The VNFL

Where teamwork trumps individualism

Welcome to the VNF Preview Issue
Your guide to the 2016 season

Home of the World Champion St. Louis Rams An FOF2k7 Production

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VNFL 2016 ANNUAL
http://www.bearsruletheworld.com/vnfl
Foreword
By Pat Kirwin
So much for the boring monotony of the vNFL
huh. 6.3 laid the smack down on that ongoing
issue. 2015 was all about what so many of us
wished for and wanted to see. Those well
balanced teams coming to the fore. The
St.Louis Rams emerged and deservedly took
the NFC West from Seattle, and then went on
to seal the deal and emerge as the vNFL
Champions. Worthy champions, and a team
that perhaps is just getting started.
2015 was the year that Steven Gunn exploded
on to the scene. We thought Jimmie Kelly was
something, 1803 yards as a rookie. Then Biggie
Small went and rushed for a phenomenal 1,935
as a rookie. When Steven Gunn was selected
first overall, he was highly touted, but in a
poll of gms, only 2 of 12 thought he had a shot
at Biggie’s record. As it turned out he smashed
it, with 2,299 yards rushing at a staggering
5.81 yards per carry. Talented teammates
obviously helped to keep defenses from keying
on him, but still, wow.
What is with these rookies having such massive
first seasons. We know backs come in to the
league well prepared, but even they have
something to learn. Once again Small versus
Gunn will be interesting to watch, I find it
hard to believe either can consistently play to
the 2,000 yard level. Both players, particularly
Gunn are noted for off the field issues. It
remains to be seen that they can keep their
minds on the game.
Sedrick Knaga led the Rams offense to the
Superbowl. A 109.9 passer rating led the
2016 VNFL
V o l u m e 2Preview
, Issue 2
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Foreword by Pat Kirwin 2
NFC Divisional Preview 6
VNFL Feature Article 22
AFC Divisional Preview 26
Predictions & Odds 42
league by a mile. I look at Knaga as a good
player, but I never thought he had that type of
performance in him. I don’t think he can repeat
it either. I will prepare to be proved wrong.
Defensively Keith Rivers of Houston and Jake
McConnell of Seattle put in great performances,
to further establish themselves in the league.
Rivers emerged not only as the great Linebacker
that we know, but an elite pass rusher also.
Than element really came out last year. He
really looks to be developing into a Hall of Fame
caliber Linebacker.
McConnell set a new league record with 27
passes defended. With his 8th season upcoming
he appears destined to walk away with the all-
time record for passes defended. Wide Receiver
Braylon Edwards long consistent career are
playing dividends as he is set this year to
improve on his all-time mark in both receptions
and yardage. 1,000 catches would really be
something, he needs 112 this year to hit that
mark.
If we are to discuss Steven Gunn’s offensive
performance, then you have to consider what
rookie Safety Kim England did for Miami. For me
he was the defensive player of the year. 76
tackles, 12 passes defended and 10
interceptions. Pure magic for any player, let
alone a rookie.
To some the Rams came from nowhere. How did
2016 VNFL Preview
Knaga finally proved he was a Champion in 2015
this perennial loser become the best team in the
vNFL? Make no mistake, they were the best team
in the vNFL last year. You could make the
argument 6.3 came out of blindsided the league,
but that doesn’t take away from the fact that
the Rams were the best team, the team who had
that great balance of offense and defense.
How did this team full of stars sneak up on the
league. Well lets take a look.
QB Sedrick Knaga - Trade 2013
Knaga isn’t a great Quarterback, but he is a good
one. That is tough to come by in this league.
Knaga was given away at a bargain price. A
shrewd trade for St.Louis.
Detroit sends:
QB Knaga
St. Louis sends:
2014 2.STL
2014 3.STL
2015 3.STL RB Jonathon Stewart - Draft 2011 1.2
Nothing special about this acquisition. If
anything Stewart hasn’t lived up to his billing as
a 2nd overall selection.
WR Wesley “Camel” Camilleri - Draft 2013 1.14
I recall shouting from the rooftops to anyone
who would listen about this guy. Nobody did
listen. Camel fell to 1.14, and what a pick it
was. The Camel is still better than anyone,
including the scouts, give him credit for.
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WR Vincent Jackson - Trade 2015
The Rams paid through the nose for Jackson,
but he turned out to be the icing on the cake.
So often teams trade for the icing when they
have no cake, the Rams had the foundations to
justify the deal though.
Rams send
STL 2016 2nd
STL 2017 2nd
STL 2017 3rd
C.Scott WR
Eagles send
V.Jackson WR
DE Kris Hutcheson - Draft 2014 1.15
Excellent mid first pick. 16.5 sacks and 29
hurries last year.
DT IkeFranklin - Draft 2008 1.9
Its great to see a long suffering veteran like
Franklin become part of the solution.
MLB Harvey Sweeney - Draft 2011 2.2
To get a player of this quality in the 2nd round
is masterful.
SLB Joey “Big Bollocks” Donovan - Draft 2012
1.6
I hate this guy, more than anyone in the league
right now, I hate him. He can grab hold of a
St. Louis will aim to be the first team to win back-to-
back titles sine the ’07 & ’08 Bengals
Page 4 2016 VNFL Preview

game by himself and swing it in the Rams

direction.

The Rams then, are all about “team”. No obvious

HOFers, not yet at least anyway…. The recipe
here was clear. It is a recipe that should be
noted by all. The draft is the place to build a
team. Build your cake if you will. Trades are
about providing the decoration. Seldom do we
see the right philosophy knitted together, the
right strategy at the right time. All to often
teams get ahead of themselves, but this is a
great illustration of Erik’s patience.

Now though the Rams have to play the no.1

schedule. They are the ones who have teams
shooting for them. Are they champions to be Bears took Florida A&M’s Charles Hoover with pick
remembered? The beginning of a new dynasty? 1.10 to be their franchise QB.
Or are they the one season wonders who don’t
As expected the mad frenzy to get a decent
have that rare star quality to succeed over the
signal caller was very entertaining this off
long haul? They have the spotlight now. Now is
season. The Chicago Bears ended up with a lower
the time we see just how good this Rams team
tier starter at 1.10. Under the circumstances not
is.
an awful pick, you would think. My take though,
is this guy won’t be any better than Sam Kellar.
In what was a weak draft, very few teams took
Kellar is a 10 year veteran, perhaps in time the
huge strides forward. Dallas took Tracy
investment in Hoover won’t look so bad, but for
Middleton first overall, and whilst he is a great
now they lost the opportunity to grab an impact
building block he won’t transform a franchise.
player.
Who does these days to be fair though. 6.3 isn’t
about one man. A Carson Palmer type will
As strange as it may seem with their great GM at
struggle to hold an offense up on his own now,
the helm, the Patriots pick at 1.29 was also a
let alone a whole team. Things have changed,
questionable one. Vauthier does not look
and for the better.
anything more than a back up from where I am
sitting. Tampa Bay hedged their bets, going for 2
Quarterbacks in the 2nd round. Looks like they
grabbed 2 guys who will be good back-ups in the
future, which really doesn’t help them. The
Minnesota Vikings are perhaps the one team who
came out of the QB hunt without hurting
themselves. Down the line David Mathis may
become a decent lower tier starter, which isn’t
so bad for 2.1. Patience will be the key here
though, Mathis will get slaughtered, and the
Vikings humiliated if he plays early.

Following the Ravens GM, it appeared to me the

new franchise is in good hands. He knew when
he was on a loser and made a few solid trades.
Middleton wowed the scouts at the combine.
 2016 VNFL Preview
Who will win the NFC in 2016? Odds are it will be an
NFC West team.
The 2.15 selection of S Sedrick Thornton was
maybe the steal of the draft. Thornton will be a
great SS. Dominating against the run despite his
stature, and better in the passing game than he
is currently given credit for.
No real massive trades this year in the vNFL. The
49ers moves are in keeping with the history of
the franchise. You think they are rebuilding, but
they are just reloading….with blanks. Mack
Owens maybe isn’t what he looks like on paper,
and Rapistburger is way past his best. In real
terms they may only have the Jags 1st next year
to sing about, and I fancy the Jags may do well
this year with the underrated Vince Young now
in charge. Arnie Gant was, and is, an excellent
passer in his prime. In the vNFL, you hold on to
guys like that. The draft sends you that message
loud and clear. It appears to me the 49ers have a
rebuild on the cards, and it has been coming for
a long time. I think the right man is at the helm
though, he just has to realize his cards aren’t
that good, no pun intended. The Rams and
Seahawks are awesome, good time to take a
timeout San Fran.
What can we expect this year? Over in the NFC
the Heavyweights are poised to go at it. The
Rams versus the Seahawks is an intriguing
prospect as they are in the same division. Its
more often the case that the Division winner is a
true indication of who the best team is. As a GM
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I have always preferred to be regarded as the
best, than as the champions. This is one dog
fight I am looking forward to.
I seem to say it every year, but once again I like
Carolina as an outsider. They might need a little
luck, but with that they could represent the NFC
in the Superbowl next year. Can Green Bay prove
last year wasn’t a fluke? Can Washington
continue to improve?
The NFC West is where the power lies, but as we
have seen in the past any team can blindside
another in the playoffs.
In the AFC things are wide open. Similar to the
NFC, Miami versus New England is where its at
this year. The winner of that battle emerges as
the favorite to represent the AFC in my view. I
wouldn’t want to call it.
Drew Brees was a great Quarterback. Charlie
Frye is a nice replacement, but not of Brees’
calibre. The change under center will set the
Chargers back. Much like Green Bay, Burlington
are out to prove 10-6 last year wasn’t a fluke.
Bryan Flynn and Baltimore may well thrive under
new management. They are a good side who are
in reach of becoming elite. The Jaguars look a
real threat, and could improve with the
acquisition of Vince Young.
Last year I don’t think anyone can really say they
saw the Rams coming. They looked strong, sure,
but they were dominant. Will we have another
shock this season? Or perhaps last year set the
pattern of what is to come in 6.3?
Kirwin is liking what he sees developing in Miami
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Chicago Bears
6-10 in 2015, 3rd NFC North
On offense, they were 13th in rushing and 28th in
passing. To try to improve their offense long term, they
selected QB Charles Hoover at 1.10 in the draft, sent
2nd year QB Mitchell Fuller to the Summer League.
Unless you consider K Emmanuel Curie, chosen at 4.7 in
the draft, as an offensive weapon, that’s about the full
extent of Chicago’s offensive upgrade. They now have
long term talent at QB, good RB locked up for 5 seasons
in Pukenas, solid veterans at TE and FL in Garibaldi and
Rhett, and a pretty solid offensive line. They look to be
in need of a long term solution at SE, C, and their
offense looks like it can improve on it’s dismal 2015
season.
On defense, they were 13th in rush defense and 18th in
pass defense. In FA, they added depth at DT (Warnock
and Andrew, former 1st and 2nd round picks) and WLB
(Hancock and Cash). None are impact players, but the
DTs should help the run defense. Their rookies, as a
group, are yawners at best. 3.8 Herman Wooden is the
best of the group, and he has a poor combine to
overcome to show the team he is worthy.
As a whole, their offseason has been pretty unexciting.
This is largely due to the fact that QB Charles Hoover,
their 1.10 pick, had such mixed reviews due to his
average, at best, combine. This offseason for Chicago
falls squarely on this 6’3”, 232# hurler. Can he handle
the pressure and show Chicago fans that this wasn’t a
mistake?
Biggest loss was probably QB Sam Kellar. But that is
nullified by the drafting of Charles Hoover at 1.10.
Biggest acquisition drafting QB Charles Hoover at 1.10.
The Bears draft:
1.10 – QB Charles Hoover. Comes into Camp with a
24/70 Rating. His combines were pretty mundane,
having only a good 40 (4.53) and decent Position Drill
(78). The rest were pretty much average, and for many
were considered below what you should see for a player
taken at 1.10. Hoover can make a lot of people in the
vNFL look smart, or a few people in the Chicago Front
Office looking… well, looking for work. Whatever
happens, he has a good chance to become a career
starting QB… just not an elite QB.
2016 VNFL Preview
3.8 – SLB Herman Wooden. Comes into Camp with a
hefty 34/66 Rating. Considering Chicago’s weakness
at OLB, his 34 current, if it never moves, will still
make him an initial starter for the team. Long
term, he has a lot to overcome to become a solid
pro at the top level of football in the vNFL. This
reporter does not believe he will be more than a
backup and special teams player.
4.7 – K Emmanuel Curie. Comes into Camp sporting
a 46/67 Rating. If his lack of agility doesn’t become
his demise, he looks like he could do a solid job
kicking for Chicago for a long time.
5.6 – DE Edward Dutton. Comes into Camp at 15/56.
A project who could be a solid depth player.
Nothing really spectacular about this player comes
to mind.
6.10 – FS Casey Heckathorn. Comes into Camp at
21/55. Good looking INT and Endurance. He was at
the bottom end of the safety draft class in speed,
and didn’t show much in the bench. He could
displace Franz at FS, but I don’t think he’s a long
term solution for the Bears.
7.9 – DT Matthew Schonmann. Comes into Camp at
18/47. Bears obviously looking to upgrade at DT,
grabbing two vets in FA and Schonmann in the
draft. We believe he will be a total bust.
Draft Grade: C (only if Hoover is a starter for 10
years for them). Best long term value could end up
being 5.6 DE Dutton. Hoover should be their starter
in a year or two, but don’t expect TOO much
Chicago fans. Curie is the only other guy that the
team will be happy to have in 5 seasons… maybe.
Don’t think the rest will hold up.
2016 Prognostication: 5-11. Just don’t see them
holding up well without a QB. Hoover will take a
few seasons to develop. Pukenas and the offensive
line can carry the load for a while… but how long is
a while? Defense has a great tandem at DE, and
some contributors in the secondary… but lack of
depth and weakness up the middle will not be
enough support. The main contributors this season
for Chicago will be Pukenas and Rhett on offense
and Bowie, Dixon, and Troyer on defense.
Rumor Mill: The Chicago Tribune reported that an
anonymous source inside the Chicago Front Office
told them that he thinks the Bears should trade
away some of it’s top offensive line talent and get
some talented skill position players.
 2016 VNFL Preview
Detroit Lions
3-13, 2015 4th in North
On offense, they were 7th in rushing and 31st in passing in
2015. Jimmie McCleskey was their offense last season. So,
Detroit set out to improve their offense by drafting WR Hunter
Webster at 1.2 and T Edwin Parrish at 2.2, as well as trading for
QB Gary Dunn. They also drafted QB Les Gleason at 3.2 to,
presumably, add to their long term potential at QB. The only FA
they nabbed is veteran QB Neal Frederick, who is expected to
help develop any young QBs they have at hand.
On defense, Detroit GM Jeremy has said he was happy how his
defense was playing. In 2015, they were 18th in run defense
and 6th in passing. Hard to fault his logic there. However, at
2.3 the Lions still picked up CB Wayne Hinson, which could be a
nice addition. They also drafted DT Marco Davis in the early 5th
round.
Overall, they had a solid offseason and have improved the
team. While some complain about the spending on the center, I
say if you have the money, spend it! Detroit will be better in
2016 than it was in 2015. When this happens, the GM is
generally doing his job properly.
Biggest loss – Jonathan Vilma. They didn’t lose much, and Vilma
was only a 4 game starter for the team.
Biggest acquisition – No brainer… 1.2 pick Hunter Webster. Will
take some pressure off McCleskey and add new threats in
passing and return games. QB Gary Dunn was a nice pickup here
as well.
Detroit’s Draft:
1.2 WR Hunter Webster. 45/80 prior to camp. 2nd best WR in
the draft and could be an explosive return man as well. Just
what the doctor ordered, and I think an excellent pick.
2.2 T Edwin Parrish. 27/50 going into camp. Should improve a
bit. The success of this pick will be determined by his training
camp, I think. If he improves, he should end up a very solid 2.2
pick. If he goes the other way, he’ll be a bust.
2.3 CB Wayne Hinson. Comes into Camp 38/59. Didn’t work out
at the combine, so this guy is a big question mark. They need
another guy to help Upton out, and if Hinson can show he
deserves the rating… he’ll be a solid pick and nice addition to
the defense.
3.2 QB Les Gleason. 15/60 to start off his career. He likely
heads downward from here. Just below par at the combines,
although he ran pretty fast. Just don’t see him making an
impact at any point in his career, unless he becomes the top
holder in the league.
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The Lions have been a welcome sight on just about
everyone’s schedule in recent history.
4.2 RB Jorge McCarthy. Comes into camp at 29/41.
Already having McCleskey… don’t know why they made
this pick. He seems to have great special teams skills, but
they got that in Webster as well. I think they could have
made much better use of this pick. He’ll pick his spots…
3rd and short, goalline, and special teams. Probably
could have waited until the 6th to grab this guy.
5.2 DT Marco Davis. 18/44 hitting camp. Looks like he can
be a good goalline DT and run stopper, as well as… well,
nothing. He will help stop the run and that’s about it.
7.2 G Bryan Brooks. 18/52 precamp. Looks to be a good
run blocker. I think he’s got a lot of upside at this pick, if
his volatility doesn’t kill his career. Great project pick at
7.2.
Draft Grade: B-. They tried to upgrade their offense,
which is a big need, and hit some weak spots on their
defense. Think they did a good job trying to get talent at
positions of need. How much is talent and how much is
fluff remains to be seen.
2016 Prognostication: 7-9. If their defense continues to
perform, and Dunn/Webster add another dimension to
their offense, this team will definitely start making its
way upward. They have a decent nucleus to build around.
They have a weak start but finish up strong. Dunn,
McCleskey, and Webster are their offensive standouts,
and Kennedy, Harvey, and Upton are defensive stars.
Rumor Mill: There is word from an unmentionable city
that Detroit has already begun negotiations with another
team’s Head Coach this season, to sign him for their
forseeable future. It has been rumored that, while
Detroit is not unhappy with current Head Coach Ricky
Burns, the Lions Front Office feels it can do better at the
Head Coach position
 Page 8 2016 VNFL Preview

Green Bay Packers

13-3, 2015 1st in North

On offense in 2015, the Pack were 25th in rushing and 13th in

passing. While not gaudy, Green Bay got to 13-3 by not turning
the ball over and making the most of turnovers created by the
defense. They did nothing in FA, and in the draft picked up a
4th round Center, 5th round TE, and 7th round QB.

On defense in 2015, they were 10th in rush defense and 24th in Will Green Bay = Titletown in 2016?
pass defense. Not exceptional, but enough against one of the
drafted player moved to a new position. Sims doesn’t
weaker divisions in the vNFL in 2015. They used their 1st 5 picks
have the speed to be a pass rusher, can only guess that
(2-1st, 1-2nd, 2-3rd) on defensive players to try to improve
he ends up being a utility run stopper at DE.
their defense. DE Larry Shapiro and OLBs Charlie Onoye and
4.29 C Brock Grbac. Comes into TC at 19/56. Can long
Zach Weibel all look like they should improve the Green Bay
snap and has decent run/pass blocking bars. His very bad
pass rush.
Agility will mean he will probably be a run blocker who
can long snap.
Overall, not much to talk about in the offseason, except their
5.30 TE CJ Hutchins. Hits camp at 24/36. Could end up
draft.Biggest loss has to be either TE Marcedes Lewis (Green
being OK blocking TE. Looks like he has a decent 3rd
Bay is now left with no one resembling a starter at TE) or S
down catching as well. Not much to get excited about.
Keith Lewis (lead the Pack in tackles in 2015).
6.29 SS Rod Bryant. 17/43 going into camp. Should turn
Biggest acquisition is easily DE Larry Shapiro, who should jump
out to be another run stopper who is average, at best, in
start the Packers’ pass rush.
other areas.
7.30 QB Albert Oliver. Comes into camp at 10/44. It’s an
Green Bay’s Draft:
interesting pick, like the idea of trying to pull a QB out of
1.13 DE Larry Shapiro. 52/67 coming to camp. Great combine,
a late 7th. Would love to see him develop well and
should be a force for many years. Can’t find anything bad to say
become a solid backup.
about this guy or this pick.
1.30 ILB Charlie Inouye. Comes into Camp at 25/65 at WLB.
Draft Grade: C-. Shapiro makes this draft worthwhile.
His combine as an OLB is a little better than average. With his
Overall, Green Bay is taking too many chances hoping to
40 combine especially being average for an ILB and low for an
get something by changing positions, and they don’t help
OLB, I can only imagine his stock dropping in camp and
themselves more in their biggest area of weakness: pass
afterwards. The upside… he should be a nice special teams
defense. Instead, they grab several more run stoppers.
player.
Weibel may turn out OK, and Shapiro is going to
2.29 OLB Zach Weibel. Comes into camp 36/57. Average
immediately improve the defense… but other than that I
combine. Not likely to be a better than average pass rusher.
don’t see the others improving the team.
Looks to have good zone skills, though (zone and diagnosis), as
well as a good run stopper (agility being his only blue combine).
2016 Prognostication: 10-6. Still the best in the NFC
3.21 FS Kerry Wooden. Hits camp at 28/56. Another good run
North, but they will face a tougher schedule and their
stopper for a team that was 10th in stopping the run last
division won’t get weaker than it is. Nobody will be
season. Could be a good pickup in this spot if he can pick up the
caught by surprise this season. Hatcher, Cochrane, and
game speed at the big league level.
Richard will lead the passing game on offense. Defense
3.30 DT Ian Sims. Comes to camp at 25/41 as a DE. Another
will be lead by Shapiro, Hertz, and Hawk.
 2016 VNFL Preview
Minnesota Vikings
8-8, 2015 2nd in North
On offense in 2015, the Vikes were 27th in rushing and 3rd
in passing (however, top 10 in yards per rush attempt and
in the bottom half of the league in passer rating). They had
a great squad set up… maybe they just threw the ball too
often and their offense was a little too predictable… With
28 new faces on the team this year, GM Frankie Starz is
throwing caution (and his team’s cohesion) to the wind and
doing everything he can to make something happen.
On defense, the Vikes were 12th in rushing defense and
29th in passing defense in 2015.
Let’s look at the offseason as a whole, as there were so
many changes in Minnesota. Retirements, 6 in all, included
Carson Palmer and Kevin Williams. Other changes included
the hiring or Rex as DC and Coach Franz (Fran)kie Star(z)…
two nice upgrades. Undrafted SS Tommie Wallace is sent to
the Summer League. Trades included sending 13th year WR
Larry Fitzgerald (66/66) and a 5th to Washington for a 3rd
and getting 12th year WR Troy Williamson (53/53)for a 3rd
from New England. Notable FA pickups included DE Gaines
Adams, WR Jerricho Cotchery, G Marc Sims, and QB AJ
Feeley. Also picked up 7 rookie FAs. Overall, there is so
much going on in Minny that I can’t really figure it all out.
Is the team better or worse? I don’t understand trading a
good WR like Fitz for a 3rd then trading a 3rd for
Williamson. Basically, he traded Fitz and a 5th for
Williamson… bad deal IMO. The two staff hirings were solid.
FA seemed to be mostly cheap depth pickups, rookies, and
a few old timers. Only Gaines Adams looks to make a real
impact. Sims will start, but won’t make a major impact.
Feeley could make an impact if he started, but Starz says
he is starting the rookie… so Feeley’s pickup doesn’t mean
much more than being a mentor to the 3 young QBs. $1.8M
seems a little steep for a mentor. One thing I can say… at
least Starz is trying to do something… pretty boring in the
NFC North if it wasn’t for Minnesota.
Biggest loss is easily Carson Palmer. Although he had his
worst season every in Minnesota, he is still a far better
option than anything there currently. Some could say Larry
Fitzgerald also, and not get much argument from me.
Page 9
Biggest acquisition is probably Mathis. If he turns out to be
the Vikings QB of the future, then he’s easily the biggest.
Minnesota’s Draft:
2.1 QB David Mathis. Comes in at 11/54. Starz is very high on
this kid, but we’ll take a wait and see approach. We hope the
Vikes are right, but we don’t believe the hype.
3.5 CB Jason Huntley. Hits camp at 33/50 at FS. Got the size
to play FS, and had decent combines. Ball Hawk, steal at 3.5.
3.14 CB Raymond Wells. Comes into camp at 30/51. Another
ball hawking DB. Just don’t put him in man coverage… ever!
If he can create turnovers, he can be OK at 3.14. I would have
preferred to see him go later, think he’ll get beat more often
than he will make a big play.
3.23 S Norbert Almonte. Arrives in Camp at 29/58 playing
CB.Looked pretty solid at Safety, I can’t see him being
successful at CB because his speed and agility are only
average for a CB, at S they were much better than average.
3.25 OLB Lamont Minkel. Is brought into camp at 18/55. A
bunch of bad combines. Don’t see this guy picking up the tee
after a kickoff in 3 seasons.
6.20 DE Dusty Gaddis. Comes in looking good at 24/61. Not
much of a pass rusher, very strong & fairly agile. 3-4 DE.
6.23 G Kris Mahoney. 24/55. Not a typical inline run blocker
because of his lack of strength, he has a certain flair for
making plays in the running game. I expect him to be a long
term contributor, but probably not as a starter.
7.16 DT Quinn “Rampage” Jackson. Comes in at 21/42.
Don’t see a lot happening with him. Gotta gamble in the 7th
round, and he has good speed for a big man…
7.22 OLB Spencer Kenney. 20/46 is his precamp rating.
Could have some effectiveness as a 3-4 WLB and maybe a
little ST. Doesn’t have a whole lot else he can do.
Draft Grade: D+. If Mathis pans out, this grade goes up.
Vikings DO try to work on their weak areas, which is a
positive. Couple of players with potential. Many players look
good initially, but are going to crash and burn at some point
in the next few years. More players that won’t be on a roster
in 5 seasons than are going to be contributors.
2016 Prognostication: 4-12 (if Mathis starts), 6-10 (if Feeley
starts). Between very low cohesion, lack of a visible running
game, and still a very weak pass defense… I just can’t see the
Vikings running a workable offense or being able to win close
games on defense.
Rumor Mill: There is a rumor going around the ranks of the
reporters that GM Frankie Starz is going to blow the team up
if the Vikes aren’t competitive, & build around QB Mathis.
 Page 10
Dallas Cowboys
0-16, 2015 4th in East
Overview
Dallas Cowboys 0-16 and played in one of the arguably weaker
divisions in the league. Jimmy does a good job with his teams
but this year was a complete debacle. The defense was one
of the 5-10 worst but the offense might be able to go down as
one of the top ten worst of all-time. Jimmy made a few big
changes in the coaching staff grabbing a great young minded
scout that is VG in Abs and hired new defensive coordinator
that is excellent in LB, DB, and YT.
Biggest Acquisitions
FB from MIA JR Gerard has not started in almost 2 years but
should help this talent stricken team from day on in the run
or pass game. CB the kid Kory Forbes from Tampa who had 6
picks 2 years ago and is a ball hawk is a huge key acquisition.
DE Rex Jack man from Wash is a 4th year guy who is like 3
blind mice against the run but is good all around besides
that.WR Matt Jones 12th year and really struggled for
Tennessee last year with 19 grabs for 324 yards and should
have retired QB Kyle Biller 14th year vet that has nothing left
but mentoring at this time WR-Antonio Holmes who should
have retired instead joins the old fogies that play wide out
for Dallas now. G Jamie O'Neal road grading run blocker who
played for Cinci last year DE Lamarr Woodey 10th year and
really a shadow of himself now LB Travis Sherman will really
help with depth at LB QB Sam Kellar was traded over from the
Bears to take the reigns and hopefully show these rookies the
promised land. This pickup will help the transition for some
of the rookies Dallas took this year.
Biggest Loss
Qb Colt Brennan had 6 starts for the boys and threw more tds
then ints. He was not the answer but was the best player that
that position last year.
LB Cary Cash was moved as part of the trade to bring over
Keller at QB. He played only 1 game and looks like a great 3-4
WLB in the right system.
Look at the Draft-
One of the best drafts I think as a collective whole that I have
ever seen:
1.1 WR Tracy Middleton steals an old 80s homage from NBA
great Dominque Wilkins as the human highlight film. This kid
is big and fast and should help Keller and this offense double
up from last year.
1.11 Bob Malone T is the next best T in the league. He can do
it all and warrants a higher pick then 11 where he was a
complete theft.
1.24 Tracy Zukauskas T looks like a bookend for life. He might
not be as good as Malone but might be the 2nd best T in the
draft here.
2.8 Jessie McCaskill looks like a 10 year great player at G. He
is weak but we have seen that STR means nothing if you are
2016 VNFL Preview
Dallas is hoping to sneak up on some tams this year.
great at the other 3.
3.1 FS Arnie Salerno was a steal again. This kid will creep
and is another smart instinctive player.
3.7 TE Brian Diehl makes this offense better in the passing
game from day one. He is not a big play guy but is great
across the middle.
3.32 LB Everett Herzog probable reliable starter
4.20 FB Juan Braham looks like starting FB as a rookie
5.1 QB Vince McGregor is a project/boom or bust qb. He can
read defenses but does not have an arm to get there and
has a colorblind issue sometimes.
5.4 Jeremy Alcott is a project T that is weak so I bet Jimmy
does not gamble on him being a savior for him.
6.1 Alan Bronson is a long shot to make the team
6.17 RB Paul Bernard looks like a great reserve running back
that should get better with his great combine .
6.28 Timothy Perry DE looks like a Run stopping 3-4 DE.
7.1 Jamal Goodwin DE can play the run and might be able to
make the move inside for a strong 3 technique.
7.4 Brett Schroader DT sound overall fundamental player
that has a motor but is not more talented then players
around him.
Strengths and weaknesses
Qb1 is the make or break here. Sam Kellar is a winner in his
vNFL career but he has a bunch of toddlers blocking for him
and catching for him. The complete team a few years from
now should be terrific but will Kellar be the guy then?
The 2 tough parts of this team last year were lighting up the
scoreboard on offense and getting the opposing offenses off
the field. This defense is not really any different from last
year. This newly revamped offense should change that a
little but this defense needs an offseason like the offense
had last year.
Key players to win this season
I will say it again. Sam Kellar is going to have the chance to
be the stopgap at quarterback or he can start this team into
a winning season.
2016 VNFL Preview Page 11

New York Giants

9-7, 2015 East division winner

Overview Strengths and Weaknesses

The Giants finished the season above .500 but really
are a Mendoza line team. This was there 2nd straight
playoff shot and division win. The last two seasons
have ended with Seattle walking off the field with a
sign of ownership in NY.
Biggest Acquisitions-
G Chuck Compton comes to town with a starting job
on his head. DE Darrell Soloman was one of the richest
lineman contracts this year. In 4 years he has 10 sacks
and less then 50 tackles....
DT Frank Okam helps this defense if he stays close to
the same Frank while going into his 10th year in the V.
CB Jeff "Ozzy" Osborn was arguing with GM Frankie
Starz in Minne so JG Cruz made the call to bring him
over. He runs around aimlessly in the run game but
has 11 picks in the last 5 years.
LB Barrett Ruud is in his 12th year and made a pretty
good payday getting 10 mill for 2 years in NY. G
Harold Gaines is decent youth/depth for the GMen.
This team has a good core of players and relies heavily on
Eli converting on his chances with either 3rd downs or big
plays.
This team again has a good core of players. I swing it over
this time that they are the 3rd oldest team in the league.
This team has been on the hump the last few years and it
might have a division fighting back at them with more
talent this year.
Key players to win this season
Lynch, Cole, Mills. This running back by committee has to
gain at least 100 yards a game in order to take the
pressure off of Manning. When Jg really utilizes the run
game this team gets rolling.

Biggest Loss-
DJ WIlliams only had 1 tackle and retired as Bronco.
Chris Snee the G that was the backbone of this
franchise will be missed. He is in the top 5 of all the
blocking stats in NYG history.
RT- Adam Goldberg only started 2 games last year but
played well now has taken his job to real estate in the
Wyoming County area. C-Jake Scott was a JG Cruz
favorite but in his 13th year is was probably the best
move to let him go.

Look at the Draft-

2.20 Gino Mills joins a roster of older running backs
and he is a burner from USM. He might get big playing
time numbers this year. 3.15 Peter Berry DE can rush
the edge and should help this DL immediately. 6.21
Heath Finch LB might also get thrown into action with
a lot of players on this team that are up there in age.
7.20 Floyd Tubbs at SE might be a HUGE sleeper. He
has good big play ability and phenomenal hands.

The Giants hope to win the VNFL’s weakest division again in 2016
 Page 12 2016 VNFL Preview

Philadelphia Eagles
6-10, 2015 3rd in East

Overview
The Philadelphia Eagles were the heart of this division
when VNFL came to be. IN 3 of the last 4 years they have
missed the playoffs and last year might have been the worst
in history with 10 losses. Philly has only had 2 back to back
wins in the last three years.

Biggest Acquisitions-
S Bryant Reed comes over from Buffalo and is perfect for
the system in Philly. He is really a Nickel back that can pick
6 if needed. TO shore up the special teams Brandon Counto
has joined the Eagles as 6th team in 10 years and is known
for being accurate. QB Joe Flacco was a quiet signing but a
very good move by Eagles GM Ace. TE Chuck Harmon really
is barely adequate and has never been a force in a passing
game. G Duane Meyer was cut last year from Arizona for
lack of production and is one of those constant
underachievers with all the talent in the world. WR Jeff
Anwar is a big play guy that has 25 grabs in his 5 year
career. He should be ok as a 4th or 5th option not as the #3
he looks like here in Philly.
Biggest Loss-
The biggest question mark of what the hell in this division
was the letting go of Dennis Tatangelo at the QB position.
Since being a 2nd round pick 6 years ago he has started the
last 4 years and really played pretty well throwing on
average for 3500 yards and a 3 to 1 int ratio.
RB Ernie Morris will be missed. He had 800 yards rushing
last year and carried the team in a couple of games. 12th
year vet and defensive center piece SS Sean Considine
thought he was going to finish in the green jersey but
instead he just owns all the records. WR Archie Yan was the
hopeful young stud wide receiver a few years ago was let go
for not putting up what Ace hoped he would have in Philly.
Auburn DE Louie Parrish will give opposing
QB’s nightmares on game day
real top speed to speak of.
4.8 TE Will Simmons is a fundamental just under
average TE.
5.7 QB Tyrus Richmond –might be the qb steal of the
draft. He put up better then he was supposed to
numbers at the combine. He can throw and is smart
which are the best things you can ask for in a QB.
6.6 DT McMorris is and totally undersized DT that can
run stuff or a slower then necessary DE for a 3-4
defense.
7.10 LB Roy Foley looks like his game will struggle in
coverage at the V level.
Strengths and Weaknesses
This team has a good defense. The defensive line is
stout up front and the whole front 7 plays very well
together.

Look at the draft
1.6 DE Parrish is a HUGE 300 pound DE that can do it all. He
will wreak havoc on this conference in the next couple of
years.
2.10 C Marcus Palmer looks like the center-to-be for years
to come in Philly. He is a little overrated now but will still
be a good player when all is said and done.
2.32 CB Vince Blick was the much sought after CB at the
end of the 2nd round. He has the hype of a lot of GMs
thinking he was going to be off the board here. Nice pick.
3.9 RB Mo Collins is a slow but 3 YPC runner that can
sometimes turn the 3 yarder into a 20+ yard gain. He has no
There is just not any offensive firepower here. The QB
position is in flux and 12th year vet Chris Henry is the
go to guy and that is scary. This team might struggle to
score major points in shootouts or score against any
stout defenses.
Key Players this season-
Rookie DE Louie Parrish comes into one of the hardest
cites to start off in as a rookie. This team will need a
DROY season from this kid to really make some strides
this year.
2016 VNFL Preview Page 13

Washington Redskins
8-8, 2015 2nd in East

Overview
There are 4 teams in the vNFL that have never made
the playoffs. One of those teams is the Washington
Redskins. They are the whooping boys in this division.
Yoda has built a team with sound special teams and a
great surrounding cast.
Strengths and Weaknesses
This defensively talented football team is incredible
across the board. If this defense and a new
defensive game plan comes through I can see this
defense destroying the division.

Biggest Acquisition- Is Jamarcus going to take the reigns from CJ? Can
Really only 1 person was traded for or even signed in this team just not turn the ball over and let the
the offseason. Some people may look at this as a GM defense take advantage of the talent on that side
that is only sitting on his hands but Yoda likes to build of the ball?
through the draft. Larry Fitzgerald is in his 13th year
and is top 10 in every single receiving category Key Players this season-
possible. You did notice the 13th year though right? Larry Fitzgerald is in his 13th year and I feel like an
idiot even saying this, but if he puts up a Larry Fitz
Biggest Loss- like season this team can really contend this year.
S Sean Taylor will retire as a Skin and has most of the
defensive records. He is in his 13th year and it was
time to let him retire or play badly for another team.
DE Rex Jackman was a great situational edge rusher
that was expendable for the Skins.

Look at the Draft-

1.26 FB Jermaine Fries is a stud. Is the worth a 1st
round pick? That is a Gms job to decide.
2.5 LB Vince Caldwell is not a great coverage guy but
really good all around
2.22 K TJ Harden leave it to Yoda to grab a K, P, and
Fb with 3 1st and 2nd round picks in 2 years.
2.28 WR Nolan Schwantz has good tools to be a starter
in this league. He will fit well in Washington.
3.28 LB Andrew Rockwell has the good combines and
good creeper bars to be a good fit.
4.11 T Trevor Guthrie is raw but has the hands and
feet and is a big kid
5.12 C Herb Quinn is a work out warrior first and a
football player second. He was an all-American
wrestler at Ole miss but has good potential.
5.15 WR Brandon Clinton might even be more athletic
then the 2nd round pick but struggles to get open with
a low, low route running and a low sole score.
5.19 CB Rod Johnson is probably a bad pick. He plays
the run but stops there as he might have been the
weakest DB in the draft this year.
6.14 CB Al Booker I am guessing the old scout pick
came into play here as he took another 7 rep bench
guy with a terrible skill set.
7.13 S Tito Stephens was a steal as a zone coverage
defender. He may never start but a good situational For the first time in team history the Skins will enter a new
player picked here. season without SS Sean Taylor.
Page 14 2016 VNFL Preview

Seattle Seahawks
10-6, 2015 2nd in West

So if your team already has pretty much everything

and lots of it, you stand pat in the offseason, right?
Not the case with the Seahawks. There’s a reason this
team is one of the greatest in VNFL history, if not the
greatest. They are always looking to improve. Most
teams would have been satisfied with a 10-6 record
and a trip to the conference playoffs. For the
Seahawks, it was a major disappointment. Fans in the
Great Northwest aren’t going to be satisfied with
anything less than a Lombardi trophy. Like a pack of wild dogs, the Hawks D is hungry for 2016

The Wizard behind the curtain, Englishman Nick Sims,

Draft:
isn’t going to be satisfied either. He won’t be able to
The Seahawks love to sacrifice numbers for quality.
forget last year’s start, which saw them lose four of
Safety Otis Wooden will have an immediate impact on an
their first six games. By season’s end, the team had
already-strong secondary. Cornerback Mo Kernfield, taken
dropped five of six to their division rivals leading to
in sixth round, is a smart, tough player who can be
their worst record in VNFL history, and reaching the
exposed in man defense. His best position might be
playoffs became a feat in itself. For most Englishmen,
safety, where his terrific run support would be more of
football is something played by effeminate waifs who
an asset. Seventh-round QB Rico Salvea is an intriguing
don’t like to get their hands dirty. This one, however,
prospect. He has an amazing feel for the pocket and
knows the real game, and knows what it takes to get
already has the knowledge to run a pro-offense, but his
back to the top.
accuracy is awful and scouts don’t think he can complete
passes at this level.
Look for Seattle to lean once again on their near-
unstoppable offense, led by QB Alex Smith, second-
Key to the season:
year RB Steven Gunn and a top-flight group of
This team has to win its division games. Losing five of six
receivers, bolstered by the addition of free agent Mark
is not likely to get them back to the playoffs. That
Clayton. On defense, this team will lean on its
shouldn’t be too much of a problem, and the safe bet is
anchors, freakish cornerback Jake “The Snake”
that Seattle will find itself once again hoisted atop their
McConnell and sack specialist Roman Yost. New kid on
division and the team to beat in the AFC. The offense was
the block, safety Otis Wooden, the fourth pick in the
already scary. This year, the defense will be as well. Woe
draft, should be able to step in right away. He fills
to the team that tries to throw against these guys. With
arguably the team’s biggest need. The rest of the
the notable exception of QB Alex Smith, who probably
squad is made up of players that know their roles:
still has a few great seasons left, the core of this group is
linebackers who can play the run, defensive tackles
very young.
that plug the middle, and a solid o-line that leans to
the run. The team even added a fullback this season,
something they haven’t carried for a few seasons.
That should help ensure another big year for Gunn,
who ran for an unreal 2299 yards and 5.81 yards per
carry in his rookie campaign.

Key acquisition:
Free agent receiver Mark Clayton was brought in as
the likely third receiver and carries some risk due to
his age. That said, the Seahawks love one-back
formations. If Clayton can still produce, he’ll get the
opportunity to put up solid numbers behind perhaps
the best starting receiver tandem in football, Randy
Not even the Blizzard of 6.3 could stop the Hawks from
Wetzel and Rufus Waters.
making another playoff run in 2015.
2016 VNFL Preview Page 15

Draft:
St. Louis Rams Considering what they had to work with, the Rams had
13-3, 2015 VNFL Champs an exceptionally good draft. Center Isaac Silverstein,
the last pick of the first round, has enormous potential
and also an enormously long way to go to meet that
potential. He is extremely underdeveloped for a first
round pick, and won’t help the team this season. In the
Champions are built by patient persistence, and that is
long run, could be one of the best at his position.
how the Rams climbed to the top of the VNFL world. GM
Fourth-round linebacker Lenny Vanden Bosch shows how
Erik (Brownkeg) understood that he was in a tough-as-
well Erik knows the position. The biggest trick will be
nails division. He didn’t let that deter him. Win by win,
finding him playing time. Receiver K.C. Swift and
the Rams have been steadily improved for six season until
defensive tackle Howard Lane both show flashes of
they could reap the well-deserved fruits of their labors.
talent. Mr. Irrelevant, seventh-round pick Percy
Quarterback Sedrick Knaga is the leader of this team, but
Goodwin, looks like a huge steal. He should eventually
the Rams are just that, a team. Seemingly every role is
emerge as a starting guard.
filled by a capable player. Knaga great season – 33/7 td
to int ratio, 8.28 ypa – was as much a testament to the
Key to the season:
offensive players around him as it was to himself. Other
The biggest hole on the Ram’s roster was also the one
than a so-so o-line, the Rams don’t have a lot of
they did the least to fill. The secondary still looks
weaknesses on this side of the ball. There are, however,
rather pedestrian. If Erik can whip them into an
plenty of strengths. Wesley Camileri and Vincent Jackson
effective unit once again, there is no reason to think
are a superb duo of wideouts, and running back Jonathan
the Rams can’t push for a repeat. If they fall back to
Stewart is more than solid. He is more of a push-the-pile
Earth, the Rams will have a hard time fending off
runner than a guy who will dance around, which suits the
Seattle.
Rams just fine.

The defensive side is all about the front seven. Well-

balanced third-year end Kris Hutchinson might be the
best player, but the linebackers are what makes this
defense tick. OLB Joey Donovan and MLB Harvey Sweeny
are outstanding players that can play the run and cover.
That last trick is important, because the secondary is
rather underwhelming for a championship team. Erik did
a superb job with the defensive backfield he had to work
with. Anything less and this team probably wouldn’t be
wearing rings this season.

Key Acquisitions:
Not a lot of activity from the World Champs, but Quinn
Pintock could be another solid addition to the d-line. He’s
an oldish player, but Pintock won’t be asked to do too
The Rams will have a plan to be the first repeat champions
much. He plays the run well and can help this team.
since Cinncy in ’07 & ‘08
 Page 16 2016 VNFL Preview

SF 49ers
7-9, 2015 4th place in West

Out with the new, in with the old! Last year’s signal
caller, Arnie Gant, has been reunited with his old GM,
Redzone, in Pittsburgh, leaving the 49ers in the hands of
thirteen-year vet Ben Rothlisberger. Usually, handing the
ball to an old QB is a quick fix, but second-year GM
bighouserules is building long-term here, with Big Ben as
a placeholder. BHR gets that there are a couple of tough
teams looming at the top of the division, and collecting 2015 was a frustrating Campaign for the 49ers who are
some draft ammo is the smart way to build. looking to address that disappointment in 2016.

Key Acquisitions:
Like the Cardinals, San Francisco opted to stick to the
Rothlisberger had a miserable time in 2015, and his
youth movement. And like the Cardinals, it was
struggles are almost a case study for the way the game
probably the right decision for this year.
has changed between patches. His pocket presence is still
valuable, but it doesn’t quite trump everything the way it
used to. Still, he remains a talented quarterback and
Draft:
should be able to bounce back, though forty touchdown
Billy Joe Becker was outstanding value with the twelfth
passes are likely a thing forever in the past for him. He
pick. Running backs like him don’t grow on trees.
is, in fact, the most valuable asset on this team right now
However, reports from the initial rookie training camp
and can’t look for much help from his teammates. An
have him looking slightly less amazing than a lot of
aging core of players have left SF a mere shadow of what
draft observers believed. In the second and third
they used to be. Receiver Robert Meacham’s performance
rounds, the 49ers looked to milk an exceptional class of
declined last season. At his age, turning that around will
offensive tackles. Adrian Branch and Danny Henry
be tough. Observers question how much linebacker Manny
should be decent bookends for Becker to run around.
Lawson still has left in the tank, though he remains an
With their other second-rounder, the team also picked
effective player. Safety red Naybo and outside linebacker
up cornerback Leslie Cooper, who looks solid.
Nathan Ray are still in their prime, but they are hardly
building block material.

Key to the season:

Get the ball in Becker’s capable hands. If San Francisco
Luckily for Rothlisberger, the future has arrived, or at
can establish the running game, it should help the
least part of the future. Running back Billy Joe Becker
passing game flourish. That might be easier said than
should make an immediate impact as a rookie, and take
done, because the offensive line is in shambles right
some of the pressure off of Big Ben and Meacham. San
now. But San Francisco isn’t looking to win it all this
Francisco’s 7-9 season, including two victories over the
year, they’re just looking to show some improvement
Seahawks, wasn’t too shabby, and it will be interesting to
and build around their talented new back.
see what they do with a new quarterback and running
back.
 2016 VNFL Preview Page 17

Arizona Cardinals
8-8, 3rd in West 2015 Arizona’s legions of picks didn’t come until at least as
late as the fourth round, when they took receiver Jim
Robson. Robson isn’t a burner, but he has showed some
promise in training camp. Tight End Levon Sampson and
safety Jon Harvey like solid contributors.

It’s always interesting when you have a Frenchman and

an Englishman stuck in the same division. It’s even more
Key to the season:
interesting when the Frenchman comes from land taken
Hope that the other trash teams over perform, leaving
over from by the English, who forced its inhabitants to
the Cardinals with the number one pick. We jest.
learn to speak American. Well, France’s loss is our gain.
Seriously, Dom has been showing a knack for squeezing
GM Dom continues to surprise with the Arizona Cardinals,
juice out of dead lemons, so it’ll be interesting to see
although last season’s surprise didn’t have as much
what he does for an encore after last year’s eight wins.
reward as the one the team provided two seasons ago.
There are more defensive tool here, but the key will be
Still, 8-8 and playoff contention for much of the year was
getting Rudder to keep playing at a similar level to last
an impressive finish for a team that basically threw in the
season. Dom seems to know how to get the most out of
towel after winning it all in 2014. The French do love to
his quarterbacks, so it’s not out of the question the
surrender, don’t they?
Cardinals will threaten for a playoff birth.
So it’s back to rebuilding for the Cardinals. Despite
jettisoning a huge amount of talent (and salaries) last
season, the Cardinals do still hold a some talent. It’s safe
to say that doesn’t include QB Jake Rudder, despite a
solid 2015 season. No doubt Dom was hoping for an
abysmal crash and a high pick with which to take a
quarterback, but it never materialized.

Key Acquisitions:
Trading away your core will get you what Arizona got this
year: $37 million plus change in dead cap space. That left
them as a looker-on in free agency. The Cardinals are
going for youth and nothing but youth, and couldn’t be
bothered to look at free agents.

Draft:
All in all, Arizona netted some nice assets in the draft,
which isn’t that hard to do when you’ve got a gazillion
draft picks. Eddie Stanford with the ninth pick looks like
a revelation. He is an unstoppable pass rusher, and he
plays the run to boot. Defensive tackle Thomas Reese,
taken with the sixteen pick, is similarly skilled at getting
at the opposing quarterback, but some question whether
he’ll ever be a truly elite run-stopper. The rest of The youth movement in Arizona has progressed quickly;
they will need to keep their focus to avoid any setbacks.
 Page 18
Carolina Panthers
11-5, 2015 Division Winner
Carolina rode a strong offense and an opportunistic
defense to a 11-5 record and a NFC South Championship
last year. After putting up 42 points in their home WC
game, they were unable to stop the Rams in the division
round. Keeping the hammer down on offense while
bolstering the often porous defense will be the key for a
longer run into the playoffs this year.
Biggest Acquisition
DE Donnie Holiday: Solid vet who will play a big role on
the Panthers front 7.
OG Marshall Tangeman: Rookie. A little small for an
interior lineman but has all the tools to open the holes
for the Panther running attack.
Biggest Loss
DE Stanely McGlover (retired). He was getting a little long
in the tooth, but the loss of a leader like McGlover will be
significant. His role was significantly diminished last year,
but when he was on the field he produced.
Draft
1 - 17 (17) C Marshall Tangeman
Came into the draft as a center but move to guard.
Showed tremendous ability in camp. With a sub 5.00 40
and a 35 bench he is gonna be a LOAD as a pulling guard.
1 - 27 (27) S Bart Pritchett
Top combines. Good size. All the makings of a serious
safety.
2 - 16 (48) WR Damon Tatum
Struggled in camp. Has the wheels and the agility but
wasn’t crisp in his route running and there are questions
about his ability to catch the ball in traffic.
3 - 27 (91) T Chester Knispel
4 - 27 (123) P Jamie Limbeck
5 - 27 (155) DT Perry Finley
The Panthers continue to be the NFC South’s top Cat
2016 VNFL Preview
6 - 27 (187) OLB Lester Perkins
Steal for the Panthers at this level. Nice progress in
camp. Will have to make his mark tackling the ball carrier
and going after the QB because he may be a little light in
the coverage skills.
7 - 27 (219) ILB Oliver Margraff
Strengths and weaknesses
Offense
QB Matt Lienart isn’t the player he was a few years ago
but is still one of the better trigger men in the league.
With him at the helm, the Panthers have a steady leader
behind center and a QB who will greatly help in the
development of second year wideout Ty Sullivan. If rookie
Damon Tatum can shake off his training camp struggles
this could be a potent WR corps. Tatum’s development is
critical because Sinorice Moss isn’t getting any younger
and is coming to the end of a great career.
The holdout of nine year RB Jimmy Kelly has to be a
major concern for Carolina. Getting him happy and in the
fold will be necessary to give this offense some balance.
The front 5 have the talent and the ratings to be
something special. They do a great job protecting the QB
but you have to think there is more coming from them in
the running game.
Defense
The good news is the Panthers have a really good offense.
The other good news is they are tough against the pass.
Unfortunately, they have struggled against the run. As
with most 3-4 defenses, Carolina is strong in the middle
with NT Stephen Reed. The defensive ends could use
some upgrade but are serviceable with veterans Holliday
and Mccormick. The LB corps is led by ILB Blain Everett.
Problem is. He is ALSO holding out. If they can’t get him
signed, then they will struggle mightily against the run.
On the outside, Patrick Willis has been one of the premier
WLB in the league but is nearing the end of his run, going
into his 10th season. The secondary is lead by
cornerbacks Pete “Hands of” Stone and Hardy McCarthy.
Paired with youngster Brett Lofton this crew leads an
opportunistic secondary.
Keys for the season
Stop the run.
Get ahead early and force the other teams to pass. This
team is predicated on offense and getting a lead making
the other team one-dimensional. It’s a good plan but they
will struggle against the top running teams in the league.
Fortunately for them the NFC South is a pass oriented
conference.
Prognosis
Divisional Champs but a similar run in the playoffs. To go
deep you still have to run the ball and stop the run. With
holdouts at key positions this year could go either way,
but I still see them the class of the NFC South.
2016 VNFL Preview
Atlanta Falcons
8-8, 2015 3rd place in South
Appears there is a significant youth movement underway in
Atlanta. Many aging productive vets were allowed to move
along during Free Agency including the Falcons all time leader
in rushing. Atlanta didn’t go for the big splash in FA but
instead went for a series of low profile picks. The Falcons had
some struggles running the ball and putting points up on the
board and hope some of the questions in the running game
will be filed by second round pick Paul Dunlap. Where they
will live and die is defense. They gave up a meager 287 yards
per game last year. If they can find a way to the end zone,
they have chance to better their 8-8 record of 2015.
Biggest Acquisition
CB Lawrence Butler (1st Round). Kid has the chops to be one
of the best shut down corners in the division.
Biggest Loss
Adrian Peterson RB – All time rushing leader for the Falcons –
9 seasons and 4.26 YPC
K – Jeff Reed (Retired): One and done but had a tremendous
season for the Falcons going 28 of 43 and ½ 50+
DT - Jonathan Babineaux RDT – Top 10 in all time tackles for
the Falcons but who was dropping off considerably
Draft
1 - 15 (15) CB Lawrence Butler
Outstanding pick for Atlanta. Has the speed and wiggle to
match up to the best WR in the league. Good progression
during training camp.
2 - 14 (46) RB Paul Dunlap
Dunlap skipped the combine but was considered underrated
by many scouts in the league. He took a few dings in camp
but will get a shot at the staring lineup
3 - 13 (77) CB Darnell Neasman
Good size and speed but not strong against the running game.
Looks ready to contribute immediately on passing downs.
4 - 18 (114) OLB Mo Richard
5 - 17 (145) WR Myron Dubroff
6 - 16 (176) QB A.J. Owens
7 - 15 (207) T Isaac Paniagua
Looked like a find right after the draft but struggled mightily
in training camp. May have played his way onto the bubble.
Strengths and weaknesses
Offense:
Third year QB Vincent Soprano made great strides in his
second campaign for the Falcons last year. He took care of
the ball and showed nice touch on the deep ball. The one
Page 19
knock is he tends to hold onto the ball a bit long as
evidenced by his 38 sacks and 10 fumbles. These are
all growing pains but he looks like a keeper. The real
question is who besides 2nd year WR Micahel Alston
will step up at receiver. The collection of
journeymen will have to play about their scouting
reports for this offense to click. Running the ball has
not been a strength and it’s a big question whether
rookie Paul Dunlap can unlock the ground attack.
Up front, the offensive line is young and in their
prime. Football outsiders rates their OL as very
strong. They just need a back to take advantage.
Atlanta has the makings of a solid
Defense:
This is where the team brings home the bacon. With
a young defensive line that is strong across the
board, the team is able to bring significant pressure
on opposing passers. Third year DE Shawn “the big
pineapple” Dole came into his own last year posting
an incredible 9.8 pass rush percentage. He’s
complemented on the right side by Jose Becker and
the interior line is anchored by Ernest Brigss, a
compete beast of a defensive tackle. Jermaine
Garciaparra is the start of the LB corps and ranges
from sideline to sideline making plays but it’s
uncertain how he will respond to a franchise tag and
playing on a one year deal.
The secondary returned steady if unspectacular Ron
Fleischer and the afore mentioned addition of rookie
Lawrence Butler. Nine-year vet Floyd “Dilbert”
Dilbeck will roam the middle but showed some drop-
off from previous years.
Keys for the season
The primary key for Atlanta’s success this year will
be running the football. With an emerging passing
attack and a top shelf defense if the Falcons can
average 4+ yards per carry rushing the ball, it will go
a long way toward a successful season.
Continued development of the defensive line will be
key to the continued growth of the Dirty Bird
defense. If they youngsters there come to play, this D
could be special.
Prognosis
Given the depth of talent in the NFC South, it would
be considered an accomplishment to repeat the 8-8
record of 2015. A lot of things could come together
but I think another year of about 500 ball is in order.
Page 20
New Orleans Saints
9-7, 2015 2 nd
place, NFC WC
New Orleans was in the thick of the hunt at 9-4 when
they went into the tank for their last 3 games to finish
the year. With a series of injuries, they limped home to a
Wild Card spot for the NFC. Their ride ended with a
dismal playoff loss to the Carolina Panthers. Healthy and
looking for QB Phillip Rivers to bring them post season
glory, the Saints feel they have something for the
Panthers and the rest of the NFC South
Biggest Acquisition
Rookie LT Orlando Allen: Will start for the next decade.
Biggest Loss
DE Will Smith: Decided to spend the Summertime,
Getting Jiggy with his Men in Black. Reduced to a bit
player on the Saints D, he gets props here as the Saints
all time sack leader before his retirement.
Draft
1 - 22 (22) T Orlando Allen
Landing the 6’-4” Allen with the twenty-second pick was
a coup for the Saints. Prototype size, speed and agility he
had a great camp, living up to the Saints expectations.
2 - 21 (53) CB Cary Burbank
Burbank was a bit of a surprise as a second rounder and
struggles in camp. While he has the wiggle for a CB his
final destination may be as an undersized safety.
3 - 20 (84) DT Leland Batten
Batten showed up to camp ready to work and had a
pretty good camp. He’s big enough and strong enough to
hold the point of attack and will be in the rotation from
the start of the season.
4 - 19 (115) G Amos Brennan
5 - 23 (151) WR Howie Winfield
6 - 22 (182) QB Frankie Clemons
7 - 21 (213) RB Phil Conley
Strengths and weaknesses
Offense
2016 VNFL Preview
The Saints thrive on the arm of Philip Rivers and a
downfield attack. They were in the top 3 in Yards per
Catch last year, but Rivers must be more accurate after
only completing 57% of his passes last year. Perennially a
top QB prior to the VNFL rule changes under 6.3b, he
needs to discover that lost magic. Led by fifth year
wideout William Corbett and sixth year split-end James
Hardy, the passing attack has some weapons in place.
The key is Rivers. Nick Hansen ground out the running
attack with 320 carries, 5th highest in the league. If the
line can help him break one or two, he could be near the
top of the league in rushing yards. League scouts consider
their offensive line a strength and with the addition of
Allen and the steady play of uber-OG Rusty Ulbricht the
Saints expect much improvement in their Yards per Carry
Defense
New Orleans was an opportunistic defense last year
creating 2.5 turnovers per game. Vernon Golhston is a
force at LDE and the rest of the defensive line does a
good job holding their ground allowing the LB to move to
the ball. Despite their ratings, this underrated LB corps
packs a punch and covers well while WLB Shawne
Merriman brings the heat from the outside. The ball-
hawking secondary is very underrated. Led by CB Vince
Fling and SS Roman Harper, this group led the Saints to a
plus EIGHTEEN turnover margin.
Keys for the season
Turnovers: The Saints led the VNFL in takeaways with a
whopping 22 forced fumbles. Combined with a league low
6 interceptions, taking care of the ball proved a New
Orleans staple. If the Saints D isn’t able to maintain their
pace or if Rivers starts completing the ball to jerseys of
the wrong color, this train could derail quickly.
Prognosis
I wouldn’t bet against Rivers and Co. With additions to an
already solid offensive line, the Saints offense will be
potent and put teams in a hole early. They should be able
to grind it out putting the other teams in desperate
straits, just where the opportunistic defense wants them.
They are capable of giving Carolina a run for the money
but the bet here is that they will fall just short, again
competing for the wildcard.
 2016 VNFL Preview Page 21

Tampa Bay Bucc’s Strengths and weaknesses

8-8, 2015 4th place in South
Tampa Bay started strong in 2015 going 5-2 before going
on bye. Unfortunately, for Bucs fans, they faded badly
losing three games coming out of the bye and played 500
ball the rest of the way in. Scoring was a challenge for
the Bucs while the defense finished middle of the pack.
The youth movement is underway in central Florida with
with the Bucs sporting one of the youngest lineups in the
league.
Offense
QB Sean Rondeau leads a very young offense into battle
this year. He’s proven to be a steady leader but it’s
questionable is the Bucs see his as the long term
alternative at QB. Started Stan Edwards and Arnie
Newman return at wideout. The team is looking for big
things from second year TE Peter Morrell who needs to
deliver to take the pressure of a pedestrian receiving
corps. The starting RB job is completely up in the air but
looks to be a RBBC at its finest with Head Coach Walt
Craig going with the hot hand. The offensive line has
some stud anchors in Center Tyrone Luther, Guard Louis
McGregor, and Tackle Shawn Brandon. With the addition
of Ross this could be one of the better offensive lines in
the league.

Biggest Acquisition Defense

Rookie LT Ross Warren – Looks to come in and start
immediately
Biggest Loss
LB Barrett Ruud Dispite his age Rudd was a strong
contributor
Draft
1 - 14 (14) OLB Tyrus Ross
Mad combines with DB speed but struggled a bit in camp.
The progression the Bucs hoped for didn’t show up at
camp but they remain high on the first round pick.
The defense starts up front with NT Jose Panetta.
Probably not best suited for the Bucs 3-4 given his size,
he manages to hold his ground well and managed 51
tackles. The defensive ends were bolstered by rookie
Bobby Durham but are not the strength of the defensive
line. The LB corps is somewhat depleted but led by SLB
Ben Embry. Look for the team to be scouring the waiver
wire for front 7 players during the preseason. The
secondary is solid and the strength of this team. Irving
Chapman and Everette Rinehart will line up at CB with all
everything Conrad Steele manning the Strong safetly
spot.

1 - 21 (21) T Warren Ross Keys for the season

Good all around combine numbers supported his
consensus scout ratings and all in all he had a pretty good
camp. Look for him to slide right in and start over second
year tackles Stacey and Sutter
2 - 9 (41) DT Donnie Zerillo
Big strong tackle who should perform much better than
his scouted bars.
2 - 12 (44) QB Cedric Castillo
2 - 13 (45) QB Stan Warren
Looking for an upgrade on 5th year QB Sean Rondeau the
Bucs took two QB’s in the second round. Oddly enough,
the team was not able to come to terms with either QB
prior to training camp.
There is no sugar coating it. With a shorthanded defense
and a young offense, this team will live and die by how
fast the offensive line gels. If they turn into a cohesive
unit, the Bucs can pound the ball giving their defense
long breaks and keeping the other team’s offensive unit
off the field.
Prognosis
The future doesn’t look bad but this will be a tough,
growing year for the Bucs. Give this draft class a year to
sort things out before we see what this team will really
be.

3 - 18 (82) DE Bobby Durham

4 - 12 (108) RB Chad McDaniel
4 - 17 (113) ILB A.J. Howe
4 - 26 (122) WR Cornell Jackson
5 - 16 (144) CB Everett Rinehart
5 - 31 (159) TE Jimmie Gardinaer
6 - 15 (175) K Graham Donaldson
7 - 14 (206) G Darrell Roberson
It appears that things are finally pointed in the right direction for the Buccs
 Page 22
Quarterback watch - by Pat Kirwin
Everyone is sat with baited breath waiting for the draft
class to be revealed. Expectations are high, 2 bad class in
a row. Surely its time for another Flynn or Ryan to be
revealed. The Quarterback position is at the forefront of
everyones mind at draft time, especially in the vNFL. A
lack of talent at the Quarterback position, makes it even
more of a priority to get a grip on the new talent
entering the league.
The Running back position, along with the 6.3a change
has to be tempting teams to run a ground based attack.
2,299 rushing yards by Steven Gunn last year, and 5.81
per carry, seem to indicate that this is a real option in
the version of the game. Throw in Small, Cochrane,
Goodwin and Olman, and its clear to see just how much
quality young talent there is at the position.
Or is there? Despite this recent influx of talent, it seems
only a select few have the luxury of a dominant back. It
seems the lack of quality, is true for all skill positions.
The career of the running back is so short lived, which
doesn’t help their cause. You draft a quality passer, you
have at his peak twice as long as a back. There is no
getting around it then. The vast majority will look to a
signal caller to form a base for their franchise. Great
talent at any other position is just second best.
When Charles Hoover was revealed as the top passer in
the class it was all to easy to be disappointed and scorn
the “useless” Quarterback class. On closer inspection, I
figure perhaps Hoover isn’t going to be as bad as most
people, myself included, made out. I remember doing
something similar when Troy Stevens was taken at 1.5
2013. I thought it might be that Charles Hoover isn’t to
far off that standard, and that Chicago’s 1.10 selection
doesn’t look so bad down the line. The Rams gave us a
good illustration the Sedrick Knaga was plenty good
enough to win a Superbowl with. Maybe that is just the
tip of the iceberg in 6.3. I could see Hoover becoming a
passer of similar standard to Knaga down the road. That
isn’t so bad is it. The St.Louis Rams fans don’t think so.
After a disastrous camp. It may be that my initial gut
instinct was correct. Hoover appears to be a borderline
starter, once he reaches his peak. The story of this QB
class appeared to be disappointment after
disappointment in camp. Take a look at the future
potential losses for the top passers of the class - -8, -7, -
3, -1, -7, -11, +4. Bare in mind none of them were that
good to begin with, a bit of a wash out! Baxter in Buffalo,
who went +4, may well end up with a strong overall
rating. Considering he went at 3.3, in hindsight it could
be that he was the best value selection of the bunch.
Less than ideal bar distribution means he probably won’t
play to his overall ratings, and is destined for that
“borderline starter” tag.
2016 VNFL Preview
Can Troy Stevens make the Leap to Elite QB in 2016?
Many people felt David Mathis, who went to Minnesota at
2.1 had a shot at becoming a decent starting QB. I had
him just a little behind Hoover, pre draft. Mathis will
take a number of years before he is vNFL ready though, I
have little doubt about that. Having said that the Vikings
reportedly bent over backwards in camp to help the
passers increase his knowledge of formations. His gaining
of 2 more must of taken has doing considering his
reported lack of intelligence. My evaluation pre camp was
In time we could be looking at a Charlie Frye at his peak.
Gary Dunn worse case scenario, but more than likely a
little better I figure. -3 camp means I think that worse
case scenario may be closer to the mark. Guess what?
Another borderline starter.
When you try to equate these young rookies to
established veterans it gives you a feel for what these
veterans should be changing hands for. I was surprised to
see such little demand for Chris Leak, who went to
Seattle for a 4th round pick. Not a flashy passer, but a
competent one. Whether Sam Kellar can ever regain his
old form for Dallas is very much in question, but he is
another Quarterback who changed hands on the cheap
this off season. Perhaps a lack of marketing caused Kellar
to move for less than he should of.
You might notice that the teams who swop and change
their Quarterbacks rarely do it for the better. As usual a
number of teams were at it this off season. For the past
few season, surprisingly, free agency seems to have been
a way to get ahead of the game. Recently Seattle have
been signing guys like Charlie Frye and Jesse Rutter, only
to trade them on to draft picks when teams realize their
significance. New England bagged Matt Gutteriez, who
has good job filling the shoes of Tom Brady.
 2016 VNFL Preview Page 23

This year it was the New York Jets and the 8th year
veteran Dennis Tatangelo, who was signed for a measly
$10 million over 2 years. Tatangelo has shown a decent
ability to avoid interceptions all of his career in Philly. He
has been productive, despite a lack of options at
receiver. Tatangelo genuinely is a starting calibre
Quarterback in this league. Its almost like many deems in
the league don’t appreciate what a dearth of talent there
is at the position. Great acquisition for the Jets.

Houston finally shifted one of their signal callers. Dallas

got Rapaport on a place, but Houston decided to cancel
the flight. In the end it was Gary Dunn who left town for
a 3rd round pick. I think Dunn has an edge on Rapaport,
although being that much older perhaps the younger
player is worth very slightly more. Still, I think Detriot
came out very well here. To give up a 3rd for a starting
Quarterback in his prime has a sweet feel to it. Maybe a
contender would be better off keeping both
Quarterbacks, but I understand Houston decision to cash
Baltimore’s future looks Flynn-tastic
in. A 3rd round pick, as opposed to a 2nd, again seems to
be a lack of willingness from the league to adjust to the AI - Avoid interceptions ranking from Greta’s list in 2015
situation. You sure can’t say Groo didn’t advertise Dunn Precamp rating is displayed, along with post camp rating.
enough! Last years rankings are in brackets.
Solecismic and intelligence is listed where possible.
Without further ado, lets look at this seasons top 32
Quarterbacks. The list is compiled looking at each players THE SUPERSTARS
quality in real terms, rather than judging solely on game
performance. You will see that there are not enough 1. (1.) Ryan 94/94---94/94 (AI 1st - 48 SOL, INT 94 )
starters to go around in this league right now. Ryan has yet to play to his potential, but it surely isn’t
the players fault. He is everything you want your
Quarterback to be, and only in his 6th year. He does only
have 14 formations, other than that pretty impossible to
find a flaw.

2. (2.) Flynn 84/84---83/83 (AI 2nd - 46 SOL, INT 75)

We have sense glimpses of how good Flynn is. Perhaps
new management can really set him on his way. Next to
Ryan the gap is noticeable. Make no mistake though, in
his 4th year he is an invaluable asset to the Ravens.

THE STUDS

3. (5.) Young 79/79---73/73

Young has underachieved in t he league. The fresh
pastures of Jacksonville may prove to be just what he
needed. Vince has never seen Greta’s list, but as he has
matured the evidence has grown that he has a good avoid
interceptions bar. Unexpected decline in camp for the 11
year pro.
4. (6.) Lionheart 66/66---66/66
Lion hasn’t really produced in Carolina, but he has a
mature star receiver to throw to now in Ty Sullivan.
Watch out! Lion is a good all rounder, he should be able
to move the ball very well in 6.3.
5. (7.) Roethlisberger (AI 7t h) 61/61---61
Clockwise: Leak keller Kolb & Gant
Ben is past his best and on his way down. He was once
the best in the league, in real terms. But hold on, Big Ben
may have got a second wind with his trade to San Fran.
He holds firm in camp, after a few years of decline.
Page 24
Quinn looks to silence his critics once and for all
6. (8.) A. Smith (AI 9t h) 75/75---69/69
Smith’s Accuracy has become a weak point in 6.3a, but
he is still a quality passer. While he put in a good season
last year, he wasn’t super awesome like usual. You kind
of expect a high level, when you factor in his supporting
cast. Surprising decline in camp for the 32 year old QB.
7. (12.) Gant 65/65---66/66 (39 SOL, 56 INT)
After a poor year for San Fran, Gant goes to play for his
old boss. Still hasn’t really made a name for himself.
Gained 2 formations this camp, which is a big deal when
you only have 10 to begin with. This alone raises Gant up
the order.
8. (9.) T. Smith 61/61---59/59 (37 SOL, 57 INT)
A solid across the board kind of guy has become pretty
damn sharp in this version. He had the best year of his
career in 2015 to illustrate that. 7 interceptions in 421
attempts appears to indicate a strong avoid interception
bar, factoring in past performance and combine data as a
whole.
FRANCHISE QUARTERBACKS
9. (10.) Terry 67/67---67/67 (AI 6t h - 40 SOL, 73 INT)
Kin Terry has been ultimately a disappointment, he has
yet to really find his feet. May not be able to move the
ball as well as some in this version, his avoid
interceptions bar is a proven commodity though.
10. (11.) Hatcher 71/71---71/71 (35 SOL, 34 INT)
About time! Hatcher showed us what he can do in 2015. If
he keeps his picks down again this year, he may well
move past Terry next year.
11. (20.) Stevens 70/70---68/68 (34 SOL, 50 INT)
Stevens has developed into a player that is better than I
expected. A very talented young player. His combine
indicates a very average avoid interceptions bar, and to
this point the stats bare that out. I did see this camp drop
coming in Stevens, and I can see more before he levels
out around 65.
2016 VNFL Preview
12.(13.) Taylor 60/60---61/61 (34 SOL, 33 INT)
Yet to get it done in t he vNFL, but on paper a good player.
Another player who goes under the radar, but he has talent.
Its tough to put Taylor in this position when he threw 20 picks
last year. Another season like that and he is sure to drop.
13. (14.) Knaga 62/62---62/62 (37 SOL, 89 INT)
Maybe the worst Quarterback to win a vNFL championship.
Maybe Knaga may be better than this ranking, or was last
year a fluke? The big surprise factor was him throwing only 7
interceptions in 440 attempts. I previously had him avoid
interceptions around 50, if he was lucky! That what I will be
watching.
STARTERS
14.(15.) Kellar 42/42---43/43 (28 SOL, 24 INT)
Back in Dallas Kellar may struggle without the old supporting
cast. Solid starter though. He had an awful year last year
throwing 22 picks, but I suspect he will bring that down to his
norm this year. He may have a low overall rating, but great
bar distribution.
15. (16.) Kolb 42/42---42/42 (32 SOL, 74 INT)
Kolb has played well for Denver, and has confirmed himself to
be a decent starter. Much like Kellar in that he has a low
overall rating and great bar distribution. You have to figure
his avoid interceptions bar is lower than Kellar’s, but I
suspect it might be closer than you might think.
16. (18.) Quinn 74/74---75/75 (46 SOL, 93 INT)
The chump was his usual self last year. He got killed against
premier pass rushes, but if he has time he can tear you apart.
Well, Braylon Edwards can. He has seen Greta’s list in the
past. The sense rush bar is a killer unfortunately.
17. (21.) Gutteriez 42/42---42/42 (34 SOL, 43 INT)
A solid starter who has been made to look like star in New
England. The huge sense rush bar is his main asset, but it
appears to be backed up by a good avoid interceptions bar.
18. (24.) Cutler 65/65---66/66
A decent year from Cutler in 2015. Hard to believe its his
11th already. Cutler did enough for me to admit I was harsh
on him last year.
19. (19.) Russell 53/53---53/53 (32 SOL, 55 INT)
Poor Russell rides the pine in Washington. On face value a
quality 10 year veteran who never really has been given the
chance to shine. Sad really L
20. (17.) Rivers (AI 8th) 66/66---58/58
Perhaps past his best, but Rivers does not make many
mistakes. Very average sense rush and accuracy is a big deal
though unfortunately. Big drop in camp could be the
beginning of the end for Rivers.
21. (22.) Leak 38/38---39/39 (33 SOL, 43 INT)
Leak might not see much action this year, but he can play
some, given the chance. He was pretty much a Gutteriez
clone, but appear to take a minor mini volatility bust last
year. One of those low overall, nice bar distibution types.
2016 VNFL Preview
GREAT BACKUPS
22. (23.) Frye (AI 3rd) 52/52---52/52
The veteran will get a chance to show if he still has it in
San Diego this year. Frye will miss on intermediate
routes, and that can be real frustrating. Solid veteran,
but we are getting into guys who you really don’t want to
start now.
23. (25.) Tatangelo 42/42---42/42 (37 SOL, 100 INT)
It will be interesting to see what he can do at the Jets.
Was the GM the driving force in Philly? Tatangelo has
always kept his picks down, and I’m a believer until I see
otherwise. He isn’t going to blast down the field, but he
appears to be a good game manager.
24. (-) Seabury 54/74---61/74 (36 SOL, 62 INT)
The chump MKII Seabury has an opportunity to establish
himself this year. Down the line he appears to have the
tools to become a decent starter. He continues to rapidly
improve, +7/0 in camp indicates he should attain around
the 74 potential he displays.
25. (26.) Dunn 48/48---48/48 (40 SOL, 29 INT)
Caught up in the Houston triangle of passers. Dunn
deserves to start somewhere…and so he will now it
appears. For me he is somewhat of an unknown quantity.
I suspect he is on the fringe of Greta’s list.
26. (-) Waits 56/56---57/57 (36 SOL, 12 INT)
Another guy who hasn’t had much of a chance in the
league. On face value he will struggle to move the ball,
but shouldn’t make many mistakes.
27. (-) Rutter (AI 4th) 43/43---44/44
Rutter exploded onto the scene last year, and then came
crashing back down to earth. Overall he did a decent job
for the Cards last year, but a player of his ability will
always struggle to find that consistency. I would expect
Page 25
him to improve on his pretty poor total of 19 picks this
year, although I would be very surprised if he threw for
4,000 yards again.
AVERAGE BACKUPS
28. (27.) Owens 46/46---47/47 (35 SOL, 34 INT)
Owens has never looked a good passer on the field, but
on paper he looks solid. It will be his 3rd team in 5 years
at San Francisco. Looks likely he will be on the bench
though, backing up Big Ben. Bit of a question mark at this
point.
29. (-) Valadez 35/50---40/50 (32 SOL, 42 INT)
To date the Chargers backup has flown under the radar.
He may get his chance soon with Frye in his 12th year.
Arguably he should of got his chance this year, although
his ability to avoid interceptions is unproven at this point.
30. (31.) Rapaport 53/53---53/53 (28 SOL, 16 INT)
Needs to show something before the league will take him
seriously. 19 interceptions last year was a notable decline
from the previous year. Ability to avoid interceptions is
still in question. A solid accuracy bar helps his cause.
31. (29.) Manning 43/43
On his way down in his 13th year, may lose his starting
role to Klech this year. Still, Manning put in a decent
performance last year considering the talent around him.
The Giants fans love him, but it will soon be the end of
an era for them.
32. (-) Klech 43/43 (42 SOL, 88 INT)
Klech has been around the league and has had an
inconsistent career. Like the majority of players at this
level, they play very well at times, and poorly at others.
Klech is a solid enough veteran, won’t inspire a team to
win very often.
Page 26 2016 VNFL Preview

Buffalo Bills
4-12, 4th in East

It was the 1st time in 7 seasons that the Bills had a losing
record last season so they had a lot of work to do this
offseason. Surprisingly, the Bills didn’t sign a single free
agent and didn’t resign any of their players.

Biggest loss

The good news is they didn’t lose that much. They lost
some backups but nothing significant.

Biggest acquisition

With no free agent signed, we have to turn to the draft to

see their biggest acquisition. 1st round pick corner back
Bucky Hauer. This guy is simply awesome and should be a
superstar right away. He was one of the best in college
and was incredible at the combine. He’s the real deal.

Draft

Other than Hauer, DT Chuck Wells seems like very good
value in the 4th. He could be a complete DT and could
play right away. 2nd rounder linebacker Jeremy Cooper
could be a surprise too. He had very good combine
scores, that’s the reason why he went in the 2nd cause
he wasn’t anything special in college. They also picked a
QB with some potential, but we’ll have to wait to see if
he’ll pan out.
Rookie CB Buckey Hauer has Hall of Fame Potential
Strengths and weaknesses
Their strength is without a doubt their running game.
Jake Dillon is a good RB and they have a very good
offensive line. The problem with this offense is the
passing game. They have 2 good receivers in McCormick
and Evans but nobody to throw them the ball. Stuart and
Levine were interception machines last season and rookie
Terrance Baxter is too raw to start. It’s gonna be a mess
again this year at this position.

On defense, their strong unit is the secondary which got a

lot better with the Hauer pick. He’ll join corner Jake
Brophy, safeties Donte Whitner and Ben Maxwell. Much
like the Jets, their secondary will be heavily tested since
there’s not a lot of players who can put some pressure on
the quarterback.

The biggest problem for the Bills in my mind is depth.

Without much depth, the Bills must avoid injuries to reach
their goals this season.
They only have 35 players under contract at the time I’m
writing this so there’s gonna be a lot of undrafted free
agents playing on that team. They really need to stay
healthy.
2016 VNFL Preview Page 27

Miami Dolphins
12-4, 2015 2nd in East

The Dolphins were 2-14 in 2013 before new GM Bill took
over the team. They went 8-8 in 2014 and 12-4 last
year so it could very well be their time this year. Bill is
also known to be one of the top game planner around.
Biggest loss
you pair Seth Rogers with the young Medrano and you get
one of the top secondary in the league.
Their weak spot is wide receiver obviously and the oline
is questionable too. Bill could work around that but Troy
Smith and McFadden can’t do it all alone.

Linebacker Clint Ingram. He slowed down a little the All in all, I think the Dolphins are the favorites to win the
last couple of years, but he’s a long time Dolphins that division. No real weakness on defense and the Smith –
will be missed on the defensive squad. McFadden combo to run the offense.

Biggest acquisition

Without a doubt, Darren McFadden. When you know

what Bill can do with an average RB, you’re afraid of
what he could do with a guy like that. That’s gonna be
very interesting to watch.

Draft

They got a very interesting CB in the 1st in Medrano.

He’s looking like a very good zone guy and a ball hawk.
They also took a chance on linebacker Leon Blanchard
in the 5th round. Blanchard didn’t show up at the
combine but looks like a good run stopper with some
ability to rush the QB.

Strengths and weaknesses

With McFadden, their running game will be a strength

this year. Their offensive line is average, but Bill will
find a way to get his new man some yards. On the Can Miami make the jump to the AFC Championship?
defensive side, man, what a secondary. Kim England is
not even fully developed and is already a force. Then
 Page 28 2016 VNFL Preview

New England Patriots

13-3, 2015 1st in East

I don’t even know why I’m looking at the Pats offseason. No

matter what happen, this team is winning anyway. They lost
Tom Brady after the 2014 season but they finished 1st in the
division anyway with Matt Guthierez at the helm. Let’s take a
look at their offseason a little.

Biggest losses
It has to be the loss of Wes Welker, Troy Williamson and Jericho
Cotchery. I’d like to tell you who’s gonna catch the ball at WR
this year but I don’t know. Huge loss for them.

Biggest acquisition
No doubt, linebacker Andy Garcia is their biggest acquisition.
He was signed in free agency to a 2 years 41 millions dollars. The Patriots are Americas Team
He’s joining Dennis Franz and DeMico Ryans in a good
Morris had good seasons last year and their offensive line
linebacker group.
is good enough to help them do that again. On defense,
with DT Darryl Clark and the Franz / Garcia combo at
Draft
linebacker, the Pats will be tough to run against. It could
They tried to find the next Tom Brady in the 1st with Marshall
be harder against the pass since that beside WLB
Vautier. The Purdue product was very good in college and
Caldwell, there’s no real pass rusher there. So stopping
impressed Pats GM in the combine. I’m not sure about him but
the pass will be the cornerback’s job and the Pats have a
we should learn more about him during training camp. In later
very strong group there. Cromartie and Hall are not
rounds, I like the Alvin Austin pick in the 4th. The defensive end
getting any younger but still have a year or 2 in them.
from Auburn seems like a future sack machine.
Their biggest strength is without a doubt their GM so the
Strengths and weaknesses
weaknesses I mentioned before could very well doesn’t
Even if there’s a lot of doubters about Gutierrez, I think he’s
mean a lot because of that. But he can’t do everything
good enough to do the job at QB, but the problem is : Who’s
for the team and the lack of talent at WR could be very
gonna catch the ball. I think the top receiver right now is Wade
hard to overcome for them this year. I just can’t bet
Dilly and it’s not a good news. I think this passing attack could
against Bear so even if I have a lot of doubts about his
struggle a little bit this year. On the other hand, Dilly and
team, I still think he’ll compete for the division.

Can the Pats continue to slap around opponents in 2016?

2016 VNFL Preview Page 29

New York Jets

9-7, 3rd in East

The Jets started this offseason in a controversy when

they let some very good players walk. A lot of people
were questioning the move, but Jets GM knows what he’s
doing so we’ll give him a chance to build his team how he
like it before we judge his decisions.

Biggest loss
3 of the 4 biggest free agent contracts were given to
former New York Jets. They lost DT Earl Hansen, ILB Andy
Garcia, Darren McFadden and a couple more. Most of
them were 8 year vet or more but the Jets could’ve had
some value for these guys.

Biggest acquisition
I was saying that 3 of the 4 biggest FA offer were made to
former Jets. Well, the other one was signed by the Jets
to a crazy 2 years 75 millions deal. CB Louie Bruce signed
this deal and is joining an awesome secondary. The Jets Secondary is second to none.

Draft
I’m not that excited about their draft this year. They
picked LB Shane Holbrook at 1.19. He’s talented, but
there’s some doubt about his ability. 3rd round pick,
safety Kelvin Thelwell could be a good one. He seems to
be good enough in coverage and in run support to start in
this league. I like his combine numbers.
Strengths and weaknesses
There’s some quality here and there on the defensive
side of the ball, but this secondary is crazy.
Especially the corner position with Aqib Talib,
Broderick Humphrey and Louie Bruce. Probably the
top trio I’ve ever seen. Too bad that safety Julio
Stephenson is dealing with hip problems that could
end his career cause this secondary would be
impossible to throw against. They will need this
talent cause there’s nobody to put pressure on the
quarterback.

On offense, the Jets brought a new QB in town with

former Eagles Dennis Tatangelo. He had some very
good years in Philly, so it’s gonna be interesting to
see what he’ll do in the Big Apple. He has no legit
target to work with and only one suspect RB on the
roster. It’s hard to be excited about their offense.

The Jets are entering a rebuilding phase and it could

be very painful this year.

Jets ownership may have lost a number of quality free agents the past
two off-season’s, and instability in the Front Office is to blame.
 Page 30 2016 VNFL Preview

Cincinnati Bengals
6-10, 3rd in East

The Bengals come off a 6-10 season and see the best
young QB in the league Matt Ryan come off a season
ending torn acl injury. He held his ratings and gives the
Bengals hope that a new season is a new start. The
offense is unstoppable when they are all together and
healthy. Monster offensive lineman, monster receivers,
and the potential for a 4,500 to 5,000 yard passing season
in the blink of an eye.

The biggest loss this off season was CB Louie Bruce

leaving via free agency and signing a monster deal with
the Jets.

No huge acquisitions this off season, but some depth was

added and the core of the team that had 1 year deals
were locked up to new contracts insuring the future is The Bengals D needs to do a better job of slowing down
stable. opposing offenses
help when the Bengals decide to pass
Missing a #1 and #2 the Bengals did their best with nice short. They hit in the 6th rd with FS
selections in the 4th rd taking TE Scott Moore (40/46) Earnest Newsome (37/50) who plays best
who has a good short passing game skill set and should along the line of scrimmage.

The strength is obviously Ryan and the

passing game. The Bengals will go as far as
his rocket arm can take them. It’s hard to
predict how far they can go as the defense
is lacking many cover guys and they will be
in shoot outs all year. If I was in a shoot
out I would want this quarterback and wide
receiver duo of Dwayne Jarrett and Dusty
Craig. The defense is miles above the
browns or steelers defenses though. The
offense is a bit more predictable though
and defenses know they can load up on the
pass.

9-7 prediction for the Bengals, it could be

just enough to make the playoffs and they
Matt Ryan’s healthy return to the Gridiron is reason for optimism in the
could just miss out.
Jungle