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QUARTERBACKS
The starter for Lansing in 2003 and 2004, Milan Costanzo (~50, 7exp) was replaced by phenom Todd Terrell after a rough start to the 2005 season. In 16 starts in 2004, Costanzo completed 55.7% of his passes for 2,919 yards along with 16 TD's and 13 INT's. Seals signal caller, Jared Mulcahy (~35, 7exp), had one of the best seasons for a quarterback in 2003 when he passed for over 4,000 yards and threw for 28 touchdowns. Harsh reality set in when a serious injury sidelined him for the majority of the 2004 season. After sitting for nearly the entire 2005 season, Mulcahy is determined to make a comback despite what one critic called a "detrimental loss of skills".
Likely to be tagged/signed: Devon Taylor (~75, 6exp, Tulsa), Leslie Steiner (~70, 6exp, Reno)
Likely to retire: Johnie Loving (~55, 17exp, Madison)
Who else: Jessie Garcia (~35, 15exp, Orlando)
CONCLUSION: B- --Costanzo is a legit IFL starter who just needs a new team. Mulcahy could probably start for some teams. If not, he's a helluva second option to have. Loving may not retire - no really.
RUNNINGBACKS
One can only imagine what it would be like to be in the stable of a team owned by such an outlandish owner as Suicane. Dominique Winton (~40, 4exp) knows first hand. After starting in the Cardinals backfield for 17 games in 2003 and 2004 (and rushing for 1,200 yards), Winton ended up in the doghouse in 2005. Signed by Tulsa to a hefty one-year deal in the middle of the season, Winton didn't look too shabby for the Eagles in three games. Gaston Lomeli (~40, 4exp) looks to be heading on to the open market after three productive seasons in Oakland, one in which was the full-time starter. In 2003 he rushed for 1,248 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Likely to be tagged/signed: Bennett Jones (~50, 4exp, Louisiana)
Who else: Wallace Marciano (~35, 8exp, Hartford)
CONCLUSION: C --No clear-cut starter in this year's FA RB crop, but perhaps Lomeli will open some eyes. Will Jones be re-signed?
FULLBACKS
You know something is wrong when the top free agent at a position is already in the free agent pool. And that appears to be the case for FA fullbacks as long as a few teams use their tags to re-sign their currently unsigned players. Clarence Johnson (~40, 8exp) is pure power and not much else. Now go grab him.
Likely to be tagged/signed: Michael Saucedo (~85, 8exp, Iowa City), Sheldon Mendez (~75, 5exp, Murfreesboro), William Dostie (~80, 7exp, Hartford)
Who else: Your mom
CONCLUSION: D- --'D' minus only because of the 0.1% chance that one of the previously mentioned guys doesn't get tagged by mistake.
TIGHT ENDS
Jarrett Bracy (~50, 8exp) has mainly been used as a blocker in his time with the Stallions. It may have to do with his horrendous route running more than anything else. In 3 seasons, including 20 starts, Bracy has caught 29 passes for 345 yards and 3 touchdowns. The disgruntled Olen Hersh (~40, 6exp) has started in 7 of the 42 games that he's played for Anchorage, racking up gaudy numbers of 11 receptions for 78 yards.
Who else: Take your pick of Larry, Moe, or Curly
CONCLUSION: D+ --I've come to the point where I question why I do these free agent preview things. These guys just plain suck.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Until Ed Gaylor's breakout year this season, Neal Khan (~45, 7exp) was Devon Taylor's go-to receiver in Tulsa. A three-year starter, Khan is 18th in career receptions in the IFL with 187. This season, he caught 67 passes for 853 yards and 8 touchdowns. Khan also had a league-high 12 drops in 2005. Veteran Antoine Jessie (~45, 9exp) has been primarily a starter for the now-rebuilding Grizzlies. Known for being able to make what look like impossible catches, Jessie has caught 118 balls for 1,397 and 5 touchdowns in his 3-year career.
Likely to be tagged/signed: Max Brown (~70, 8exp, Vermont), Lenny Romano (~70, 7exp, Lawrence), Jonathan Corso (~45, 9exp, Dakota)
Who else: Hector McCall (~45, 5exp, Tulsa), Michal Hill (~40, 5exp, Texas)
CONCLUSION: C --Khan would be a good second option to have on just about any team. There's a couple of other decent guys out there too.
CENTERS
Marlin Palma (~40, 6exp) was an unrestricted free agent after last season before being signed by Anchorage. Well, he'll be one again since he only signed a one-year deal and it's highly unlikely that the Lynx will franchise such an average starter. Palma has a career key run block percentage of 25 in 32 games, 5 of which were starts.
Likely to be tagged/signed: Richard Mahler (~70, 7exp, Houston), Issac Arriola (~65, 5exp, Lansing)
Who else: Theodore Mayberry (~35, 6exp, Columbia)
CONCLUSION: D --Get your centers somewhere else. Most of these guys have been in the free agent pool before.
GUARDS
Albert Elston (~50, 11exp) is another Lansing player whose contract status is up in the air. Health has never been a concern for the 11-year vet, so retirement seems unlikely at this point in his career. In 48 starts Elston has a key run block percentage of 26.6 along with 12 sacks allowed. After being released in the preseason by the Matadors, Joseph Scheel (~50, 7exp) was signed by Orlando to a one-year deal. While he had fewer problems blocking the pass than he did in the past, his run blocking percentage dropped a good deal. Over his three-year career, Scheel has managed a 32.9 run blocking percentage and has allowed 21 sacks in 44 games (31 starts).
Likely to be tagged/signed: Ethan Lerner (~60, 5exp, Columbia)
Likely to retire: Ronald Stevens (~65, 5exp, Anchorage), Steven Autry (~50, 14exp, Orlando)
Who else: James Brockway (~45, 12exp, Hartford), David Laurent (~40, 7exp, Wichita), Alexander Neel (~40, 6exp, Madison)
CONCLUSION: c+ --There's a few guys that you could plug into your line and have few worries about. Keep an eye on Ronald Stevens. Will he recover from knee surgery or will he retire?
TACKLES
The Grizzlies acquired Robert Lucas (~50, 7exp) in a midseason trade with Wichita in 2004. Since then, he's been nothing but reliable. Before the job was handed over to Kyle Hartman, Lucas had a key run block percentage over 40 in 29 games (19 starts). A starter on the 2003 Imperial Champ Pirates team, Albert Stacey (~40, 8exp) has primarily been a depth option for Orlando since then. His career stats include a 36.7 key run block percentage and 7 sacks allowed in 37 games (20 starts).
Likely to be tagged/signed: Irwin Kao (~90, 9exp, Newark)
Who else: I dunno
CONCLUSION: D+ -- Lucas is a starter and will draw plenty of attention. Especially because there are very few other options.
KICKERS
Things don't look good for anyone looking for a new kicker this offseason. The best option may very well be Reno's Lynwood Gebhart (~40, 16exp). Gebhart has now been on 3 teams in 3 years, but don't let that fool you. With stints in Fresno, Dakota, and Reno, he has put up very good career numbers. Gebhart has made 53 of 60 field goals and has only missed one extra point in 62 attempts.
Who else Ray Clark (~40, 8exp, Reno)
CONCLUSION: D --You'd be better off bringing in a rookie or waiting for a veteran to be released in the preseason.
The starter for Lansing in 2003 and 2004, Milan Costanzo (~50, 7exp) was replaced by phenom Todd Terrell after a rough start to the 2005 season. In 16 starts in 2004, Costanzo completed 55.7% of his passes for 2,919 yards along with 16 TD's and 13 INT's. Seals signal caller, Jared Mulcahy (~35, 7exp), had one of the best seasons for a quarterback in 2003 when he passed for over 4,000 yards and threw for 28 touchdowns. Harsh reality set in when a serious injury sidelined him for the majority of the 2004 season. After sitting for nearly the entire 2005 season, Mulcahy is determined to make a comback despite what one critic called a "detrimental loss of skills".
Likely to be tagged/signed: Devon Taylor (~75, 6exp, Tulsa), Leslie Steiner (~70, 6exp, Reno)
Likely to retire: Johnie Loving (~55, 17exp, Madison)
Who else: Jessie Garcia (~35, 15exp, Orlando)
CONCLUSION: B- --Costanzo is a legit IFL starter who just needs a new team. Mulcahy could probably start for some teams. If not, he's a helluva second option to have. Loving may not retire - no really.
RUNNINGBACKS
One can only imagine what it would be like to be in the stable of a team owned by such an outlandish owner as Suicane. Dominique Winton (~40, 4exp) knows first hand. After starting in the Cardinals backfield for 17 games in 2003 and 2004 (and rushing for 1,200 yards), Winton ended up in the doghouse in 2005. Signed by Tulsa to a hefty one-year deal in the middle of the season, Winton didn't look too shabby for the Eagles in three games. Gaston Lomeli (~40, 4exp) looks to be heading on to the open market after three productive seasons in Oakland, one in which was the full-time starter. In 2003 he rushed for 1,248 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Likely to be tagged/signed: Bennett Jones (~50, 4exp, Louisiana)
Who else: Wallace Marciano (~35, 8exp, Hartford)
CONCLUSION: C --No clear-cut starter in this year's FA RB crop, but perhaps Lomeli will open some eyes. Will Jones be re-signed?
FULLBACKS
You know something is wrong when the top free agent at a position is already in the free agent pool. And that appears to be the case for FA fullbacks as long as a few teams use their tags to re-sign their currently unsigned players. Clarence Johnson (~40, 8exp) is pure power and not much else. Now go grab him.
Likely to be tagged/signed: Michael Saucedo (~85, 8exp, Iowa City), Sheldon Mendez (~75, 5exp, Murfreesboro), William Dostie (~80, 7exp, Hartford)
Who else: Your mom
CONCLUSION: D- --'D' minus only because of the 0.1% chance that one of the previously mentioned guys doesn't get tagged by mistake.
TIGHT ENDS
Jarrett Bracy (~50, 8exp) has mainly been used as a blocker in his time with the Stallions. It may have to do with his horrendous route running more than anything else. In 3 seasons, including 20 starts, Bracy has caught 29 passes for 345 yards and 3 touchdowns. The disgruntled Olen Hersh (~40, 6exp) has started in 7 of the 42 games that he's played for Anchorage, racking up gaudy numbers of 11 receptions for 78 yards.
Who else: Take your pick of Larry, Moe, or Curly
CONCLUSION: D+ --I've come to the point where I question why I do these free agent preview things. These guys just plain suck.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Until Ed Gaylor's breakout year this season, Neal Khan (~45, 7exp) was Devon Taylor's go-to receiver in Tulsa. A three-year starter, Khan is 18th in career receptions in the IFL with 187. This season, he caught 67 passes for 853 yards and 8 touchdowns. Khan also had a league-high 12 drops in 2005. Veteran Antoine Jessie (~45, 9exp) has been primarily a starter for the now-rebuilding Grizzlies. Known for being able to make what look like impossible catches, Jessie has caught 118 balls for 1,397 and 5 touchdowns in his 3-year career.
Likely to be tagged/signed: Max Brown (~70, 8exp, Vermont), Lenny Romano (~70, 7exp, Lawrence), Jonathan Corso (~45, 9exp, Dakota)
Who else: Hector McCall (~45, 5exp, Tulsa), Michal Hill (~40, 5exp, Texas)
CONCLUSION: C --Khan would be a good second option to have on just about any team. There's a couple of other decent guys out there too.
CENTERS
Marlin Palma (~40, 6exp) was an unrestricted free agent after last season before being signed by Anchorage. Well, he'll be one again since he only signed a one-year deal and it's highly unlikely that the Lynx will franchise such an average starter. Palma has a career key run block percentage of 25 in 32 games, 5 of which were starts.
Likely to be tagged/signed: Richard Mahler (~70, 7exp, Houston), Issac Arriola (~65, 5exp, Lansing)
Who else: Theodore Mayberry (~35, 6exp, Columbia)
CONCLUSION: D --Get your centers somewhere else. Most of these guys have been in the free agent pool before.
GUARDS
Albert Elston (~50, 11exp) is another Lansing player whose contract status is up in the air. Health has never been a concern for the 11-year vet, so retirement seems unlikely at this point in his career. In 48 starts Elston has a key run block percentage of 26.6 along with 12 sacks allowed. After being released in the preseason by the Matadors, Joseph Scheel (~50, 7exp) was signed by Orlando to a one-year deal. While he had fewer problems blocking the pass than he did in the past, his run blocking percentage dropped a good deal. Over his three-year career, Scheel has managed a 32.9 run blocking percentage and has allowed 21 sacks in 44 games (31 starts).
Likely to be tagged/signed: Ethan Lerner (~60, 5exp, Columbia)
Likely to retire: Ronald Stevens (~65, 5exp, Anchorage), Steven Autry (~50, 14exp, Orlando)
Who else: James Brockway (~45, 12exp, Hartford), David Laurent (~40, 7exp, Wichita), Alexander Neel (~40, 6exp, Madison)
CONCLUSION: c+ --There's a few guys that you could plug into your line and have few worries about. Keep an eye on Ronald Stevens. Will he recover from knee surgery or will he retire?
TACKLES
The Grizzlies acquired Robert Lucas (~50, 7exp) in a midseason trade with Wichita in 2004. Since then, he's been nothing but reliable. Before the job was handed over to Kyle Hartman, Lucas had a key run block percentage over 40 in 29 games (19 starts). A starter on the 2003 Imperial Champ Pirates team, Albert Stacey (~40, 8exp) has primarily been a depth option for Orlando since then. His career stats include a 36.7 key run block percentage and 7 sacks allowed in 37 games (20 starts).
Likely to be tagged/signed: Irwin Kao (~90, 9exp, Newark)
Who else: I dunno
CONCLUSION: D+ -- Lucas is a starter and will draw plenty of attention. Especially because there are very few other options.
KICKERS
Things don't look good for anyone looking for a new kicker this offseason. The best option may very well be Reno's Lynwood Gebhart (~40, 16exp). Gebhart has now been on 3 teams in 3 years, but don't let that fool you. With stints in Fresno, Dakota, and Reno, he has put up very good career numbers. Gebhart has made 53 of 60 field goals and has only missed one extra point in 62 attempts.
Who else Ray Clark (~40, 8exp, Reno)
CONCLUSION: D --You'd be better off bringing in a rookie or waiting for a veteran to be released in the preseason.
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