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we riding high on this news but who you think as the best chance to fall from grace a bit

It depends.

If Ceresna is abandoned to playing nose tackle and has to watch two run lanes, beat a centre, guard double team and sometimes a running back every play it's not going to look good for him either.

If Broxton is forced to the right tackle spot or he's reshuffled to guard then there's a lot more risk that his play or the contract compared to play aren't aligned.

If Moxey has to play with a five second cover time in his head he'll never be able to come down hill and will always have to stay safe and that won't look any prettier than our corner play last year.

If we can't get the ball downfield because we can't protect (or Collaros's arm isn't there anymore) then the threat of White clearing out won't be there and teams will sit on him. Struggle bus for a little receiver in that scenario.

If Nield has to go play a blocking, wide side role he probably won't do any better (and could fair worse) than Clercius.

If they're all put in positions to succeed they'll probably all have good years. The question after last year is ultimately what criteria we are basing our roster decisions on.

Wow, ta1k about being negative, I didn't vote, as none of them are going to 'fizz1e' out. We signed some good ba11 p1ayers, 1ets be happy we got them, and not go 1ooking for the doom and g1oom. Ta1k about 1ooking at the g1ass as ha1f empty. Stop it a1ready.

Projections at this point are wildly speculative.  At least wait until training camp is over.  We might then be able to get a decent idea of what we have.  Even then we will not know our compete level until after the season gets underway. 

Quote from: ModAdmin on February 04, 2026, 03:08:07 AMProjections at this point are wildly speculative.  At least wait until training camp is over.  We might then be able to get a decent idea of what we have.  Even then we will not know our compete level until after the season gets underway. 

No thanks, just doing this now for a bit of fun and to get a discussion going which looks like people are into and actively voting.  It's early yes, wildly speculative disagree.

These are mostly know assets, interesting to see if live up to their billing which I expect them all likely to do just that, time will tell fun to guess.  One of the reasons I come on here is for a little fun.

Quote from: Blueforlife on February 03, 2026, 11:29:36 PMwe riding high on this news but who you think as the best chance to fall from grace a bit

No one. All quality players. 

Quote from: Pigskin on February 04, 2026, 04:33:08 AMNo one. All quality players.

It's a valid question.  Because 2025.

You can argue every medium/big FA except Vaughters fizzled out in '25.  Heck, since we didn't keep Vaughters, maybe we should consider him a fizzle-out too!

One horrifically garbage FA will make a fan base 2nd guess the do-over.  My vote is Moxey, not because there's anything against him, but because he's the "most middling" of the choices.  It's the middling guys that have the most chance of being the next D.Mitchell.  (Personally I'm hoping he's the next '19-level Nick Taylor or '18 Maston.)

It's still an interesting question but it's relative to the SMS hit for each player. We don't know the figure for anyone besides Broxton at the moment.

Sure it's a little early, but things have slowed down since the 1st day of tampering window.

We may end up with a rookie starting at the other CB. We might move Kramdi to safety ( I doubt it ).  In that sense Moxey might be the one most spotlighted. I think he's a very good player and the other changes may not be issues.

I didn't vote but that was what I was thinking. lol

C'mon man! Let's not go down this road!
I'm going to choose not to vote on this one  ;)

Quote from: Tecno on February 04, 2026, 07:15:04 AMIt's a valid question.  Because 2025.

You can argue every medium/big FA except Vaughters fizzled out in '25.  Heck, since we didn't keep Vaughters, maybe we should consider him a fizzle-out too!

One horrifically garbage FA will make a fan base 2nd guess the do-over.  My vote is Moxey, not because there's anything against him, but because he's the "most middling" of the choices.  It's the middling guys that have the most chance of being the next D.Mitchell.  (Personally I'm hoping he's the next '19-level Nick Taylor or '18 Maston.)

Did we sign a player in 2025 that was anywhere near the level of these players, and they flamed out?

Vaughters was about the best player we signed in FA, and he was decent.  Played well for his price, decent value.

Mitchell was not White or even Neild in proven ability, and his flame out seemed to be more in his own actions and coming to camp unready and getting off on the wrong foot.

Other than that, what 2025 signings give you pause for these exceptional players not living up to thier contracts?

Gowanlock?  Reggie White?  Cobb? Makonzo? Paterson?  Sterns?  Logan? Haggarty?

Sterns earned his keep, the rest weren't expected to start or lead, but were given a chance to earn spots.

Zero free agents signed last year were considered game changers.

All five in the poll will make a difference day one of camp.  Short of injury or complete personal meltdown, this is going to be one heck of a FA class.

Quote from: theaardvark on February 04, 2026, 03:52:21 PMVaughters was about the best player we signed in FA, and he was decent.  Played well for his price, decent value.

He basically matched his 2024 production/stats. He was better than decent considering the ramshackle state of the D-line last season.

Quote from: blue_gold_84 on February 04, 2026, 04:01:57 PMHe basically matched his 2024 production/stats. He was better than decent considering the ramshackle state of the D-line last season.

I think Vaughters has always been a steady performer, never spectacular but puts in good effort every game and well disciplined following his assignments.  Of all the D-line players he was the one that put the most effort into running down ball carriers downfield. 

Unfortunately if they wanted to land Ceresna, they couldn't afford Vaughters and Willie and they weren't about to give up on Willie.

Poor timing for this topic at the present time.

Quote from: blue_gold_84 on February 04, 2026, 04:01:57 PMHe basically matched his 2024 production/stats. He was better than decent considering the ramshackle state of the D-line last season.

I was erring on the side of caution.  Just saying, we didn't make one marquee signing, and while the flyers we signed mostly fizzled, none were of the calibre of these signings.

Walters was looking to capture lighting in a bottle last year.  This year, he bought a generator and plugged into it.

I understand this poll isn't for everyone, if don't want to vote all good, please be considerate of others when you post.

Techno got me thinking of this topic when he mentioned Moxey previously (showed some decline after cgy) and that's who I voted fo

Love the votes and comments

Keep it coming, if think none will fizzle reply with that :) sure hope so

Quote from: theaardvark on February 04, 2026, 06:00:44 PMI was erring on the side of caution.  Just saying, we didn't make one marquee signing, and while the flyers we signed mostly fizzled, none were of the calibre of these signings.

Fair enough. I basically agree with you on Walters' approach last year at this time, BTW. It was too complacent of an approach, and when factored into the other miscalculations made by the regime, sheds some more light on the decline during the season and its ultimate demise in the ESF.

FWIW, I think Vaughters was the best move Walters made in FA last year.

Quote from: theaardvark on February 04, 2026, 06:00:44 PMI was erring on the side of caution.  Just saying, we didn't make one marquee signing, and while the flyers we signed mostly fizzled, none were of the calibre of these signings.

Well, at the time we did think D.Mitchell and Vaughters and Logan were "marquee" signings.  Short of the return of Kenny FA snipe in '24, the above 3 are kind of our "big splash", because Mafia hasn't really done league-top salary FA snipes in quite a while.  We tend to spend the wad on retention.

Thinking back to FA25 we tended to think D.Mitchell was going to turn into a top guy and Logan would light up the return game again.  We can't retcon into thinking "they were always bums" just because we have the hindsight of the '25 season now.

Quote from: Tecno on February 04, 2026, 09:57:49 PMWell, at the time we did think D.Mitchell and Vaughters and Logan were "marquee" signings.  Short of the return of Kenny FA snipe in '24, the above 3 are kind of our "big splash", because Mafia hasn't really done league-top salary FA snipes in quite a while.  We tend to spend the wad on retention.

Thinking back to FA25 we tended to think D.Mitchell was going to turn into a top guy and Logan would light up the return game again.  We can't retcon into thinking "they were always bums" just because we have the hindsight of the '25 season now.

We had "hopes" that Logan and Mitchell would light it up... I don't think anyone "expected" they were going to be top players..

Quote from: theaardvark on February 04, 2026, 10:02:33 PMWe had "hopes" that Logan and Mitchell would light it up... I don't think anyone "expected" they were going to be top players..

Fair enough.  But I think it was thought hoped D.Mitchell could capture some of his rookie year superstardom given our better coaching/system/etc.  In the end I guess we weren't better... and neither was Mitchell.

Quote from: theaardvark on February 04, 2026, 03:52:21 PMDid we sign a player in 2025 that was anywhere near the level of these players, and they flamed out?

Vaughters was about the best player we signed in FA, and he was decent.  Played well for his price, decent value.

Mitchell was not White or even Neild in proven ability, and his flame out seemed to be more in his own actions and coming to camp unready and getting off on the wrong foot.

Other than that, what 2025 signings give you pause for these exceptional players not living up to thier contracts?

Gowanlock?  Reggie White?  Cobb? Makonzo? Paterson?  Sterns?  Logan? Haggarty?

Sterns earned his keep, the rest weren't expected to start or lead, but were given a chance to earn spots.

Zero free agents signed last year were considered game changers.

All five in the poll will make a difference day one of camp.  Short of injury or complete personal meltdown, this is going to be one heck of a FA class.

Much, much more was expected of Mitchell

Quote from: GCn19 on February 05, 2026, 01:33:31 AMMuch, much more was expected of Mitchell

Yup.  What was his $ again?  $175k?  Anything above $100k for that lump seems like highway robbery now.

Most likely to fizzle out? Probably Moxey. Not because he isn't good just that we have been great at recruiting DBs.

Quote from: GCn19 on February 05, 2026, 01:33:31 AMMuch, much more was expected of Mitchell

Expected, or hoped for.

If you expect it, you pay for it, like the FA's signed this year.

If you are hoping for it, you sign discount players...

Mitchell was a discount

Quote from: theaardvark on February 05, 2026, 02:17:56 AMExpected, or hoped for.

If you expect it, you pay for it, like the FA's signed this year.

If you are hoping for it, you sign discount players...

Mitchell was a discount

He was 165k. Not a discount at all. Almost half was up front. He was coming off a 800 yard season.
We EXPECTED a lot more.

Quote from: theaardvark on February 05, 2026, 02:17:56 AMExpected, or hoped for.

Uh, both. He was a colossal disappointment last season.

Quote from: blue_gold_84 on February 05, 2026, 01:13:23 PMUh, both. He was a colossal disappointment last season.

Wonder what Mitchell's status is, possibly still sitting in jail?

Hypothetically, Nield probably will flash the least. But if someone is not going to fit, I think Broxton only because there's question marks about where he is playing