, who led the Wildcard Bees to an improbable conference final appearance in 2015. Utah, under Wynn, had one first round exit and didn't make the playoffs in either of his final two seasons.

Wynn isn't the only significant change for the Bees. As he passes the torch to the heretofore mothballed Randy Boone — last season's first round selection — the Bees also bid farewell to running back Quinn Hanson, the team's first-rounder from 2012. Hanson never quite lived up to his billing, and his release comes as a cap-saving measure; the team relieves itself finally of the $29 million, 6-year extension Hanson received in 2015.

Last but not least, Chester Quinteros retires along with Wynn, and one year after Viola. He takes with him 12,711 career receiving yards, most of them accrued with Utah, and all of a sudden the once-vaunted Utah pass attack will be undergoing a total makeover.

It's now in the hands of the 2nd-year-man, Randy Boone, and the new top dog at receiver, Alvin Foley. The Bees have turned to free agency to fortify the remainder, with highly paid TE Dennis Hawley (arrived in 2018) coming off a successful year of starting, and the enormously paid Marvin Daluiso, a stretch-the-field receiver who this year arrives from Morgantown with a mostly guaranteed 5 year, $35.68 million deal.

That's the kind of deal that gets people fired, if it doesn't work out.

[arton86]

[Archives] — 10-6 and a playoff return
2019 (9 seasons ago)

It wasn't pretty, but the Bees found a way to win.

Randy Boone set a UTA record in his first year starting, but unfortunately, it was only in passes attempted. 325/556, 58.5%, 3248 yards, 13 TDs, 14 INTs, and only a 72.4 rating. For every flash of brilliance, he took two lumps.

— sidenote: he would never be allowed to come close to the same number of attempts again.

Without Quinn Hanson, the Bees turned to a makeshift committee. Leo Felts, a mediocre but fairly reliable free agency acquisition, and 2nd-round-rookie Glen Plummer complemented each other nicely. The speed back, second-year Ken Schacht, was unable to follow up on his rookie promise and never found a place in the regular rotation. Plummer added some good work as a kick returner, which was half the reason the Bees selected him at the bottom of the 2nd round.

Receiver Alvin Foley's hands have always been a question mark, and 16 drops didn't help the 3rd year's case. The supposed new leader of the Utah receiving corps finished with just 761 yards.

Most disappointing was the regression of tight end Dennis Hawley, who averaged just under 4 yards per 78 targets and finished with 311 receiving yards. In contrast, career backup Nate Barlow caught 23 of the 29 passes thrown his way, and had 237. That's some yikes level efficiency from Hawley.

It was pass rush that lifted the offensively inept Bees to the playoffs, though. Ian Subramanian exploded onto the scene after two solid, but ho-hum years as an edge rusher in Utah's 3-4. Sub touched off a longstanding Utah tradition in their weakside linebackers with 14.5 sacks, a Bees record that would not easily fall.

Wildcard Exit
The Bees drew the Memphis Admirals, a spread gun team that featured scrambling quarterbacks and lots of passing.

The Admirals were a little too much for the Bees, however, and the defense did little to stop their attack. Boone posted up yards in a hurry, keeping Utah in the game and making it a shootout, but finished with 2 picks and just a 53% completion rate.

Memphis 30, Utah 27.

The playoff victory drought since 2015 is now at four seasons.