Post by MGB01 on Jun 23, 2019 12:55:35 GMT -5
We continue our FA series by taking a look at defensive linemen
Geno Atkins: Atkins was everywhere for the Monarchs this past season. He led the team with eight sacks and was his usual force against the run. But his biggest impact was felt in the X-Bowl, where the Monarchs' defensive line straight punished the Enforcers' offensive line all day, paralyzing Chicago's offense in the first X-Bowl shutout.
Prediction: Kansas City. It's hard to imagine Atkins packing up and leaving Kansas City, the only team he's played for in his ten-year career. Equally hard is it to see the Monarchs willing to move on from him after not only this past season, but his entire career. So the Monarchs, who skated to the end of the season and playoffs with literally almost no cap room left, get a clean slate and will lock up their all-XFL DT for what will basically be the rest of his career.
Grady Jarrett: Jarrett is the next star defensive tackle in the league next to Atkins, Marcell Dareus, and Jurrell Casey. He and Michael Bennett combined for 17 sacks, second among defensive line duos to Cameron Jordan and T.Y. McGill in Chicago.
Prediction: Dallas. Leave it to Bob Stoops to cause controversy and point out that the Lonestars missed the playoffs with all the star talent, but in the end fences will be mended and Stoops knows this defense is way better with Jarrett than without. With Bennett a free agent after the 2020 season Jarrett is in line to become the leader of the defense down the road.
T.Y. McGill: McGill, who earned less than glowing reviews from Rex Ryan early in his career for "freelancing" and was more of a run stopping end, suddenly went off, finishing tied for third in the league (Casey) with 11 sacks. He and Jordan combined for more than half of the Enforcers' league-leading 51 sacks.
Prediction: Carolina. The Colonels would have loved to get him last year in the expansion draft, but the Enforcers reconsidered and pulled him off their list. But good news for the Colonels as they get him a year later, and they'll team him up with former Chicago teammate Daniel McCullers at the nose and former NFL third round pick Xavier Cooper, backed up by a solo linebacker corps to form a pretty stout front seven.
Cameron Wake: Wake and Graham Gano are the only two players in Monarchs history that have been there for all ten X-Bowls, arriving in Kansas City from the CFL in 2009. But at 38 when the '20 season kicks off his role will be reduced significantly wherever he ends up, it won't be in Kansas City as Alex Okafor and Deatrich Wise, whose first season as a Monarch was hampered by knee problems, are there to take over for him.
Prediction: Pittsburgh. Wake's years of championship experience blends perfectly for a team with as much young talent on defense as the Ironmen have. Just a couple years ago Mike McCarthy's Packer team signed Julius Peppers to add a veteran presence, he'll do the same here with Wake, who will have a homecoming of sorts--having played at Penn State.
Jayrone Elliott: The shocking midseason swap between the two longtime X-Bowl rivals of pass rushers actually resulted in a rarity these days, both teams prospering. For Kansas City, they had just nine sacks as a team prior to acquiring Elliott, and that jumped to 28 at the end of the season, with Elliott registering four of his six on the year as a Monarch.
Prediction: Washington. Elliott fits as more of a 3-4 pass rusher size-wise, but definitely looked more comfortable in Bryan Cox's 4-3 defense after the trade and will land with another 4-3 team, the Glory, who could use a third pass rushing end behind Everson Griffen and Jalyn Holmes.
Geno Atkins: Atkins was everywhere for the Monarchs this past season. He led the team with eight sacks and was his usual force against the run. But his biggest impact was felt in the X-Bowl, where the Monarchs' defensive line straight punished the Enforcers' offensive line all day, paralyzing Chicago's offense in the first X-Bowl shutout.
Prediction: Kansas City. It's hard to imagine Atkins packing up and leaving Kansas City, the only team he's played for in his ten-year career. Equally hard is it to see the Monarchs willing to move on from him after not only this past season, but his entire career. So the Monarchs, who skated to the end of the season and playoffs with literally almost no cap room left, get a clean slate and will lock up their all-XFL DT for what will basically be the rest of his career.
Grady Jarrett: Jarrett is the next star defensive tackle in the league next to Atkins, Marcell Dareus, and Jurrell Casey. He and Michael Bennett combined for 17 sacks, second among defensive line duos to Cameron Jordan and T.Y. McGill in Chicago.
Prediction: Dallas. Leave it to Bob Stoops to cause controversy and point out that the Lonestars missed the playoffs with all the star talent, but in the end fences will be mended and Stoops knows this defense is way better with Jarrett than without. With Bennett a free agent after the 2020 season Jarrett is in line to become the leader of the defense down the road.
T.Y. McGill: McGill, who earned less than glowing reviews from Rex Ryan early in his career for "freelancing" and was more of a run stopping end, suddenly went off, finishing tied for third in the league (Casey) with 11 sacks. He and Jordan combined for more than half of the Enforcers' league-leading 51 sacks.
Prediction: Carolina. The Colonels would have loved to get him last year in the expansion draft, but the Enforcers reconsidered and pulled him off their list. But good news for the Colonels as they get him a year later, and they'll team him up with former Chicago teammate Daniel McCullers at the nose and former NFL third round pick Xavier Cooper, backed up by a solo linebacker corps to form a pretty stout front seven.
Cameron Wake: Wake and Graham Gano are the only two players in Monarchs history that have been there for all ten X-Bowls, arriving in Kansas City from the CFL in 2009. But at 38 when the '20 season kicks off his role will be reduced significantly wherever he ends up, it won't be in Kansas City as Alex Okafor and Deatrich Wise, whose first season as a Monarch was hampered by knee problems, are there to take over for him.
Prediction: Pittsburgh. Wake's years of championship experience blends perfectly for a team with as much young talent on defense as the Ironmen have. Just a couple years ago Mike McCarthy's Packer team signed Julius Peppers to add a veteran presence, he'll do the same here with Wake, who will have a homecoming of sorts--having played at Penn State.
Jayrone Elliott: The shocking midseason swap between the two longtime X-Bowl rivals of pass rushers actually resulted in a rarity these days, both teams prospering. For Kansas City, they had just nine sacks as a team prior to acquiring Elliott, and that jumped to 28 at the end of the season, with Elliott registering four of his six on the year as a Monarch.
Prediction: Washington. Elliott fits as more of a 3-4 pass rusher size-wise, but definitely looked more comfortable in Bryan Cox's 4-3 defense after the trade and will land with another 4-3 team, the Glory, who could use a third pass rushing end behind Everson Griffen and Jalyn Holmes.