Denver

[Guest]

Coming off a 7-9 season we...

-significantly upgraded our d-line with the additions of DE Wiggin and DT Meyer. Then via the draft we added stud DT (or DE?) Bethel. Wiggin is much better pass rusher and run defender than his ratings suggest, so I felt he was my FA prize.

-significantly upgraded our secondary by adding S Keith through FA and CB Cannida through trade. Mott was also added via the draft and could move and be our FS of the future (he won't be great but I feel like he could be a decent 40-50 rated S and after Keith retires we have no FS).

I think this gives us one of the top d-lines in the league and a very good secondary. We were a middle of the pack d last season without these players, so I am interested to see how it goes. It should also be fun to see if we can expand on our league best 25 interceptions.

Another big piece for me was the long term signing of WR Burkley. After being injured last year, he wasn't asking the moon to resign. We had the cap room and took the plunge.

I know the team is not perfect but we are young are gearing up for a push. It also looks like I can make at least 16 mil in cap space if I need it, too. So we might not be done yet.

[Guest]

I like your team and I think you made a really good deal for that CB. He is young and still signed for 3 more years. On the other hand I don't like seeing a division foe add a whole draft class.

[Guest]

I also disagree with Shark and I think that you could easily be an AC contender this year.

[Guest]

chuck.. i dont think that was a bad deal for you. Actually might be a great deal. See how this year play out. Say you go 8-8 and get 1.16 + rest of your picks = 1.11???.. thats decent value for an super stud CB.

Its a chuck deal. Aggressive and looks crazy. I used to do deals like that now i just focus on drafting and building the team long term.

[Guest]

I aim to be good at it all. I want to have good drafts, good FA signings, make good trades and game plan well.

And no I don't always think making good trades means winning them all the time. But it helps not to lose them all the time.

I really can't remember what this team was like when I took over but my feeling is it is 200% better.

[Cory]

I honestly feel like it was a good deal for chuck. It was a hard deal to pull the trigger on. Ultimately, with Rob in my division and Port City going to a more active owner I think I'm three to four years out from competing. That would put Cannida at 30-31 when I'm starting to look playoffs. That doesn't make sense for maintaining a franchise.

It does make sense if you're already making a playoff push to pick up a 27 year old at the top of his game, which is what chuck did. Hopefully the deal made both teams better. Depends on what I'm able to do with these picks I've stockpiled.

It really never occurred to me that people would be worried about chuck making a bad deal. He took a team that was 3-12-1 three short years ago and turned it into a team that is in discussion as a playoff contender. It seems to me like he just might know what he's doing. If anything I should have requested that he work as my draft adviser for the next couple of years on top of getting the picks, to make sure I actually turn them into something.

[Guest]

...Ultimately, with Rob in my division and Port City going to a more active owner I think I'm three to four years out from competing. That would put Cannida at 30-31 when I'm starting to look playoffs. That doesn't make sense for maintaining a franchise....

Prior to this trade, I think that you were a lot closer to the playoffs than you think. You have a pretty good roster and if you can draft well you will be in the playoffs very soon.

[Cory]

I appreciate that, Rob. After last year I realized that I could probably have made the playoffs this year or next, but I couldn't compete with the upper level teams once I got there. I have a roster that's able to take care of business against second tier teams, but when I ran into South Maryland, Brooklyn, Camden, etc. it became obvious that we weren't a piece or two away from a championship game. With the trade I made with chuck I now have 5 first round picks in the next two years. Three years from now I think we'll be able to start making deep playoff runs.

Unless of course I decide to tank my drafts, which is a distinct possibility.