Waco Warhawks Training Camp Battles

[Guest]

2037

Backup Quarterback

The Warhawks brought in two new quarterbacks this off-season with the additions of veteran Albert Garner and rookie Herman Pritchett.

Garner will enter the season as the starter with the four other QB's on the roster all battling for backup duty. Nicky Stevens has two years left on his contract and has the inside track on the backup spot. Veteran Ted Pleasant has been put on the trade block. Despite his affordable $1,070,000 cap cost the team has not received any trade offers. Long-time Warhawk Nick Noble will keep his kick-holding duties on special teams and will surely dress as either the teams 2nd or 3rd QB on a weekly basis. Pritchett was a 7th round draft pick and Waco management was very surprised that he was still available at that point in the draft.

Having only two quarterbacks under contract beyond this season (Noble and Pritchett) there is a strong possibility, that the Warhawks may keep all five quarterbacks on their roster for the entire year.

[Guest]

Backup Running Back

This is probably the most wide open position battle this season. The Warhawks start preseason with none of the RB's that they had on their roster at the start of last year. Newly acquired Lenny Kooistra is entrenched as the starter and after that everything is up in the air. Either two or three backup spots will be fought for between five players: second year backs Willie Tubbs, Darrin Blake and Philip Irwin as well as undrafted rookies Myles Gordon and Josiah Pilgrim.

Look for Waco to run the ball often in the preseason in order to help figure out their RB situation.

[Guest]

Backup Safety

SS Terrell Donovan and FS Desmond Silva will be the starters with eight players fighting for either one or two reserve safety spots. Tenth year mentor Gilbert Braico will have to hold off third year vet Gabriel Joens, second year player Darryl Prestbye along with undrafted rookies Peter Hoffmann, Deon Milkovits, Maurice Javier. It is also possible that cornerbacks Ellis Evans and Rob Marshall may try to crack the roster as safeties.

[Aston]

I remember that Braico guy. Put in some good service a number of years for Brooklyn, then Boston.

[Guest]

I remember that Braico guy. Put in some good service a number of years for Brooklyn, then Boston.

Braico was the 7th round pick in my first draft here at OSFL.

Was all m2m and int i remember.. started a few years in BKL. Amazing he had such a long career.

[Guest]

I can't believe Garner is still kicking around, and not only still kicking around, but having career years. I expected he was fairly close to dropping off when I traded him 8 seasons ago and here he still is, mocking our lack of success since his exit.

[Guest]

Face it, he's Peyton Manning and will never retire.

[Guest]

2038

Quarterback

Additions:

QB Marshall DeJesus (free agency from Kalispel)
QB Luthor Lyon (free agency from Port City)
QB Kenyon Cote (UDFA)
QB Heath Simpson (UDFA)

Subtractions:

QB Albert Garner (retirement)
QB Ted Pleasant (free agency to South Maryland)
QB Nicky Stevens (released)

DeJesus should start with Lyon backing him up and veteran Nick Noble holding kicks. 2nd year Herman Pritchett will continue to develop but won't see the field (barring injury to DeJesus/Lyon). UDFAs Cote and Simpson will battle for roster spots.

Backfield

Additions:

RB Lukas Alexander (UDFA)
RB Allan Poor (UDFA)

Subtractions:

none

Returning backs Lenny Kooistra, Eduardo Bruner and Willie Tubbs all look to have safe roster spots. Alexander will likely only make the team if there is an injury to another back. Poor will have to beat out veteran Tubbs for passing down duties.
Taylor Gerhardt will be the Warhawks fullback.

Receivers

Additions:

WR Caleb Ballard (UDFA)

Subtractions:

WR Liam Yohn (free agency to Boston)

Ballard looks like he will be the teams #5 receiver. The only way his roster spot is in jeopardy is if the team decided to keep only 4 wide receivers on their roster. All other returning WRs and TEs should be safe.

Offensive Line

Additions:

LG Howard Widell (trade with Lake County)
LG Gabriel Goodwin (UDFA)
RG Ruben Bush (UDFA)
LT Trey Germany (UDFA)
LS Zach Joyner (drafted @ 7.1)

Subtractions:

LG Dan Graham (free agency to Boston)
LS Albert Riffle (released)

UDFA's Widell, Goodwin, Bush and Germany will battle along with 2nd year C Roman Grudich for one open roster spot on the O-Line. Rookie LS replaces veteran Riffle as long snapper.

[Guest]

Ballard looks like he will be the teams #5 receiver. The only way his roster spot is in jeopardy is if the team decided to keep only 4 wide receivers on their roster. All other returning WRs and TEs should be safe.

4 WRs? That sounds like an incredibly dangerous proposition.