One Outlaw Place, Los Angeles California is abuzz with excitement after a free agency period and draft that has this franchise feeling hopeful after so many painful seasons in Arizona.
Miami's championship winning QB
Archie Blanchard (1.2) and his pro-ready arm will get a QB-friendly system in LA replete with some exceptional talent at the skill positions. Blanchard's ability to create when the play breaks down -- that 4.42 speed and cat-like agility should translate into a playmaker this franchise so desperately needs. QB
Rickey Selleck (7.2) is intriguing.
Kansas Power Forward turned TE
Horace Hayes will be bringing his basketball athleticism to the Outlaws offense -- he's going to articulate who owns the middle of the field while a very talented receiving corps work the outside of the numbers.
Blanchard's new best friend, WR
Mark Clemons will be the featured pass-catcher while
Mike Adjemian and rookie
Ethan Mayes (4.3) man the FL2 and FL1 positions respectively.
Rookie LT
Morris Cerf (6.3) joins a very good offensive line and should develop into a fine pass protector. He shouldn't be overly tasked if he starts early as the team is sure to run the ball as Durham FA RB
Burt Schoen and former first rounder
Ezra Harmon were handed some serious cash in FA. Both are true power-backs.
On defense--the 34 scheme is retained and it's going to be centered around 5T
Antoine Gordon with nods to new 3T
Chuck Barlow and LEO
Bernard Dixon--future all-pro LB
Brant Tyler is going to play all over this place in this scheme. Rookie DE
Robbie Gordon (6'8", 293 lbs) will get to spell Gordon and hopefully eat LTs on passing downs.
In the secondary, the violent-tackling
Levi Ellard will get to unleash his nasty full-time as the new SS. Free safety
Erik Russell is exactly what the doctor ordered. These veterans should allow for the franchise to play to its youth at the corners. Look for
Bubba George to win one of the starting spots and either
Zachary Witt (4.11) or
Leonardo Messersmith (7.32) to challenge for the other.
Bring on LFA!!!