Cut and Pasted from a thread in the IDP forum...i wish i had the RAY RAY trade to do over.
This is not an advice thread, just my account of how I am rebuilding my team.
IT IS VERY LONG but I tried to give as much insight as to what I was doing as possible. If you have any comments good or bad thats fine. If you could care less then move along. My intent is to share how I am handling a rebuild and if that can help someone either from learning from something i did well or learning from a mistake then thats great...Now on to the rebuild!
Well my favorite league is a 16 team IDP Dynasty league with 35 rosters and 12 player Rookie Taxi Squads
it is also a contract league, we get $50/yr every year after RFA and the money can carry over.
Starting requirements: 1QB, 1RB, 2WR, 1TE, 2Flex(RB,WR,TE), 1K, 2-3DL, 2-3LB, 2-3DB(tot. 8 def starters)
tackles 2pts, assists 1pt, sacks 2pts, int2pts, PD1.5pts, offensive scoring is perfor with ppr...
History:
2003 was the leagues first year and my first draft pick was:
Corey Dillon at 1.13 followed by William Green at 2.4
I went on to win my Division in year 1 but got bounced in the playoffs mainly because of a monster game by Portis
2004 & 2005 my team was besieged with injuries
2006 I decided its time to rebuild...i sorta tried to retool in 05 and got hammered with injuries and was gonna retool in 06 but decided to do a complete and total tear down and rebuild from the ground up:
This is what my last starting lineup of 2005 looked like:
contract length is what it was after the last game.
Hasslebeck(1)
Dillon(RFA)
Holt(2), Kennison(1), Ward(RFA), Glenn(RFA)
LJ Smith(5)
Kaeding(3)
Strahan(RFA), JHenderson(RFA)
Pierce(6), Bockwoldt(3),MarkBrown(1)
STaylor(8),Chavous(1), THolt(RFA)
also note that Ray Ray(2) & Winslow(8) were both on IR
My DTS at the end of last yr looked like this:
Mauck, Pickett, VanPelt, Seneca Wallace
Shaud Williams, Quincy Wilson
McCune, Jared Newberry
Josh Bullocks, Considine, Rashad Washington, Fabian Washington
Here is a list of some notable players that will be availabe in RFA this coming year:
QBs: Hasslebeck, Brees & Delhomme
RBs: Tiki, Edge, Thomas Jones, Barlow, Betts & Rhodes
WRs: Chad Johnson, Boldin, DJax, Plaxico, Bryant, Kennison, Galloway & Bruce
TEs: Heap, Shockey & Gonzo(we can start 2 TEs and they get 1ppr everyone else gets .5/recp)
DLs: Osi, Suggs, JTaylor, Burgess, Freeney, Kapmann, Mathis & Kevin Williams
LBs: Bulluck, Witherspoon, MPeterson, Briggs, Fletcher, ZachT, June, DEdwards, PisaT, LMarshall, Crowell & Brooks
DBs: Adrian Wilson, Rhonde, Polamalu
I currently have the most money to spend in RFA and will give each teams totals at the very end.
so here is a chronicle of the rebuild...I will refer to my team as
TEAM R(for rebuild)
contracts will be listed (x) after players names
1st deal was back in March:
Trade 1
TEAM R gave up Lewis, Ray BAL LB(2)
Team Left Coast gave up Ulbrich, Jeff SFO LB(2); Rook pick 8.11
& $9
back in march i was leary of Ray being able to return to his former self and conversely expected big things from Ulbrich this year(boy was I wrong)...I figured if Ulbrich really blew up I would be able to deal him for good value or with at least have a decent LB the following year...cash was because I was going to target Lamont Jordan in RFA...overall I think I lost on this deal and would have gotten much more for Ray Ray now vs then...but it was a piece of the puzzle that lead me to decide to do the complete tear down.
after the Ray Ray trade I started to look long and hard at my team and what I saw was a bunch of guys with one year contracts and some talented RFAs....so I i pondered do i make a move in this years RFA and try for a one year run at the title again(that didnt work so well last yr) or do I go into rebuild mode...it wasnt an easy decision but with only Corey Dillon(RFA) as my only RB my future didnt look bright so the rebuild was on...i started shopping everyone on my roster and the following are trades that took place...at the end I will post what my team looks like now...
Trade 2
TEAM R gave up the RIGHTS to Strahan, Michael NYG DE(RFA)
Team Coffee sends $4.
Strahan was an RFA(restricted free agent, owner has matching rights) and his age didnt fit with my rebuild so I figured I would deal him for some cash for future aquisitions
Trade 3
TEAM R gave up RIGHTS to Ward, Hines PIT WR(RFA)
Team Dawgs gave up $7
Note that Ward was anohter RFA and I really didnt like the pitt offense going forward and figured Ward would cost to much to keep in RFA, getting $7 for his rights was a very nice deal
Trade 4
TEAM R gave up Kennison, Eddie KCC WR(1)
Team Crush gave up Rook pick 2.13, Rook pick 4.14
& $5
Kennison was on a one year deal so I figured I should get as much value out of him as I can because I figured that a decline was very possible this yr, so I looked for a team that was weak at WR but looking to challenge for their div title.
Trade 5
TEAM R gave up Hasselbeck, Matt SEA QB(1)
Team Left Coast gave up Rook pick 1.11 and 3.11
& $3
Well considering Hasslebeck was my only starting QB, I was now at the point of no return. Could I have gotten more cash in the deal? Probably but overall I was pretty happy with the deal and 1.11 was used to help me move up and aquire AJ Hawk in our Rook Draft.
Trade 6
TEAM R gave up Dillon, Corey NEP RB(RFA);Holt, Torry STL WR(2);Henderson, John JAC DT(RFA)
Team Relocate gave up Engram, Bobby SEA WR(1)
Rook picks 1.1 and 3.1
The deal that netted me my RB of the future REGGIE BUSH...I was one of the guys that passed on LT for Bennett(different league) a few years ago...I wasnt a complete Bush disciple but I couldnt pass on him like i did on LT. It wasnt easy to deal Holt and his 2 yr contract(only he and Ray Ray had more then a 1yr contract in all my deals)
Trade 7
TEAM R gave up RIGHTS to Glenn, Terry DAL WR(RFA)
Team Coffee sends $2.
another RFA WR that didn't fit into my rebuild so getting something was better then letting him walk in RFA
Trade 8
TEAM R gave up Faulk, Marshall STL RB(1)
Team Midget sends $7
Well in his defense he owned SJAX and with me rebuilding he was the odds on fav to win our div and it was prior to any real bad news on marshall...i made out like a bandit on this deal
Trade 9
TEAM R gave up Engram, Bobby SEA WR(1)
Team Chef Boyardee gave up Moore, Clarence BAL WR(1) or DTS I cant remember
& $2
Engram wasnt gonna help me this yr, and i probably could have gotten more if i had waited until there was major worries about DJax knee.
Trade 10
TEAM R gave up rook pick 1.07 & 1.11
Team Midget gave up rook pick 1.04; 2007 Round 5 Draft Pick
I worked this trade and the next trade at the same time...i really wanted Hawk and was afraid he would go at 1.6...so all by itself i dont like this deal much but coupled with the next deal I think it worked out for me. However, in hindsight I would probably have passed on the next deal and taken maroney at 1.4
Trade 11
TEAM R gave up rook pick 1.04 & rook pick 3.01
Team Bourbon gave up rook pick 1.06; rook pick 1.16; rook pick 2.06; rook pick 5.06
pretty much summed up how i felt about this deal above...they were tied together and I wouldnt have agreed to one without having the other lined up.
Trade 12
TEAM Rgave up Year rook pick 4.14 & 4.16
Team Tasty Cakes gave up rook pick 3.13
This trade was all about getting Derek Hagan, who I see being a very good #2 WR in MIA in a year or 2.
Trade 13
TEAM R gave up Haynes, Verron PIT RB(2), 2007 Round 3 Draft Pick
Team Crush gave up rook pick 3.14
Basically I was working trade 12 and 13 at the same time because I wanted 2 specific players Derek Hagan and Thomas Howard...also fwiw the Crush owner has FWP
Trade 14
TEAM R gave up McCune, Robert FA LB(DTS);Considine, Sean PHI S(DTS)
Team Bourbon gave up $3
This deal took place right before final roster declaration and I was going to cut both players from my DTS so getting $3 was worth it...in hindsight I kinda wish i had given considine a contract to see how he turns out...but DB is always deep so no worries.
Trade 15
TEAM R gave up Cundiff, Billy FA PK(1)
Team Clinton gives $1
Well cundiff was my 3rd kicker at the time and another team needed a 2nd kicker so I sold him for a buck and it was of course before he was cut by the pack.
Trade 16
TEAM R gave up $10
Team Clinton gave up RIGHTS to Chambers, Chris MIA WR(RFA)
2007 3rd and 2007 5th rook picks
This deal sorta came back to bite me in the butt for a bit, I basically wanted chambers as a building block for my recvrs and figured that if i owned his rights i would just be able to match the current high bid and be done..but we have a special rule that allowed the high bidder to up his bid... and he upped it to $28...now I am pretty heavily invested in Chambers so I couldnt let him walk and yet I didnt want to spend that much on him...so i matched and then started shopping him right after RFA finished up
Trade 17
TEAM R gave up Jackson, Tarvaris MIN QB(DTS)
Team Coffee gave up Croyle, Brodie KCC QB(DTS); Year 2007 Round 6 Rook Pick
& $3
I really like TJax upside but he is raw and I think Croyle has just as good an opportunity in front of him in KC, plus i get more money and a draft pick...whats not to like(lots if TJax pans out and Croyle doesnt, but my fingers are crossed)...add to that team coffee is a vikes fan
Trade 18
TEAM R gave up Burleson, Nate SEA WR(1);Chambers, Chris MIA WR(OPEN);Robinson, Koren GBP WR(1)
Team Clinton gave up Chatman, Antonio CIN WR;Davis, Andre' BUF WR;Johnson, Kevin FA WR
& $54
Well as I stated earlier I was gonna shop Chambers after RFA and for a bit I thought i was gonna have to keep him(remember I wasnt happy with what his cost was to me)...but then the team that initially gave up on him in RFA opened his wallet, and he did so in a big big way...to the tune of $54(we only get $50/yr). I didnt expect anything much at all from the dead weight WRs i got(but i did think Davis could have some value in Buff, looks like i was wrong)...all in all I am VERY happy with this deal.
Trade 19
TEAM Rgave up Year 2007 Round 8 Rook Pick
Team Coffee gave up Gregg, Kelly BAL DT(1)
I needed to add a DL to my team for the year and was looking to add one without spending any cash on the wire. I didnt expect much from Gregg but he has been a nice player this yr.
Trade 20
TEAM R gave up Smith, L.J. PHI TE(5)
Team Coffee gave up Jackson, Vincent SDC WR(DTS);Scobee, Josh JAC PK(4);Kiwanuka, Mathias NYG DE(DTS); Year 2007 Round 3 Rook Pick, 2007 Round 5 Draft Pick
I hated giving up LJ Smith, I have been one of his biggest proponents the past 2 yrs, but my other WR is winslow who has an 8yr contract so i felt i had the ability to deal LJ Smith. What I loved was getting another WR that I think will be a beast in a year or so in Vincent Jackson then you have the upside of KIWI at DL(Jared Allen already on my roster) and a couple of extra picks. IMO a very nice deal, but it was good for both parties.
Trade 21
TEAM R gave up Pierce, Antonio NYG LB(6)
Team Goat Humper gave up Year 2007 Round 1 Rook Pick; Year 2007 Round 2 Rook Pick
& $25
This deal was also a hard one to do because Pierce is one of my favorite players but a team that is rebuilding finds it very hard to turn down a 1st and 2nd and $25. The team that got pierce really needed him, his team is anchored on offense by LT and ALexander yet he has never made the playoffs in this league, pierce seemed to be a piece that could help him get over that hump. This trade was pre-injury to Alexander.
Trade 22
TEAM R gave up Becht, Anthony TBB TE(1);Thornton, David TEN LB(1);Chavous, Corey STL S(1); Year 2007 Round 4 Rook Pick
Team Relocate gave up Wilson, Cedrick PIT WR(1);Arrington, Lavar NYG LB(2);Surtain, Patrick KCC CB(1)
& $12
Well thorton was playing so well I decided with bye weeks it was a good time to shop him, the team that dealt for him is 4-1(never made the playoffs before) and had some issues with the bye at LB & TE. He also happens to be playing another 4-1 team and one of them could end up winning the wild card leaving the other on the outside looking in. For me it was about the cash! The players i got were more to make the contracts work on his side more then anything else.
Trade 23
TEAM R gave up RGould (1)
Team Toke gave up JHanson (1) and $1
I already have NKaeding (3) and JScobee(4) under contract at the kicking position, i wanted to try and get some money for gould....i sent a PM to this owner, I accidentally typed in Hanson and $1 when I meant to type $2, but he resonded he would take the deal so I honored it...i knew at that point I was also going to try and turn hanson into $1 to net $2 on what would have been a player I would have let go for NOTHING in RFA
Trade 24
TEAM R gave up JHanson (1)
Team Midget gave up $1
There I was able to net $2 from my 3rd kicker position that would have just walked away in RFA(i wouldnt have wasted a dime to match a 3rd kicker with the needs i have)
Trade 25
TEAM R gave up KGregg (1)
Team Midget gave up BPoppinga (1yr) & $1
I was able to land a starting LB to help cover a bye issue as well as bank an extra $1 for a DL that is a having a banner year, DL are like TEs for the most part but getting something for him was better then nothing...I highly doubt I would have matched him in RFA this upcoming year if I didnt deal him
Trade 26
TEAM R gave up AJ Hawk(DTS) Jon Alston(DTS)
Team Coffee gave up Jason Campbell(DTS), Abdul Hodge(DTS), JJ Arrington(5)
6th round rook pick in 2007 & $2
One of the reasons i never assigned Hawk a contract was i figured if an opportunity presented itself to trade him to a contending team the contract I assigned would possibly limit my trade partners. Sure enough a contender will lose Merriman for 4 games(pending the appeal)...and in return i did take on some risk, Campbell isnt guaranteed to be the heir but with nothing at QB yet I figured specualtion on him was worth it, if he is the heir having Al Saunders as an OC isnt a bad thing and Washington does have some very nice offensive weapons. In Hodge there is the chance he lands on the Strong Side next yr but my money is that Barnett leaves GB and hodge will inherit a ver productive MLB spot. The 6th rounder and cash were to help offset some of the risk that I did take on. This is either going to be a deal i look back on very fondly or one that will make me question myself for a long time. However, considering the quality LBs that will be available in RFA I figured this deal is worth the risk. The JJ Arrington part of it was to make the deal work contract wise, but it seems that JJ may not have been the problem in Zona and Edge isnt getting any younger. If JJ turns into anything at all its pure gravy.
Trade 27
TEAM R gave up 7th round rook pick in 2007
Team Bourbon gave up Rod Gardner (1)
I lost clarence moore when he was cut by balt. Actually he was inactive for every week except 2 and I didnt realize that. At least Gardner is an active player that sees the field. This move was just to help me field an active lineup. I considered keeping the draft pick and activating Derek Hagan but reassesed that and didnt think that would be wise with the disaray that Miami is in right now.
Trade 28
TEAM R gave up: Kellen Winslow(8), Kiwanuka(4) & Shaun Williams(2)
Team Clinton gave up: Carnell Williams(5), Courtney Anderson(2), Ryan Pickett(1)
Stephen Cooper(3), Matt Wilhelm(3), Michael Lewis(4)
I found it pretty hard to give up Winslow thus leaving me with virtually nothing at TE(CAnderson) but with Bush on my DTS and staring 1.1 or 1.2 in the face i wasnt able to pass up on Caddy. Caddy is having a bad year but the entire bucs offense is in disarray and next yr the oline should be better and hopefully so is Caddy. Caddy Bush and 1.1 or 1.2 is going to give me 3 very nice young RBs to continue this build around.
Also think I may have landed the next LB to take over for Donnie Edwards in SD in Cooper or Wilhelm and
hopefully Michael Lewis ends up with another team next year and is a starter at SS(I think he will be).
WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS
Justin Fargas(2) $1
RandelEl(1) $1
Caleb Miller(1) $1
OK to help digest all that, if it was one huge trade it would look like this:
So when all is said and done I got the following:
$103net(recd 141 but sent 10 to Team Clinton, matched chambers at $28)
1.1, 1.6, 1.11, 2.6, 2.13, 3.11, 3.14, 5.6, 8.11
the following 2007 draft picks: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, 5th, 5th, 6th
Croyle(DTS) Campbell(DTS)
Carnell Williams(5), JJ Arrington(5)
VJackson(DTS), CWilson 1yr, CMoore(DTS,I think), AChatman 1yr, ADavis 1yr, Kevin Johnson 1yr, RGardner 1yr
Courtney Anderson(2)
Scobee 4yrs
Pickett(1)
Ulbrich 2yrs(who i had very high hopes for :( ), LArrington 2yrs Poppinga 1yr, Wilhelm(3), Cooper(3), Hodge(DTS)
Surtain 1yr MLewis(4)
What did I give up?
1.4, 1.7, 1.11, 3.1, 4.14, 4.16
3rd, 4th 7th and 8th round picks in 2007
Hasslebeck 1yr, Tavaris Jackson(DTS)
Dillon(RFA), Haynes 2yrs, MFaulk 1yr
Holt 2yrs, Kennison 1yr, Glenn(RFA), Ward(RFA), Chambers(OPEN), Krob 1yr, Burleson 1yr, Engram 1yr
LJ Smith 5yrs, Becht 1yr KWinslow(8)
Cundiff 1yr or open cant remember(but he did get cut) Gould(1) Hanson(1)
JHenderson(RFA), Strahan(RFA) KGregg 1yr Kiwi(4)
Pierce 6yrs, Ray Ray 2yrs, Thornton 1yr, McCune(DTS) AJ Hawk(DTS) JAlston(DTS)
Chavous 1yr, Considine(DTS) SWilliams(2)
So now what does my team look like today?
Nall(3), Seneca Wallace(2), Mike McMahon(1)
Caddy(5), KFaulk(1), Shaud Williams(1), PPass(1) JJ Arrington (5), JFargas(2-WWpickup)
Sinorice Moss(6),CWilson(1), CMoore(1),AChatman(1),ADavis(1) RGardner(1), RandelEl(1-WWpickup)
CAnderson(2)
Kaeding(3), Scobee(4),
JaredAllen(2), Pickett(1), Stroud(2),
Wilhelm(3), Cooper(3) Arrington(2), Bockwoldt(3) Ulbrich(2) Poppinga(1), CalebMiller(1-WWpickup)
STaylor(8), JoshBullocks(3),MLewis(4), Demps(2), Surtain(1), Cedrick Griffin(3)
Chad Greenway is on IR with a 5yr Contract
My DTS:
KClemens, Croyle
Jason Campbell
Reggie Bush
Vincent Jackson, DHagan, Demitrius Williams, JWebb
THoward, AHodge, Gaither, Jamar Williams
Ok now remember this group of upcoming RFA players:
Here is a list of some notable players that will be availabe in RFA this coming year:
QBs: Hasslebeck, Brees & Delhomme
RBs: Tiki, Edge, Thomas Jones, Barlow, Betts & Rhodes
WRs: Chad Johnson, Boldin, DJax, Plaxico, Bryant, Kennison, Galloway & Bruce
TEs: Heap, Shockey & Gonzo(we can start 2 TEs and they get 1ppr everyone else gets .5/recp)
DLs: Osi, Suggs, JTaylor, Burgess, Freeney, Kapmann, Mathis & Kevin Williams
LBs: Bulluck, Witherspoon, MPeterson, Briggs, Fletcher, ZachT, June, DEdwards, PisaT, LMarshall, Crowell & Brooks
DBs: Adrian Wilson, Rhonde, Polamalu
Here is a listing of what teams have for cash as of today(10/25/2006)and we wont get anymore cash until after RFA 2007. So if somone wants more cash they have to trade to get it from someone else:
I have $205(23% of the league money)
My divison mates have: $62, $48 & $36
The other div in my conf has: $55*, $42, $17, $9**
*Owns bullock, spoon, shockey and brees
** has no notable RFAs and a very very good team(SB favorite imo)
The other Conf has:
Div A
$110*, $69**, $45, $34
*owns Hasslebeck & TSuggs
** owns Edge, Delhomme & Boldin
Div B
$45, $45, $35, $28
as a whole there is currently: $885 of which I own 22.6%
I think that with the amount of money that I have along with my current DTS and the
draft picks I have next year(2-1sts, 2-2nds, 2-3rds, 4-5ths, 2-6ths & a 7th) that I should be able to
turn this team around rather quickly...If I am really fortunate maybe even contend for a playoff spot
next year.
Currently I do sit as the worst team in the league but believe it or not I won my 1st game of the season(that team is currently in 1st place in our division) and that was because another team finally won its first game of the season this past week. More then likely I am looking at a top3 pick but could easily be as low as 1.5 or as high as 1.1...only time will tell...until then this year will absolutely kill me but I cant wait for next RFA and Rookie Draft...I will have to come back and give an update after RFA and then the Rook draft next yr.