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continued from...(past Utah team reports)
hey guys, I'm resigning as owner of the Utah Bees. It's been a sweet 19 seasons, from all those early meandering days where I couldn't win a playoff game for anything, to the recent fun ride that's been going on here.
I'm going to do a postmortem with a roster breakdown of the current team for the next owner to peruse (if he likes, or not). An intro guide & crash course on where the team is, heading into the waters of FOF7 and 2033. This team's my baby, and it doesn't feel right to say farewell without a little...something, I don't know.
FOF7 Strategy
I haven't played past the demo, but a few things are clear:
-contract demands are going to be really high even for marginally rated players
-for stars, not sure to expect much difference.
-cut test / creeping mechanism out the window, replaced by what appears to be randomness at first glance.
What this means, to me, is this:
-teams will have to behave more like real teams.
-rely on the draft for talent infusion, much less extending of players. trying to keep everyone forever (trivial in 2k7) will screw you up. got to make value decisions
-players might end up very different on the other side of the transition. It'll be hard to know and you can't simply rely on few CT tells to know true ratings.
-apparently what you sign a given player for in FA affects what other players on your team at the position demand. So, be careful. Treat your FA acquisitions as people, and no more room for strictly financial games. Sign guys to what they are worth and be disciplined on that.
In anticipation of this, I've handed out contract extensions under the 2k7 salary structure, to allow the Bees to keep as much of their nucleus for as long as they can.
This guide will be about what I *think* you should do with players, and when, based on what I understand to be their quality in 2k7 and assuming that translates. Which it probably won't, lol. On second thought, I just hope I haven't screwed up the team too badly...
Roster Breakdown
ratings as of 2032, age as of 2033
QB Randy Boone — 16th yr — 53/53
+10 rookie camp who unmasked up to 70 OVR later in his career. 33-4 playoff record, 50k passer, only major injury being that freak tobacco incident (which explains his current contract). If he's not retired, managing his contract situation is dangerous at this point. You don't want to hand him a load of bonus only to watch him retire. If his demands are reasonable, give him two years...if they're not, may have to risk the holdout, and then tag him for year 17. Regardless, dude should play until his head literally falls off.
QB Roderick Sikkenga — 13th yr — 42/42
Solid creeper with a good skillset (SR, throws short and long) that's spent his entire career here (cohesion). At this point he's getting pretty close to Boone in bars. Proved he can start in 2030, but a step below Boone. Should be a solid backup even if he drops. Could be trade bait. QBs are important in FOF7 and non-disasters hard to come by. I always saw him as Boone's immediate heir apparent.
QB Scott Syron — 5th yr — 41/43
Very slight creeper who is also in the mix to replace Boone. If it's true that scrambling QBs make a big impact in FOF7, Syron could be big in that area. 6'5, 245 with speed and running ability. Low SR would hold him back a little in 2k7, but that may no longer be true. I think now's a good time to lock him in cheaply for 3 years, and see if he develops.
— — —
RB Merill Lynch — 9th yr — 74/74
Lynch has had good years but goes -5 on the cut test. He's still, on the whole, a pretty awesome RB, and RBs are going to be important in FOF7. However, $11M is going to be a lot. There's only $10k bonus here, so you could trade/cut him at your leisure. I'd actually rate RB as one of the biggest needs in the draft, so the best option is probably to grab a stud back in round 1, and part ways with the elder....
RB Josh Clovis — 6th yr — 48/48
Clovis is exactly my kind of back in 2k7: solid creeper, high Power Inside + Hole Rec with low elusive. IMO, he's really effective running the ball and starting caliber in a tandem system. Problem is he took a 14-week ACL injury early last season, and might not come back at all from that. Even if he does, year 6 is the point where a lot of RBs die in camp.
RB Trent Adams — 6th yr — 42/42
If Adams isn't at the minimum discount, he's very close to it. He's a ST only player, but also a solid creeper and has some running skills. However, you definitely need one RB who can play ST no matter what in 2k7.
RB J.R. Talley — 3rd yr — 41/41
Talley's yet another creeper. No PI, but solid breakaway. Decent ST, but not as good as Adams. Might need to make a call there, but I'd just keep both. Seems to fumble a little. Additionally, lack of PI could be a real problem in FOF7. If he asks for a big $ commitment, I'd scoff.
FB Randall Beecroft — 7th yr — 50/50
Stud, big creeper, ST ace. You also need an ST guy at FB in 2k7, no matter what. Very strong, so he's a good blocker, too. High 40s in both GD and BPR, so he works in the receiving game. Only issue is when he declines. You're also stuck with him because of the bonus I committed. He's worth it. He could play out this deal and land in FA as a 9th year FB.
— — —
TE Edwin Blades — 8th yr — 63/63
Monster creeper with 76 BPR. Insanely good pass-catching TE. TEs will only become more important in FOF7, I hear. Blades is going to be featured. This guy ought to retire as a Bee, or at least spend all his useful years here.
He's locked up cheaply until year 10. With 2 years to go, it might be a good idea to cap him out if that sort of thing still prevents holdouts. As a rule of thumb, I capout very underpaid players with 2 years on their contract who look like holdout risks. A little extra spending, but saves some very bad situations where they might ask for way more. More than 2 years, I've figured is a low holdout risk no matter what, which has held true in 2k7.
TE Artie Summers — 10th yr — 83/83
Mega-creeper, arrived via trade with minsal, so his cap # might be lower than that to start with! If you can get away with it, let him play out his deal and tag him. Keep in mind if you do that, you have to re-sign Boone. The 2-TE system in FOF7 with Blades-1 and Summers-2 should be incredible. Remember when both TEs aren't on the field at the same time, that Summers could slide over to FB. I also leave Summers on the field for ST, as you need one TE who can play ST too.
TE Marco Stewart — 4th yr — 45/45
Stewart's a +4 creeper who is solid in a lot of areas. I think he's pretty talented, but no particular skill stands out. Look at his numbers as TE2/3 from '32, though: very good. He was formerly scheduled to be a RFA, but I thought with his OVR rating, it would be cheaper to get him locked down at the vet discount while I could.
TE Eric Sanders — 2nd yr — 21/41
Sanders is a +3 creeper with a 52 BPR bar. If he hadn't been IR-able last preseason, Stewart would have likely been cut. Like this guy a lot, but haven't seen a lot from him yet. Should be starting quality and a good receiver. Will be a RFA in '34. Probably battles Stewart for a job this year, if one of them isn't traded.
— — —
WR Bob Hansen — 5th yr — 64/64
We gave up a *lot* of round 1s and 2s to nab this guy, and I think he was a +7 receiver. A mega-stud who is probably going to be the primary KR soon. Actually took a sizable volatility dive (-6 or so) in year 3, or he'd be even better. This guy is an absolute anchor on this team, at least in 2k7. Fortunately, he's locked up cheaply for a while.
The current extension overlaps some bonus from his rookie deal. He's scheduled for a paltry $8.16M cap cost after this year in each of '34, '35, and '36. Holdout risk means you may want to cap him out at the start of the '35 offseason. His next contract should be signed '36 post-camp; he'll be in year 8 by then.
WR Bruce Perkins — 3rd yr — 41/41
Perkins was a +7 receiver. He is *not* some 41/41 schmuck, and I don't think even the new game will change that about his route running and 94 BPR.
His deal is designed for a capout in '34 and an extension at the start of the '35 offseason, by which time, if you capped him out, he'll only have a little over $1M in bonus as dead weight. This should make him quite easy to keep until then, at which point it's all up to team needs and $ demands.
WR Ray Mansker — 11th yr — 36/36
Mansker was the 3rd WR in singleback sets when I tried to throw long, since RR+BPR dominates in 2k7 and Mansker still has 85 BPR. Mansker is also a useful ST ace with cohesion value.
WR Chester Haddix — 9th yr — 44/44
Solid as hell creeping WR who never got his due here because we had too many BPR studs ahead of him most years, and we were busy PAV-ing. However, he is one hell of a kick returner. At this point, keeping him til he falls apart should be easy.
WR Shane Littlefield — 9th yr — 39/39
Littlefield has great GD, BPR, and endurance. If passing long is still a thing, there's no reason not to keep him at this price. Bring him on in SB-4WR and chuck it.
WR Thomas Collier — 5th yr — 36/45
Collier's a creeper with solid all-around skills and is a KR option to succeed Haddix. Coming off IR, and not fully developed, he should be cost effective early in the offseason.
WR Buddy Collier - scheduled for FA; ST ace only. Not critical. Probably retired already.
WR Dominic Foreman - scheduled for FA; awesome receivers leader but that's about it. WR Winston Reynolds is another leader option that could be in the FA pool, so keep that in mind.
— — —
C Clifton Thomas — 3rd yr — 58/58
Thomas I'm pretty sure went +9 or something monstrous like that. He is all kinds of studly. I locked him up so that you can cap out in '34 (to prevent holdout) and extend in '35.
G/T Artie Samuels — 9th yr — 53/53
Samuels is a stud LT that I accidentally moved to LG once, but he's always played at tackle even since (LT or RT, depending on matchup). Signed through '34. That's a good time to extend him: post-camp, 10th year player.
G Ryan Thingvold — 6th yr — 57/57
Thingvold had a big camp, +6 or something, but also took a volatility dive early in his career that holds him back. Still a very good starter, and he can play at LT, too. Signed long term, so no decision needs to be made until '35 (8th yr) on his worth.
G Mo Giles — 11th yr — 58/58
Been the best lineman in recent years. High END is a plus. Extending him would mean hoping he comes back for year 12, but he might. Wait for post camp to see if he drops.
G Glenn Hammond — 5th yr — 50/50
Hammond's also a +9 creeper I believe, and definitely in line to make some noise in the future. He'll need a new deal this offseason though, and that might not be cheap. Hopefully being year 1 of FOF7, it won't be hard to do. A stud line is everything, in my opinion, and will only get everything-er.
T Max Reese — 8th yr — 58/58
Slight creeping LT who's been dominating lately. 2032 1st team, not for nothing! He's also going to need a new deal this offseason, but given the penalty of playing G's out of position, is the best pure pass blocker we have at T.
T Antonio Mitting — 6th yr — 52/52
Mitting's a pass-blocking stud with low BS and a definite keeper. However, like the two guys above, he'll also need a new deal this offseason.
T Daryl Minevich - just kept around as a offensive leader. Not very important as affinity structures can change big year-to-year. Wouldn't pay him a lot.
— — —
P Patrick Schwartz — 6th yr — 89/89
Probably one of the top 3 punters in the league. He's getting expensive, though...so, I'd prioritize core extensions (like OL) over him. His deal is mostly salary, and could be trade bait this season. Especially because...
P Andrew Webb — 2nd yr — 50/50
Webb was a no-combine who (appears) legitimately went +6 in his rookie TC. His numbers are low, but not that low, and he was/is developing. He's also dirt-cheap and scheduled for RFA. If he's not asking a lot, Webb is your ace in the sleeve that allows you to trade Schwartz, get younger at punter, and secure cap relief. Schwartz may not be too costly now, but his next deal could be...and that's coming soon.
K Darryl Blakely — 5th yr — 85/85
In 2k7, I only cared about kickoff ability and leg strength. Not sure if that still holds true in FOF7. Blakeley's pretty solid, I guess, and the total package, but costly. You have 2 years to find a replacement or pay up.
— — —
DE Lincoln Cleaver — 4th yr — 77/77
We gave up a boatload of picks to get him and he has to be a monster in any possible version of the game and on any possible defense. This is a guy to build the team around, and he's young. He'll have 2 years left on his rookie deal, and it might be time to think capout (to stave off holdout)...or hope you can wait til next year to extend him. I didn't extend him early because he was asking upwards of $22M/yr already. But that's just going to be necessary. Don't cut costs with this guy.
DE Ted Kau — 7th yr — 57/57
Pass rushing stud who is locked up for a good while. Yeah, also a creeper. Definite keeper.
DE Gus Saylor — 3rd yr — 22/39
A slight creeper whose PRT bar shows signs of climbing (which is good). In 2k7, that made him a guy who once developed, would be a good backup rusher. Scheduled for RFA and will be cheap to keep around. Not sure how good he'll be, though.
DE Bryant Clancy — 8th yr — 47/47
He's a quality player (roughly as-is, but slight dropper possibly) and good backup, but he's here only as a defensive front leader. We really have a lot of affinities tied up with him, but affinities don't outweigh talent, and that makes him expendable. He's costing $6.3M against the cap in the last year of the deal, with only $10k worth of bonus, so he can definitely be cut to free up a huge chunk of space.
DT Dexter Fike — 8th yr — 44/44
In 2k7, PRT is pretty much the only bar that mattered. Fike has that and endurance, and has always held his ratings steady. He's performed great from the NT spot for us. I don't know how his skills will translate, but he's signed cheaply for 2 years.
DT Robert Shields — 2nd yr — 30/41
Shields is our most recent 1st round pick. I'm pretty sure he was a big creeper, but the rookie TC got obscured by a negative vol hit. I think his static bars went down some. His cut test shows him climbing handsomely. So, he should be a solid-ish player still when all is said and done.
— — —
ILB Terrell McDonald — 10th yr — 29/29
McDonald was a creeper and had some better skills when he was younger. Now, he's mainly a ST player and affinity. He's very good at that, though, and very cheap.
ILB Floyd Follette — 8th yr — 45/45
Slight creeper with 72 Man, 50 zone. This guy's very good in coverage and is only missing PRT, which is fine by me - just don't blitz him. Very effective; I use him in the Dime a lot.
ILB Timothy Flynn — 5th yr — 45/45
He's not signed, and will hit the open market. Flynn was a +4 creeper who started out from very low, and only got to 45 by getting a slight vol boost last camp. However, that made him a pretty good player, although hardly irreplaceable. Probably isn't a real hot commodity, but the Bees could keep him around for the cohesion.
ILB Cole Porter — 2nd yr — 24/38
I moved Porter inside when it looked like his PRT wasn't going to be up to snuff. Originally drafted as the next 3-4 WLB here. Ike Arias once had a PRT bar that looked pretty bad too, though, so...I'm not sure. Porter may belong back on the outside ultimately. I'm thinking now that SLB might be the best sport for him, where he can blitz on occasion and cover TEs with his BnR.
ILB Dixon Goldade — 8th yr — 57/57
Creeper, stud LB and stout run defender. The only issue I have is with his coverage; he has low zone, so I keep him off the field on Dime in favor of Follette. Goldade is unsigned. He was asking for too much for his age, and wouldn't take a lowball deal. He should be tagged this offseason to keep him in Utah, or at least as a trade piece. The tag price will only be about $6M, which is much lower than what he asked for. I don't think he'll be worth a tag-and-sign with FOF7's salary inflation. Especially not to a long-term deal.
SLB Will Tyler — 3rd yr — 53/53
Slight creeper who's a pretty damned good all-around LB - coverage, rush, run-stop. I locked him up for a very long time because he asked for pennies. In 2036, cap him out if he's a holdout risk, then extend him in 2037, in his 7th year, with only ~$1-2M of dead weight bonus that season (depending on if you cap him out). Seems like he can actually play 3-4 WLB effectively too, but his strength is in all-around coverage, IMO.
WLB Ike Arias — 8th yr — 49/49
Big creeping LB who is a perfect 3-4 WLB. High endurance, PRS, and very high PRT. He puts up fairly monster numbers. He's actually also pretty good in coverage with that zone bar, so he can play other positions in a pinch. But WLB is where he's needed, provided that all works the same way. Will be in need of a new deal. Big holdout risk; he's been getting paid nothing.
OLB Tyrone Nelson — 6th yr — 46/46
Decent creeper, but doesn't seem too special. He's good at a lot of things, but not overwhelming. I'd keep him around because he gives you good options, but don't commit huge money long term.
OLB Gary Mcintyre — 8th yr — 40/40
Creeper with a 97->100 ST bar. Being a creeper makes him not too shabby in other areas, but not a standout. He's locked in for a little while, and should be kept as a gunner.
OLB Riddick Schulz — 12th yr — 45/45
This guy was a monster creeper and stud. He's headed to the open market because I signed him during the season. If you can retain him cheaply, it's worth it: good in coverage, good blitzer, and good STs ace.
— — —
CB Quinn Robinette — 13th yr — 36/36
I'll be shocked if he's still around. If not, know that he only cost you $10k in dead weight by retiring. High salary because he's a definite ST ace, and cohesion. Back in the day, was a hell of a stud corner! These days, he's still alright, but ordinary.
CB Jerry Drake — 12th yr — 57/57
If Drake doesn't retire, he'll have 2 years left on his deal at $17.6M per. Fortunately, there's only $10k bonus/year, so you're completely flexible. If he needs to be cut or traded, you can do that. But hopefully Utah's finances are good enough to keep him, because he's been a cornerstone on the defense. I also am fairly certain he's a creeper. And a STs ace. Even with some projected decline, posting up about 80 PD% seems to be automatic for him.
CB Bobby Plantilla — 7th yr — 36/36
When he went +7 in rookie TC, I had bigger plans for him, but his year 6 TC gave him a sizeable age or vol hit. He still ended up being the best corner on the team, though. His skillset is perfect in a corner. He's locked up for some time at a price that isn't too bad, by FOF7 standards.
CB Calvin Dawkins — 5th yr — 44/44
He's a clone of Plantilla skills wise, but is shorter at 5'7. I think that causes him some problems, but he's still pretty damn good in coverage. Also a creeper, but to a lesser degree than Plantilla was.
CB Scottie Finley — 8th yr — 40/40
Finley was a +6 creeper and mostly a BnR guy who has a great INT bar. I think he's quite good in coverage, but we didn't end up playing much BnR this year. Should be cheap to extend, but watch for age drops at this point in his career.
CB Damon Earp — 5th yr — 36/36
Earp is minor creeper that might be good playing in the dime with his zone skills. Actually, he's posted up impressive numbers in coverage over his career. His PR bar climbs huge on the cut test in 2k7, and we released the league's career leading punt returner to keep him last season. He responded with a season just as good as any of CB Stephen Easton's. Unfortunately, Earp is headed for free agency. And all my yabbering is letting the cat out of the bag. Try to keep him. If you can't, and Easton hasn't retired, he should also be in free agency and ought to be brought back. Check Brooklyn's roster.
— — —
SS Butch McKinnon — 8th yr — 57/57
McKinnon went +5 and though he was hard to keep on the roster at first, has really proven to be an ace of a DB. Turns out he isn't just run stopping. Somehow, he consistently posts terrific coverage numbers - over 88% PD% last season. McKinnon should be capped out. If the button is greyed out, know that in 2k7 players accepted capouts even if the button was greyed out. A capout is just:
-same # of years as current deal
-current year salary becomes minimum salary possible
-future year(s) salary stays the same
-bonus of the offer will be (current year salary) - (minimum current year salary possible).
If he's not capped out, he'll be a big risk to holdout and ask for one of those nutty $10M/yr deals I hear about. By capping him out, you delay that to year 9.
S Wally Burgess — 9th yr — 66/66
Wally is everything you could possibly ask for in a FS: elite M2M, zone, play diagnosis, INT, and also great endurance. He's signed now through year 11 with the idea that you cap him out *if necessary* in year 10, and then let him play out his contract. A franchise tag could come at the end of it if he should return for year 12. He's set up well to ride out his career as a Bee.
S J.C. Lichtenberger — 3rd yr — 32/35
Believe it or not, this is yet another +9 creeper. His ST bar is climbing, which makes him an ace there. I see him as a guy you bring along slowly at SS and he could turn into, basically what McKinnon is today, with lower RD but better coverage. I would sign him after year 3, when he will be a RFA. However, if it looks like he'll demand huge money, maybe an earlier extension is appropriate. This is a starter waiting in the wings, as McKinnon once was. According to 2k7, he should be a high 50s-rated player in reality.
S Buddy Hodges — 2nd year — 15/32
Hodges went +6 in his rookie camp and is going to have a very nice set of cover skills for a free safety. Should be approximately a 50-rated player in reality, and a more than capable backup FS with good man, zone, and very good INT skills. Still on his rookie deal at this point, so it's early.
Lastly...one more guy, who might be in the FA pool, if the game doesn't retire him.
QB Dusty Hansen — 4th yr — 27/37
This guy had a +4 camp and a 78 scramble bar. Very nice combines, but low SR. He's a very nice, young, developmental QB that FOF2k7 says is about a low 40s rated player in reality.
Okay, that's all!
Thanks to everyone who made my stay here in the OSFL and at SGN an awesome one. This league's in great hands. See y'all round, and good luck to the new Bees owner.
hey guys, I'm resigning as owner of the Utah Bees. It's been a sweet 19 seasons, from all those early meandering days where I couldn't win a playoff game for anything, to the recent fun ride that's been going on here.
I'm going to do a postmortem with a roster breakdown of the current team for the next owner to peruse (if he likes, or not). An intro guide & crash course on where the team is, heading into the waters of FOF7 and 2033. This team's my baby, and it doesn't feel right to say farewell without a little...something, I don't know.
FOF7 Strategy
I haven't played past the demo, but a few things are clear:
-contract demands are going to be really high even for marginally rated players
-for stars, not sure to expect much difference.
-cut test / creeping mechanism out the window, replaced by what appears to be randomness at first glance.
What this means, to me, is this:
-teams will have to behave more like real teams.
-rely on the draft for talent infusion, much less extending of players. trying to keep everyone forever (trivial in 2k7) will screw you up. got to make value decisions
-players might end up very different on the other side of the transition. It'll be hard to know and you can't simply rely on few CT tells to know true ratings.
-apparently what you sign a given player for in FA affects what other players on your team at the position demand. So, be careful. Treat your FA acquisitions as people, and no more room for strictly financial games. Sign guys to what they are worth and be disciplined on that.
In anticipation of this, I've handed out contract extensions under the 2k7 salary structure, to allow the Bees to keep as much of their nucleus for as long as they can.
This guide will be about what I *think* you should do with players, and when, based on what I understand to be their quality in 2k7 and assuming that translates. Which it probably won't, lol. On second thought, I just hope I haven't screwed up the team too badly...
Roster Breakdown
ratings as of 2032, age as of 2033
QB Randy Boone — 16th yr — 53/53
+10 rookie camp who unmasked up to 70 OVR later in his career. 33-4 playoff record, 50k passer, only major injury being that freak tobacco incident (which explains his current contract). If he's not retired, managing his contract situation is dangerous at this point. You don't want to hand him a load of bonus only to watch him retire. If his demands are reasonable, give him two years...if they're not, may have to risk the holdout, and then tag him for year 17. Regardless, dude should play until his head literally falls off.
QB Roderick Sikkenga — 13th yr — 42/42
Solid creeper with a good skillset (SR, throws short and long) that's spent his entire career here (cohesion). At this point he's getting pretty close to Boone in bars. Proved he can start in 2030, but a step below Boone. Should be a solid backup even if he drops. Could be trade bait. QBs are important in FOF7 and non-disasters hard to come by. I always saw him as Boone's immediate heir apparent.
QB Scott Syron — 5th yr — 41/43
Very slight creeper who is also in the mix to replace Boone. If it's true that scrambling QBs make a big impact in FOF7, Syron could be big in that area. 6'5, 245 with speed and running ability. Low SR would hold him back a little in 2k7, but that may no longer be true. I think now's a good time to lock him in cheaply for 3 years, and see if he develops.
— — —
RB Merill Lynch — 9th yr — 74/74
Lynch has had good years but goes -5 on the cut test. He's still, on the whole, a pretty awesome RB, and RBs are going to be important in FOF7. However, $11M is going to be a lot. There's only $10k bonus here, so you could trade/cut him at your leisure. I'd actually rate RB as one of the biggest needs in the draft, so the best option is probably to grab a stud back in round 1, and part ways with the elder....
RB Josh Clovis — 6th yr — 48/48
Clovis is exactly my kind of back in 2k7: solid creeper, high Power Inside + Hole Rec with low elusive. IMO, he's really effective running the ball and starting caliber in a tandem system. Problem is he took a 14-week ACL injury early last season, and might not come back at all from that. Even if he does, year 6 is the point where a lot of RBs die in camp.
RB Trent Adams — 6th yr — 42/42
If Adams isn't at the minimum discount, he's very close to it. He's a ST only player, but also a solid creeper and has some running skills. However, you definitely need one RB who can play ST no matter what in 2k7.
RB J.R. Talley — 3rd yr — 41/41
Talley's yet another creeper. No PI, but solid breakaway. Decent ST, but not as good as Adams. Might need to make a call there, but I'd just keep both. Seems to fumble a little. Additionally, lack of PI could be a real problem in FOF7. If he asks for a big $ commitment, I'd scoff.
FB Randall Beecroft — 7th yr — 50/50
Stud, big creeper, ST ace. You also need an ST guy at FB in 2k7, no matter what. Very strong, so he's a good blocker, too. High 40s in both GD and BPR, so he works in the receiving game. Only issue is when he declines. You're also stuck with him because of the bonus I committed. He's worth it. He could play out this deal and land in FA as a 9th year FB.
— — —
TE Edwin Blades — 8th yr — 63/63
Monster creeper with 76 BPR. Insanely good pass-catching TE. TEs will only become more important in FOF7, I hear. Blades is going to be featured. This guy ought to retire as a Bee, or at least spend all his useful years here.
He's locked up cheaply until year 10. With 2 years to go, it might be a good idea to cap him out if that sort of thing still prevents holdouts. As a rule of thumb, I capout very underpaid players with 2 years on their contract who look like holdout risks. A little extra spending, but saves some very bad situations where they might ask for way more. More than 2 years, I've figured is a low holdout risk no matter what, which has held true in 2k7.
TE Artie Summers — 10th yr — 83/83
Mega-creeper, arrived via trade with minsal, so his cap # might be lower than that to start with! If you can get away with it, let him play out his deal and tag him. Keep in mind if you do that, you have to re-sign Boone. The 2-TE system in FOF7 with Blades-1 and Summers-2 should be incredible. Remember when both TEs aren't on the field at the same time, that Summers could slide over to FB. I also leave Summers on the field for ST, as you need one TE who can play ST too.
TE Marco Stewart — 4th yr — 45/45
Stewart's a +4 creeper who is solid in a lot of areas. I think he's pretty talented, but no particular skill stands out. Look at his numbers as TE2/3 from '32, though: very good. He was formerly scheduled to be a RFA, but I thought with his OVR rating, it would be cheaper to get him locked down at the vet discount while I could.
TE Eric Sanders — 2nd yr — 21/41
Sanders is a +3 creeper with a 52 BPR bar. If he hadn't been IR-able last preseason, Stewart would have likely been cut. Like this guy a lot, but haven't seen a lot from him yet. Should be starting quality and a good receiver. Will be a RFA in '34. Probably battles Stewart for a job this year, if one of them isn't traded.
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WR Bob Hansen — 5th yr — 64/64
We gave up a *lot* of round 1s and 2s to nab this guy, and I think he was a +7 receiver. A mega-stud who is probably going to be the primary KR soon. Actually took a sizable volatility dive (-6 or so) in year 3, or he'd be even better. This guy is an absolute anchor on this team, at least in 2k7. Fortunately, he's locked up cheaply for a while.
The current extension overlaps some bonus from his rookie deal. He's scheduled for a paltry $8.16M cap cost after this year in each of '34, '35, and '36. Holdout risk means you may want to cap him out at the start of the '35 offseason. His next contract should be signed '36 post-camp; he'll be in year 8 by then.
WR Bruce Perkins — 3rd yr — 41/41
Perkins was a +7 receiver. He is *not* some 41/41 schmuck, and I don't think even the new game will change that about his route running and 94 BPR.
His deal is designed for a capout in '34 and an extension at the start of the '35 offseason, by which time, if you capped him out, he'll only have a little over $1M in bonus as dead weight. This should make him quite easy to keep until then, at which point it's all up to team needs and $ demands.
WR Ray Mansker — 11th yr — 36/36
Mansker was the 3rd WR in singleback sets when I tried to throw long, since RR+BPR dominates in 2k7 and Mansker still has 85 BPR. Mansker is also a useful ST ace with cohesion value.
WR Chester Haddix — 9th yr — 44/44
Solid as hell creeping WR who never got his due here because we had too many BPR studs ahead of him most years, and we were busy PAV-ing. However, he is one hell of a kick returner. At this point, keeping him til he falls apart should be easy.
WR Shane Littlefield — 9th yr — 39/39
Littlefield has great GD, BPR, and endurance. If passing long is still a thing, there's no reason not to keep him at this price. Bring him on in SB-4WR and chuck it.
WR Thomas Collier — 5th yr — 36/45
Collier's a creeper with solid all-around skills and is a KR option to succeed Haddix. Coming off IR, and not fully developed, he should be cost effective early in the offseason.
WR Buddy Collier - scheduled for FA; ST ace only. Not critical. Probably retired already.
WR Dominic Foreman - scheduled for FA; awesome receivers leader but that's about it. WR Winston Reynolds is another leader option that could be in the FA pool, so keep that in mind.
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C Clifton Thomas — 3rd yr — 58/58
Thomas I'm pretty sure went +9 or something monstrous like that. He is all kinds of studly. I locked him up so that you can cap out in '34 (to prevent holdout) and extend in '35.
G/T Artie Samuels — 9th yr — 53/53
Samuels is a stud LT that I accidentally moved to LG once, but he's always played at tackle even since (LT or RT, depending on matchup). Signed through '34. That's a good time to extend him: post-camp, 10th year player.
G Ryan Thingvold — 6th yr — 57/57
Thingvold had a big camp, +6 or something, but also took a volatility dive early in his career that holds him back. Still a very good starter, and he can play at LT, too. Signed long term, so no decision needs to be made until '35 (8th yr) on his worth.
G Mo Giles — 11th yr — 58/58
Been the best lineman in recent years. High END is a plus. Extending him would mean hoping he comes back for year 12, but he might. Wait for post camp to see if he drops.
G Glenn Hammond — 5th yr — 50/50
Hammond's also a +9 creeper I believe, and definitely in line to make some noise in the future. He'll need a new deal this offseason though, and that might not be cheap. Hopefully being year 1 of FOF7, it won't be hard to do. A stud line is everything, in my opinion, and will only get everything-er.
T Max Reese — 8th yr — 58/58
Slight creeping LT who's been dominating lately. 2032 1st team, not for nothing! He's also going to need a new deal this offseason, but given the penalty of playing G's out of position, is the best pure pass blocker we have at T.
T Antonio Mitting — 6th yr — 52/52
Mitting's a pass-blocking stud with low BS and a definite keeper. However, like the two guys above, he'll also need a new deal this offseason.
T Daryl Minevich - just kept around as a offensive leader. Not very important as affinity structures can change big year-to-year. Wouldn't pay him a lot.
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P Patrick Schwartz — 6th yr — 89/89
Probably one of the top 3 punters in the league. He's getting expensive, though...so, I'd prioritize core extensions (like OL) over him. His deal is mostly salary, and could be trade bait this season. Especially because...
P Andrew Webb — 2nd yr — 50/50
Webb was a no-combine who (appears) legitimately went +6 in his rookie TC. His numbers are low, but not that low, and he was/is developing. He's also dirt-cheap and scheduled for RFA. If he's not asking a lot, Webb is your ace in the sleeve that allows you to trade Schwartz, get younger at punter, and secure cap relief. Schwartz may not be too costly now, but his next deal could be...and that's coming soon.
K Darryl Blakely — 5th yr — 85/85
In 2k7, I only cared about kickoff ability and leg strength. Not sure if that still holds true in FOF7. Blakeley's pretty solid, I guess, and the total package, but costly. You have 2 years to find a replacement or pay up.
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DE Lincoln Cleaver — 4th yr — 77/77
We gave up a boatload of picks to get him and he has to be a monster in any possible version of the game and on any possible defense. This is a guy to build the team around, and he's young. He'll have 2 years left on his rookie deal, and it might be time to think capout (to stave off holdout)...or hope you can wait til next year to extend him. I didn't extend him early because he was asking upwards of $22M/yr already. But that's just going to be necessary. Don't cut costs with this guy.
DE Ted Kau — 7th yr — 57/57
Pass rushing stud who is locked up for a good while. Yeah, also a creeper. Definite keeper.
DE Gus Saylor — 3rd yr — 22/39
A slight creeper whose PRT bar shows signs of climbing (which is good). In 2k7, that made him a guy who once developed, would be a good backup rusher. Scheduled for RFA and will be cheap to keep around. Not sure how good he'll be, though.
DE Bryant Clancy — 8th yr — 47/47
He's a quality player (roughly as-is, but slight dropper possibly) and good backup, but he's here only as a defensive front leader. We really have a lot of affinities tied up with him, but affinities don't outweigh talent, and that makes him expendable. He's costing $6.3M against the cap in the last year of the deal, with only $10k worth of bonus, so he can definitely be cut to free up a huge chunk of space.
DT Dexter Fike — 8th yr — 44/44
In 2k7, PRT is pretty much the only bar that mattered. Fike has that and endurance, and has always held his ratings steady. He's performed great from the NT spot for us. I don't know how his skills will translate, but he's signed cheaply for 2 years.
DT Robert Shields — 2nd yr — 30/41
Shields is our most recent 1st round pick. I'm pretty sure he was a big creeper, but the rookie TC got obscured by a negative vol hit. I think his static bars went down some. His cut test shows him climbing handsomely. So, he should be a solid-ish player still when all is said and done.
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ILB Terrell McDonald — 10th yr — 29/29
McDonald was a creeper and had some better skills when he was younger. Now, he's mainly a ST player and affinity. He's very good at that, though, and very cheap.
ILB Floyd Follette — 8th yr — 45/45
Slight creeper with 72 Man, 50 zone. This guy's very good in coverage and is only missing PRT, which is fine by me - just don't blitz him. Very effective; I use him in the Dime a lot.
ILB Timothy Flynn — 5th yr — 45/45
He's not signed, and will hit the open market. Flynn was a +4 creeper who started out from very low, and only got to 45 by getting a slight vol boost last camp. However, that made him a pretty good player, although hardly irreplaceable. Probably isn't a real hot commodity, but the Bees could keep him around for the cohesion.
ILB Cole Porter — 2nd yr — 24/38
I moved Porter inside when it looked like his PRT wasn't going to be up to snuff. Originally drafted as the next 3-4 WLB here. Ike Arias once had a PRT bar that looked pretty bad too, though, so...I'm not sure. Porter may belong back on the outside ultimately. I'm thinking now that SLB might be the best sport for him, where he can blitz on occasion and cover TEs with his BnR.
ILB Dixon Goldade — 8th yr — 57/57
Creeper, stud LB and stout run defender. The only issue I have is with his coverage; he has low zone, so I keep him off the field on Dime in favor of Follette. Goldade is unsigned. He was asking for too much for his age, and wouldn't take a lowball deal. He should be tagged this offseason to keep him in Utah, or at least as a trade piece. The tag price will only be about $6M, which is much lower than what he asked for. I don't think he'll be worth a tag-and-sign with FOF7's salary inflation. Especially not to a long-term deal.
SLB Will Tyler — 3rd yr — 53/53
Slight creeper who's a pretty damned good all-around LB - coverage, rush, run-stop. I locked him up for a very long time because he asked for pennies. In 2036, cap him out if he's a holdout risk, then extend him in 2037, in his 7th year, with only ~$1-2M of dead weight bonus that season (depending on if you cap him out). Seems like he can actually play 3-4 WLB effectively too, but his strength is in all-around coverage, IMO.
WLB Ike Arias — 8th yr — 49/49
Big creeping LB who is a perfect 3-4 WLB. High endurance, PRS, and very high PRT. He puts up fairly monster numbers. He's actually also pretty good in coverage with that zone bar, so he can play other positions in a pinch. But WLB is where he's needed, provided that all works the same way. Will be in need of a new deal. Big holdout risk; he's been getting paid nothing.
OLB Tyrone Nelson — 6th yr — 46/46
Decent creeper, but doesn't seem too special. He's good at a lot of things, but not overwhelming. I'd keep him around because he gives you good options, but don't commit huge money long term.
OLB Gary Mcintyre — 8th yr — 40/40
Creeper with a 97->100 ST bar. Being a creeper makes him not too shabby in other areas, but not a standout. He's locked in for a little while, and should be kept as a gunner.
OLB Riddick Schulz — 12th yr — 45/45
This guy was a monster creeper and stud. He's headed to the open market because I signed him during the season. If you can retain him cheaply, it's worth it: good in coverage, good blitzer, and good STs ace.
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CB Quinn Robinette — 13th yr — 36/36
I'll be shocked if he's still around. If not, know that he only cost you $10k in dead weight by retiring. High salary because he's a definite ST ace, and cohesion. Back in the day, was a hell of a stud corner! These days, he's still alright, but ordinary.
CB Jerry Drake — 12th yr — 57/57
If Drake doesn't retire, he'll have 2 years left on his deal at $17.6M per. Fortunately, there's only $10k bonus/year, so you're completely flexible. If he needs to be cut or traded, you can do that. But hopefully Utah's finances are good enough to keep him, because he's been a cornerstone on the defense. I also am fairly certain he's a creeper. And a STs ace. Even with some projected decline, posting up about 80 PD% seems to be automatic for him.
CB Bobby Plantilla — 7th yr — 36/36
When he went +7 in rookie TC, I had bigger plans for him, but his year 6 TC gave him a sizeable age or vol hit. He still ended up being the best corner on the team, though. His skillset is perfect in a corner. He's locked up for some time at a price that isn't too bad, by FOF7 standards.
CB Calvin Dawkins — 5th yr — 44/44
He's a clone of Plantilla skills wise, but is shorter at 5'7. I think that causes him some problems, but he's still pretty damn good in coverage. Also a creeper, but to a lesser degree than Plantilla was.
CB Scottie Finley — 8th yr — 40/40
Finley was a +6 creeper and mostly a BnR guy who has a great INT bar. I think he's quite good in coverage, but we didn't end up playing much BnR this year. Should be cheap to extend, but watch for age drops at this point in his career.
CB Damon Earp — 5th yr — 36/36
Earp is minor creeper that might be good playing in the dime with his zone skills. Actually, he's posted up impressive numbers in coverage over his career. His PR bar climbs huge on the cut test in 2k7, and we released the league's career leading punt returner to keep him last season. He responded with a season just as good as any of CB Stephen Easton's. Unfortunately, Earp is headed for free agency. And all my yabbering is letting the cat out of the bag. Try to keep him. If you can't, and Easton hasn't retired, he should also be in free agency and ought to be brought back. Check Brooklyn's roster.
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SS Butch McKinnon — 8th yr — 57/57
McKinnon went +5 and though he was hard to keep on the roster at first, has really proven to be an ace of a DB. Turns out he isn't just run stopping. Somehow, he consistently posts terrific coverage numbers - over 88% PD% last season. McKinnon should be capped out. If the button is greyed out, know that in 2k7 players accepted capouts even if the button was greyed out. A capout is just:
-same # of years as current deal
-current year salary becomes minimum salary possible
-future year(s) salary stays the same
-bonus of the offer will be (current year salary) - (minimum current year salary possible).
If he's not capped out, he'll be a big risk to holdout and ask for one of those nutty $10M/yr deals I hear about. By capping him out, you delay that to year 9.
S Wally Burgess — 9th yr — 66/66
Wally is everything you could possibly ask for in a FS: elite M2M, zone, play diagnosis, INT, and also great endurance. He's signed now through year 11 with the idea that you cap him out *if necessary* in year 10, and then let him play out his contract. A franchise tag could come at the end of it if he should return for year 12. He's set up well to ride out his career as a Bee.
S J.C. Lichtenberger — 3rd yr — 32/35
Believe it or not, this is yet another +9 creeper. His ST bar is climbing, which makes him an ace there. I see him as a guy you bring along slowly at SS and he could turn into, basically what McKinnon is today, with lower RD but better coverage. I would sign him after year 3, when he will be a RFA. However, if it looks like he'll demand huge money, maybe an earlier extension is appropriate. This is a starter waiting in the wings, as McKinnon once was. According to 2k7, he should be a high 50s-rated player in reality.
S Buddy Hodges — 2nd year — 15/32
Hodges went +6 in his rookie camp and is going to have a very nice set of cover skills for a free safety. Should be approximately a 50-rated player in reality, and a more than capable backup FS with good man, zone, and very good INT skills. Still on his rookie deal at this point, so it's early.
Lastly...one more guy, who might be in the FA pool, if the game doesn't retire him.
QB Dusty Hansen — 4th yr — 27/37
This guy had a +4 camp and a 78 scramble bar. Very nice combines, but low SR. He's a very nice, young, developmental QB that FOF2k7 says is about a low 40s rated player in reality.
Okay, that's all!
Thanks to everyone who made my stay here in the OSFL and at SGN an awesome one. This league's in great hands. See y'all round, and good luck to the new Bees owner.
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