We have done versions of this before... it never seems to get totally stale. As the football season phases out, it seems like a fair time to try it again.

THE GAME

You get to start a new NFL roster, from the very beginning, by taking six players from the current NFL. You get them at their current age and status. You don't have to worry about contracts - whatever the setup is, it is completely neutral on that regard. So, this is just about what guys you want to build your team around, right now. Your team isn't a one year effort, you are building for this year and beyond.

So... who ya got?

Derek Carr
David Johnson
Trent Williams
Aaron Donald
Von Miller
Tony Jefferson

Work in progress...

young quarterback proving to be harder than I thought... but I guess Carr
waffling on headcase Odell Beckham Jr - want one skill player here
Ronnie Stanley just ahead of Trent Williams
Von Miller
Khalil Mack
Patrick Peterson borderline on age

Slight homer pick at one spot, but I'd be happy with:

QB Andrew Luck
WR Julio Jones
C Travis Frederick
LT Trent Williams
DT Aaron Donald
DE Brandon Graham

Brees
Elliot
Luck
Beckham
Brown
David Johnson

I'm thinking I could turn that into 8-10 1st rounders, 5-7 2nd rounders and some extra.

QB Dak Prescott
RB Ezekiel Elliot
C Travis Frederick
DT Aaron Donald
OLB Khalil Mack
DB Chris Harris

Carson Wentz
David Johnson
Mike Evans
Von Miller
Khalil Mack
Tyreek Hill

QB Luck
RB Elliot
WR Beckham
DT Donald
CB Peters
S Collins

Marcus Marriota - I still love the kid and think he is going to win a lot of football games.

Trent Williams - The anchor on the line

JJ Watt - I know he was hurt this year. I also know he's dominant and and I'll take the chance he'll stay that way for 3 to 4 more years.

Khalil Mack - Duh

Aaron Donald - Double Duh

Von Miller - Triple Duh.


I'll take the chance I can find pieces to go around the QB/LT and take what I know are four dominant defensive players.

Fun topic. In general I think my 2 rules are nobody over 30 and nobody with possible career threatening injuries (sorry JJ Watt)

In terms of position, QB is a no brainer. LT is probably a no brainer. On defense, at least one elite pass rusher, one elite DT and one elite shutdown corner seems like the prevailing logic which leaves me one spot - wrestling whether to go with another elite pass rusher or a dominant WR. Ultimately I was down to Julio (my favorite player in the league right now) and Mack but couldn't pass up how damn good this defense will look with those three guys rushing the passer.

QB - Derek Carr (really wanted Prescott here, but just can't pull the trigger after one year)
LT - Tyron Smith (bit of a homer pick but still only 26 and had another good year)
LB/DE - Von Miller
DT -Aaron Donald
CB - Chris Harris
LB/DE - Khalil Mack

Leveon Bell
Julio Jones
Tyron Smith
Vic Beasley
Von Miller
Probably Jameis Winston but I could also be tempted to just go with Aaron Rodgers since I think Rodgers will still play 6 or so more seasons.

Matt Ryan
Andrew Luck
Dak Prescott
Cam Newton
Aaron Rodgers
Jamies Winston

I'm flipping 5 of those guys for 1st and 2nd round picks from now until 2025

Todzilla has the best plan of attack. Since Qbs are sort of obvious I am not going to include one.

DT Aaron Donald
DE Khalil Mack
OT Ronnie Stanley
DT Fletcher Cox
DE Joey Bosa
OT Trent Williams

Give me a destructive defensive line and anchors on the offense to build around. Next on my list would be QB(obv), a shutdown corner, and an offensive playmaker. IMO a defensive front like this would cover up for any other shortfalls the defense may have. Disruptive defensive lines always seems to lead into very good teams. Offensive line play seems to build off a consistent unit so having the two best young offensive tackles on my team would seem like a good start of building continuity.

I'd take the 5 best OL in the league under 25, then add Russell Wilson. Him with an offensive line of that caliber should be a winning combination.

Even if the "take a player intending to trade him" were within the spirit of the game, I still question whether it would be the way to go here.

Let's say the offset is Khalil Mack, a young guy that many people put onto their lists. And let's say that you could get two solid firsts for your veteran quarterback (no sure thing, but let's say it's so).

Who here trades Khalil Mack right now for two future draft picks at, say, 1.08 and 1.12? Anyone? This isn't FOF, this is the N-F-L, which stands for "not for long" if you turn down a sure thing young stud like that.

So is this like a draft where everyone is released into the pool and you have 1.1 through 1.6 and then pick back up at 7.1 ?

I wonder if there is a program that can simulate that

QB Andrew Luck (still only 27, and I want to see one more year out of Carr before I put him over Luck. Russell Wilson at 28 is another close call here.)
OT Tyron Smith
OG Kelechi Osemele (love having 2 studs on the O-line)
Edge Von Miller
Edge Khaili Mack

With two pass rushers like that one the team, I am planning to play a lot of zone, so I don't need a stud CB, which makes this pick a bit of a luxury. I'll go a bit homer and pick the best young surprise in the league last year

WR Michael Thomas

Even if the "take a player intending to trade him" were within the spirit of the game, I still question whether it would be the way to go here.

Let's say the offset is Khalil Mack, a young guy that many people put onto their lists. And let's say that you could get two solid firsts for your veteran quarterback (no sure thing, but let's say it's so).

Who here trades Khalil Mack right now for two future draft picks at, say, 1.08 and 1.12? Anyone? This isn't FOF, this is the N-F-L, which stands for "not for long" if you turn down a sure thing young stud like that.

Yeah, this. Unless I'm trading with Mike Ditka and am going to get 5 entire drafts in return, I take the six players every time

Khalil Mack ain't doing you no good if he's playing next to Glass Joe

Khalil Mack ain't doing you no good if he's playing next to Glass Joe



Who says he is? There is nothing in the rules QS gave that said you get those 6 and then street free agents for the other 40 players on your roster. You build up 6 guys and they can make a lot of others ones look good. Von Miller was a major stud the first year he played and that was before he had a great defense around him. Joey Bosa was fantastic this year with crap all around him.

But to the point QS made, you really trade a locked in Mack for 2 first round picks? Not me. Not in a million years do I do that trade.

QB Andrew Luck (still only 27, and I want to see one more year out of Carr before I put him over Luck. Russell Wilson at 28 is another close call here.)
OT Tyron Smith
OG Kelechi Osemele (love having 2 studs on the O-line)
Edge Von Miller
Edge Khaili Mack

With two pass rushers like that one the team, I am planning to play a lot of zone, so I don't need a stud CB, which makes this pick a bit of a luxury. I'll go a bit homer and pick the best young surprise in the league last year

WR Michael Thomas

I like that I was ahead of the game on Thomas here.

My team wishes that I had gone with Russell Wilson instead of Luck.

And apparently there was a time when saying "I want to see one more year out of Carr before I put him over Luck" was something that wasn't insane.

Amazing how quickly things change.

dola: Also fun to read the "No one in real football would be stupid enough to trade Mack, even for first round picks" takes. NEVER underestimate the Raiders.

Last night made me think about this thread. Russel Wilson is now in my list. Especially is we embed that the first six players are going to have to "make do" as we build talent around them for some period of time. Geez, that guy has some of the most impressive intangibles I've ever seen. I know the "correct" answer might be Mahomes now, but wow. Man, I'd even take RW just to play him at free safety or something, I bet he'd still be a boss.