Tony Sparano's career continues

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This is the continuation of my old dynasty with Tony Sparano. I won 3 Superbowls with Miami, so I decided I need a new challenge and stepped down after the 2013 season. The entire story so far can be found here:
http://www.operationsports.com/forum...ns-career.html

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Breaking News:

Tony Sparano named new Chargers coach

After leading the Miami Dolphins to three Superbowls in four years, coach Tony Sparano felt he needed a new challenge and resigned. After considering several offers he finally made up his mind and accepted the job with the San Diego Chargers.



I initially had planned to take over a team in the NFC but the Redskins were the only NFC opening and after checking their overall situation (roster, coaches, GM, cap, draft picks) I decided that the Chargers' offer was much more tempting.

The team already has a decent roster but most players are past their primes and overpaid. Due to the fact that I changed teams after the Superbowl, the staff hiring/firing is already over, so I have to work with what's in place. The Chargers have a very good GM, which should make it easier to draft well. This, paired with some of the things mentioned above, ultimately led to my decision to take over the Chargers.


Coming up:
What to expect - Coach Sparano talks stategy and philosophy

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For those who didn't follow the prequel to this thread, here are the house rules again (copied from the other thread):

My main goal is to keep the dynasty realistic, so I set up some house rules:
- No sign-and-trade deals (if I sign a FA, I'm not allowed to trade him in that season)
- I'm not allowed to trade rookies (doesn't happen in the NFL either)
- Kickers & Punters can not be traded (never seen that in NFL)
- Limited roster churning - during preseason and the regular season I'm only allowed to sign 1 FA per week. It would be too easy to improve my team's roster by signing every decent FA available at the start of the game, so I'll limit myself here. However, there are 2 exceptions to this rule:
1) If a player is placed on IR, I am allowed to sign a FA to fill his roster spot
2) Right before the regular season starts (after the final-53 cuts) I am allowed to sign 2 FA's. This is supposed to reflect the increased roster churning that (usually the weaker) NFL teams do after the cut deadline


Playbooks:
As you can't switch playbooks within a career I'm stuck with the playbooks I already used with the Dolphins. However, I'm planning to run different schemes on offense and defense so I deleted some plays from my PB and created some new plays.

Offense: We will run a unique offense that features a lot of intermediate passing routes and option running plays. Based on spread and West Coast concepts.
Defense: Another unique concept, I'm trying to merge the 4-3 with the 3-3-5. We will use a 4-3 base defense but make heavy use of the 3-3-5 as a sub package. This means we'll need versatile players on defense.


Philosophies:

QB: mobile/speed - running a lot of option plays requires a mobile QB.
NFL comparison: Kaepernick, Luck, RG3

RB: balanced - my #1 RB needs to be a complete back. The #2 should be a power guy while #3 ideally is a change-of-pace speedster.
NFL comparison: #1: Rice, A.Foster; #2: M.Lynch, M.Ingram; #3: R.Bush, Sproles

FB: blocking - I don't plan to use a FB, so I'll likely use a backup TE here

WR: tall/redzone - my WRs need good CTH & CIT to hold on to the ball after contact. My #3 or 4 ideally should be a speedster
NFL comparison: Fitzgerald, Marshall, Boldin; Mike Wallace (speedster)

TE: balanced - TE1 should be a reliable receiver on short/intermediate routes, TE2 is more of a blocker
NFL comparison: Witten (TE1); Fasano (TE2)

OL: balanced - they need to be equally good at pass and run blocking. The Guards need to have decent mobility because I use a lot of pulling Guards in the running game.
NFL comparison: Jake Long, Joe Thomas (OT), Marshall Yanda, Logan Mankins (OG), Nick Mangold (C)

DE: balanced - in a 4-3 base defense the DEs are required to get to the QB but they also need to set the edge in the running game.
NFL comparison: Cameron Wake, Julius Peppers, Mario Williams

DT: balanced - my #1 DT should be a guy who can play a 3 technique (4-3 DT) as well as the 0 technique (Nose Tackle) in the 3-3-5 sub packages. He needs to be strong and quick. The #2 is more of a pass rushing DT (one gap).
NFL comparison: #1 DT: Randy Starks, Haloti Ngata; #2 DT: Henry Melton, Geno Adknis

LB: balanced - all LBs need to be versatile enough to stop the run and drop back in man & zone coverage. The OLBs also should be decent pass rushers because they blitz a lot in the 3-3-5 sub package.
NFL comparison: MLB: Pat Willis, Karlos Dansby; OLB: Lance Briggs

CB: balanced - they need to be able to play man & zone coverage and should be able to help in run support.
NFL comparison: Revis, Sam Madison in his prime

FS: centerfielder - the FS is my last line of defense. He'll mainly play some sort of zone (Cover 1/2/3 or Man Under coverage) and won't be utilized as a blitzer.
NFL comparison: Ed Reed

SS: run support - the 3-3-5 concept is based on 2 Strong Safeties playing close to the LOS, almost like additional LBs. Need to stop the run and may occasionally blitz.
NFL comparison: Yeremiah Bell, Bernard Pollard

K: balanced - just give me a good overall kicker.

P: kick power - just kick it as far away as you can.

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Free Agency recap:
I cut some of the overpaid veterans to give us some working room under the cap. WR Randy Moss retired, which took away our best player but freed up over 10 mil. in cap space. I put the franchise tag on CB Antonio Cromartie, hoping to trade him during the draft. If I can't trade him I might as well cut him later with no penalty. I also put Philip Rivers on the trading block to see if there's any interest in him. I'd like a fresh start with my own handpicked QB. New regimes mean new Quarterbacks...

We have the #6 pick in the draft. Although I usually don't like to pick in the top 8 because of the high salaries of the top 8 picks, there are some studs in this class, worthy of an early pick and big money. There's a MLB with 95 SPD, who has a Ray Lewis comparison, a RB compared to Walter Peyton, a mobile QB who seems like a perfect fit for my offense, DE with a Reggie White comparison, a franchise Left Tackle, a big DT with a Haloti Ngata comparison and some nice CBs and WRs. I hope that either the DE, MLB or QB falls to me at #6. There's also a DE with a Michael Strahan comparison who might be available early in Round 2. Overall, this seems to be a top-heavy draft class.


FA signings:
WR Kendrell Kennison (87) - 3 yrs, 19 mil. - should help to replace Moss and came at a reasonable price
LB Karlos Dansby (89) - 2 yrs, 11.5 mil - I need speedy LBs for my defense to work
LB DJ Williams (87) - 2 yrs, 11 mil - I need speedy LBs for my defense to work
DE Antonio Perez (77) - 2 yrs, 4 mil - I needed a speedy 4-3 pass rusher

[Wheeler Dealer]

Quote: Originally Posted by burnum

For those who didn't follow the prequel to this thread, here are the house rules again (copied from the other thread): My main goal is to keep the dynasty realistic, so I set up some house rules: - No sign-and-trade deals (if I sign a FA, I'm not allowed to trade him in that season) - I'm not allowed to trade rookies (doesn't happen in the NFL either) - Kickers & Punters can not be traded (never seen that in NFL) - Limited roster churning - during preseason and the regular season I'm only allowed to sign 1 FA per week. It would be too easy to improve my team's roster by signing every decent FA available at the start of the game, so I'll limit myself here. However, there are 2 exceptions to this rule: 1) If a player is placed on IR, I am allowed to sign a FA to fill his roster spot 2) Right before the regular season starts (after the final-53 cuts) I am allowed to sign 2 FA's. This is supposed to reflect the increased roster churning that (usually the weaker) NFL teams do after the cut deadline

I salute your efforts. I, too, have been struggling with the
unrealistic things you can do with FAs. Here a some of my
thoughts.

The FA period after the Pro Bowl should only be used to work
around the RFA problem. Some RFAs, FBs for example, never come
up for bids and you just lose them. Other RFAs will lose their
playbook knowledge. If I am very sure that I can/will retain
them I can drop and resign during this period. It gives a fair
imitation of what the RFA process should have been.

I don't use the FA period just before training camp. My GM
will sign some players just like the other GMs.

I agree in principle on not trading FAs the same year they are
signed. I have come up with a case I thought was an exception.
I bid on Flozell Adams, paid him a bonus and planned for him to
start my first year. Then after the draft I changed my mind. I
think I got a 5th round draft choice and paid a $1M cap
penalty to move Flozell along.

I'm not so sure about not trading rookies. What about Manning
and Rivers. Other NFL examples don't spring to mind but they
do it all the time in the NBA.

Another area I'm conflicted about is trading or cutting
Franchised players or tendered RFAs. I have kept players this
way intending to trade them but I'm not sure if that has ever
happened IRL. It should, at least with the Franchised players.

During Training Camp I allow myself to bid on any player
offered. I only sign selected players without going through
the bidding process:

Any player under 75 OVL
Any OL under 85 OVL
Any FB, K or P

I don't permit myself to "pan for gold" by signing and
dropping players just to look at their potential. Any FA
signed during training camp is because I plan for him to make
the team.

Now the tough part, all those yummy FAs left over after the
final cuts!

Any player that will (or should) start for me, I have to pay
market price. I have been able to force bidding by adding and
dropping the player. This year I got an 84 OVL DE for $5.5M
this way. If I should run into a situation where I can't force
an auction, then I think I will sign the player and
renegotiate ASAP or drop him if I can't.

If a player can't start on my team I allow myself to "rent"
him. This year I had 2 such players. Unless it's a big
improvement it's not worth giving up the playbook knowledge
and/or longer contracts the current backups have.

Once the season starts I don't add or drop players unless
there is a trade or an injury.

Sometimes quality FAs appear late in the season, even after
the regular season. To date I have resisted all temptation to
sign these players but I'm not sure it is totally unrealistic.

I have other house rules about trades, changing positions and
three in-game "house rules" if you are interested.

[edward_1385]

I have enjoyed reading ur first one, so I will be looking forward to reading this one as well... Like Arnold says GO CHARGERS GO!!

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Quote: Originally Posted by edward_1385

I have enjoyed reading ur first one, so I will be looking forward to reading this one as well... Like Arnold says GO CHARGERS GO!!

Thanks. This is basically just the continuation of the first one. It's still the same career, I just switched teams after 6 years in Miami.

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2014 Draft Recap:

The Panthers had the #1 pick after going 0-16 and took RB Larry Brewington (Walter Peyton comparison). The Steelers took a DE at #2 but they didn't take the one I was targeting. The Lions took a stud CB in Mike Best out of Washington. The Jets wanted to trade out of their #4 spot and I was their only trade partner, so I decided to send DE Luis Castillo, WR Ronyell Greenway and a 3rd rounder to the Jersey boys for the #4 overall pick. Now I had the #4 and #6 picks, with the Jaguars picking in between at #5. My top rated players on the board were DE Vonteego Cross and QB Carmelo Goldwire. Jacksonville already has 2 good pass rushers in place and with David Garrard getting older I thought they might consider a QB more than a DE. So I took QB Carmelo Goldwire at #4, hoping that the Jaguars would pass on Vonteego Cross. They did just that, selecting the top rated Safety instead, so I picked up Cross at #6. The Redskins took a great player in MLB Jahmar Sweeley at #9.
Later in the round I saw OT Jamaal Zimmerman dropping out of the top 20. I had him with a top 5 grade, so I sent Eric Weddle (87) and Gerald Gleaton (80) to the Cardinals in exchange for the #22 pick, where I selected Zimmerman.
After round one I selected another pass rusher in Jerome Duckett out of tiny Northern Arizona. He was compared to Michael Strahan and was pointed out as a possible sleeper pick by Mike Mayock. The Chargers roster I inherited was set up for a 3-4 defense, so I needed DEs who can rush the passer. I also needed a RB because incumbent starter Rashard Mendenhall has fumbling problems, so I picked RB Scottie Jones (Ball State, power runner, compared to Larry Johnson) at the end of round 2 after trading injury plagued TE Jeremy Shockey along with two mid-rounders for the selection. With my 3 rounder I picked up another pass rusher in Marrio Black (New Mexico). He might be undersized at DE with only 6'2 and about 240 lbs but he has great speed off the edge. Probably won't be a full time starter but he should be able to contribute as a situational pass rusher. With Cross and Duckett as the starters and Black and FA pickup Antonio Perez as the backups I should now be set at DE for years to come.
Because of all my trades in round 1 & 2 I didn't have any picks in rounds 4 & 5. After releasing TE Daniel Graham for salary cap reasons and trading away Jeremy Shockey I needed a TE. The one I was after (Witten comparison) was already gone, so I picked Brian Michaels out of tiny Gardner Webb. He's really raw but possesses all the physical tools that Chargers fans are looking for since Antonio Gates left a couple of years ago. I rounded out my draft class by picking DE Jarius Dean. He went to college in San Diego, so it really is a homie pick.

Undrafted Free Agents:
QB Jessie Little (Grand Valley State)
RB Storm Sparks (Richmond)
C Braxton Martin (Maine)
LB Jake Carter (UL Lafayette)
S Shevin Maples (Robert Morris Univ.)