BATAVIA, IL
The Batavia Colliders fans have finally returned to work after months of celebrating their beloved team’s third title. The Colliders join the Marshfield Pirates as the only teams to pull off the trifecta. Their latest title was fueled by GM Hammond’s “win-now” trigger-finger. Hammond traded two first rounders in 2019 to the moribund Silvertips for Ezekiel Elliott, who helped them achieve total vindication after their heartbreaking fourth place finish in the Gold Division.
Elliott’s production was expected, but the Colliders were pleasantly surprised by Derrick Henry, whom they had drafted #2 overall in 2016. For two and a half years, Henry did absolutely nothing. Then, for reasons unknown, he decided to become good at football down the stretch.
The Colliders have rewarded the first two picks in the 2016 drafts with RFA tags. Both players will get initial offers of $23.73, but there is speculation that they will earn plenty of interest in free agency (Elliott in particular.) Elliott ended the 2018 season 5th in scoring among running backs, with Henry finishing in 14th.
2019 marks the triumphant return to restricted free agency for the Colliders, who were shut out of it last season thanks to poor drafting. Derrick Henry is the only surviving member of the Colliders 2016 class that included profound talents like Corey Coleman, Jonathan Williams, Adolphus Washington, and Pharoh Cooper.
Colliders’ owner and GM Josh Hammond expressed hope that he could keep both backs on the roster, especially with more cap space thanks to a move to the Gold Division. He may be priced out on Elliott, however, especially if they plan to apply the franchise tag to Antonio Brown for the second time.
“We’ll see what happens,” said Hammond. “Applying the RFA tags means we’re taking steps to bring good players back in the fold. We would very much like to repeat as champions.”
A lofty goal for sure, but many skeptics wonder if, with Julio Jones and Antonio Brown facing expiring contracts, the Colliders’ window hasn’t started to close.
© 2019, Josh Hammond. All rights reserved.
No surprise here! 2019 RFA was a really good draft class overall.
Yeah, it is pretty good. There’s probably an article to be written about ranking the draft classes since 2011.