Expansion Draft

[Guest Vern Gagne]

Jamie Sharper and Tony Boselli are expected to be two of the first players taken by the Texans. Also of note no players over 30 will be picked. Rumored Picks

 

Gary Walker

Ryan Young

Marcus Coleman

Aaron Glenn

[Guest El Hijo Del Lunatic]

If you guys can give me a couple hours, I'll be more than haqppy to BRING THE CONTENT~! and list out all the guys.  I've decided to also pick a fantasy expansion draft team:  at least two guys for each position (I'll try to hit 53 if I can).  Patience, though.

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

I guess this means that, on Monday the Texans officially become a BAD team?  

 

Their policy of taking no one over 30 in the expansion draft - bad idea.

 

I dont even like the name TEXANS.  Probably 2 players total will be from TEXAS.

 

Poor Charlie Batch.  Hes in a no win situation (Either gets drafted by the Texans or gets cut by the Lions with probably zero interest in him)

[Guest Army Eye]

I still can't figure out why the Jets exposed Aaron Glenn.  Damn idiots...........  going into 2002 season with no secondary will be fun

[Guest Youth N Asia]

Poor Charlie Batch my ass!

 

That shit signed like a 3 year deal for $13 million and got $10 of that up front simply because the Lions didn't have anyone else...he pulled a Jeff Jarret on them.

 

That talentless hack should have never replaced Scott "I hold most Lions passing records" Mitchell.

 

Charlie Batch couldn't have cut it in the XFL

 

I hope they don't take him so the Lions can but him.

[Guest El Hijo Del Lunatic]

My defensive preview is done.  I'll make it four posts so it's hopefully easier to read.

 

SAFETIES

 

Orlando Thomas (Minnesota) - $4,411,500 (29, SW La.)

Chad Cota (Indianapolis) - $4,066,000 (30, Oregon)

Ronnie Bradford (Atlanta) - $3,212,500 (31, Colorado)

Sam Garnes (New York Giants) - $2,764,000 (27, Cincinnati)

Kurt Schulz (Detroit) - $2,100,000 (33, Ea. Wash.)

George Teague (Dallas) - $1,150,000 (30*, Alabama)

Bracey Walker (Kansas City) - $812,500 (30, No. Carolina)

*Marquez Pope (Oakland) - $700,000 (31, Fresno St.)

Chris Hayes (New York Jets) - $680,000 (29, Wash. St.)

Jason Perry (San Diego) - $563,000 (25, NC St.)

*Eric Vance (Tampa Bay) - $473,000 (26, Providence)

Lamar Chapman (Cleveland) - $400,260 (25, Kansas St.)

*Raion Hill (Buffalo) - $389,000 (25, LSU)

Richard Newsome (New Orleans) - $300,500 (24, Mich. St.)

Than Merril (Chicago) - $298,000 (24, YALE~!)

*Matt Stevens (New England) - n/a (28, Appalachian St.)

 

My take on the safeties:  There actually are a few guys here who can play ball.  First, Richard Newsome is on that list because Willie Roaf failed his physical; he might get picked up.  He's one of those guys that could start if he weren't playing in that secondary, like Matt Stevens (playing behind Lawyer Malloy in New England) and Eric Vance (behind John Lynch in Tampa Bay).  Kurt Shultz and Chad Cota are obviously the biggest names here, but they're over thirty, have big price tags, and are coming off miserable years when their secondary units were hampered and hammered.  ESPN.com's high on Raion Hill because he BRINGS THE SPECIAL TEAMS~! and he's got potential to spare.  To me, though, the two most interesting names on the board are Marquez Pope and George Teague, two very solid, relatively cheap starting veteran safeties.  The "we're not picking anyone over thirty" rule applies to both of them (and anyone else making $700,000 or more), but the way I see it, there's not much of a drop-off from Shultz and Cota to Teague and Pope.  Hell, Teague turns 31 on Monday - what a birthday present!  

 

Follow my fantasy expansion draft (pick 4):  I'm taking Pope, Vance, Hill, and Stevens.  I'll start Pope at the strong, Stevens at the free, let Vance rotate in and work three-deep packages, and work on getting Hill to return kicks.  I think Stevens made about $400,000-$500,000 in Washington a few years ago as a starter.  I doubt he makes more than that, but I'll assume $600,000.

 

Players picked:  4

Total cap hit:  $2,162,000 ($68.939 million left)

[Guest El Hijo Del Lunatic]

CORNERBACKS:

 

Aaron Glenn (New York Jets) - $8,013,000 (29, Texas A&M)

Doug Evans (Carolina) - $7,452,000 (31, La. Tech)

Jeff Burris (Indianapolis) - $6,583,000 (29, Notre Dame)

Marcus Coleman (New York Jets) - $5,480,000 (27, Texas Tech)

*Corey Fuller (Cleveland) - $4,925,000 (30, Florida State)

Jimmy Hitchcock (Carolina) - $4,321,000 (31, No. Carolina)

Ken Irvin (Buffalo) - $3,320,000 (29, Memphis)

DeRon Jenkins (Tennessee) - $3,083,000 (28, Tennessee)

Michael Booker (Tennessee) - $3,050,000 (26, Nebraska)

Robert Tate (Minnesota) - $2,442,000 (28, Cincinnati)

*Dave Thomas (New York Giants) - $850,000 (33, Tennessee)

*Jacoby Shepherd (St. Louis) - $568,000 (22, Oklahoma State)

Coby Rhinehart (Arizona) - $563,000 (24, So. Methodist)

*Paul Miranda (Seattle) - $563,000 (25, Cent. Fla.)

Taje Allen (Kansas City) - $500,000 (28, Texas)

Anthony Parker (San Francisco) - $406,000 (26, Weber State)

*Lloyd Harrison (San Diego) - $358,000 (24, NC State)

Terrance Shaw (New England) - n/a (28, S. F. Austin)

Darrel Clutchfield (Philadelphia) - n/a (22, Clemson)

William Hampton (Philadelphia) - n/a (26, Murray St.)

 

My take on the cornerbacks:  For as good as the safeties were, these cornerbacks are that bad a class.  Anybody even reasonably decent costs an arm and a leg (or, in Aaron Glenn's case, an arm, both legs and my cock - EIGHT MILLION BUCKS?  Are you kidding?).  What the fuck is Carolina thinking, throwing alomst $12 million bucks at Jimmy Hitchcock and Doug Evans?  And the Jets have more money thrown into their corners.  Note that Carolina, Tennessee, and the Jets have two corners on the block.  If you're going to get a decent CB in this draft, then you're going to have to pony up some dough.  The age thing really doesn't come into play here; becaus corners don't often last that long.  

 

Follow my fantasy expansion draft (pick 5):  I want Shaw, but I don't know what he's making.  I'd average out these salaries, but for a nickel back, I can't see him making more than a million, and the average salary is just over $3 million.  I'm going to take Fuller, Thomas, Miranda, Shepherd, and Harrison.  I'll start Fuller (his best years are probably behind him, but he wasn't awful last year) and Thomas (he started two years ago for the Giants at age 31, why not for an expansion team at 33?), let Miranda be the nickel and see about HIS return abilites, play Shepherd at the dime (and hope he develops - he's TWENTY-TWO~!), and put Harrison (he's a speedster, IIRC) on special teams.  Then I restructure the shit out of Fuller's contract, and pray Aaron Glenn gets released June 1st.  Best I think I could do given the circumstances.

 

Players picked: 5 (9)

Total cap hit:  $7,264,000 ($61.675 left)

[Guest El Hijo Del Lunatic]

LINEBACKERS:

 

Ed McDaniel (Minnesota) - $6,602,000 (32, Clemson)

Jesse Armstead (New York Giants) - $5,565,000 (31, Miami)

Bill Romanowski (Denver) - $3,484,000 (35, Boston College)

*Jamie Sharper (Baltimore) - $2,875,000 (27, Virginia)

*Bernardo Harris (Green Bay) - $2,656,000 (30, No. Carolina)

*Mark Fields (St. Louis) - $2,505,000 (29, Wash. St.)

Jeff Gooch (Tampa Bay) - $2,150,000 (27, Austin Peay)

Dean Wells (Carolina) - $1,690,000 (31, Kentucky)

Darrin Smith (New Orleans) - $1,612,500 (31, Miami)

Elijah Alexander (Oakland) - $1,150,000 (31, Kansas St.)

Brant Boyer (Cleveland) - $1,075,000 (30, Arizona)

Scott Gaylon (Miami) - $1,016,000 (27, Tennessee)

*Johnny Rutledge (Arizona) - $586,000 (25, Florida)

KD Williams (Green Bay) - $563,000 (28, Henderson St.)

*Brad Jackson (Baltimore) - $563,000 (27, Cincinnati)

*Brian Allen (St. Louis) - $450,000 (23, Florida St.)

Riall Johnson (Cincinnati) - $347,000 (23, Stanford)

Willie McGinest (New England) - n/a (30, USC)

Ted Johnson (New England) - n/a (29, Colorado)

Ryan Schau (Philadelphia) - n/a (26, Illinois)

 

My take on the linebackers:  Sharper, Sharper, Sharper.  You know he's going second in the draft, probably behind Boselli.  There are also a couple of BIIIG names behind Sharper:  Romanowski and Amrstead are the biggest, and also both over thirty.  I hope they're picking 30-year-olds, though, because I'd grab Bernardo Harris.  I can't find any salcap numbers for any of the top four teams in the leage.  I'd be looking at Ted Johnson there, and not Willie McGinest so much.  There are a couple of younger guys in there that could make impacts; Brad Jackson and Johnny Rutledge are two guys being thrown around as possible picks.  Mark Fields is an interesting name out there.

 

Follow my fantasy expansion draft (pick 6):  Sharper and Harris are definites.  Starters from good defenses are a must here.  I'll also take Fields and hope he produces.  For back-ups, I'll take Jackson, and then work with Allen and Rutledge.  Strong linebacking class, relatively cheap.  Yeah, I spent more on LB's than on CB's, but there was more talent here for less.  If I took the talent at CB I took here, it would've cost me $20 million.

 

Players picked: 6 (15)

Total cap hit: $9,635,000 ($52.04 million left)

[Guest El Hijo Del Lunatic]

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

 

Sean Gilbert (Carolina - T) - $10,210,000 (31, Pittsburgh)

Tim Bowens (Miami - T) - $8,750,000 (28, Mississippi)

Ellis Johnson (Indianapolis - T/E) - $6,601,000 (28, Florida)

Michael Sinclair (Seattle - E) - $5,963,000 (34, Ea. New Mex.)

Gary Walker (Jacksonville - T) - $5,250,000 (28, Auburn)

Rob Burnett (Baltimore - E) - $5,025,000 (34, Syracuse)

Marcus Jones (Tampa Bay - E) - $3,750,000 (28, No. Carolina)

John Thierry (Green Bay - E) - $3,520,000 (30, Alcorn St.)

Santana Dotson (Green Bay - T) - $3,300,000 (32, Baylor)

Seth Payne (Jacksonville - E/T) - $3,225,000 (26, CORNELL~!)

*Kenny Holmes (New York Giants - E) - $2,900,000 (28, Miami)

*Kavika Pittman (Denver - E) - $2,500,000 (27, McNeese State)

*Mike Wells (Indianapolis - T) - $1,250,000 (31, Iowa)

Shane Burton (New York Jets - E) - $1,166,000 (27, Tennessee)

*Reggie McGrew (San Francisco - T) - $1,099,000 (25, Florida)

Jevon Langford (Cincinnati - E) - $500,000 (28, Okla. St.)

Jerry Johnson (Denver - T) - $457,000 (24, Florida St.)

Nate Hobgood-Chittic (Kansas City - T) - $448,000 (27, No. Carolina)

*Robert Newkirk (Chicago - T) - $440,000 (24, Michigan St.)

Josh Taves (Oakland - T) - $389,000 (29, Northeastern)

*Jabari Issa (Arizona - E/T) - $379,000 (23, Washington)

*Juqua Thomas (Tennessee - E) - $298,000 (23, Oklahoma State)

*Jerry DeLoach (Washington - T) - $298,000 (24, California)

 

My take on the defensive linemen:   HAHA!  Sorry, I'm still laughing at Carolina for picking up  Sean Gilbert.  There are some relatively cheap names out there.  Is there something wrong with Kavika Pittman that I don't know about?  'Cause if the problem is Denver, moving to Houston could fix that.  There are some bargains here, like veteran starter Mike Wells.  Reggie McGrew's got a high price tag for someone who didn't see many snaps, but he's got UPSIDE~!.  Really, all you need with your DTs is younger guys who you can teach discipline and gap control to now.  I don't think I'd touch any one of those guys about the $3 million mark.  Santana Dotson's making me think twice, but he's no spring chicken.

 

Follow my fantasy expansion draft (pick 8):  Ok.  Let's start with Pittman, Wells, and Holmes.  Holmes might benefit statistically from not playing on the other side of Strahan, if that makes sense (after all, Strahan beats EVERYONE to the quarterback, even the snap sometimes).  Let's fill the roster with McGrew, DeLoach (he can long snap too, I think), Issa (another guy with UPSIDE), Newkirk (can he long snap?), and Thomas.  DEVELOPING YOUNGSTERS~!  By default, McGrew starts with Wells, Pittman strongside and Holmes weakside.

 

Players picked: 8 (23)

Total cap hit: $9,164,000 ($42.876 million left)

 

Ok, there's the defensive stuff.  I'm going to watch a movie, I think, and then come back to this.  The offense will have to wait.

[Guest El Satanico]

Why is taking players around 30 and under a bad move? Besides there isn't that many good over 30 guys in the expansion draft. Many of the younger guys are just as good as the older much more expensive guys.

 

Carolina showed that taking alot of guys over 30 isn't a very good move in the long run. I'm sure Carolina wishes they could trade their early success for a younger team that struggled early.

[Guest El Hijo Del Lunatic]

And I'm done.  YAY ME~!

 

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

 

Tony Boselli (Jacksonville - T) - $8,949,332 (29, USC)

Wally Williams (New Orleans - G) - $5,507,000 (30, Florida A&M)

Bruce Matthews (Tennessee - G/T) - $5,491,000 (40, USC)

Mark Stepnoski (Dallas - C) - $4,489,000 (35, Pittburgh)

Roman Oben (Cleveland - T) - $4,486,000 (29, Louisville)

John Fina (Buffalo - T) - $4,423,000 (32, Arizona)

*Ryan Tucker (St. Louis - T) - $3,859,000 (26, TCU)

Randall McDaniel (Tampa Bay - G) - $2,666,000 (37, Arizona State)

*Tom Ackerman (New Orleans - C/G) - $1,940,000 (29, East. Wash.)

Heath Irwin (Miami - G) - $1,915,000 (28, Colorado)

Glenn Parker (New York Giants - G) - $1,663,000 (35, Arizona)

John Jackson (Cincinnati - T) - $975,000 (37, East. Kentucky)

*Brad Badger (Minnesota - G) - $875,000 (27, Stanford)

Jamain Stephens (Cincinnati - T) - $750,000 (28, NC A&T)

*Kipp Vickers (Baltimore - G/T) - $675,000 (32, Miami)

*Matthew Campbell (Washington - G) - $675,000 (29, So. Carolina)

*Ryan Young (New York Jets, T) - $563,000 (25, Kansas State)

Yusuf Scott (Arizona - G) - $563,000 (25, Arizona)

*Ben Fricke (Dallas - C/G) - $563,000 (26, Houston)

Ben Lynch (San Francisco - C) - $563,000 (29, California)

Rob Davis (Green Bay - C) - $492,000 (too lazy to look up)

Kevin Dogins (Chicago - C) - $453,000 (29, Texas A&M-Kingsville)

*Jeremy McKinney (Cleveland - G) - $405,000 (26, Iowa)

Jean-Philippe Darche (Seattle - G) - $389,000 (26, McGill)

Zach Weigert (Jacksonville - G) - n/a (29, Nebraska)

Roger Duffy (Pittsburgh - G/T) - n/a (35, Penn State)

Ray Brown (San Francisco - G) - n/a (39, Arkansas State)

 

My take on the offensive linemen:   It's a shame that the focus has been on Tony Boselli, because there's a big-time mix of good talent here.  Most of these guys are either young and proven or old and untouchable.  I'm convinced that Ray Brown, Bruce Matthews, and Randall McDaniel are out there just because Houston won't take them.  However, there are some starters here that get your mind wondering.  Glenn Parker's too old, and Ryan Tucker and Roman Oben might be a bit too much money.  However, Brad Badger is a steal (he can start for a lot of ballclubs), Matthew Campbell played very well in Washington last year (if I'm thinking of the right guy), Kipp Kickers is inconsistent, but a good backup.  Could Ben Fricke start at center in the NFL?  It's probably a good idea to get him out of Stepnoski's shadow and let him try, I'd think.  

 

Follow my fantasy expansion draft (pick 8):  I'm taking Ackerman and Fricke at center, Badger, Campbell, and McKinney at the guard spots, and Tucker, Vickers, and Young at the tackles.  I didn't take Boselli because I'm trying to fill an entire roster here, not just 15-25 guys.  

 

Payers picked: 8 (31)

Total cap hit: $9,555,000 ($33.321 million left)

[Guest El Hijo Del Lunatic]

TIGHT ENDS

 

Freddie Jones (San Diego) - $4,018,000 (27, North Carolina)

Ken Dilger (Indanapolis) - $3,390,000 (31, Illinois)

Greg Clark (San Francisco) - $2,647,000 (29, Stanford)

*Tony McGee (Cincinnati) - $1,800,000 (30, Michigan)

Hunter Goodwin (Miami) - $1,450,000 (29, Texas A&M)

Brad Banta (Detroit) - $489,000 (31, USC)

Derek Rackley (Atlanta) - $389,000 (24, Minnesota)

*Johnny Huggins (Dallas) - $298,000 (25, Alabama St.)

Mike Solwold (Dallas) - $298,000 (24, Wisconsin)

Sean McDermott (Tampa Bay) - $298,000 (25, Kansas)

Jeff Thomason (Philadelphia) - n/a (32, Oregon)

 

My take on the tight ends:   Ken Dilger is the most interesting name on this board, and I think that anyone willing to break the bank on a TE would go after him, but Freddie Jones, Greg Clark, and Tony McGee can all play some ball as well.  Thomason's not bad, either.  The rest of the bunch is young and inexperienced.

 

Follow my fantasy expansion draft (pick 2):  McGee and Huggins.  I think McGee is still capable of catching forty to fifty balls a year.  He hasn't had a history of health problems, which is good, and the tight end is going to be needed in an offense new a completely revamped offensive line.  Huggins is a guy I like as a young, blocking tight end that conceivably I could work with.

 

Players picked: 2 (33)

Total cap hit: $2,098,000 ($31.223 million left)

[Guest El Hijo Del Lunatic]

WIDE RECEIVERS:

 

Derrick Alexander (Kansas City)- $5,703,000 (30, Michigan)

Keenan McCardell (Jacksonville) - $5,135,000 (32, UNLV)

Rob Moore (Arizona) - $4,500,000 (33, Syracuse)

Jermaine Lewis (Baltimore) - $4,164,000 (27, Maryland)

Chris Sanders (Tennessee) - $3,150,000 (29, Ohio State)

Kevin Lockett (Washington) - $1,250,000 (27, Kansas State)

Charlie Rogers (Seattle) - $563,000 (25, Georgia Tech)

Larry Parker (Kansas City) - $563,000 (25, USC)

Fabian Bownes (Seatlle) - $525,000 (29, Western Ill.)

Avion Black (Buffalo) - $433,000 (24, Tennessee St.)

Troy Walters (Minnesota) - $389,000 (25, Stanford)

Phil McGeoghan (Denver) - $298,000 (22, Maine)

Marcus Knight (Oakland) - $298,000 (23, Michigan)

Charles Johnson (New England) - n/a (30, Colorado)

Gari Scott (Philadelphia) - n/a (23, Michigan St.)

Troy Edwards (Pittsburgh) - n/a (24, La. Tech)

 

My take on the wide receivers:   What the hell?  Where are all the solid-but-unspectacular guys makind mid-range money?  Everyone over $3 million dollars is out, including Jermaine Lewis.  Why?  Because Charlie Rogers can do everything he can.  Avion Black is a guy high on everyone's list who played well last year.  Kevin Lockett's the only mid-range guy, and he didn't get thrown to a lot (read:  he did get "thrown to", but the ball wasn't anywhere near him, thanks to Tony Banks) in Washington.  Derrick Alexander is a guy who could put up HUGE numbers, but for more than $5 million bucks, that COULD needs to be a WILL.  I don't think Troy Edwards is making an exorbitant amount of money (probably $2 million) and can catch 50 balls if thrown to (he caught 60 as a rookie).  Slim pickins' otherwise, folks.  

 

Follow my fantasy expansion draft (pick 6):  SIX!?  What the hell?  Ok, ok, ok ... Lockett, Rogers, Edwards, Black, Knight, and Walters.  Here's praying Troy Edwards can emerge as a #1 and Black fleshes out.  Rogers gives me a dangerous kick returner, and Lockett can catch the deep ball.  Everone else draws special teams duty.  You happy now?

 

Players picked: 6 (39)

Total cap hit: $4,933,000 ($26.3 million left)

[Guest El Hijo Del Lunatic]

RUNNING BACKS:

 

James Stewart (Detroit) - $5,300,000 (30, Tennessee)

Jamal Anderson (Atlanta) - $4,000,000 (29, Utah)

Tim Biakabatuka (Carolina) - $2,725,000 (27, Michigan)

Michael Bates (Washington) - $800,000 (32, Arizona)

JJ Johnson (Miami) - $777,000 (27, Miss. St.)

Fred McCrary (San Diego) - $775,000 (too lazy AGAIN?)

Terry Kirby (Oakland) - $650,000 (31, Virginia)

Rodney Thomas (Altanta) - $610,000 (28, Texas A&M)

Autry Denson (Chicago) - $563,000 (25, Notre Dame)

Reuben Droughns (Detroit) - $389,000 (23, Oregon)

 

My take on the running backs:   Of the big-time running backs in this draft, James Stewart really hasn't proven too much in the league, and Biakabatuka's such an up-and-down runner, Jamal Anderson looks like the standout, if he can bounce back from injuries.  Johnson and Kirby never could stick on as starters anywhere.  Bates is a return man, straight-up.  The others are unproven youngsters, though Denson played well as a special teamer for the Bears.

 

Follow my fantasy expansion draft (pick 3):  Anderson, Denson, and Kirby.  Kirby can't start, but he's a good enough back-up at that price.  I've got some cap room, so I can work here, and if Anderson ever pays off, it's worth it.  Is it worth taking the gamble on him?  A three-time 1000 yard rusher who can catch 40 balls out of the backfield and runs the screen as good as anyone (except maybe Ricky Williams)?  You betcha.  And Autry Denson might start for you down the road a bit.

 

Players picked: 3 (42)

Total cap hit: $5,213,000 ($21.087 million left)

 

FULLBACKS:

 

Detron Smith (Denver) - $790,000 (27, Texas A&M)

Jon Witman (Pittsburgh) - n/a (too lazy)

Justin Watson (St. Louis) - $563,000 (26, San Diego St.)

 

My take on the fullbacks:   There aren't a lot, but these guys are good.  I'd be comfortable taking two of them.  Witman is a factorback more than anything, and Watson had a relatively solid 2000 campaign as a change-of-pace to Marshall Faulk.  

 

Follow my fantasy expansion draft (pick 2):   Score!  Watson and Witman.  I'd start Watson, but put in Witman on rushing downs.  I also feel relatively comfortable lining him up in a two-tight-end set - all for only (I'm almost positive) $563,000.

 

Players picked: 2 (44)

Total cap hit: $1,126,000 ($19.961 million left)

[Guest El Hijo Del Lunatic]

QUARTERBACKS:

 

Rob Johnson (Buffalo) - $11,225,000 (28, USC)

Chris Chandler (Atlanta) - $8,500,000 (36, Washington)

Jeff Blake (New Orleans) - $6,116,000 (31, East Carolina)

Charlie Batch (Detroit) - $2,638,000 (27, Eastern Michigan)

Danny Wuerffel (Chicago) - $555,000 (27, Florida)

Dave Dickenson (San Diego) - $313,000 (28, Montana)

 

My take on the quarterbacks:   You know what I think of Rob Johnson, because it's the same thing everyone else thinks of Rob Johnson (besides "get a haircut, hippie boy").  Chandler's too freakin' old to be of any use, and Jeff Blake can throw the deep ball, but that's about it.  Charlie Blake is the cheapest of the starting quarterbacks, the youngest, and probably the best all-around.  

 

Follow my fantasy expansion draft (pick 3):   Batch, Wuerffel, and Dickenson.  Why Wuerffel and Dickenson?  'Cause I'm not paying anyone more to back him up.  I'm perfectly comfortable with Danny Wuerffel taking off the clipboard, if need be.  I think.  Where's David Carr when I need him?

 

Players picked: 3 (47)

Total cap hit: $3,506,000 ($16.455 million left)

 

Well, that's all I got.  Add a punter, kicker, and 4 scrubs and you've got your team, buster.  It's not that bad a team, either, I don't think, if Anderson pans out, the line gels, and I can disguise my problems at cornerback.  Plus, there's plenty of cap room for draft picks and some free agent wheeling and dealing.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

Good choice by Houston staying away from anyone over 30. You can get experienced players around 27-28, who will be around longer than someone that's 32-33.

[Guest rmitchen]

One problem with your fantasy draft.

 

You did not follow the rules. For example, you picked all 5 St. Louis Rams players. I'm pretty sure only 2 can get selected from the same team.

 

Good read though.

[Guest El Hijo Del Lunatic]

I was also trying to fill out an entire roster - something Houston's not trying to do.  Since I wanted to pick at least 44 guys, I had to leave everybody out on the board pretty much.  I couldn't pull people back if I wanted to field a team that was reasonably competitive.  Houston really doesn't need to worry about that - they have people on their roster already (some who have started in the league previously).

 

I think the point that Marvin was trying to make before is that most of the bigger names (especially on the lines) are 30 and over.  Guys like Romanowski, Chandler, Rob Moore, Keenan McCardell, Randall McDaniel, Mark Stepnoski, Rob Burnett and Santana Dotson are very good to excellent players that might have enough juice to let you win some games NOW, rather than later.  When I think of "building for the future", though, I think of 2 years from now.  And if there's a guy there who's 31 or 32 that can play at a high level until he's 35, I'll take him.