Roster Update: 04/21/18
* DE Nick Williams signed to the Bears
* WR Mekale McKay released from the Bears
* CB Corey White released from the Browns
* CB Reggie Porter released from the Browns
Trades:
* P Riley Dixon [Broncos] was traded to the NY Giants for draft pick compensation.
Retirements:
* RB Tyler Gaffney [Free Agent], QB Luke McCown [Free Agent] and TE James Hanna [Cowboys] officially announced their retirements from the NFL. All three players have been removed from the roster.
Free Agency:
* RFA WR Willie Snead [Saints] agreed to a 2-year contract with the Ravens yesterday. New Orleans will have 5 days to match the offer or let him leave to Baltimore. This transaction is likely to happen after the Saints recently re-signed Brandon Coleman and signed Cameron Meredith so I'll make the change once it's official.
* Several RFA's continue to be re-signed including C Matt Paradis [Broncos], OLB Shaq Barrett [Bronos] and OLB Anthony Chickillo [Steelers]. I'm watching this list daily. Anyone not re-signed will be released from their respective teams and placed in free agency.
Depth Chart Edits:
* Coach Frank Reich officially announced yesterday afternoon that John Simon, Jabaal Sheard and Tarell Basham were moving to defensive end. I've already had the team's depth chart converted for a while now, but this was the 1st time the head coach confirmed the moves. The defense is switching to a 4-3. DL and LB depth chart are properly done.
* Jersey # assignments were corrected for several players on the Broncos, Giants, and Steelers.
Draft / Rookie Prospects:
* This morning I tallied up all available faceless/unsigned rookies currently in free agency. Currently there's only a total of 57 available to use for the draft. Eventually I will be removing lower OVR rookies from certain team rosters to increase the number but with the 57 available + the 78 currently created + the 9 CAPs I still have available only gives me 144 rookies for the draft. After a 7 round draft I will be short 109 rookies.... Not good. I don't want to deplete rosters too much but in order to do the whole draft it's going to be pretty tough. Just food for thought...
* I decided to create WR Equanimeous St. Brown today (70-71 OVR). He's moved up quite a bit in everyone's mock drafts and has been getting rave reviews after his combine and pro day display. I did not want to create him initially, however at his measured height 6'4 1/2" - 6'5 and 214 lbs, there's no rookie in free agency or pre-existing on any team that can match his height/weight or even skin tone. He's being projected in late 2nd round and early 3rd round in most mock drafts. His hair style is unable to be created with any of the EA options. I'm hoping they fix this next season.
* After his creation there is now 78 top rated rookie prospects placed in free agency, expected to be drafted in rounds 1-3.
*
Here's a list of all the rookie prospects currently on the roster: QB Sam Darnold, QB Baker Mayfield, QB Lamar Jackson, QB Josh Allen, QB Josh Rosen, QB Mason Rudolph, QB Kyle Lauletta, RB Saquon Barkley, RB Derrius Guice, RB Nick Chubb, RB Sony Michel, RB Ronald Jones II, RB Kerryon Johnson, RB Rashaad Penny, WR Calvin Ridley, WR Christian Kirk, WR Courtland Sutton, WR D.J. Moore, WR James Washington, WR D.J. Chark, WR Anthony Miller, WR Equanemious St. Brown, WR/KR Dante Pettis, TE Dallas Goedert, TE Mike Gesicki, TE Hayden Hurst, TE Mark Andrews, LT Mike McGlinchey, LT Connor Williams, LT Kolton Miller, LT Orlando Brown Jr., LT Brian O'Neill, LT Tryell Crosby, LT Geron Christian, LG Quenton Nelson, LG Will Hernandez, LG Isaiah Wynn, LG/LT Austin Corbett, C Billy Price, C James Daniels, C Frank Ragnow, RG Braden Smith, RE Bradley Chubb, RE Marcus Davenport, RE Rasheem Green, DE Josh Sweat, DE Sam Hubbard, DT Vita Vea, DT Maurice Hurst, DT Da'Ron Payne, DT Taven Bryan, DT Harrison Phillips, DT Nathan Shepherd, DT Tim Settle, MLB Rashaan Evans, MLB Leighton Vander Esch, MLB/OLB Tremaine Edmunds, MLB/OLB Roquan Smith, MLB/OLB Shaquem Griffin, MLB/OLB Malik Jefferson, MLB Josey Jewell, OLB Lorenzo Carter, LOLB/LE Harold Landry, LOLB/EDGE Arden Key, LOLB/EDGE Uchenna Nwosu, ROLB Jerome Baker, CB Denzel Ward, CB Mike Hughes, CB Jaire Alexander, CB Josh Jackson, CB Isaiah Oliver, CB Donte Jackson, CB Carlton Davis, FS Minkah Fitzpatrick, S Derwin James, SS Justin Reid, SS Ronnie Harrison & SS Jessie Bates.