Sean Bowen and Frazier Brooks Stay in Buffalo
Buffalo Blue Wings
After acquiring DL Sean Bowen at the draft last year, Buffalo had to make a great impression for Bowen to accept his player option which would add 2 more seasons to his contract. The good news is that they clearly did with Bowen taking home Defensive Player of the Year. Bowen will remain in Buffalo for the next 2 seasons. Frazier Brooks also signed a mega-deal which will make him the highest-paid safety in the league with numbers nearing the best QBs in the league. Brooks signed a 6-year contract worth a total of $154,000. He will be played $24,000 next season with increases in years 3 and 5 of the deal to $26K and $27K respectively. Alongside Brooks and Bowen, Buffalo also locked up DL Johnathan Brown for another couple seasons at $19,000 a year and the recently acquired DB Ollie Guy to 3 years at $17,500 a year.
Star Running Backs Don’t Go Anywhere
Boston Independents, Montreal Rouge
Both Boston and Montreal have shown a clear change of direction this offseason. They have both been great teams over the first 6 years of the NAAF, but they clearly needed to get younger. Despite that change of direction both of the team’s aging backs decided to stick around for a couple more seasons. Montreal RB and 3-time MVP Élisée Marchal signed on for 2 more years at $28,000 per year, and Boston’s Joel Bonner stayed put with 2 years at $26,000. Both players love their teams and will continue to provide their skill to the teams despite what could be a couple of down years.
Bonner Stays, Floyd, McFadden Out
Boston Independents
With Joel Bonner sticking around, you would think several other Boston players would stay but a pair of veterans have decided to test the market and possibly compete one more time. OL Randy McFadden wasn’t happy with the team trading longtime teammate OL James Chambers and decided to change things up himself. The OL has been a big part of the Independents' success and will be a great anchor for a team. WR Samuel Floyd on the other hand was looking at fewer touches with other WRs Ethan Walters and Ellis Lindholm who were becoming the new 1-2 punch in the offense. Floyd has been known as one of if not the fastest WRs in the league and will be a great addition for any team. DB Francis Veillette will also join the two players in free agency as Boston rebuilds their secondary.
Other signings
S Michael O’Brien BOS - 2Y, $18,500 - Player Option in year 2
WR Nathan Green BUF - 3Y, $11,000
QB Maurice Norris BUF - 1Y, $11,000
OL Lewis David LI - 2Y, $16,000
DB Jontray Cox MTL - 4Y, $14,000
S Jumon Cobb MTL - 4Y, $14,000
DL Napoléon Chevalier ON - 1Y, $18,000
WR John Rivera ON - 1Y, $22,000
DL Robert Garrison ON - 3Y, $14,000
LB Mickaël Beaumont OTT - 2Y, $17,000
LB Leo Davenport OTT - 2Y, $12,000
DB Will Atkinson PRO - 2Y, $12,000
S Marvin Tillman PRO - 2Y, $8,500
OL James Chambers WOR - 1Y, $13,500
Top 10 Free Agents
OL Randy McFadden - BOS
WR Samuel Floyd - BOS
QB Bruce Woodard - PRO
DB Francis Veillette - BOS
RB Timothy Weeks - ON
DL Reilly Cooper - ON
RB Jacque Montier - WOR
QB Andrew Sexton - LI
DB Anthony Massey - MTL
DL Jean-Michel Duchane - MTL
1955 Free Agency
The Independents Scatter
Heading into the free agent window, 3 of the top 4 free agents were coming off of the Independents roster. WR Samuel Floyd, OL Randy McFadden, and DB Francis Veillette. Each of them has helped Boston to win Championships and get to 5 of the first 6 NAAF finals. However, all good things come to an end as each player decided to go different directions. WR Samuel Floyd was probably the most intriguing with his lightning speed and big-play potential. Floyd was approached by several teams that wanted to boost their receiving core. Providence and Worcester were early competitors for the WR, but they would ultimately lose out to Buffalo who would sign Floyd to a 2-year deal with $19,500 a season. Floyd will be at the top of the WR core with WR Joseph Barry. A great addition after the team traded WR Travis Gallagher at the draft.
OL Randy McFadden would sign next. Similar teams were interested in McFadden but he would ultimately decide to join the Athletics. The biggest factor was longtime Boston teammate OL James Chambers who was traded there at the draft. The Chambers trade was a major factor as to why McFadden left in the first place.
Finally, DB Francis Veillette surprised a lot of people with his choice. While many expected him to join a contender like Ottawa or Buffalo, Veillette would decide to go with the underdog Raiders. Bringing on Veillette gives the Raiders a solid secondary with DB Slay Mitchell and DB Amyre Rouleau which further gives some much-needed hope on Long Island.
Woodard Hits the Sideline
QB Bruce Woodard has likely seen his last starting job in the NAAF. With the Gold Stars going forward with QB Connor O’Rourke it was clear that Woodard would move on, but with the Raiders drafting Lyle Painter and Montreal grabbing Lee Rogers, the rest of the league has their starting guy. Woodard was waiting till the Gold Stars called to have him back as the backup next season with all the craziness happening, but the team never called. It was another squad that was all for bringing on the former MVP. The Royals would sign Woodard to a one-year deal to bring him in to back up fellow former MVP Jean Matieau. Woodard won't be taking many snaps, but he might get another shot at a trophy, following in the footsteps of QB Maurice Norris and QB Evan Morrow.
Minor Trades Were Sprinkled Throughout Free Agency
Following the big moves that occurred during the NAAF draft, there were another handful of minor trades that happened as GM’s try to fine-tune their teams heading into the season. The Ontario Tigers were going into the free agency window without much space on the payroll to go after any players. While they have most of their roster set, GM Joseph Johnson was willing to make a pair of moves to improve the team and save some money. The first would send DL John Prince, who they had acquired from Buffalo at the 1954 Draft, to Providence in exchange for OL prospect Patrick Reinsdorf. The move saved the Tigers $9,500 and opened up a roster spot for 5th overall pick DL Olympus Heights. A week following the trade, the Tigers would acquire another player from Montreal. Veteran OL Pierre-Louis Trouvé would be acquired by the Tigers in exchange for undrafted WR Marty Jay. Trouvé is a long time Rouge OL and will be a big help to Ontario’s O-line, but he also had a high salary, but they would get Montreal to pay for $8,500 of his $14,500 salary to free up the space for the Tigers. In return, Montreal gets WR Marty Jay who has shown lots of growth with the Tigers and could be a great piece for the Rouge.
The other two moves come from the American teams. The Worcester Athletics acquiring DB Eugene Christensen from Buffalo for their 1956 4th Round Pick. Christensen is a veteran DB who will be able to help out in Worcester, while Buffalo gets a spot for DB Lou Lake to be on the roster in his first season. The final trade happened between Boston and Providence, where backup TE Alexandre Moisan would be sent to Boston in exchange for undrafted OL Cory Alston.
Top Free Agent Signings
OL Randy McFadden - WOR - 3Y, $15,000
WR Samuel Floyd - BUF - 2Y, $19,500
QB Bruce Woodard - OTT - 1Y, $15,000
DB Francis Veillette - LI - 2Y, $18,000
RB Timothy Weeks - WOR - 1Y, $8,000
DL Reilly Cooper - WOR - 2Y, $14,000
RB Jacque Montier - OTT - 1Y, $11,000
QB Andrew Sexton - PRO - 1Y, $5,000
DB Anthony Massey - OTT - 1Y, $10,000
DL Jean-Michel Duchane - OTT - 1Y, $10,000
Undrafted FA Signings
K Henderson Schumacher - LI
RB Sam Snell Jr. - MTL
QB Tony Malcolm - MTL
TE Phineas Vandenlangenberg - WOR
LB Phillip Murphy - BOS
LB Bastiano Cerutti - LI
WR Tomas Skoglund - PRO
LB Patrick Lynch - PRO
The Independents Scatter
Heading into the free agent window, 3 of the top 4 free agents were coming off of the Independents roster. WR Samuel Floyd, OL Randy McFadden, and DB Francis Veillette. Each of them has helped Boston to win Championships and get to 5 of the first 6 NAAF finals. However, all good things come to an end as each player decided to go different directions. WR Samuel Floyd was probably the most intriguing with his lightning speed and big-play potential. Floyd was approached by several teams that wanted to boost their receiving core. Providence and Worcester were early competitors for the WR, but they would ultimately lose out to Buffalo who would sign Floyd to a 2-year deal with $19,500 a season. Floyd will be at the top of the WR core with WR Joseph Barry. A great addition after the team traded WR Travis Gallagher at the draft.
OL Randy McFadden would sign next. Similar teams were interested in McFadden but he would ultimately decide to join the Athletics. The biggest factor was longtime Boston teammate OL James Chambers who was traded there at the draft. The Chambers trade was a major factor as to why McFadden left in the first place.
Finally, DB Francis Veillette surprised a lot of people with his choice. While many expected him to join a contender like Ottawa or Buffalo, Veillette would decide to go with the underdog Raiders. Bringing on Veillette gives the Raiders a solid secondary with DB Slay Mitchell and DB Amyre Rouleau which further gives some much-needed hope on Long Island.
Woodard Hits the Sideline
QB Bruce Woodard has likely seen his last starting job in the NAAF. With the Gold Stars going forward with QB Connor O’Rourke it was clear that Woodard would move on, but with the Raiders drafting Lyle Painter and Montreal grabbing Lee Rogers, the rest of the league has their starting guy. Woodard was waiting till the Gold Stars called to have him back as the backup next season with all the craziness happening, but the team never called. It was another squad that was all for bringing on the former MVP. The Royals would sign Woodard to a one-year deal to bring him in to back up fellow former MVP Jean Matieau. Woodard won't be taking many snaps, but he might get another shot at a trophy, following in the footsteps of QB Maurice Norris and QB Evan Morrow.
Minor Trades Were Sprinkled Throughout Free Agency
Following the big moves that occurred during the NAAF draft, there were another handful of minor trades that happened as GM’s try to fine-tune their teams heading into the season. The Ontario Tigers were going into the free agency window without much space on the payroll to go after any players. While they have most of their roster set, GM Joseph Johnson was willing to make a pair of moves to improve the team and save some money. The first would send DL John Prince, who they had acquired from Buffalo at the 1954 Draft, to Providence in exchange for OL prospect Patrick Reinsdorf. The move saved the Tigers $9,500 and opened up a roster spot for 5th overall pick DL Olympus Heights. A week following the trade, the Tigers would acquire another player from Montreal. Veteran OL Pierre-Louis Trouvé would be acquired by the Tigers in exchange for undrafted WR Marty Jay. Trouvé is a long time Rouge OL and will be a big help to Ontario’s O-line, but he also had a high salary, but they would get Montreal to pay for $8,500 of his $14,500 salary to free up the space for the Tigers. In return, Montreal gets WR Marty Jay who has shown lots of growth with the Tigers and could be a great piece for the Rouge.
The other two moves come from the American teams. The Worcester Athletics acquiring DB Eugene Christensen from Buffalo for their 1956 4th Round Pick. Christensen is a veteran DB who will be able to help out in Worcester, while Buffalo gets a spot for DB Lou Lake to be on the roster in his first season. The final trade happened between Boston and Providence, where backup TE Alexandre Moisan would be sent to Boston in exchange for undrafted OL Cory Alston.
Top Free Agent Signings
OL Randy McFadden - WOR - 3Y, $15,000
WR Samuel Floyd - BUF - 2Y, $19,500
QB Bruce Woodard - OTT - 1Y, $15,000
DB Francis Veillette - LI - 2Y, $18,000
RB Timothy Weeks - WOR - 1Y, $8,000
DL Reilly Cooper - WOR - 2Y, $14,000
RB Jacque Montier - OTT - 1Y, $11,000
QB Andrew Sexton - PRO - 1Y, $5,000
DB Anthony Massey - OTT - 1Y, $10,000
DL Jean-Michel Duchane - OTT - 1Y, $10,000
Undrafted FA Signings
K Henderson Schumacher - LI
RB Sam Snell Jr. - MTL
QB Tony Malcolm - MTL
TE Phineas Vandenlangenberg - WOR
LB Phillip Murphy - BOS
LB Bastiano Cerutti - LI
WR Tomas Skoglund - PRO
LB Patrick Lynch - PRO
1955 Season Preview
Schedule
Power Rankings
1 - Ottawa Royals
1954 Record: 6-4
1954 Result: Won McCallister Cup
In the past few seasons, the championship-winning team has had a bit of a set back in the following season, but it will be tough to see that for an amazing Ottawa team. The Royals continue to boast the top offense by a long shot with a strong OL, a solid RB, and the best QB-WR combo. WR Chester Bennett will enter his second season and will be the 3rd WR on the team with the retirement of WR Eugene Burns in the offseason. Bennett should make for an interesting player to watch this season. Their defense saw some minor improvement with the addition of Rouge veterans DL Jean-Michel Duchane and DB Anothony Massey and the ever-improving young talents in DL Olaf Viktorsson and DB Mingan Oliver. The Royals will be a tough team to take down once again and should contend to be the first team to repeat since the Independents in 1949 and `50.
Player to Watch: WR Chester Bennett
Biggest Acquisition: QB Bruce Woodard
Rookie to Watch: WR Mackenzie Jones
2 - Buffalo Blue Wings
1954 Record: 7-2-1
1954 Result: Lost Semi-Finals
Despite finishing with the best record in the league last season, the Blue Wings were not able to stop the Royals in the playoffs and came away with a disappointing result. GM/HC Bobby Hooper went back to the office and made some interesting moves. He would orchestrate a major 3-team deal that would acquire DB Ollie Guy and a younger WR Nathan Green. Guy should make an immediate impact next to DB Dylan Alston. While they would lose longtime Blue Wings WR Travis Gallagher in the deal, they end up with WR Samuel Floyd arriving to take over and give QB Angelo Medina a new weapon on offense. The defense remains strong with DL Sean Bowen staying with the team and the acquisition of Ollie Guy.
Player to Watch: WR Samuel Floyd
Biggest Acquisition: DB Ollie Guy
Rookie to Watch: DB Lou Lake
3 - Worcester Athletics
1954 Record: 5-5
1954 Result: Missed Playoffs
HC Emil Riddle took the Athletics from bottomfeeders to just missing out on a playoff appearance in his first season at the helm. Entering his second year, his team looks the most competitive they have ever looked. They made a major overhaul of the OL with former Independents James Chambers and Randy McFadden joining the team alongside 4th overall pick Magnus Gunnersson. QB Riley Kiernan and WRs Christain Venegas and Clyde McIntosh will be a force again this season which doesn’t leave Worcester too far behind the Royals. Their defense gets some help with depth coming from DB Eugene Christensen and DL Reilly Cooper. The most interesting piece, however, will be LB Harrison Bennett who fell to the second round because of rumoured character issues. Bennett could become a great piece as long as he stays in line and keeps his focus on the field. It will likely be the job of LB Scotty Williams to take Bennett under his wing and keep him from getting out of control. Overall, Worcester looks like the favourite to win the New England Division.
Player to Watch: LB Scotty Williams
Biggest Acquisition: OL Randy McFadden
Rookie to Watch: LB Harrison Bennett
4 - Ontario Tigers
1954 Record: 5-5
1954 Result: Missed Playoffs
Despite having their best season in team history last season, the Tigers left with disappointment. They had the best chance to make the playoffs heading into week 10 but still managed to miss. This season the team is determined to make it there. GM Joseph Johnson went out and got a plethora of veterans and players that could make a difference this season. Most notably WR John Rivera and DL Napoléon Chevalier from Montreal. With those players, the Tigers improve with their youth starting to reach their prime. Their D-line will get a youth injection as well with DL Dee Floyd and DL Olympus Heights battling it out for starting minutes this season. However, the big story will likely be that of QB Duane Logan who enters the final year of his contract. The 35-year-old has been a big part of the rebuild for the Tigers, but once again he finds himself with a younger talent behind him that the team could go to next season. It will mean Logan will have to prove his abilities this season as another missed playoffs could leave the former All-Star without a spot next season.
Player to Watch: QB Duane Logan
Biggest Acquisition: DL Napoléon Chevalier
Rookie to Watch: DL Olympus Heights/DL Dee Floyd
5 - Providence Gold Stars
1954 Record: 4-6
1954 Results: Missed Playoffs
The Gold Stars fell far from their 9-1 1953 season. They missed the playoffs last year for the first time and it was clearly time for a change. Many changes have happened so far since the 9-1 season and it leaves Providence as a complete wildcard. QB Connor O’Rourke will be handed the keys this season and will be quite the story to watch this season. The snaps that we have seen of the 24-year-old have been very promising, so hope is high for the Providence fans. With the excitement surrounding O’Rourke, many are overlooking the other possible issues with the Gold Stars roster. There still are some holes as the team is certainly not what it once was. They still managed to bring on some interesting pieces with their new S Marvin Tillman who will take the reins on the back end. They also got younger with 2nd overall selection DL Calias McDonough and DB Will Atkinson. But there are still many concerns about Providence being able to get back to what they once were.
Player to Watch: QB Connor O’Rourke
Biggest Acquisition: S Marvin Tillman
Rookie to Watch: DL Calias McDonough
6 - Montreal Rouge
1954 Record: 6-4
1954 Result: Lost Semi-Finals
Montreal is an intriguing team this season. They had one of the biggest overhauls this offseason with the team going into full rebuild mode. Most, if not, all their main veterans had retired, were released, or traded. They brought in a great many young players to start the rebuild as quickly as possible, GM/HC Guy Clarke is not a fan of losing and wants to get the team back to winning as soon as he can. With all of that, there are some interesting pieces that will be fun to watch this seasons. Most notably being QB Lee Rogers who was acquired from Long Island. The former #1 pick will hopefully find his game and give Montreal a strong QB. The other place of interest is the secondary with DB Jontray Cox, DB Quentin Xavier, S Jumon Cobb taking the lead. Montreal will likely have a down year this season, but they could easily surprise and get a couple of unexpected wins.
Player to Watch: QB Lee Rogers
Biggest Acquisition: QB Lee Rogers
Rookie to Watch: DB Quentin Xavier
7 - Long Island Raiders
1954 Record: 0-10
1954 Result: Missed Playoffs
It is interesting to have a winless team not being placed at the bottom of the power rankings, but the Raiders took major strides towards success. With a fresh paint job in a new brand, they also have a new QB in Lyle Painter who now has all the pressure to finally bring success to the lowly franchise. The good news is GM Wayne Tillman wasn’t going to let Painter go in alone and made some great acquisitions to help out. WR Travis Gallagher will provide a veteran presence on the offense to help Painter, and DB Francis Veillette will solidify a younger secondary to give the defense a boost. Even QB Andrew Glover will be able to back Painter up if he struggles. They also will be looking at DL Vernon Spears and LB Elijah Goldwater to take a step forward in their second season.
Player to Watch: WR Travis Gallagher
Biggest Acquisition: DB Francis Veillette
Rookie to Watch: QB Lyle Painter
8 - Boston Independents
1954 Record: 6-3-1
1954 Result: Lost in McCallister Cup
Despite being in the championship game at the end of last season, a lot has changed in Boston. With many players retiring and several others leaving the team Boston was heading towards a rebuild. The only difference between them and Montreal is that Boston lacked any sort of aggressiveness in the offseason. The management was pretty laid back and didn’t look to trade or replace any of the major veterans like Montreal was doing. They will be relying on a lot of the young talent they have acquired in the draft this year. The defense probably took the biggest hit with 5 brand new starters this season and depth players taking on bigger roles which will make up an inexperienced defense. QB Brian Meadows will take over for the legendary Larry Larson. He has shown some potential but there is a lot of pressure on the kid to take his game to the next level.
Player to Watch: QB Brian Meadows
Biggest Acquisition: OL Javion Curry
Rookie to Watch: LB Marco Price
Schedule
Power Rankings
1 - Ottawa Royals
1954 Record: 6-4
1954 Result: Won McCallister Cup
In the past few seasons, the championship-winning team has had a bit of a set back in the following season, but it will be tough to see that for an amazing Ottawa team. The Royals continue to boast the top offense by a long shot with a strong OL, a solid RB, and the best QB-WR combo. WR Chester Bennett will enter his second season and will be the 3rd WR on the team with the retirement of WR Eugene Burns in the offseason. Bennett should make for an interesting player to watch this season. Their defense saw some minor improvement with the addition of Rouge veterans DL Jean-Michel Duchane and DB Anothony Massey and the ever-improving young talents in DL Olaf Viktorsson and DB Mingan Oliver. The Royals will be a tough team to take down once again and should contend to be the first team to repeat since the Independents in 1949 and `50.
Player to Watch: WR Chester Bennett
Biggest Acquisition: QB Bruce Woodard
Rookie to Watch: WR Mackenzie Jones
2 - Buffalo Blue Wings
1954 Record: 7-2-1
1954 Result: Lost Semi-Finals
Despite finishing with the best record in the league last season, the Blue Wings were not able to stop the Royals in the playoffs and came away with a disappointing result. GM/HC Bobby Hooper went back to the office and made some interesting moves. He would orchestrate a major 3-team deal that would acquire DB Ollie Guy and a younger WR Nathan Green. Guy should make an immediate impact next to DB Dylan Alston. While they would lose longtime Blue Wings WR Travis Gallagher in the deal, they end up with WR Samuel Floyd arriving to take over and give QB Angelo Medina a new weapon on offense. The defense remains strong with DL Sean Bowen staying with the team and the acquisition of Ollie Guy.
Player to Watch: WR Samuel Floyd
Biggest Acquisition: DB Ollie Guy
Rookie to Watch: DB Lou Lake
3 - Worcester Athletics
1954 Record: 5-5
1954 Result: Missed Playoffs
HC Emil Riddle took the Athletics from bottomfeeders to just missing out on a playoff appearance in his first season at the helm. Entering his second year, his team looks the most competitive they have ever looked. They made a major overhaul of the OL with former Independents James Chambers and Randy McFadden joining the team alongside 4th overall pick Magnus Gunnersson. QB Riley Kiernan and WRs Christain Venegas and Clyde McIntosh will be a force again this season which doesn’t leave Worcester too far behind the Royals. Their defense gets some help with depth coming from DB Eugene Christensen and DL Reilly Cooper. The most interesting piece, however, will be LB Harrison Bennett who fell to the second round because of rumoured character issues. Bennett could become a great piece as long as he stays in line and keeps his focus on the field. It will likely be the job of LB Scotty Williams to take Bennett under his wing and keep him from getting out of control. Overall, Worcester looks like the favourite to win the New England Division.
Player to Watch: LB Scotty Williams
Biggest Acquisition: OL Randy McFadden
Rookie to Watch: LB Harrison Bennett
4 - Ontario Tigers
1954 Record: 5-5
1954 Result: Missed Playoffs
Despite having their best season in team history last season, the Tigers left with disappointment. They had the best chance to make the playoffs heading into week 10 but still managed to miss. This season the team is determined to make it there. GM Joseph Johnson went out and got a plethora of veterans and players that could make a difference this season. Most notably WR John Rivera and DL Napoléon Chevalier from Montreal. With those players, the Tigers improve with their youth starting to reach their prime. Their D-line will get a youth injection as well with DL Dee Floyd and DL Olympus Heights battling it out for starting minutes this season. However, the big story will likely be that of QB Duane Logan who enters the final year of his contract. The 35-year-old has been a big part of the rebuild for the Tigers, but once again he finds himself with a younger talent behind him that the team could go to next season. It will mean Logan will have to prove his abilities this season as another missed playoffs could leave the former All-Star without a spot next season.
Player to Watch: QB Duane Logan
Biggest Acquisition: DL Napoléon Chevalier
Rookie to Watch: DL Olympus Heights/DL Dee Floyd
5 - Providence Gold Stars
1954 Record: 4-6
1954 Results: Missed Playoffs
The Gold Stars fell far from their 9-1 1953 season. They missed the playoffs last year for the first time and it was clearly time for a change. Many changes have happened so far since the 9-1 season and it leaves Providence as a complete wildcard. QB Connor O’Rourke will be handed the keys this season and will be quite the story to watch this season. The snaps that we have seen of the 24-year-old have been very promising, so hope is high for the Providence fans. With the excitement surrounding O’Rourke, many are overlooking the other possible issues with the Gold Stars roster. There still are some holes as the team is certainly not what it once was. They still managed to bring on some interesting pieces with their new S Marvin Tillman who will take the reins on the back end. They also got younger with 2nd overall selection DL Calias McDonough and DB Will Atkinson. But there are still many concerns about Providence being able to get back to what they once were.
Player to Watch: QB Connor O’Rourke
Biggest Acquisition: S Marvin Tillman
Rookie to Watch: DL Calias McDonough
6 - Montreal Rouge
1954 Record: 6-4
1954 Result: Lost Semi-Finals
Montreal is an intriguing team this season. They had one of the biggest overhauls this offseason with the team going into full rebuild mode. Most, if not, all their main veterans had retired, were released, or traded. They brought in a great many young players to start the rebuild as quickly as possible, GM/HC Guy Clarke is not a fan of losing and wants to get the team back to winning as soon as he can. With all of that, there are some interesting pieces that will be fun to watch this seasons. Most notably being QB Lee Rogers who was acquired from Long Island. The former #1 pick will hopefully find his game and give Montreal a strong QB. The other place of interest is the secondary with DB Jontray Cox, DB Quentin Xavier, S Jumon Cobb taking the lead. Montreal will likely have a down year this season, but they could easily surprise and get a couple of unexpected wins.
Player to Watch: QB Lee Rogers
Biggest Acquisition: QB Lee Rogers
Rookie to Watch: DB Quentin Xavier
7 - Long Island Raiders
1954 Record: 0-10
1954 Result: Missed Playoffs
It is interesting to have a winless team not being placed at the bottom of the power rankings, but the Raiders took major strides towards success. With a fresh paint job in a new brand, they also have a new QB in Lyle Painter who now has all the pressure to finally bring success to the lowly franchise. The good news is GM Wayne Tillman wasn’t going to let Painter go in alone and made some great acquisitions to help out. WR Travis Gallagher will provide a veteran presence on the offense to help Painter, and DB Francis Veillette will solidify a younger secondary to give the defense a boost. Even QB Andrew Glover will be able to back Painter up if he struggles. They also will be looking at DL Vernon Spears and LB Elijah Goldwater to take a step forward in their second season.
Player to Watch: WR Travis Gallagher
Biggest Acquisition: DB Francis Veillette
Rookie to Watch: QB Lyle Painter
8 - Boston Independents
1954 Record: 6-3-1
1954 Result: Lost in McCallister Cup
Despite being in the championship game at the end of last season, a lot has changed in Boston. With many players retiring and several others leaving the team Boston was heading towards a rebuild. The only difference between them and Montreal is that Boston lacked any sort of aggressiveness in the offseason. The management was pretty laid back and didn’t look to trade or replace any of the major veterans like Montreal was doing. They will be relying on a lot of the young talent they have acquired in the draft this year. The defense probably took the biggest hit with 5 brand new starters this season and depth players taking on bigger roles which will make up an inexperienced defense. QB Brian Meadows will take over for the legendary Larry Larson. He has shown some potential but there is a lot of pressure on the kid to take his game to the next level.
Player to Watch: QB Brian Meadows
Biggest Acquisition: OL Javion Curry
Rookie to Watch: LB Marco Price
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