The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

[Rumplebeanskin]

Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

Year 3 17/18 - Week 12


The 4 Quick Takes From This Week's NFL


Amanda Reditch

The NFL never sleeps, and I love it. For every winner, there is a loser, every up, a down. And the best thing about it is that during the season the league moves at 100 miles an hour, if you're down now it won't be long until you're on the up again.


1st Down - DeAndre Hopkins isn't being very subtle any more

So, here are a lot of things that come as a surprise to nobody. DeAndre is fed up of wasting his career in Houston. Colt McCoy and Geno Smith aren't very good. This situation is getting ugly. "Enough is enough. I've got to take my career seriously," was all Hopkins would say after the team's latest loss. Who can blame him? Some have taken the stance that he should be a professional, but every one can no doubt understand his frustration.


2nd Down - "The Chip Kelly Experiment" - Best prog rock band name ever?

They may not have ended up making it to rock stardom, but it would have been a great band name. In the NFL though, the future is looking bleak for Chip, in Philly at least. The Eagles arer limping to the line with a relatively talented roster. The main question remains, if Kelly is fired, will someone else take a shot with him? Could that perfect marriage with Marcus Mariota in Tennessee really become a reality?


3rd Down - Wide Receiver carousel, who gets paid? Nobody knows!

Julio Jones, Brandon Marshall, AJ Green, Sammy Watkins, Kelvin Benjamin, Antonio Brown. All free agents at the end of this year. Will they all move? Will they all stay? It's rare in the NFL that so much talent at a single position could hit the market at the same time. It will also be interesting to see who signs first, either with their own team or a new one, for how much, and where that sets the bar for the rest of the pack. It's quite possible that this hot QB draft class come into the league with some great new weapons at their disposal.


4th Down - Player power and the labour dispute

This one has become more public in the last few weeks, but you feel it has to come to a head before long. The players and the NFLPA are unhappy with the amount of money they are helping to create compared to the amount they see (no change there). The owners are perfectly happy with the arrangement. Pockets are being lined and it isn't likely to end well for everybody. Can some middle ground be found? The current CBA runs until 2020 and has no opt out clause for either side. Owners are standing firm, but the NFLPA are considering legal action and even strike action, sources suggest.

What an explosive 4 downs! So much going on, and I bet I'll have even more when I'm back in a few weeks,

Amanda

[Rumplebeanskin]

Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

Year 3 17/18 - Week 13


Your One Stop Shop For Everything Pro Football!



Carson Dietrich, Senior Writer

Week 13 Power Rankings

RK (LW)	Team	Record
1 ()	Kansas City Chiefs	8-3
2 ()	Jacksonville Jaguars	9-2
3 ()	Cincinnati Bengals	8-3
4 ()	Buffalo Bills	9-2
5 ()	Denver Broncos	8-3
6 ()	Dallas Cowboys	7-4
7 ()	Carolina Panthers	8-2-1
8 ()	St. Louis Rams	8-3
9 ()	Green Bay Packers	8-3
10 ()	Baltimore Ravens	8-2-1
11 ()	Tennessee Titans	7-3-1
12 ()	Indianapolis Colts	6-4-1
13 ()	Mexico City Diablos	7-3-1
14 ()	Oakland Raiders	7-4
15 ()	New England Patriots	6-5
16 ()	New York Jets	6-4-1
17 ()	Pittsburgh Steelers	6-5
18 ()	Seattle Seahawks	6-5
19 ()	Arizona Cardinals	6-4-1
20 ()	Chicago Bears	6-5
21 ()	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	6-5
22 ()	New Orleans Saints	5-5-1
23 ()	Washington Redskins	5-6
24 ()	Minnesota Vikings	5-6
25 ()	San Francisco 49ers	5-6
26 ()	Detroit Lions	5-5-1
27 ()	San Diego Chargers	4-7
28 ()	Philadelphia Eagles	4-7
29 ()	Houston Texans	3-8
30 ()	Cleveland Browns	2-9
31 ()	New York Giants	2-9
32 ()	Miami Dolphins	0-10-1

[Rumplebeanskin]

Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

Year 3 17/18 - Week 14



Your Path To The Hottest Draft Talent!


Lloyd Bowerman, Senior Draft Writer

Draft Preview - Defence

Whilst the defensive end of this draft isn't going to rival the offence, especially the QBs, I'm still seeing a lot of quality spread across the positions that should get GMs excited. Lets dive straight in.

DEFENCE

DT

• No position has had more 1st round grades off me in the last 3 years than defensive tackle. The level of talent coming through the collegiate ranks continues to be impressive at DT.
  
• Despite 4 potential first round players, I would imagine all 4 of them will fall into the bottom half of round 1. Stephan Austin from Auburn might creep into the top 10 after terrorising the SEC, a lot of teams won’t be sad to see the back of him.
  
• Teams in need of a traditional 3-4 NT will once again be disappointed. This is a 4-3 heavy class in skill set. I would say there aren’t even suitable players to convert from a height and weight perspective, either.

DE

• Defensive end was a perennial top of the draft position for a long time in the NFL. It appears to have fallen off somewhat in recent seasons. I only have 1 player with a first round grade this season. We may have the first draft in a long time without a DE taken in round 1.
  
• If anyone is going to be selected in round 1, it is likely to be Markus Manning. The 6’2”, 245lb pass rusher from Oklahoma reminds me a lot of Dwight Freeney with his finesse skill set.
  
• Illinois’ Marvin James is the top 3-4 end in the draft. He possesses an excellent swim move that will serve him well at the next level, but his play recognition could use some work.
  
• Glenn Hunter appeared an certain round 1 prospect last year but elected to return for his senior year. An admirable decision, but a series of knee injuries have seen his stock plummet. Sometime you can make a wrong decision for all the right reasons.

OLB

• The loaded OLB class of 2 years ago seems like a distant memory. Back then, 7 OLBs were taken in round 1. This year, I think that number should be 1, but we will have to wait and see.
  
• The 1 selection should be Sam Dwyer, the tackle machine from Oklahoma. His instincts and pursuit remind me of Clay Matthews, but with considerably less hair.
  
• Javonte Givens and Nate Dial should both be off the board by the end of round 2, but there is a significant drop off in talent after that. Teams still needing outside linebacker help might be waiting until round 6 or 7.

MLB]

• Inside linebacker is going in the opposite direction to draftable players on the outside. 2 years ago, I had 1 MLB with a first round grade. This season I have 4.
  
• Aldrin Miles may be the best tackler in the entire draft. He has anchored the defence at Nebraska for 3 years and can blitz, play zone and play man. He will be a versatile weapon for a team in the NFL.
  
• Antuan Hughes, BJ Dixon and Tyri Stills are all legitimate players that should have new homes by the end of round 1. Stills is only just a first rounder for me, and at 5’11” is undersized. Still, his tape stands up whenever I watch it.

CB

• One advantage to a loaded QB class is that players in other positions will fall down the rounds to teams lucky enough to be set at quarterback.
  
• Another year, I could easily see either Rashad James and Tyrone Briggs going in the top 3, possibly even first overall. As it is, I think they will automatically slip to 5th or later due to the run on QBs that we are likely to see.
  
• Joining Briggs from Florida State are fellow alums Taven Blake and Rashad Scott. All 3 members of that heralded “Holy Noley” secondary should be heavily recruited. Remember that game against Florida? 32 passing yards on 32 pass attempts. Intimidating.
  
• DeMarcus Parker from UCLA hasn’t helped himself in recent months. His arrest for gun possession has seen his stock plummet, but the worst part was his lack of remorse for his actions. That will have turned a lot of teams off.

S

• It is a weak year for top end safety play. I can tab 1 guy, Gordon Duncan, with a late 1st round pick, but a lot of serviceable players can be had in the mid-rounds.
  
• One such player is Jaylen Riley, who will most likely go in the 3rd or 4th. He is a big hitter than excel in coverage as a ball hawk. That is a great combination.
  
• Charleston Southern will be delighted to have sent 2 players to this draft, and both at the same position. The FCS minnows have never had a player drafted in their 27 year history. Based on my grades both Emery Duncan and Zach Barr should go in the 5th or 6th rounds, a real achievement for their programme.

[Rumplebeanskin]

Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

Just noticed this thread has now gone over 5,000 views. I can't believe that, I honestly just expected a handful of people to pop in once in a while. Awesome!

[tdawg3782]

Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

Just noticed this thread has now gone over 5,000 views. I can't believe that, I honestly just expected a handful of people to pop in once in a while. Awesome!

You have a good formula. Keep it up bro.

Sent from my Galaxy s4 so deal with the short hand
twitch broadcast name: tdawg3782

[NewscasterNews4]

Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

Just noticed this thread has now gone over 5,000 views. I can't believe that, I honestly just expected a handful of people to pop in once in a while. Awesome!

This is one of my favorite dynasties to read on here, I like your approach only covering 1 topic a week, it seems less time consuming and I love futuristic dynasties as I'm doing one myself in 2018. Keep it up, this is really good!

[Rumplebeanskin]

Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

Year 2 16/17- Week 16


The 4 Quick Takes From This Week's NFL


Amanda Reditch

Another interesting 4 downs on the way, with some really interesting story lines that I didn't see coming when I posted my last piece just a few weeks ago. It's a special numbers edition this week, and I do enjoy numbers!


1st Down - Giants looking to go back to back

3. The number of times the same team has had consecutive #1 picks in the Superbowl era, and the Giants could join that "elite" group by the end of the season. The 76 and 77 Buccs, the 94 and 95 Bengals and most recently the 99 and 2000 Browns could soon have a new member of their back to back club. Not the first 2 seasons that Marvin Lewis had in mind when he took that job, I'm sure.


2nd Down - The annual Aaron Rodgers passing yardage watch

36 and 95. The number of yards short that Aaron Rodgers has been of Peyton Manning's single season passing record the last 2 years. It really should come as no surprise that Rodgers is flirting with the record again this year. The Packers are on course for yet another NFC North title, though it hasn't been as dominant a season as the fans at Lambeau would like. Regardless, Rodgers is going to tie Drew Brees record for a 3rd consecutive 5,000+ passing yard season. Would you bet against him making it 4 next season? And can he finally nab Manning's single season record this year?


3rd Down - More ties than a gala dinner

5. The number of tie games in the NFL this season. This season! You have to go all the way back to November 2012 to get 5 total ties that have taken place before this year, and that's including 2 last season. Sometimes, the NFL is just a bit of a crazy place.


4th Down - Brian Billick back on the radar

16. The number of years that Brian Billick has coached in the NFL. The 80 game winner declared on a recent radio programme that he was looking to get back into the game as soon as possible. There are bound to be a number of openings come the end of the season, so the question will most likely be if any take Billick's fancy?

I love bringing these articles to you, it's just a shame we can't have 8 downs!

Amanda

[Rumplebeanskin]

Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

NFL Standings - Year 3 2017/18
NFC EAST	W	L	T	DRAFT	OVERALL
2 - Dallas Cowboys	10	6	0	?	89
Washington Redskins	7	9	0	10	82
Philadelphia Eagles	6	10	0	5	85
New York Giants	2	14	0	1	82
NFC NORTH	W	L	T	DRAFT	OVERALL
4 - Green Bay Packers	9	7	0	?	86
Minnesota Vikings	8	8	0	17	86
Chicago Bears	8	8	0	15	77
Detroit Lions	6	9	1	7	84
NFC SOUTH	W	L	T	DRAFT	OVERALL
1 - Carolina Panthers	10	5	1	?	88
6 - Mexico City Diablos	8	7	1	?	84
New Orleans Saints	7	8	1	11	80
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	7	9	0	8	83
NFC WEST	W	L	T	DRAFT	OVERALL
3 - St Louis Rams	10	6	0	?	82
5 - Arizona Cardinals	8	7	1	?	88
Seattle Seahawks	8	8	0	13	86
San Francisco 49ers	7	9	0	9	88
AFC EAST	W	L	T	DRAFT	OVERALL
2 - Buffalo Bills	11	5	0	?	81
New York Jets	8	7	1	19	80
New England Patriots	8	8	0	14	85
Miami Dolphins	2	13	1	2	86
AFC NORTH	W	L	T	DRAFT	OVERALL
4 - Cincinnati Bengals	11	5	0	?	88
Baltimore Ravens	9	6	1	20	84
Pittsburgh Steelers	8	8	0	16	83
Cleveland Browns	5	11	0	4	81
AFC SOUTH	W	L	T	DRAFT	OVERALL
1 - Jacksonville Jaguars	11	5	0	?	82
6 - Tennessee Titans	9	6	1	?	80
Indianapolis Colts	8	7	1	18	81
Houston Texans	5	11	0	3	85
AFC WEST	W	L	T	DRAFT	OVERALL
3 - Kansas City Chiefs	11	5	0	?	83
5 - Denver Broncos	10	6	0	?	83
Oakland Raiders	8	8	0	12	81
San Diego Chargers	6	10	0	6	82

*Number Denotes Playoff Seeding

Season Leaders

Passing
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
5,433 yards, 44 touchdowns, 12 interceptions

Rushing
Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
312 rushes, 1,644 yards, 15 touchdowns

Receiving
Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers
111 catches, 1,701 yards, 4 touchdowns

Tackles
Zach Brown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
188 Tackles

Sacks
Khalil Mack, Oakland Raiders
16.5 Sacks

Interceptions
Vontae Davis, Indianapolis Colts
7 Interceptions

Coach of the Year
Rex Ryan, Buffalo Bills

[Rumplebeanskin]

Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

Year 3 17/18 - Wildcard


The Worldwide Leader in Sport


Ed Shakespear, NFL Analyst

Luck Strikes Gold, Signs 6 Year, $140m Extension With Seahawks

Whilst some teams are casting envious glances at the current crop of QBs that are about to hit the league, the Seattle Seahawks weren't interested in the unknown. After a protracted process that started in Indianapolis, included a blockbuster trade and a further season in Seattle on the franchise tag, Andrew Luck has a long term home in Seattle.

"Sometimes, you just have to wait these things out. The player has their side, the team has theirs, and it's just a case of where you meet in the middle," said Seattle Head Coach Mike Tomlin. "Obviously we are delighted to have Andrew here for the long haul. He is a top tier passer and a great guy to have in the locker room." When pushed about the future of other Seahawks stars now that Luck was tied up, Tomlin was non-committal, "We'll sit down and look at that over the off season, but we like what we have going on with the team right now."



One thing Tomlin won't be fond of is that his team just completed a sub-par season, finishing 8-8 in the NFC West and failing to claim a play-off spot. Without a first round pick due to the trade that acquired Luck from the Colts, it makes sense for Seattle to sign the ex-Stanford alum, albeit to the richest contract in NFL history. Despite inflation and the continual rise of the salary cap, no deal has eclipses Calvin Johnson's $132m contract from 2012. That deal was also over 8 years, not 6, and contained less guaranteed money.

What could be interesting is how this contract is used as a bargaining chip in the now apparently inevitable courtroom battle between owners and the NFLPA. It will be a difficult sell for the NFLPA to stand up and cry foul that money isn't going to players off the back of the biggest deal in the game's history.

Whatever the outcome of that feud is, Luck will remain in Seattle. Whilst the Seahawks may struggle to surround him with young talent through the draft, he is a blue chip player that will help the Seahawks remain competitive for a long time to come.

Ed Shakespear
ESPN

[Rumplebeanskin]

Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

Year 3 17/18 - Divisional


Covering your teams better than anyone else


Hayden Rudland, Featured Columnist

Peterson Retires, The Best Back of His Generation?

Adrian Peterson called time on his career yesterday, penning the final line to an impressive resume that only has one question hanging over it. Not will he make the Hall of Fame? He is a first ballot player, pay no attention to anyone who suggests otherwise. The real question is, where does Peterson rank all-time?



"All-Day" AP finished on 14,255 career rushing yards and 121 rushing TDs, both good for 4th all time. In terms of yardage, only Barry Sander, Walter Payton and Emmitt Smith rank above him. Of those players, Sanders played for 9 years, Payton 12 and Smith 14. Peterson was drafted in 2007 and left his mark on the game over 10 years. I'm sure that is 10 years of production Oakland wish they had under their belt after taking JaMarcus Russell #1 in the very same draft class.

Instead, it was the Vikings that took him at #7 out of Oklahoma and he remained in Minnesota for the duration of his career. He is comfortably the team's all-time leader in rushing attempts, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. Additionally, he is one of only 7 men in the history of the sport to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.

Whilst Peterson's numbers are impressive when measured against the greats at his position, team success has proved to be elusive. The closest AP has come to a Super Bowl is NFC Conference game losses in 2009 and 2015, both times falling to NFC South opponents in the Saints and Panthers respectively. The Vikings have missed the playoffs the last 2 years, and last week dismissed Head Coach Mike Zimmer. Perhaps it was the change of personnel that affected Peterson's decision, but the 2012 League MVP is hanging them up whilst still at an All-Pro level. The 32 year old had an NFL high 1,644 yards rushing and 15 TDs last season.



I'm sure more will be revealed by Peterson in the coming days, weeks and months about his decision to call time on an illustrious career. Some will say he has retired too early, clamouring to see if he could have made a run at the statistics of the great running backs still above it. But for Peterson, it's time.

[Rumplebeanskin]

Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

Year 3 17/18 - Conference




Daniel Grainger, NFL

NFL, NFLPA finalise deal for huge stadium upgrade project, expected to avert labour dispute

Things got pretty close towards the end with talks breaking down several times and fans fearing the worst, however a deal has been agreed that suits neither side completely but does work as a reasonable compromise.



It has been no secret that the NFL has been steadily increasing its revenue for a number of years now. With the NFLPA locked into a CBA until 2020, this increased revenue was not going to be diverted towards players and salaries without action. Owners have been outspoken about this, with suggestions that the NFLPA should honour its agreement and that players are rewarded more than adequately for what they do.

With last year's landmark CTE court case and the undeniable fact that the players make the NFL product as valuable as it is, it is perhaps a shrewd move from owners to bow down in this battle and live on to continue fighting the war. That doesn't mean that players won, this deal helps nobody directly, but helps both sides indirectly.

During the upcoming off-season, an estimated $4BN will be spent at stadiums across the league to increase amenities and improve the fan game day experience. Whilst owners are free to improve the areas of their stadium that they see fit, no doubt fans themselves will have opinions on what needs to receive attention, those voices could be hard to ignore knowing money is available to be spent. It is expected that new builds, such as Levi Stadium in San Francisco and the renovated Fire Pit in Mexico City, will be exempt from this agreement.

Whilst the NFLPA did not get their wish for a bump in salary cap spending, the owners do have to put their hands in their respective pockets to foot the bill for renovations, meaning concessions on both sides of the table. It is a huge win for NFL fans who can look forward to state of the art facilities and cutting edge technology for enjoying the game at a stadium near them in the future. In the long run, it also provides an opportunity for both owners and the NFLPA to win big to. Happy fans spend money, which in turn increases revenue which can then be shared out during the next CBA process. A spend now is likely to show a sizeable return on investment before and after 2020.



So for now, both sides are playing happily again in their usual, uneasy truce. In reality, what has happened is the deferral of the issue until 2020, when there is likely to be an even bigger pot to share and both sides wanting a larger chunk than they receive currently.

[Rumplebeanskin]

Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

Jacksonville Jaguars at Arizona Cardinals
Feb 4, 2018	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5)	0	0	13	0	13
Arizona Cardinals (8-7-1)	14	6	10	7	37

Team Stats Comparison
	JAC	ARI
Total Offense	364	351
Rushing Yards	113	157
Passing Yards	251	194
First Downs	14	21
Punt Return Yards	0	0
Kick Return Yards	146	80
Total Yards	510	431
Turnovers	3	0
3rd Down Converstion	3	13
4th Down Conversion	0	0
2-Point Conversion	0	0
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals	1/2	2/0
Penalties	35	10
Posession Time	25:58	34:02

Jacksonville Jaguars PASSING C/A YDS TD INT B.Bortles 20/39 251 0 2 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD A.Foster 15 82 5.5 0 D.Martin 5 19 3.8 1 B.Bortles 3 12 4 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD J.Thomas 7 77 11.0 0 A.Robinson 6 98 16.3 0 O.Garrett 4 38 9.5 0 M.Lee 2 31 15.5 0 D Coleman 1 0 0 0 A.Foster 1 7 7.0 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD P.Posluszny 14 0 0 0 T.Smith 8 0 0 0 J.Sample 8 0 0 0 D.Gratz 7 0 0 0 R.Blanton 6 0 0 0 D.House 4 0 0 0 R.Miller 4 0 0 0 S.Marks 3 0 0 0 Z.Hood 3 1 0 0 T.Simon 3 0 0 0 J.Vincent 3 0 0 0 D.Winston 2 1 0 0 M.Bennett 1 0 0 0 J.Odrick 1 0 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG C.Sturgis 2/3 1/1 7 25 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 D.Ryan 2 104 52.0 1 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD B.Herrick 3 74 24.7 0 M.Lee 3 72 24.0 0

Arizona Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT R.Wilson 22/28 194 2 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD C.Ivory 18 92 5.1 0 D.Johnson 13 46 3.5 1 R.Wilson 4 14 3.5 0 C.Polk 1 5 5.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD J.Brown 5 46 9.2 0 M.Floyd 5 85 17.0 1 A.Hurns 3 33 11.0 0 J.Gresham 2 6 3.0 1 H.Hynoski 1 0 0 0 B.Hartline 1 6 6.0 0 H.Hoomanawanui 1 18 18.0 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD L.Johnson 12 0 1 0 T.Mathieu 10 0 0 0 P.Peterson 8 0 1 1 B.Griffin 6 0 0 0 D.Washington 5 0 0 0 D.Buchanon 4 0 0 0 S.Riddick 3 0 0 0 N.Bradham 3 0 0 0 C.Campbell 2 1 0 0 J.Pierre-Paul 2 0 0 0 C.Peters 1 0 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG C. Cotanzaro 3/3 4/4 13 45 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 B.Wing 2 110 55.0 1 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD M.Murphey 3 80 26.7 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD P.Peterson 1 0 0 0

Post Season Review

Wildcard
NFC
Mexico City Diablos 20 @ 27St Louis Rams
Arizona Cardinals 37 @ 34 Green Bay Packers
AFC
Tennessee Titans 20 @ 24 Kansas City Chiefs
Denver Broncos 31 @ 38 Cincinnati Bengals

Divisional
NFC
Arizona Cardinals 31 @ 24 Carolina Panthers
St Louis Rams 30 @ 23 Dallas Cowboys
AFC
Cincinnati Bengals 24 @ 31 Jacksonville Jaguars
Kansas City 6 @ 37 Buffalo Bills

Conference
NFC
Arizona Cardinals 28 @ 24 St Louis Rams
AFC
Buffalo Bills 20 @ 34 Jacksonville Jaguars

Superbowl
Arizona Cardinals 37 vs 13 Jacksonville Jaguars

[Rumplebeanskin]

Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

NFL Draft Year 3 17/18 - Round 1 Recap
Pick	Team	Player	Pos
1	New York Giants	Bryson Tracy	QB
2	Miami Dolphins	Claude McDonald	QB
3	Houston Texans	Arryn Carroll	QB
4	Cleveland Browns	Rashad James	CB
5	Philadelphia Eagles	Derrick Barkley	T
6	San Diego Chargers	Tyrone Briggs	CB
7	Detroit Lions	BJ Scruggs	T
8	Tampa Bay Buccanners	Stephen Austin	DT
9	San Francisco 49ers	Shadd Farrell	WR
10	Washington Redskins	Antuan Hughes	MLB
11	New Orleans Saints	Tyri Stills	MLB
12	Oakland Raiders	DeMarcus Parker	CB
13	Indianapolis Colts (From Seattle)	Tyrone Griffin	DT
14	New England Patriots	Will Phillip	QB
15	Chicago Bears	Adrian Finnegan	DT
16	Pittsburgh Steelers	Rainey Lamb	WR
17	Minnesota Vikings	Taven Blake	CB
18	Indianapolis Colts	Aldrin Miles	MLB
19	New York Jets	Rodnell King	WR
20	Baltimore Ravens	Zach Nelson	QB
21	Mexico City Diablos	Darion Easley	WR
22	Green Bay Packers	BJ Dixon	MLB
23	Tennessee Titans	Jarrett Myrick	DT
24	Denver Broncos	Sam Dwyer	OLB
25	Dallas Cowboys	Will Justice	WR
26	Cincinnati Bengals	Rashad Scott	CB
27	Kansas City Chiefs	Antonio Gore	WR
28	Carolina Panthers	Parker Milton	TE
29	St Louis Rams	Quadir Jamison	T
30	Buffalo Bills	Alex Norris	G
31	Jacksonville Jaguars	Rashaun Grayson	CB
32	Arizona Cardinals	Ross Harmon	DT

[Rumplebeanskin]

Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

Year 4 18/19 - Preseason


Your One Stop Shop For Everything Pro Football!



Craig Costello, Editor in Chief

It was great to see Bruce Arians leave the sport on the ultimate high, but it seems like such a distant memory. Players move on, teams move on, and suddenly everything looks very different after just one season!

NFC North


Detroit Lions - Last Season 6-9-1

The Lions slipped from 4-0, to 5-1-1 at the half way point, then to 6-9-1 by season's end. That decline cost Jim Caldwell his job, and Matthew Stafford his as well. The Lions now turn the keys over to Morgan Lucas, the 2nd round man who sat behind Stafford as a rookie. His primary weapon will be an aging Calvin Johnson and after that, an up and coming but relatively unproven former 1st rounder in Oscar Mason. Newly drated BJ Scruggs will most likely start at right tackle on a line that is below average for the league. Defence remains the strength of this Lions team, with star DE Azekiel Ansah receiving a franchise tag in the off-season and Glover Quin resigned as well. Whitehead and Levy both still feature strongly at linebacker but defensive tackle is a problem, Detroit still haven't adequately replaced Suh or Nick Fairley.

Notable Resignings - FS Glover Quin
Notable Additions - TE Jared Cook
Notable Losses - QB Matt Stafford (team)
Draft Pick - T BJ Scruggs
New Coach - Mike Shula


Chicago Bears - Last Season 8-8

Jeff Fisher's first season in charge was a return to .500, the first time since 2013 for the Bears. Fisher got a high level of play out of Nate Patterson at QB, though Matt Forte has now retired leaving a gap in the backfield. It may be a tough step up for Jonathan Stewart to replace Forte, he is beginning to show the mileage on his own clock, and at some stage Chicago needs to think about a replacement for top tier receiver Alshon Jeffery (thought Jordan Matthews has come over from the Eagles). On defence, there just aren't many high level talents, but Fisher did well to get as much as he did from this unit last season. Jose Lunsford hasn't developed as a former #1 pick perhaps should, but is still looking above average. The team has now invested back to back first round picks on defensive tackles, so it will be interesting to see how that progresses. Tamba Hali has moved across to the Windy City but only has a few more years left in him, plus safety is a glaring area of weakness. It will be interesting to see if last season was a one off, or a sign of something new and improved for the Bears.

Notable Resignings - CB Kyle Fuller
Notable Additions - WR Jordan Matthews
Notable Losses - RB Matt Forte (retired - age)
Draft Pick - DT Adrian Finnegan


Minnesota Vikings - Last Season 8-8

The main question for this Vikings team next season will be how it can cope without Adrian Peterson. The star runner called it quits during the off-season and is a tough man to replace. Minnesota's new head coach Brian Billick is back at the team he spent 6 years with as a position coach and will hope that 3rd year man Julius Shaw is up to the task of replacing AP, he did show flashes of ability spelling in the backfield the last few years. Teddy Bridgewater will once again be at QB (fresh off his new 6 year, $111m deal), but his development appears to have faltered with a severe lack of receiving talent. Former 1st rounder Mike Buchanan doesn't appear to be the answer out wide either, which will disappoint the Vikings' front office. Defensively, Minnesota are very strong. The front 4 still contains Linval Joseph and Everson Griffin, a solid LB group with Anthony Barr (franchise tagged in the off-season), depth at CB including Xavier Rhodes and Harrison Smith at safety. If Shaw can control the offence and with some strong running, this team could be a force to be reckoned with.

Notable Resignings - QB Teddy Bridgewater, OLB Anthony Barr (franchise tag)
Notable Additions - LG Gabe Jackson
Notable Losses - RB Adrian Peterson (retired-age)
Draft Pick - CB Taven Blake
New Coach - Brian Billick


Green Bay Packers - Last Season 9-7

Aaron Rodgers moves into his 13th year still chasing Peyton Manning's single season passing record. Chuck Pagano doesn't appear to be able to transfer Rodgers brilliance into playoff success however. The receiving trio of Cobb, Nelson and Adams is still in place, with Lacy in the backfield. The Packers desperately need offensive line help, especially at RT. An already weak defence took a few hits in the off-season that may be terminal. Sam Shields (coaching staff) and Haha Clinton-Dix (team decision on an injury) both left Lambeau as free agents, and the 1st round selection of MLB BJ Dixon probably isn't enough to address the issue. At some point soon, the Packers are going to give up more points than they can score. It's worth noting they have now made the play-offs for 10 straight years though.

Notable Resignings - QB Aaron Rodgers, C Corey Linsley, WR Devante Adams
Notable Additions - None
Notable Losses - CB Sam Shields (staff), FS Haha Clinton-Dix (injury)
Draft Pick - MLB BJ Dixon

[Rumplebeanskin]

Re: The N"If"L - A Look into the Future of an Alternate NFL

NFC South


Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Last Season 7-9

Coach Tomsula took his blue collar attitude to Tampa last season and pulled a good team towards respectability in a tough division. Led by the young trio of Jameis Winston at QB, Braxton Travis at RB and Mike Evans (franchise tagged) at WR, the Buccs are just a centre away from having a very complete offensive unit. On defence, Tampa are fortunate to have enjoyed the services of Gerald McCoy for a long time and now have a ready built replacement for him in in Andrew Gutierrez. Depth rather than star power at corner and linebacker, including last year's tackle leader at MLB Zach Brown, the Buccs are perhaps a good safety or two away from really making a run at this division.

Notable Resignings - WR Mike Evans (franchise tag), CB Alterraun Verner
Notable Additions - None
Notable Losses - None
Draft Pick - DT Stephen Austin


New Orleans Saints - Last Season 7-8-1

The Saints weren't able to repeat their strong showing from 2 years ago when they grabbed a surprise #2 seed in the NFC. Drew Brees is beginning to show his age, but the Saints right now have no alternative. Mark Ingram and Brandin Cooks are solid starters, but New Orleans have little else across their offensive skill positions. The one plus for the aging Brees is a solid offensive line with emerging star in 2nd year man Connor Graham at guard. Defence has been a similar story for a while now, but this similar unit has had both up and down seasons, so who knows what to expect. Byrd is a mainstay at safety, but there are serious holes around him. Rookie Tyri Stills is likely to start at MLB, and the CB depth chart is weak at best now Jonathan Joseph has retired.

Notable Resignings - QB Drew Brees, WR Brandin Cooks
Notable Additions - None
Notable Losses - CB Jonathan Joseph (retired - age)
Draft Pick - MLB Tyri Stills


Mexico City Diablos - Last Season 8-7-1

The Diablos will be delighted that their first season in Mexico City was rewarded with a play-off place, even if it resulted in a wild card loss at St Louis. Dan Quinn continues to build a solid roster around key play makers Julio Jones (fresh off a monster contract extension), Matt Ryan and Davonta Freeman (who received a sizeable extension of his own). Their offensive line is more than adequate and like the Buccs is perhaps just a centre away from being a solid unit across the board, despite letting former high draft pick Jake Matthews walk this summer. The Diablos will also be hoping that rookie WR Darion Easley can start opposite JJ from day 1. Defensively there are problems for Mexico City, who could really use some quality at DE to pressure the QB. MLB Bobby Wagner and CB Desmond Trufany continue to be the biggest stars on this unit, but along with DE, the team could use a FS as well.

Notable Resignings - WR Julio Jones, RB Devonta Freeman
Notable Additions - None
Notable Losses - LT Jake Matthews (team)
Draft Pick - WR Darion Easley


Carolina Panthers - Last Season 10-5-1

Carolina once again finished top of a division that they have conquered nearly exclusively for a number of years now. However, having failed to turn such strong regular season campaigns into deeper post season runs the last 2 years, Ron Rivera paid with his job over the summer and was replaced by similarly minded Mike Zimmer from Minnesota. Cam Newton's ability is more than enough to get the Panthers over the line most weeks, even having a player like Zac Stacey in the backfield doesn't hurt them. Carolina will also have been pleased to keep Kelvin Benjamin with Devin Funchess failing to show signs of developing into a legitimate NFL threat opposite him. The offensive line is anchored by All-Pro guards Norwell and Turner and newly drafted Parker Milton should slot into the offence right away. Defensively, Luke Kuechly was unsurprisingly resigned and is a top 3 player at his position. Outside him, Patrick and Thompson form a fearsome linebacking trio that is solid against run or pass. Add into the mix Josh Norman and a long term contract for Star Lotulelei and it's not hard to see why the Panthers keep coming out on top in the NFC South.

Notable Resignings - MLB Luke Kuechly, DT Star Lotulelei, WR Kelvin Benjamin
Notable Additions - None
Notable Losses - None
Draft Pick - TE Parker Milton
New Coach - Mike Zimmer