Who's your M25 team? Part 1 (ARI/ATL/BAL/BUF/CAR)
by AST1N | 10 months ago | 0 Comments
In this series, we are going to look at each team in the NFL, and what they have to bring for each new coach for M25. Through this guide, I will attempt to give enough inside to each team and help you decide if one of these teams come calling you next month, will you answer the call and join the team?
Arizona Cardinals
Key Pieces: QB Kyler Murray, HB Trey Benson (R), WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (R), TE Trey McBride, Edge Zaven Collins, S Budda Baker
Why Arizona?
Do you remember when you were a kid playing football at recess? That’s basically what Kyler does. Now they have added a ton of young weapons at their skill positions to go along with it. They play indoors, so you can look forward to 8-9 games of perfect weather. Outside of Kyler making $50M a year, they don’t have a lot of big contracts you have to worry about, and by the time MHJ needs a new deal, Kyler’s will expire. They do have Desmond Ritter, if you feel crazy enough to try to figure out how to make him a valuable asset.
Why not Arizona?
You have a QB who plays like he’s at recess, but this is the NFL. They play in the NFC West, which should be a very competitive division. Kyler is now 27 years old, so whatever ratings he gets at launch, you are pretty stuck there, and you are paying that man at least 4 seasons. Defense probably needs an overhaul.
Atlanta Falcons
Key Pieces: QBs Kirk Cousins/Michael Penix Jr. (R), HB Bijan Robinson, WRs Drake London/Darnell Mooney/Rondale Moore (MOO!), TE Kyle Pitts, DE Grady Jarrett, LB Troy Anderson, CB A.J. Terrell, S Jessie Bates
Why Atlanta?
That offense. Woowee. I expect the Falcons to be a hot commodity come draft day. All those weapons, and most still on rookie deals. They play in the NFC South, which is wide open for the taking. They are a great option if you don’t want to try to build something, but rather take something and develop what you already have (at least on offense).
Why not Atlanta?
Obvious #1 answer. You paid Kirk a lot of money and you don’t have an out for a couple of years. You also drafted a rookie QB in the 1st round, and he’s not a young rookie either. Have fun with that problem. Because they have a lot of their stars on rookie deals, they have quite a few large contracts on some older players, and these young stars are going to need paid very soon, so managing the cap might be a challenge. Also, 28-3.
Baltimore Ravens
Key Pieces: QB Lamar MF’ing Jackson. (I could stop there). HB Derrick Henry, WRs Zay Flowers/Rashod Bateman, TE Mark Andrews, LT Ronnie Stanley, DE Justin Madubuike, LBs Odafe Oweh/Roquan Smith/Trenton Simpson/Kyle Van Noy, CB Marlon Humphrey, Safeties Kyle Hamilton/Marcus Williams, K Justin Tucker
Why Baltimore?
Because they are stacked? Like…. How do you defend their offense? What defensive adjustment do you put on? Do you want to focus on Derrick Henry and leave Lamar to run? Focus Lamar and let Henry run? Good lord that’s not fair. They are top to bottom one of the best built teams, and they have studs at every level. The LBs are VERY solid. WIN NOW TEAM.
Why not Baltimore?
If you like to design your own roster, this probably isn’t the one for you, unless you like trading everything away and eating cap penalties in the process. A lot of their star players are 27 years old or older, so if you don’t win early, you might miss your window. Maybe I am biased, but the AFC North is a gross division. You want to see the Browns and Steelers 4 times a season? The AFC will probably be a better conference, so you will have more competition over there. Lamar also will be earning $75M a season starting in year 3.
Buffalo Bills
Key Pieces: QB Josh Allen, HB James Cook, WRs Keon Coleman (R)/Khalil Shakir/Curtis Samuel, TE Dalton Kincaid, DE Greg Rousseau, DT Ed Oliver
Why Buffalo?
Because you like QBs who is a tank with a big cannon for an arm. The team will live and die through Josh Allen. Cook, Coleman, and Kincaid are young weapons to help him out. Jerseys! I personally love the color options with the good ol’ red, white and blue variations. The contracts are very manageable (especially when Von Miller’s contract falls off), and the team is pretty solid but still has spots for you to grow the team and make it feel like you constructed a lot of it. The AFC East should be a pretty fun and exciting division.
Why not Buffalo?
Do you like snow? Nothing like rewarding yourself with a home playoff game, just to deal with the elements affecting the gameplay of a high stakes football game! The defense might be a little sus and needs some work, unless you are trying to win a lot of 44-43 shootouts. For Josh Allen’s sake, get him some help. The Bills are also a cursed franchise.
Carolina Panthers
Key Pieces: QB Bryce Young, HB Jonathon Brooks (R), WRs Diontae Johnson/Adam Thielen/Xavier Legettte, DT Derrick Brown, LB Shaq Thompson, Edge Jadeveon Clowney, CB Jaycee Horn
Why Carolina?
Another young offense to build up. The organization spent a lot of money building up the OL this offseason to protect Bryce. Cool jerseys! A winnable NFC South. They have offloaded a lot of bad contracts and are set up for a nice rebuild (weird to say rebuild when what they tore down was not anything worth mentioning). If mascots were in the game, Sir Purr would be a premier asset, as long as you aren’t asking what that bear is doing.
Why not Carolina?
Well, they have stunk for 5 seasons now and they were the worst team last season, so you’d have to expect the ratings to be in the trash can. A lot of work to build them up from that point. The defense needs some love. Thielen is approximately 52 years old, and Diontae Johnson needs a new contract. They invested a lot of money in the OL, which is a blessing and a curse, because now you have to take those contracts and manage around them.
More to come!