My second set of moves I'm going to make as a franchise is going to be the corniest thing I do this entire series. I want to keep focusing on the offensive side of the ball, as I try to microwave the development around 23-year-old quarterback Chad Nichols.
At offensive specialist, a true receiver position, I already have one player under contract in Dwight Counter (25 years old, 87 speed, 83 overall). He'd be about a league-average starter right now and more importantly is on a two-year contract worth $55,000 per year. For perspective, the cheapest offensive specialist, a 65 overall player, costs $77,000 on the open market.
Off of the strength of being cheap and having another year on his deal, I'm going to keep Counter. He might even be my starting OS in Year 2, though, I don't love that his speed is below 90.
Right now, I only have one player with 90 speed or better on my roster, WR/DB Chris Canty. We'll get to him later, but just know the team is slow at the moment.
That's why I'm going to make a splash signing and add the most expensive free agent available, offensive specialist Aaron Bailey, to the team. He's 35 years old but his speed of 92 and overall of 90 still plays.
Here are my options to sign Bailey:
1 Year - 168k (168k APY)
2 Years - 336k (168k APY)
3 Years - 504k (168k APY)
4 Years - 640k (160k APY)
5 Years - 840k (168k APY)
6 Years - 1.00M (168k APY)
7 Years - 1.17M (168k APY)
He'll probably retire in a season, but I'll add him on a four-year deal just for the lower cap hit. It will never hurt me to release him, so why not?
To make up the roster spot, I'm going to release kicker Dustin Bell, who is 61 overall. He stinks and I'm going to upgrade him eventually anyway. Between these two moves, swapping out OS Aaron Bailey for K Dustin Bell, I have 574k in cap space remaining.
Current Roster Construction
QB
1. Chad Nichols, 85o (23yo, 7y) - QB of the future
OS
1. Aaron Bailey, 90o (35yo, 4y) - short-term starter
2. Dwight Counter, 83o (25yo, 2y) - possible Year 2 starter