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Since all of us are doing it by posting I thought it might be fun to have a game of "You be the GM". Of course we need some rules, so I’ve gone through the free agent process and draft to create some. You make your own decisions, you just need to follow the rules; at the end you can list which players you’ve selected and justify your decisions to your fellow Buc faithful.
SITUATION: During a meeting of the Bucs Coaching staff, scouts, and Front Office personnel one of Witty’s bio hazard agents got free forcing the team leadership to be quarantined for three months. As a frequent contributor here on Bucs Nation the Glazers have chosen you to act as interim general manager for the next three months.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO PLAY: The Game is organized into three sections, player trades, free agency, and the draft. Each step is numbered (some steps have letters underneath them for decision points). You can sign-or re-sign as many players as you want so long as you stay within budget (30 million). I chose 30 million as the initial number because of cap holds for the draft, leaving space for contract extensions on Mike Williams, Freeman , or McCoy; and to provide some decision making necessities. Some Imagination, a scratch pad for your signings to keep track of your budget will make it easier, and a scotch of draft knowledge. Shrewdness is always encouraged. As part of accepting the job as Interim General Manager you agree to keep the Bucs balanced budget approach (IE not endangering future renegotations by overspending now) so you agree to keep to your 30 million dollar budget and not to accept or offer any trades other than those presented below.
PLAYER TRADES
1. Darrelle Revis situation.
The Jets have called they are willing to trade Darelle Revis to you for Tampa’s first round draft pick. Revis also is demanding a long term deal with 15 million guaranteed in each of the first two seasons.
If you accept the trade skip step five below (and be prepared for the 15 million dollar cap hit) and go to step 2
If you declined the trade move to step 2
2. Percy Harvin is on the block.
The Vikings have had enough of Harvin’s headahes and are willing to trade him for a second round pick and the 4th we obtained from New England. Harvin also wants a guaranteed 8.5 million dollars.
If you accept the trade forfeit a second round pick(skipping step 6) and pick only one player from step 8 (instead of two) go to step 3
If you decline go to step 3
PLAYER RESIGNINGS
Get out a scratch pad its time to do some budgeting. If you declined both of the above trades you have 30 million to work with. If you accepted the Revis trade but not the Harvin trade you have 15 million to work with. If you took the Harvin deal but not the Revis one your at 21.5 million. If you accepted both your down to 4.5 million (time for some belt tightening).
3. Player Re-signings.
A. Michael Bennett DE, the best you can negotiate him down to is 8 million a year. If you would like to retain his services subtract 8 million from your total.
B. Ronde Barber FS, Ronde has called he’s not ready to hang it up yet and wants to do one more season. He needs to know if he’s welcome back. If you take Ronde back scratch 3 million off your total.
C. LeGarrette Blount RB, the big Blount doesn’t want to come back but he’s signed a restricted free agent offer sheet from another team. It comes to 4 million and no compensation is awarded if you do not match it. If you retain him subtract 4 million from your total.
D. Roy Miller DT, big Roy wants to be back as well. He is willing to take 3 million. If you accept scrath three million more from your total.
E. A trio of serviceable vets want to return for 1.5 million in non-gauranteed money(though it still needs to be subtracted from your total) for each of the players below you elect to retain subtract 1.5 million.
Dallas Clark TE
EJ Biggers CB
Roscoe Parish WR
FREE AGENCY
4. Time to go Shopping
You have your updated total after some re-signings right, well whatever you have save it’s time to spend. I’ve organized the list below by positions and total cash cost. if you see a guy you like simply write his name down and subtract the total.
QB’s
3.5 Million. Jason Campbell
2.5 Million. Drew Stanton, Brady Quinn, or Chase Daniel
RB’s
6 Million. Steven Jackson or Reggie Bush
5 Million. Rashard Mendenhall or Ahmad Bradshaw
4 Million. Michael Turner
1.5 Million, Brandon Jacobs.
WR’s
11 Million. Mike Wallace
10 Million. Greg Jennings
6 Million. Danny Amendola
2.5 Million. Julian Edelman , Joshua Cribbs, Domenik Hixon
2 Million. Jerome Simpson, Randy Moss
TE’s
9 Million. Jared Cook
5.5 Million. Martellus Bennett, Fred Davis, Dustin Keller or Brandon Myers.
4 Million. Delanie Walker
OT’s
8 Million. Andre Smith , Jake Long, Sebastian Vollmer
6 Million. Phil Loadholt, Sam Baker, Jermon Bushrod, Eric Winston
4 Million. Bryant McKinnie, Ryan Harris.
DE’s
11 Million. Cliff Avril.
7 Million. Osi Umenyiora, John Abraham
4 Million. Dwight Freeney, Isreal Idonije, Kyle Vanden Bosch
DT’s
6 Million. Jason Jones, Richard Seymour
3 Million. Glenn Dorsey, Terrance Knighton
LB’s
9 Million. Paul Kruger
4 Million. Rey Maualuga, Bannell Ellerbe, Bart Scott
3 Million. Daryl Smith, Phillip Wheeler, Erin Henderson , Manny Lawson, Nick Barnett
CB’s
9 Million. Brent Grimes or Sean Smith
7 Million. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Chris Houston, Cary Williams, Chris Gamble
6.5 Million. Derek Cox, Keenan Lewis,
5 Million. Dunta Robinson, Sheldon Brown, Rashean Mathis.
3.5 Million. Captain Munnerlyn, Quentin Jammer, Leodis McKelvin, Terrance Newman, Tracy Porter, Greg Tolar, Adam "PacMan" Jones, Antoine Cason.
2 Million. Brice McClain, Kyle Arrington, Joselio Hanson, Marcus Trufant, Mike Jenkins.
Safety
8.5 Million. Dashon Goldson
7 Million. Ed Reed, Glover Quinn, Charles Woodson, Adrian Wilson
4 Million. LaRon Landry, Kenny Phillips
2 Million. Yeremiah Bell, Chris Crocker, Ryan Mundy
NFL DRAFT
A couple items first, these draft selections are designed to give you options to move up or down the draft in a reasonable, par value manner.
· You may commit a blatant reach down but not up. So if you want to use the #13 overall pick on Tavon Austin (whose listed below that slot) your welcome to. You MAY NOT reach upwards to grab Dee Millner without paying the price. IE it’s free to grab downward for a reach to move up you pay the price.
· No real slides occur in these selections, sorry if you want to count on that but not in this game.
4. The First Round of the NFL Draft (If you traded for Darrell Revis skip to step 5, otherwise pick one of the options below and pick a player)
If you didn’t trade this pick in decision 1, you have a couple of options on draft day, while patiently waiting for round 1 to begin:
A. Trading into the Top 10
The Eagles call and are willing to trade back in exchange for your 2nd and 3rd round selections. If you take their offer you may select (Pick One of the following then skip to step 8):
QB: Geno Smith W. Virginia
OT: Eric Fisher C. Michigan, Lane Johnson Oklahoma
DL: Shariff Floyd Florida, Ezekiel Ansah BYU
CB: Dee Millner Alabama
B. Trade WAY back acquire Mallet or Osweiler
The Broncos and Patriots are calling they want to move up to 13 but are not willing to surrender extra draft picks to do it. They are however willing to offer you Brock Osweiler or Ryan Mallet and their own first round pick. If you accept you may add either Mr. Osweiler or Mr. Mallet and take a player from group 5A Below(Add the extra QB to your list of acquired players and take a free pick from group 5A below).
C. Stand Pat and Take a Good Player
You patiently wait till that excellent #13 pick and select:
TE: Tyler Eifert
DL : Sheldon Richardson Missouri, Demontre Moore Texas A&M
DB: Xavier Rhodes Florida St. , Kenny Vaccaro Texas
D. Trade Backwards for an extra Third Rounder
The Bengals called and are looking to move on up. They are offering an extra 3rd round selection, if you accept you go on the clock and pick:
WR: Tavon Austin W. Virginia
OT: Menelik Watson Florida St.
DT: Sylvester Williams North Carolina
LB: Alec Ogletree Georgia
DB: Matt Elam Florida, Desmond Trufant Washington.
5. Round 2 (If you traded away this pick for Percy Harvin skip to step 6, otherwise choose a letter below and keep improving the Bucs)
A. Trade back into Round 1?
The Ravens are calling, they want out of the first round totally in exchange for Tampa’s second and third round draft picks or second and both four round selections. If you accept you may select one of the following (you must skip either step 6 or step 7)
RB: Eddie Lacy Alabama
WR: Justin Harper Tennessee
TE: Zach Ertz Stanford
OT: Justin Pugh Syracuse, DJ Fluker Alabama
DL: Johnthan Hankins Ohio St., Margus Hunt SMU, John Jenkins Georgia
LB: Manti Te’o Notre Dame, Kevin Minter LSU
DB: Blidi Wreh-Wilson UCONN, Eric Reid LSU, Jonthan Banks Miss St.
B. It’s time to be patient, wait and draft in your spot
After waiting through ten second round selections ahead of you, your on the clock and you select(once your done go to step 6):
QB: Mie Glennon NC St.
WR: Quinton Patten La. The, Da’Rick Rodgers Tennessee Tech, Ryan Swope Texas A&M
TE: Travis Kelce Cincinnati, Gavin Escobar San Diego St.
C: Travis Fredrick Wisconsin, Brian Schwenke Cal
OT: Kyle Long Oregon
DT: Brandon Williams Missouri Southern, Kwann Short Purdue, Jessie Williams Alabama
DE: Cory Lemonier Auburn, Alex Okafor Texas
LB: Arthur Brown Kansas St.,Kasheeme Greene Rutgers, Kevin Reddick North Carolina
CB: Logan Ryan Rutgers, Jordan Poyer Oregon St.
S: John Cyprien Florida International
6. Round 3.
You can pick one player or two from this group, if you pick two skip step 7
QB: Ryan Nassib Syracuse
RB: Geovanni Bernard North Carolina, Marcus Lattimore S. Carolina, Mike Gillislee Florida, Montee Ball Wisconsin, Le’Veon Bell Michigan St.
WR: Markus Wheaton Oregon St. , Robert Woods USC, Terrance Williams Baylor, Aaron Dobson Marshall
TE: Jordan Reed Florida, Chris Gragg Arkansas
C: Barrett Jones Alabama, Khaled Holmes USC
OT: Brennan Williams North Carolina,
DT: Kwame Geathers Georgia, Akeem Spence Illinois
DE: Tank Carradine Florida St., Joe Kruger Utah, William Gholston Michigan St.
LB: Sio Moore UCONN, Jon Bostic Florida
CB: Tyrann Mathieu LSU, Terry Hawthorne Illinois, David Amerson NC St., Jamar Taylor Boise St.
S: D.J. Swearinger S. Carolina, Phillip Thomas Fresno St., Tony Jefferson Oklahoma
7. Round 4
(Unless you traded them to move back into round 1 or for the extra third rounder, take two)
QB: Tyler Wilson Arkansas, Brad Sorenson So. Utah, EJ Manuel Florida St.,
RB: Christine Michael Texas A&M, Jawan Jamison Rutgers, Kenjon Barner Oregon, Andre Ellington Clemson, Johnathan Franklin UCLA, Kerwyn Williams Utah St.
FB: Zach Line SMU
WR: Marquise Goodwin Texas, Stedman Baily W. Virginia, Kenny Stills Oklahoma, Marquess Wilson Washington St., Aaron Mellette Elon, Ace Sanders S. Carolina
TE: Vance McDonald Rice, Michael Williams Alabama
OT: Terron Armstead Arkansas Pine-Bluff, Ricky Wanger Wisconsin, Dallas Thomas Tennessee, David Bahktari Colorado, David Quessenberry San Jose St., Chris Faulk LSU, Reid Fragel Ohio St.
DT: Josh Boyd Mississippi St., Montori Hughes Tenn Martin., Bennie Logan LSU
DE: Devin Taylor S. Carolina, David Bass Missouri Western, Tourek Williams FIU, Maliciah Goodman Clemson
LB: Jelani Jenkins Florida, Vince Williams Florida St., AJ Klein Iowa St., Devonte Holloman S. Carolina, Sean Porter Texas A&M
CB: Steve Williams California, Leon McFadden San Diego St., B.W. Webb William & Mary, DJ Hayden Houston, Sanders Cummings Georida, Brandon McGEe Miami(FL), Rod Sweeting Georgia Tech, Micah Hyde Iowa
S: Duke Williams Nevada, TJ McDonald USC, Darius Slay Mississippi St., Robert Lester Alabama, Earl Wolff NC St.
PK: Caleb Sturgis Florida
NOW THE OTHER FUN PART…..TELL US WHO IS ON YOUR 2013 TEAM
To format it a little easier you can simply do it like this (btw not my official answer to the above)
I traded for: Neither Revis or Harvin
I resigned: Miller and Dallas Clark (4.5 Million)
I signed: Matt Moore, Cliff Avril, Sean Smith, Chris Crocker (25.5 Million)
I drafted: Kenny Vaccaro RD 1 (Stood pat), Jordan Poyer RD 2(Stood pat) , Jordan Reed RD 3 , Ryan Nassib Round 3 (Traded my two fourths for a 3rd)
Bonus Points, if you can answer a few questions for us:
What is your plan if Freeman goes down for four games?
Who is your backup RB and third WR?
Who is your starting RT and NT?
Who is going to return punts and kickoffs?
Whats the biggest improvement you made as fantasy interim GM?
Why is there no option to cut Black and Wright?
The number 30 million assumes most of this has already happened that Black has been cut (minus a mandatory injury settlement) and that Wright has been either released or renegotiated to a more cap friendly number. Yes these moves would push Tampa to a 38-42 million par in cap space but you have to subtract out (cap holds for rookies of 5-6 million), cost of extending players like Mike Williams, Freeman, or McCoy, and having space in camp to process players on waiver claims or accept trades.
Just remember anyone can fantasize on players "falling to the team" or signing anyone (and you can opine on any of the posts here) however try to see what you would do if you had to make more realistic ....and sometimes hard, choices.