Post by captobvious on Jan 2, 2007 14:14:22 GMT -5
Hawaiian Surge - D-
In - HB Wilber Davis, WR Chad Johnson, FS Chris Jones, LB Cash Baker, WR Rajon Rondo, LB Coli Ortega, WR Marion Bush
Out - LB Wilber Davis, WR Brad Steeves, RB Mike Tomlinson, CB Dwayne Battle, LB Ty Summers
The greatest strength of this invincible team last season was linebacking. With league MVP Wilber Davis and former co-LBOY Ty Summers out of the mix, that area now becomes a liability. Coli is solid, but he's not on the same level as the guys he's replacing... and then there's that Cash guy. Davis brings fumblitis to a position that was also a strength for them last season. The departure of former WROY Brad Steeves was covered well with the acquisition of current WROY Marion Bush. Nevertheless, the league champs fell back into the pack and will struggle to maintain their control of the division. A successful title defense seems unlikely.
======================================================
Colorado Cougars - B+
In - SS Xavier Young, CB Alex Lewis, TE Lebron Gonzalez, LB Jordan Kaplan, LB Ty Summers, FS Zach Warren, WR Brad Steeves
Out - LB Colin Kelly, FS Warrick Brazell, CB JJ Jacobson, LB Coli Ortega, WR Marion Bush
I said all last season that the Cougars were the most underachieving team in the league. Just adding a GM who will update players instantly makes them better. The team did lose a lot of depth in the secondary, but Young and active rookie Alex Lewis bode well for the future. Jordan Kaplan is a big upgrade for what was an already formidable linebacking group, then they upgraded again with Ty Summers. Offensively they landed a another TE (though not exactly a gamebreaker), allowing them to better utilize road-grader McPhee in his more natural FB position. Trading Bush and attempting to rely on Steeves to stay unretired is a huge risk, especially considering his stated desire to retire a Surge at the end of the season... clearly he has not been informed of this trade, and it could all go bad on them later. In the meantime, however, it looks like a good trade overall.
======================================================
Los Angeles Falcons - B
In - QB Damien Littleton, CB Paul Quach, WR Dallas Mould, WR Oscar Guerrero, TE Troy Wells
Out - CB Damien Littleton, WR Deuce Fitzgerald, LB Cash Baker, QB Nat Reay, FB Zac Siegler
Filling the QB position from within was a brilliant stroke which should finally solidify that position, where the Falcons will feature their 4th starter in 4 seasons. They had the best draft, banked some cash, and made a necessary move to replace impending FA Deuce Fitzgerald with someone they can keep for the longer haul. They replaced a few inactives with some active players with a lot of upside, and that's how a bad team gets better. They're one of the most improved teams in the league, and should not be taken for granted.
=======================================================
Springfield Wolves - C-
In - CB Vince Mosca, LB Kyle Northstar, CB Jet Wahls, WR Deuce Fitzgerald, HB Demetrius Jackson
Out - WR Allen Miller, WR Oscar Guerrero, WR Ned Bashum, LB Don Morgan, LB Mizzou Fan, LB Hoggy O'Hara, FS Ray Smith
The strength of the Wolves last season was an explosive passing game, but with the departure of so many receivers, that'll take a step backwards. They've got a decent HB prospect to develop for the running game, and the addition of rental players Mosca and Northstar will help them get through a transitional period on defense, where they represent a nice upgrade over what was there last season. One concern is they've added too many players who may not be with the team come next season, and are once again giving away too much money in trades.
========================================================
Chicago Sharks - D
In - CB Kobe Egan, LB Byron Parker, WR KC Jones, WR Joe Jackson
Out - SS Xavier Young, TE Lebron Gonzalez, CB Robert Moos
In a late offseason move they finally addressed their need for WR depth by trading for Joe Jackson, at the expense of their secondary in Pro Bowler Robert Moos. They promised us activity from Kobe Egan that has not yet materialized, marking him an inadequate replacement for Xavier Young. The Thunder and Dawgs both made significant improvements in their passing games in the same offseason that the Sharks took a giant step backwards in their secondary, which is a formula for disaster.
========================================================
Ohio Thunder - C
In - WR/TE Ned Bashum, WR Peter Siddorn, SS Roy Williams
Out - TE Alex Lewis, LB Bubba Jones
The Thunder win the Inertia Award for having done the least with their team, thanks to a late-offseason awakening by the Sharks. They made some nice draft choices but it's difficult to say just where they fit in. They're very deep at WR, which doesn't leave top prospect Peter Siddorn with much playing time. SS Roy Williams was converted to MLB but isn't well suited to his new role. Ned Bashum is the square peg pounded into the round hole left by Alex Lewis' retirement. He would have fit better there had they not failed him and put him into the rookie training camp he has been lacking since joining the league after the close of S2 camps.
========================================================
Orlando Dawgs - A
In - LB Chris King, WR Allen Miller, LB Kris Carter, WR Manny Lawson, TE Mario Divincenzo
Out - CB Vince Mosca, WR Michael Bayuik, LB Kyle Northstar
The Dawgs got cash back for two of the three inactives lost, signed two of the top three free agents in the market this season, and followed those coups with a solid draft. Mike McKee and Peyton Carter were two vital cogs in the secondary who agreed to extensions that provide the team with cap relief, and Terrance Hernandez moves to join them in a significant upgrade to the SS position. With the addition of Chris King and Kris Carter, the LB corps is completely revamped from where it started at the beginning of last season, and is now the best 4-deep group in the league. Every move has made this team better, and it's the only winning team which improved over this past offseason.
=========================================================
Louisiana Panthers - D-
In - LB Trevor Johnson, HB Christian Clayton, QB Andre McLaughlin
Out - FS Shawn Dangerfield, SS CR Van Wyjhe, LB Jordan Kaplan, TE Pete Speedy, QB Alex Morton
The retirements of both members of that fantastic safety pair, coupled with the loss of LB Jordan Kaplan, has gutted their defense. They are inadequately replaced by the sluggish Tristan Jenkins and the mercurial conversion project Ben Mott. Their only standout remaining on the defensive side, DeSagana Diop, ended his holdout with a promotion co co-GM. By starting all over again at HB and QB, they've ensured another season of difficulty in putting up points. This team went backwards in every way, though sometimes you have to go backward in order to go forward. Finally being the team that gives the exceptionally-patient Andre McLaughlin a job is one way to ensure forward progress.
In - HB Wilber Davis, WR Chad Johnson, FS Chris Jones, LB Cash Baker, WR Rajon Rondo, LB Coli Ortega, WR Marion Bush
Out - LB Wilber Davis, WR Brad Steeves, RB Mike Tomlinson, CB Dwayne Battle, LB Ty Summers
The greatest strength of this invincible team last season was linebacking. With league MVP Wilber Davis and former co-LBOY Ty Summers out of the mix, that area now becomes a liability. Coli is solid, but he's not on the same level as the guys he's replacing... and then there's that Cash guy. Davis brings fumblitis to a position that was also a strength for them last season. The departure of former WROY Brad Steeves was covered well with the acquisition of current WROY Marion Bush. Nevertheless, the league champs fell back into the pack and will struggle to maintain their control of the division. A successful title defense seems unlikely.
======================================================
Colorado Cougars - B+
In - SS Xavier Young, CB Alex Lewis, TE Lebron Gonzalez, LB Jordan Kaplan, LB Ty Summers, FS Zach Warren, WR Brad Steeves
Out - LB Colin Kelly, FS Warrick Brazell, CB JJ Jacobson, LB Coli Ortega, WR Marion Bush
I said all last season that the Cougars were the most underachieving team in the league. Just adding a GM who will update players instantly makes them better. The team did lose a lot of depth in the secondary, but Young and active rookie Alex Lewis bode well for the future. Jordan Kaplan is a big upgrade for what was an already formidable linebacking group, then they upgraded again with Ty Summers. Offensively they landed a another TE (though not exactly a gamebreaker), allowing them to better utilize road-grader McPhee in his more natural FB position. Trading Bush and attempting to rely on Steeves to stay unretired is a huge risk, especially considering his stated desire to retire a Surge at the end of the season... clearly he has not been informed of this trade, and it could all go bad on them later. In the meantime, however, it looks like a good trade overall.
======================================================
Los Angeles Falcons - B
In - QB Damien Littleton, CB Paul Quach, WR Dallas Mould, WR Oscar Guerrero, TE Troy Wells
Out - CB Damien Littleton, WR Deuce Fitzgerald, LB Cash Baker, QB Nat Reay, FB Zac Siegler
Filling the QB position from within was a brilliant stroke which should finally solidify that position, where the Falcons will feature their 4th starter in 4 seasons. They had the best draft, banked some cash, and made a necessary move to replace impending FA Deuce Fitzgerald with someone they can keep for the longer haul. They replaced a few inactives with some active players with a lot of upside, and that's how a bad team gets better. They're one of the most improved teams in the league, and should not be taken for granted.
=======================================================
Springfield Wolves - C-
In - CB Vince Mosca, LB Kyle Northstar, CB Jet Wahls, WR Deuce Fitzgerald, HB Demetrius Jackson
Out - WR Allen Miller, WR Oscar Guerrero, WR Ned Bashum, LB Don Morgan, LB Mizzou Fan, LB Hoggy O'Hara, FS Ray Smith
The strength of the Wolves last season was an explosive passing game, but with the departure of so many receivers, that'll take a step backwards. They've got a decent HB prospect to develop for the running game, and the addition of rental players Mosca and Northstar will help them get through a transitional period on defense, where they represent a nice upgrade over what was there last season. One concern is they've added too many players who may not be with the team come next season, and are once again giving away too much money in trades.
========================================================
Chicago Sharks - D
In - CB Kobe Egan, LB Byron Parker, WR KC Jones, WR Joe Jackson
Out - SS Xavier Young, TE Lebron Gonzalez, CB Robert Moos
In a late offseason move they finally addressed their need for WR depth by trading for Joe Jackson, at the expense of their secondary in Pro Bowler Robert Moos. They promised us activity from Kobe Egan that has not yet materialized, marking him an inadequate replacement for Xavier Young. The Thunder and Dawgs both made significant improvements in their passing games in the same offseason that the Sharks took a giant step backwards in their secondary, which is a formula for disaster.
========================================================
Ohio Thunder - C
In - WR/TE Ned Bashum, WR Peter Siddorn, SS Roy Williams
Out - TE Alex Lewis, LB Bubba Jones
The Thunder win the Inertia Award for having done the least with their team, thanks to a late-offseason awakening by the Sharks. They made some nice draft choices but it's difficult to say just where they fit in. They're very deep at WR, which doesn't leave top prospect Peter Siddorn with much playing time. SS Roy Williams was converted to MLB but isn't well suited to his new role. Ned Bashum is the square peg pounded into the round hole left by Alex Lewis' retirement. He would have fit better there had they not failed him and put him into the rookie training camp he has been lacking since joining the league after the close of S2 camps.
========================================================
Orlando Dawgs - A
In - LB Chris King, WR Allen Miller, LB Kris Carter, WR Manny Lawson, TE Mario Divincenzo
Out - CB Vince Mosca, WR Michael Bayuik, LB Kyle Northstar
The Dawgs got cash back for two of the three inactives lost, signed two of the top three free agents in the market this season, and followed those coups with a solid draft. Mike McKee and Peyton Carter were two vital cogs in the secondary who agreed to extensions that provide the team with cap relief, and Terrance Hernandez moves to join them in a significant upgrade to the SS position. With the addition of Chris King and Kris Carter, the LB corps is completely revamped from where it started at the beginning of last season, and is now the best 4-deep group in the league. Every move has made this team better, and it's the only winning team which improved over this past offseason.
=========================================================
Louisiana Panthers - D-
In - LB Trevor Johnson, HB Christian Clayton, QB Andre McLaughlin
Out - FS Shawn Dangerfield, SS CR Van Wyjhe, LB Jordan Kaplan, TE Pete Speedy, QB Alex Morton
The retirements of both members of that fantastic safety pair, coupled with the loss of LB Jordan Kaplan, has gutted their defense. They are inadequately replaced by the sluggish Tristan Jenkins and the mercurial conversion project Ben Mott. Their only standout remaining on the defensive side, DeSagana Diop, ended his holdout with a promotion co co-GM. By starting all over again at HB and QB, they've ensured another season of difficulty in putting up points. This team went backwards in every way, though sometimes you have to go backward in order to go forward. Finally being the team that gives the exceptionally-patient Andre McLaughlin a job is one way to ensure forward progress.
too Ty.
... but the competition got a lot deeper.
