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No one can ever predict a Bill Belichick draft.
When people start assuming he’ll act based on his stereotypes (first-round trade down, OL early, no early WRs, all Alabama players or small school guys or guys from Rutgers), he’ll do the opposite. When the consensus is that he’ll shift away from those stereotypes, he’ll lean right into them.
So in observing mock drafts, both full and team-centric, there was a lot of accord that he would follow those stereotypes. (Adam Korsak, both a punter and from Rutgers, was EVERYWHERE.)
But then the end of April came.
Before then, New England had suffered a 2022 season full of embarrassment, from Matt Patricia and Joe Judge’s ineptitude at running the offense to a team that seemed to find new ways to lose in humiliating fashion (a certain ill-fated lateral sequence peak among them). The Patriots went from their dynastic reign as a team which would trounce their opponents in laughers to the team that everyone pointed and laughed at. Mac Jones’ Patricia- and Judge-sparked regression along with impressive cameo appearances by ‘22 rookie Bailey Zappe split the fanbase into Mac and Zappe camps, with sports media fueling the flame by spreading or outright fabricating rumors of Belichick shopping Mac, rumors which lasted through the first day of the draft. It was an ugly season and an uglier start to the offseason.
The franchise clearly needed to make changes in 2023, and changes started near the top. Patricia and Judge lost their roles, the former joining the Eagles coaching staff and the latter moving to lead special teams, a necessary move as this Belichick-led squad had plummeted to the lowest-ranked third unit. (More on that later.) Patricia had filled the dual roles of de facto offensive coordinator and facto offensive line coach, and filled both roles with the acumen of me designing plays in Backyard Football 2002, except I could actually design plays that resulted in touchdowns. Judge had manned the quarterbacks room, and given that Daniel Jones finally broke out for the Giants once Judge had been booted from mentoring him, you can guess how that went for Mac and the Pats. In his new role in charge of special teams, he has already cost the team two OTAs and Bill Belichick $50,000 for an offseason meetings violation, and has elevated his 2022 title of Co-Most Hated Man in Foxboro to Single Most Hated Man in Foxboro.
Anyway, New England needed to fill their old roles, and brought in:
Bill O’Brien, Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks Coach A long-time friend of Belichick’s, O’Brien returns for his second stint as Pats OC, having dictated the offense in Rob Gronkowski’s record-setting 2011 season. Additionally, O’Brien comes by way of running the offense and the QB room at the University of Alabama, which spawned Mac Jones. Mac regressed in 2022 after an impressive 2021, but recall that 2022 was under the abysmal leadership of Patricia (calling his plays) and Judge (his direct coach), a situation in which no one could develop. By bringing in his old OC and QB coach, Mac has been put in the best possible position to develop in ‘23, a position which will much more clearly give fans a vision of his future as an NFL quarterback. (And the playcalling will be legitimate! It’s been but a year and we have already forgotten what creativity, route concepts, and misdirection have looked like!)
Adrian Klemm, Offensive Line Coach Belichick’s first draft pick after taking the helm in New England in 2000, Klemm has joined the team after coaching at Oregon last year. He comes with a strong reputation at that coaching position, having headed a Ducks O-line that allowed just five sacks in 2022. Last season, the Patriots saw a regression from their veterans on the line, most notably in Trent Brown’s newfound flag-happiness, and first-round rookie guard Cole Strange put forth a mixed performance. Bringing in an actual offensive line coach gives the team the best chance to fix any issues that showed in ‘22 and to develop their young linemen.
Of course, coaching was not the only issue last season, as New England was criticized for their lack of talent on the roster. Of New England’s high-cash free agent class of 2021, only edge rusher Matthew Judon shined in both his seasons in Foxboro: neither tight end Jonnu Smith nor wideout Nelson Agholor ever got off the ground, tight end Hunter Henry regressed after a solid ‘21, and wideout Kendrick Bourne found himself suddenly in Patricia’s doghouse and off the field. Moves needed to be made as the calendar turned to free agency.
Notable Departures
S Devin McCourty (retired) The most prominent departure from the ‘22 squad, McCourty is one of many who can be termed a quintessential Patriot. A first-round cornerback out of Rutgers in 2010, D-Mac made the switch to safety in 2012 and locked down the position for the next decade. When he was on the verge of leaving the team in free agency in 2015, even reaching out to Belichick to say goodbye, Belichick signed him to a top-valued safety contract and kept him in red, white, and blue. His leadership and personality made him a joy to watch on the field and off, his personality showing itself especially well recently through interactions with his twin brother Jason, who played alongside him for the Patriots from 2018 to ‘20. Statistically, D-Mac ends his career with 35 interceptions, one shy of the franchise record, and 4 touchdowns (two picks, a kickoff return, and a blocked field goal return). We miss him already.
P Jake Bailey (released; signed with Miami) What a drop. After an All-Pro season in 2020, Bailey signed a four-year extension in 2022 only to become the worst statistical punter in the league. After he was injured, the Patriots brought in Michael Palardy, who managed to be even worse (personally, I blame the team’s curse that comes with the jersey number 17). Neither punter remains with the team, Bailey joining an AFC East rival in the Dolphins and Palardy currently unsigned.
TE Jonnu Smith (traded to Atlanta) There is a strong case to be made that Smith is the worst free agency signing Belichick has made as Pats GM. In the two years since inking a 4-year, $50 million deal, Smith totaled just 55 catches for 539 yards and one touchdown, and a ‘22 restructure of his contract meant that Smith appeared to be a monetary albatross the Patriots would not be able to shake loose. What led to Atlanta agreeing to take on his whole contract, sending New England a seventh-round pick to get the player, I have no idea, but I think every Pats fan would agree that Smith didn’t work out in the least and a change was best for all sides.
WR Jakobi Meyers (signed with Las Vegas) Meyers’ departure was somewhat shocking, as the 2019 UDFA had worked his way up to the top of the Patriots’ wide receiver depth chart. More of a big slot guy than an outside #1, Meyers had a minor role in his rookie season and started 2020 at the bottom of the depth chart, but injuries to the players above him got him onto the field, and a 12-catch, 169-yard performance against the Jets that November meant he wasn’t leaving it anytime soon. While not possessing top-tier speed or explosiveness, Meyers was the team’s best route runner and separator, and his departure left another void that needed to be filled.
QB Brian Hoyer (released, signed with Las Vegas) Hoyer was third on the depth chart, Zappe having shown enough to take the #2 spot. While a fine veteran mentor, the Patriots chose to go a different direction with that third QB role.
WR Nelson Agholor (signed with Baltimore) Agholor was given a two-year contract in 2021 with the anticipation of his being the #1 receiver, something which did not happen due to his unreliable hands and separation abilities. For those two years and $22 million, Agholor produced 68 catches, 835 yards, and five touchdowns. Not worth it.
RB Damien Harris (signed with Buffalo) By far the most productive member of the Patriots’ atrocious 2019 draft class, Harris was good in New England but had been passed on the depth chart by sophomore Rhamondre Stevenson midway through 2022. Couple that with Belichick’s predilection to let running backs walk instead of giving them second contracts, sprinkle in a dash of two ‘22 draft picks (Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris) who will get more opportunities in 2023, top it off with the return of Ty Montgomery II from injured reserve, and it’s no surprise that Harris is no longer a Patriot.
T Isaiah Wynn (signed with Miami) Another former first-round pick, Wynn was all right as a left tackle though was criticized for frequent injury problems; with his fifth-year option picked up for ‘22, he was inexplicably switched to right tackle, where he was very bad. He never really earned the role of franchise tackle, so it was expected that the Patriots would let him walk.
But on the upside, the team now has:
Additions
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (via Kansas City) After Meyers signed with the Raiders, the Patriots worked quickly to bring in his replacement in the slot. Smith-Schuster revived his career in Kansas City and is now in position to be a primary target for Mac for the next three seasons, possessing more explosiveness and speed than his predecessor. The biggest concern with JuJu is his durability, but I believe the Patriots have made preparations in the draft (spoiler) in case that becomes a significant problem. The fanbase is excited for Smith-Schuster on the field in Foxboro, and deservedly so.
RB James Robinson (via New York (the green side)) A one-time breakout UDFA in Jacksonville, Robinson’s role diminished with the rise of Travis Etienne Jr.; after being traded to the Jets, Robinson never got settled into a role. In New England, Robinson is likely first in line for the #2 RB spot behind Stevenson, an important role given that Stevenson’s overwork saw his productivity decline as last season came to an end. Robinson also possesses the pass-catching versatility that Belichick loves, a role Harris was never used in but Stevenson is, further suggesting he can have a significant spot on the field for the Pats.
TE Mike Gesicki (via Miami) As Smith never worked out as the co-#1 TE, here comes Gesicki. A pure pass catcher at the position, Gesicki has the size and hands to be a reliable target in the red zone, and should pair nicely with Henry for a potential TE-heavy formation as the team approaches the goal line.
T Riley Reiff (via Chicago) T Calvin Anderson (via Denver) While neither comes with the contract expectation of being a long-term solution at either tackle spot, the hope is that Reiff (expected to start at RT) will be an upgrade over Wynn, while Anderson serves as a reliable swing tackle who can start if needed.
LB Chris Board Jr. (via Detroit) Remember that awful special teams unit? Board is one of the NFL’s top special teamers, a player Belichick singled out when New England faced the Lions last year. It’s unsurprising he brought in such a veteran to help solidify the unit after… just all of last year.
QB Trace McSorley (via Arizona) By bringing in McSorley in Hoyer’s stead, the team is showing a bit of a shift in philosophy with how it is using its backup QB spots. Both Mac and Zappe are pocket passers; McSorley does most of his work outside the pocket and can run with regularity, a trend more common among top-level quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. At minimum, he’s worth a camp spot, and that’s fine.
P Corliss Waitman (via Denver) Following the implosion of Bailey and Palardy at punter, the Patriots were on the verge of entering the draft with none on the roster. Waitman is a veteran addition there, but pretty much everyone expected New England to add a punter either as a draft pick or UDFA. (Another spoiler – my bad.)
After this free agency, many saw the Patriots as still having holes at the top of their depth chart at wideout, tackle, and cornerback. Tight end was also considered a need as New England, despite adding Gesicki to pair with Henry, does not have a tight end signed beyond 2023, entering the draft with only Matt Sokol and Scotty Washington behind their name duo.
Then they went on the clock, entering the draft with:
1-14 2-46 3-76 4-107 4-117 4-135 6-184 6-187 6-192 6-210 7-245
Here’s how it all went down.
Draft Picks
TRADE: 1-14 to PIT for 1-17 and 4-120 Although this trade was criticized for receiving too little back from Pittsburgh, it was not a major loss in capital according to the Rich Hill value chart (325 points to PIT, 320 to NE), and it came with enough high-level talent on the board that the Patriots were sure to get one of their targets. The way the board fell, fans most wanted Christian Gonzalez, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Zay Flowers, or Broderick Jones; when the Steelers took Jones, it became clear that the Patriots were not interested in him (reports came out that the Patriots had not been interested in Jones at all due to coachability concerns), but they were sure to land an exciting player after moving down only three spots rather than the seven-plus many mockers had predicted. Additionally, the Steelers landing Jones appeared to knock the Jets’ war room for a loop (though later video has shown that the Jets were expecting the trade), and the only thing New England fans love more than a victory is an opportunity to screw over the Jets.
1-17: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon The Patriots’ selection of Gonzalez received universal acclaim, and it’s easy to see why. Despite having strong CB depth, the Patriots lacked a true #1 corner; Gonzalez has the ability, length, and athleticism to be that from Day One. The first-round pick via Colorado and Oregon was widely projected as a top-10 selection, so for New England to land him at 17 is a tremendous coup. From his interviews and his play style, Gonzalez seems like a quiet guy off the field who wants to shut the opponent down when on the turf. He’ll be fun to watch.
2-46: Keion White, ED, Georgia Tech White is another player falling under the new Patriots draft umbrella under Belichick and Matt Groh: as athletic as can be. While he is raw, White has the athleticism to play three downs along the defensive line and the versatility to move inside when the situation calls for it. The Patriots thought so highly of him that he was a player they were considering drafting in the first round, even considering a move back into the last picks of the round to snag him, but landed him at 46 anyway. How much he will play as a rookie is uncertain as New England has a very good edge duo in Matthew Judon and Josh Uche, but even if White has to take a year to get acclimated to the NFL, that’s not unheard of in Foxboro and has produced success for highly-touted picks: neither Nate Solder (first round) nor Trey Flowers (fourth round) took on long-term starting roles as rookies (though Solder filled in at right tackle plenty), but were established starters in their second years. Similarly, Uche (second round) started off as an occasionally-used part of a pass rushing rotation before hitting double-digit sacks last year, his third season in the league. And if White earns significant playing time in 2023, all the better.
3-76: Marte Mapu, LB, Sacramento State Here’s that small-school selection that detractors tend to point at regarding Belichick, but Mapu has elite potential. I got tipped off to Mapu late in the pre-draft cycle, and watching film of him I was reminded a lot of Kyle Dugger, another small-school Day 2 player who has turned into an excellent Patriot. Mapu is going to play linebacker, likely his best position, and fill the role of coverage ‘backer that New England has lacked for several seasons. He’s also athletic and scheme-versatile, having spent time at safety and linebacker while at Sacramento State, so he will be able to move around the defensive formation if the situation calls for it. Add to that his tackling, his closing speed, and his containment, and you’ve got yourself a potential stud.
4-107: Jake Andrews, C, Troy The Patriots need their future long-term center with David Andrews now 31 and having an injury history, and Jake Andrews (unrelated) is set up perfectly to be that guy. Andrews the Younger is built in the same mold as Andrews the Elder: both exited college as smaller in stature than other centers but able to get a push on defensive linemen from below, meaning Jake can easily learn specific bits of technique from David. While not expected to play the role immediately, [anagram: Ned Was a Jerk] is now in position to spend time behind [anagram: Swan Diver Dad], preparing himself to take over at center in the near future.
TRADE: 4-120 and 6-184 to NYJ for 4-112 4-112: Chad Ryland, K, Maryland This is not the first time Belichick has selected a kicker in the fourth round, selecting Stephen Gostkowski with pick 118 in 2006; with the Patriots in desperate need for a strong player at the position, moving up to make sure they could land him makes sense (especially with Jake Moody being selected by the 49ers at 3-99). And Ryland is what Nick Folk is not: a big-legged kicker with kickoff ability. Folk has been appreciated in New England for his accuracy, but his distance and accuracy notably declined in 2022, and when forced to kick off, his lack of touchback distance led to trouble, the Patriots surrendering a league-high three kick return touchdowns (including two in the season finale). It’s clear an upgrade at kicker was a requirement this offseason; with Moody gone, giving up a sixth to move up eight spots is absolutely fine. In doing so, New England has hopefully landed their kicker for the next decade.
4-117: Sidy Sow, G, Eastern Michigan At this point, it may be considered confusing for the Patriots to have drafted a left guard in Sow when last year’s first-round pick Cole Strange is entrenched there and Mike Onwenu mans right guard at an elite level, but Groh’s post-draft comments indicated the team would give Sow opportunities at left tackle as well. And not only does Sow have experience at left tackle, he has the size at 6’5” and 326 pounds. New England’s projected starting tackles are veterans Trent Brown and Riley Reiff, both of whom are over 30 and are in contract years; if Sow returns to the position, the former mauling EMU Eagle (heh, two birds) offensive lineman could ease the need at tackle for next offseason.
TRADE: 4-135 to LV for 5-144 and 6-214 5-144: Atonio Mafi, G, UCLA Another interior lineman? Yes. Mafi is a guard whom the Patriots worked with at the Shrine Bowl, and has the versatility to move between left and right guard. As the aforementioned Onwenu is in a contract year, Mafi has a clear path to a potential starting job in 2024, and the most important thing right now for the development of Mac Jones is keeping him upright. By selecting three offensive linemen – using a quarter of their 12 selections on the offensive trench – Belichick and Groh have signaled their intent to do just that. From all accounts, Mafi, who met with New England in a pre-draft visit, is thrilled to join the team; now it’s about proving it on the field.
6-187: Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU Boutte is the epitome of a boom-or-bust prospect, his elite 2020 and ‘21 being overshadowed by a disappointing 2022 that dropped him from clear first-rounder to a middle-of-Day-3 selection. As a freshman and sophomore, Boutte looked to follow in the footsteps of highly-drafted LSU wideouts such as Odell Beckham Jr., Justin Jefferson, and JaMarr Chase, showing a complete package of agility, speed, and route running. Unfortunately, an injury plus conflicts with his new coach Brian Kelly led to underperformance, and a poor combine performance cemented his draft stock as having drastically fallen. But if he can get back to his earlier form, where his talent and athleticism led to a combined 83 receptions, 1244 yards, and 14 touchdowns in his first two college seasons, Boutte could become the steal of the draft.
6-192: Bryce Baringer, P, Michigan State While New England had signed Corliss Waitman so as to have a punter on the roster heading into the draft, none assumed he was the long-term answer; when the Patriots made Baringer the first punter taken in the 2023 draft, it became clear who was. A walk-on turned cut turned best punter in college football, Baringer has a booming leg that showed itself in an average punt length of 49.0 yards in ‘22; he also holds the Michigan State record for career punting average at 46.0 yards. As a bonus, he worked with Ryland at the Senior Bowl, so the two have already begun to develop chemistry in the holding game. As another bonus, he wore No. 99 in college, and that is awesome.
6-210: Demario Douglas, WR, Liberty When one imagines a typical Patriots slot receiver – small, shifty, and explosive with the ball in his hands – one might well be imagining Douglas. The five-foot-eight Liberty product can absolutely fly, moving all around the formation and catching balls at all levels of the field. New Englanders got a preview of what Douglas’ game might look like when rookie cornerback Marcus Jones began to take snaps on offense last year; Jones was often put in motion before the snap, worked out of the backfield, and assigned touches where his elusiveness was the spark to gain yards. Douglas has said he models his game after Jones, a claim that demonstrates itself when one views his collegiate tape. I had a third-round grade on Douglas, so the Patriots landing him at 210 is a thrill. (Even though the Giants took one of my draft crushes in Tre Hawkins III the pick before, for which I’m still irked.)
6-214: Ameer Speed, CB, Michigan State The unknown about Speed is whether he will develop on defense; that is not his skill at the moment. There are three things known: his size (6’3”, 210 lbs.), his speed (4.34s 40), and his special teams prowess. With longtime special teams captain Matthew Slater likely entering his last year, the Patriots need to develop a new crop of special teams standouts, long a hallmark of Belichick’s Patriots from the time of Larry Izzo. Last year’s UDFA Brenden Schooler looks like one of those players already; Speed will certainly be given every chance possible to be another.
7-245: Isaiah Bolden, CB, Jackson State More tall athletic cornerbacks! The only HBCU selection in the 2023 draft, Bolden is an incredible athlete who likely earned his way to a draft selection by lighting up his Pro Day. Though just a role player on defense, Bolden has developmental traits that any defensive coach would love, and has also been a top collegiate kick returner, leading all of college football in 2021 with a 36.9-yard average on kickoff returns. I don’t see the two late-round cornerback selections as “throw players on the field and see who sticks” à la the ill-fated dual tight end picks of Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene in 2020’s third round, but selecting players who might have longer chances to succeed, but if they do succeed can truly shine.
Though Bolden was the last of the Patriots’ 2023 draft picks, that did not conclude their rookie class as the period of UDFA signings immediately began. The Patriots have had an undrafted rookie make the Week 1 roster every year since 2004; with just a four-man class this season, chances are slim. They’re not impossible – their only 2021 UDFA, kicker Quinn Nordin, made it – but they’re definitely slimmer. Here are the four who can continue that streak.
Undrafted Rookies
Malik Cunningham, QB, Louisville The most expensive ($200,000) and well-known of the quartet, Cunningham’s slight build and arm as a quarterback led to piles of speculation of his switching positions. However, he has started off his Patriots tenure as a quarterback in rookie minicamp, so he remains a quarterback until further notice. Throughout college, Cunningham’s most intriguing asset has been his supreme athleticism at the position, something which showed up in testing, and it remains to be seen how the Patriots will use that athleticism to help the team. (It may be a good while until outside sources get a look, as minicamp and OTAs have thus far been closed off to the media.)
Johnny Lumpkin, TE, Louisiana-Lafayette After foregoing using a selection on a tight end in a deep draft class (another Belichick trend), New England instead brought in Lumpkin, who projects as a blocking tight end in the NFL. This offsets the biggest negative, his age (he’ll be 26 to start the season), as the Patriots lack a true blocker at the position. Whether Lumpkin can take advantage of this path to a roster spot remains to be seen, but his road to making the team as an undrafted rookie seems easiest at the moment.
Jourdan Heilig, LB, Appalachian State Like Board and Speed, Heilig joins the Patriots as a special teams standout, playing minimal defense as a Mountaineer (three snaps in 2022) but standing out in college on the third unit (210 snaps in 2022). He’ll have a chance to follow in the path of Schooler as a UDFA who makes his mark as a core special teamer.
Justus Tavai, DL, San Diego State The middle of the Tavai brothers (older brother Jahlani is a Patriots linebacker, younger brother Jonah signed with Seattle as a UDFA), Justus played alongside Jonah on the Aztec defensive line in 2022. While Jonah put up eye-popping numbers with double-digit sacks, Justus was a steady contributor as well, putting up 3.5 sacks and intercepting a pass. Tavai is the ninth man on the Patriots’ defensive line right now, so he has a difficult path if he wants to make the team.
He’s not an undrafted rookie, but the Patriots have also brought in veteran free agent Anthony Firsker, TE to compete with Lumpkin, Sokol, and Washington for the third tight end spot, the roster spot opened with their losing reserve Raekwon McMillan, LB to a partially torn Achilles tendon.
Projected Offseason Depth Chart (italics = rookie, (in parentheses = exclusively or primarily a special teamer)) (Note: the Patriots assign temporary jersey numbers in the offseason starting with 50 based mainly on draft position.)
QB 10 Mac Jones 4 Bailey Zappe 19 Trace McSorley 64 Malik Cunningham
RB 38 Rhamondre Stevenson 3 James Robinson 14 Ty Montgomery II 35 Pierre Strong Jr. 36 Kevin Harris 42 J.J. Taylor
WR 1 DeVante Parker 7 JuJu Smith-Schuster 84 Kendrick Bourne 11 Tyquan Thornton 58 Kayshon Boutte 60 Demario Douglas 82 Tre Nixon (44 Raleigh Webb) (18 Matthew Slater)
TE 85 Hunter Henry 88 Mike Gesicki 86 Anthony Firsker 87 Matt Sokol 17 Scotty Washington 65 Johnny Lumpkin
T 77 Trent Brown 74 Riley Reiff 76 Calvin Anderson 75 Conor McDermott 64 Andrew Stueber
G 71 Mike Onwenu 69 Cole Strange 54 Sidy Sow 55 Atonio Mafi 63 Chasen Hines 62 Bill Murray
C 60 David Andrews 53 Jake Andrews 65 James Ferentz 66 Kody Russey
DL 90 Christian Barmore 92 Davon Godchaux 91 Deatrich Wise Jr. 93 Lawrence Guy Sr. 95 Daniel Ekuale 98 Carl Davis Jr. 96 Sam Roberts 70 Jeremiah Pharms Jr. 67 Justus Tavai
ED 9 Matthew Judon 55 Josh Uche 51 Keion White 58 Anfernee Jennings (97 DaMarcus Mitchell) 51 Ronnie Perkins
LB 8 Ja’Whaun Bentley 48 Jahlani Tavai 52 Marte Mapu 30 Mack Wilson Sr. (45 Chris Board Jr.) 43 Calvin Munson 59 Terez Hall 47 Olakunle Fatukasi (66 Jourdan Heilig)
CB 50 Christian Gonzalez 31 Jonathan Jones 13 Jack Jones 25 Marcus Jones 27 Myles Bryant (61 Ameer Speed) 63 Isaiah Bolden 37 Tae Hayes 26 Shaun Wade 34 Quandre Mosely 39 Rodney Randle Jr.
S 23 Kyle Dugger 5 Jabrill Peppers 2 Jalen Mills 21 Adrian Phillips 24 Joshuah Bledsoe (41 Brenden Schooler) (22 Cody Davis) 29 Brad Hawkins
K 62 Chad Ryland 6 Nick Folk
P 59 Bryce Baringer 15 Corliss Waitman
LS 49 Joe Cardona 46 Tucker Addington
Conclusion Is this a perfect Patriots team? No. There are still long-term holes at offensive tackle and tight end, and there is a question mark as to who can be that pass catcher whom defensive coordinators have to plan for, a player the team has lacked for several seasons.
But is this an exciting Patriots roster, a team who has a chance to exceed their middling projections and expectations, a team worth watching and cheering for? Absolutely. Belichick and company have stabilized the coaching staff; added explosive, athletic players at nearly every position; brought in a new crew of players to take over special teams; and begun their draft with three players who could not only start in the NFL but have the potential to star. I fully believe that this is not an 8-9 caliber team, even in an AFC East with three other teams that have added big name after big name.
As Bill Belichick might say, we’re on to 2023.
We’re on to victory.

So starting from the beginning, I meet all my friends during our college years. We were a large group that always had fun and made plans. Some successful, many not that successful. But we had a lot of fun and I have a lot of good memories.
Fast forward and I meet one friend in that large group, let’s call him DH. We got really close and started talking everyday and related a lot and supported eachother in every way. DH was an emotional guy and I’m not rational so we worked together. We became best friends and we also had a mutual best friend. Let’s call her TB. She and I got real close too and we started hanging out more and more because I realised we were almost copies of eachother.
I did not go out much with DH due to me not having a large social battery while his is huge. I wanted some time alone and TB was exactly like that so we could just do shit while not doing shit. Well drama happened at school like always but almost every drama moment contained DH for some reason but I still backed him up. Well during my time when I was more to myself I some how ended up in drama myself. DK talked to me and explained the whole matter and we resolved it quickly. In my eyes everything was fine and dandy. Boy was I wrong.
TB informed me that DH has talked shit about me in front of a large part of our friend group about this drama behind me back. Me as a person do not usually give a shit but this person was like a brother to me. You do not 1. Break your friends trust 2. Lie to your friend and 3. Disrespect your friend. He did all four.
Then he came to me one day and said some other person talked shit about me. This person was a late friend of mine. I don’t know why but I trusted DH and thanked him for telling me. Well he actually lied and made up this drama so that he could redeem himself to me. After this I ignored the shit out of him (he also started drama with TB while this was happening).
Fast forward a bit to our graduation.
I went to one of my friends graduation party where DH was at. At the party he wanted to talk so I followed him. He tried to talk about why I’m not talking to him no more and everything. I explained that he talked behind my back and started shit for no reason. He apologised but then tried to get me in on some drama with TB and thought I was mad about their drama. He then tried for the whole convo get me to side with him. I then realised he is a coward scared to apologise for real and admit he did wrong. He is a coward for putting his pride over our friendship.
But how did I lose my other friends? Well he is a hoot manipulator. I don’t talk about my business with others like he does but I slowly but surely realised that everyone kinda got awkward around me. I once saw my friend online with DH in a game when I asked that morning to hop on. Hard to explain so I’ll shorten it down:
Me: hop on at this time Friend: bet
friend hops on, so do I
Me: yo join Friend: no answer
Sees both DH and friend are on.
Friend 2 hours later: aw shit my ps was fucked didn’t get your message.
So yeah they lie now and I bet they talked shit. Not the last time this happened too. I’m honestly surprised that he is this good at manipulating. But oh well. I don’t really care for friends when they are this fake. Just needed to write this somewhere and thought this would be good. Might not be. And if DH sees this. Grow up.

5) Murder House (7/10); enjoyable first season, great opening scene. Overall kinda meh at some points. I for some reason just don’t like Ben Harmon or the actor that plays Ben (same with the character in Asylum). Good plot twists with Violet but whelming ending.
4) Hotel (7.5/10); Jessica Lange’s presence has been missed so far (I’m on episode 4). Lady Gaga has been killing it so far. The Holden storyline kinda isn’t doing anything for me. Love the scenery and Angela and Kathy are killing it as always. Season will probably get worse though knowing AHS so far lol.
3) Freak Show (8.5/10); controversial but I actually loved the musical numbers and the changed opening theme song, it fit the season well. Elsa maybe is one of my favorite characters, so developed and fascinating. Really surprised how much I liked Finn’s acting as Dandy. Entertaining through and through but underwhelming ending for me, they kinda rushed through the last 2 episodes.
2) Asylum (9/10)- just art. Really amazing season that had a really great arc. This season was truly horror, and I loved the inclusion of the Name Game. Great twists with Dr. Thredson. This season made me love Lily Rabe. Sister Jude was amazing too.
1) Coven (9/10)- amazing amazing season. The cast really is top tier and shines, the chemistry is amazing, and it was very camp. Queenie, Marie, Fiona, Myrtle (especially), just all shone so hard.

Hi! I graduated in Dec 2022 and I was planning to pursue MSBA this Fall 2023 due to some circumstances I have to push it to next Spring 2024; so I am reapplying to other colleges for MS in CS or ITM. (I chose not to apply MSBA again because of it doesn’t make sense to go for a MS program that will be overtaken by AI in a few years 😭)
My stats: (I know my stats are underwhelming)
GRE: 303 (152 Q and 151 V and 4.0 Writing)
BS in CS from LSU; Undergrad GPA: 3.3
Two internships and two letters of recommendation one from a professor and one from my supervisor.
I have 3 personal projects that I have been working on which I want to include as well. (one AI based project + one web application + one mobile application that i worked on during my internship )
I’m planning on applying to Clemson, UFL, NSU, GSU and any other school you guys advise me on!
Any advice is helpful, please don’t be ruthless I am hanging on by a thread 😓

Hi everyone,
This is my first post in here. This may be triggering to some but I need to rant and get some comfort from you all. So, due to the health emergency being ended I (24F) am losing my Medicaid. I don’t really know what to do because my husband and I are not wealthy enough to pay for copay or anything and our baby was really a surprise for us but my ignorant father who does qualify for Medicaid said that I am under 26 therefore I qualify anyway, said I am stressing for no reason and that childbirth ONLY COSTS $5000 AND I APPARENTLY DON’T NEED AN EPIDURAL BECAUSE IT IS UNNECESSARY!!!!!!! I want to rip my hair out, all the appointments that lead up to childbirth are thousands of dollars, PLUS the epidural, post partum care and other baby appointments. I have insurance through my job with an awfully high deductible and I try not to use it at all. I feel like I have no support, everybody just acts like having a baby is so fine and dandy, who cares if you have a lot of debt?????
My dad expects this grandchild like it’s his own child and won’t take any of my concerns seriously. He thinks postpartum care and depression is fake and that women complain so much. I feel so sorry for my mom for tolerating his garbage for the last 30 years because of stockholm syndrome and being disabled mentally and physically. He is so dominant and acts like he knows what women go through and how we should be. It makes me so angry, I am 27+ weeks along and I feel like I should just risk my health and baby’s health and just give birth in the bathtub and never see a doctor. It is insanely expensive to get care in the USA but some people just act like they’re being fruitful and multiplying and it doesn’t matter what the costs are. I can’t stand how super privileged women who stay home all the time with their kids while their husbands work their asses off at their high paying jobs talk about how it’s not a big deal. It’s literally only easy to have a baby in this country if you are a) wealthy or b) on government assistance. Anything in between just sucks.
Thanks for reading. I’m just so mad and needed to share.

5 years.
It was 5 years since I had someone apart from my family who loved me. And each of those 5 years was excruciating pain.
Year 1 was fine and dandy. Year 2 was manageable. But since then, every year felt like the world was trying to claw and poke at me and see how long I last.
Heck, I was ready to jump at one point. But I don’t know why I didn’t. Life has been sh¡t since I said goodbye to her 5 years ago. I open social media and it’s all cute couples cuddling. It’s all tormenting and otherworldly pain.
Whenever I feel like I’m getting close, I make that final step and admit it to that someone and every time for the past 5 years I get mentally kneecapped and brought to a state of depression.
Most days my parents say stuff like “when are you going to bring that special someone home” and “it’s not so hard, come on” and I have to awkwardly keep my emotions suppressed. And then get told like “people get married at your age, where is your girlfriend”
I lock myself in my room every day and let those suppressed emotions out to The Chain by Fleetwood Mac or Bullet by Miyagi.
Oh god, what have I ever done to deserve this? What am I doing wrong?

5 years.
It was 5 years since I had someone apart from my family who loved me. And each of those 5 years was excruciating pain.
Year 1 was fine and dandy. Year 2 was manageable. But since then, every year felt like the world was trying to claw and poke at me and see how long I last.
Heck, I was ready to jump at one point. But I don’t know why I didn’t. Life has been sh¡t since I said goodbye to her 5 years ago. I open social media and it’s all cute couples cuddling. It’s all tormenting and otherworldly pain.
Whenever I feel like I’m getting close, I make that final step and admit it to that someone and every time for the past 5 years I get mentally kneecapped and brought to a state of depression.
Most days my parents say stuff like “when are you going to bring that special someone home” and “it’s not so hard, come on” and I have to awkwardly keep my emotions suppressed. And then get told like “people get married at your age, where is your girlfriend”
I lock myself in my room every day and let those suppressed emotions out to The Chain by Fleetwood Mac or Bullet by Miyagi.
Oh god, what have I ever done to deserve this? What am I doing wrong?

Hello teenagers. No upvote farming. Just need to vent.
It was 5 years since I had someone apart from my family who loved me. And each of those 5 years was excruciating pain.
Year 1 was fine and dandy. Year 2 was manageable. But since then, every year felt like the world was trying to claw and poke at me and see how long I last.
Heck, I was ready to jump at one point. But I don’t know why I didn’t. Life has been sh¡t since I said goodbye to her 5 years ago. I open social media and it’s all cute couples cuddling. It’s all tormenting and otherworldly pain.
Whenever I feel like I’m getting close, I make that final step and admit it to that someone and every time for the past 5 years I get mentally kneecapped and brought to a state of depression.
Most days my parents say stuff like “when are you going to bring that special someone home” and “it’s not so hard, come on” and I have to awkwardly keep my emotions suppressed. And then get told like “people get married at your age, where is your girlfriend”
I lock myself in my room every day and let those suppressed emotions out to The Chain by Fleetwood Mac or Bullet by Miyagi.
What can I do? It seems that everything I’m doing leads to a dead end and the same mental kneecapping.

It was 5 years since I had someone apart from my family who loved me. And each of those 5 years was excruciating pain.
Year 1 was fine and dandy. Year 2 was manageable. But since then, every year felt like the world was trying to claw and poke at me and see how long I last.
Heck, I was ready to jump at one point. But I don’t know why I didn’t. Life has been sh¡t since I said goodbye to her 5 years ago. I open social media and it’s all cute couples cuddling. It’s all tormenting and otherworldly pain.
Whenever I feel like I’m getting close, I make that final step and admit it to that someone and every time for the past 5 years I get mentally kneecapped and brought to a state of depression.
Most days my parents say stuff like “when are you going to bring that special someone home” and “it’s not so hard, come on” and I have to awkwardly keep my emotions suppressed. And then get told like “people get married at your age, where is your girlfriend”
I lock myself in my room every day and let those suppressed emotions out to The Chain by Fleetwood Mac or Bullet by Miyagi.
Oh god, what have I ever done to deserve this? What am I doing wrong?

”Short” recap of the Jets' 2022 Season

The Jets had a noisy offseason in 2022 as they were big spenders in free agency, bringing in CB DJ Reed, TE CJ Uzomah, and OG Laken Tomlinson. The also had 3 first round picks and an early second rounder to give the team one of the youngest roster in the NFL by snaps given. The main headline going into the Jets regular season was, like most NFL teams, centered around the quarterback position. The Jets drafted BYU QB Zach Wilson #2 overall in the 2021 NFL draft. Statistically, Zach's rookie campaign was off to an abysmal start with 4 TDs and 9 picks in his first Five starts before having his midseason interrupted by a knee injury. Zach would return and threw 5 touchdowns and just two picks in his last seven games, playing less dynamically than he had in Tennessee but smarter and safer. Zach went into the 2022 season looking to improve on his 2,334 yards passing, 55.6% completion percentage, 9 passing touchdowns, 4 rushing touchdowns, and 11 interceptions from 2022.
However, Zach would miss September due to a miniscus tear he suffered in the preseason. The Jets started Joe Flacco at the quarterback position for their opening three games; going 1-2 with a historical comeback win at Cleveland (I didn't have to mention this but it's the most exciting Jets football you'll ever see). After Zach returned, the Jets opened out on a winning streak. However, this had more to do with the star performances of the Jets rookies, namely WR Garrett Wilson, RB Breece Hall, and CB Sauce Gardner. In Denver, the Jets suffered a pyrrhic victory at hands of the Broncos as the team won 16-9, but suffered season ending injuries to OL Alijah Vera-Tucker and Breece Hall. Hindering the offensive line and prematurely ending Hall's OROTY campaign. This altered the course of the Jets' season for the worse. While young stars Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner continued to shine, the team's offense couldn't make up for the loss of Breece Hall as they were forced to look to Zach Wilson to lead the passing offense. Zach Wilson regressed heavily from his already terrible rookie season and as a result of his poor performance and attitude, was benched. The Jets attempted to salvage their season by looking to Mike White, who almost immediately went out with injury, and then later to Flacco (and at one point, Chris Streveler, fresh out of the CFL). Only two seasons into Wilson's career, he's cemented himself among the greatest draft busts in NFL history and for the sake of playefan morale, is completely unplayable in 2023. He isn't going to be cut until at least August, as there's no financial incentive to give up on him until after next season. The Jets missed out on the playoffs in 2023 for the 12th straight season, the second longest drought in North American sports. The silver lining for the Jets this season is that their roster is still full of young talent across the board, as AVT should be back by the preseason, Breece Hall should be back in the early regular season this year, and Garret Wilson and Sauce Gardner are back for their sophomore seasons after winning Offensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the year, respectively. The Jets had very little coaching staff/front office turnover from 2022. The main exception is the Jets moved on from young offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur to sign veteran OC and recently fired Denver Broncos' head coach, Nathaniel Hackett. This move was met with middling reception by fans. As many cited him as an underwhelming retread, though there was potentially one huge upside to signing Hackett and his name is...

Aaron Freaking Rodgers

After acknowledging his failure in drafting and developing his franchise QB, New York Jets General Manager Joe Douglas, scrambled to find a QB the Jets can compete with during their current window where their most talented players are on rookie deals. Joe Douglas doesn’t have the luxury of trying again with rookie QB roulette as he’s already four years into a rebuild that has yielded zero winning seasons. Many considered his huge failure with Zach Wilson to be a fireable offense, but due to his success in building the rest of the team, Jets owner Woody Johnson publicly voiced his confidence in Joe Douglas and let him have another offseason to try to pull a rabbit out of his hat at the QB position. The Jets were connected to almost every veteran QB that might conceivably be on the market from January to March. Around the time of the NFL Combine, the Jets had their options narrowed down to Tannehil, Cousins, and Aaron Rodgers headlining the group. With Rodgers’ ending his career in Green Bay, he then descended into a Darkness Retreat. Afterward, Aaron decided to tell Schefter to lose his number and went on the Mcafee show to announce that he had decided to play for the Jets, despite still being on contract with the Packers. After a month and a half of Jets and Packers fans taking to Reddit and Twitter to argue endlessly about Leverage, the Jets and Packers finally worked out a deal on April 24th, just days before the 2023 NFL Draft. The Jets acquired Aaron Rodgers and a 5th round pick in 2023 in exchange for a 1st round pick swap (Jets go 13 to 15th overall), a 2023 2nd round pick, a 2023 6th round pick, and a 2024 second round pick that can become a 1st if Rodgers plays >65% of snaps in 2023. Many were quick to declare an immediate winner to the trade, though I think with trades like these, you need to see how things play out and what will happen on the conditions before knowing for sure. My knee-jerk reaction to the trade is that it’s an overpay if Rodgers were to retire after 2023, but if he comes back for 2024 like he says he’s going to, then this is fair overall. If Jordan Love doesn’t pan out and the Jets make a Super Bowl over the next two years, people will look back on this trade as a steal for the Jets. Time will tell.

Jets Free Agency

Contrary to popular belief, the Jets did more this offseason than roll out the red carpet for Aaron Rodgers. In free agency, the Jets rolled out the red carpet for all of Aaron Rodger’s favorite teammates. In Free Agency, the Jets brought in:

• WR Mecole Hardman (KC)
• WR Allen Lazard (GB)
• OL Trystan Colon (BAL)
• OL Billy Turner (DEN)
• P Thomas Morestead (MIA)
• C Wes Schweitzer (WAS)
• QB Tim Boyle (DET)
• DT Quinton Jefferson (SEA)

Over half the names on this list have some kind of connection to Aaron Rodgers. Allen Lazard was the biggest swing for the Jets in free agency with $44MM over 4 years. The Jets cut bait by trading Elijah Moore to Cleveland, but are going to keep Corey Davis for the third year of his contract despite disappointing availability and stats by Davis. Lazard has experience in the slot, despite being primarily an outside the numbers receiver. With Moore and Berrios out, the Jets are a little bit heavier on outside receiver and light on slot receiver, so they’ll likely focus on size over shiftiness over the middle. However, bringing in Mecole Hardman brings a lot of the speed over the middle that the team is missing. Outside of WR, the Jets added more depth on the offensive and defensive lines. The main highlight of free agency for Jets fans was, strangely enough, the punter they signed- Thomas Morstead. Morstead punted for the Jets in 2021 filling in for an injured Braden Mann with an average of 48 yards/ punt and 7 punts within the 20. The Jets let Morstead go to let Braden Mann return. Mann was a decent punter for the Jets at best, but was infamous in NY for a shank a game that eventually became too much. The Jets have also worked out with P Matt “Punt God” Araiza, but that’s a can of worms I won’t get into. The Jets also brought back:

• LB Quincy Williams
• K Greg Zuerlin
• DT Solomon Thomas
• RB Ty Johnson
• C Connor McGovern

I have much less to say about these players. Ty Johnson has already been cut, which has been a small controversy due to his surgery that was allegedly recommended by the Jets. But especially after the draft, the Jets have a glut of runningbacks on the roster. I don’t see what the Jets see in Solomon Thomas but HC Robert Saleh really likes him. Greg Zuerlin has been a replacement level kicker for the Jets. Quincy Williams is back, which is mostly interesting as his older brother, Quinnen Williams, is in a contract holdout with the Jets. The number for Quinnen Williams is likely going to look similar to what Dexter Lawrence got from the Giants.

The New York Jets 2023 NFL Draft

Pre-Draft Needs

Positions of Need going into the Draft: OT, FS, DT, RB
The Jets' strength on the defense was on the outsides, both on the passrush with Carl Lawson and Jermaine Johnson coming back and in the pass defense, with Sauce Gardner and DJ Reed returning after being arguably the best CB duo in 2022. The weakness was over the middle in the passing game and between the tackles in the run game. The Jets have Quinnen Williams on the 5th year option looking for a new deal this year and don't have another quality DT to complement him on the interior of their 4-3 front. Jordan Whitehead was disappointing for the Jets last year at SS and Ashtyn Davis hasn't fully panned out at FS.
On the offense, the Jets have fewer holes, but have positions like RB, TE, and WR where they can afford to add more talent. The biggest liabilities for the Jets are on the offensive tackle, where Mekhi Becton is coming back from two whole seasons of injury and Duane Brown is 38 and playing likely his last season of Pro Football.

1st Round (15th Overall) Will McDonald IV, EDGE – Iowa State

Before discussing McDonald as a player, we should discuss the Steelers’ trade with the Patriots at 14th overall. This trade led to a lot of criticism of the trade back with Green Bay for Rodgers as well as Joe Douglas’s composure as a drafter. The main thing we know about Broderick Jones is that the fact that Pittsburgh was interested in trading up for him long before the Rodgers trade. Jones to the Steelers was one of the worst kept secrets of the NFL draft this year and the New England Patriots (while not to pretend that Belichick doesn’t love to screw the Jets over) are notorious for trading back in the first round. I’m not going to assert that the Jets weren’t interested in landing Broderick Jones, I think the people who are skeptical of Douglas’s claim that McDonald was their top target are missing two things: the first is that Robert Saleh is a defensive minded coach who is obsessed with having an excess of edge rushers with good bend. Saleh and Douglas are still on good terms, and I would be very surprised if during the draft Saleh wasn’t pounding the table in Joe Douglas’s ear for Will McDonald. The second is that while Jones was on board, Douglas himself said that McDonald was his number 1. You can debate if the Jets should’ve taken Jones if he were available, but he wasn’t and so, the Jets picked McDonald. Will McDonald is a 6’4” 236 lbs Edge rusher from Iowa State University who turns 24 years old June 6th. He was considered a high draft prospect after his 2021 and 2020 seasons where he had 11.5 and 10.5 sacks respectively, but still decided to come back to school in 2022. This, plus the fact that he didn’t begin playing football until he was 17 years old, contribute to Will McDonald IV’s advanced age as a prospect. Some might have called this pick a reach due to his age, but it’s worth noting that McDonald isn’t exactly a “late bloomer” as a player, but rather he has been a competitive pass rusher in the Big 12 since about 2019 and is tied for #1 overall in the Big12’s career sack list. Another reason why Will McDonald IV is an underrated prospect is that many people aren’t familiar with the defense that Iowa St. and how it deflates pass rusher numbers. Iowa State runs something called a STAR defense, or a 3-3-5 (3 DL, 3LB, 5 DBs). This helped the Cyclones against pass heavy, air raid and/or spread style offenses, but means that a premier pass rusher like Will McDonald will get basically zero help in the box. The traits that scouts fell in love with that made Will McDonald IV a first-round talent were his bend around the edge, his top end speed, and his usage of his hands. The weaknesses that were brought up centered mostly around his smaller size, power, and lack of body of work on run defense. But his overall athleticism and potential to bulk up are the main thing the Jets are banking on as they look develop him going forward. McDonald’s athleticism is so over the top, that he’s made a hobby of jumping over cars and doing other acrobatics that will keep the Jets management up at night if he keeps it up through his rookie contract.
The main thing to understand when watching McDonald as a prospect is that the Jets are going to play him a lot differently than the Cyclones did. Due to the ISU 3-man front, McDonald was often moved inside if he wasn’t double or triple teamed as a 5 tech. When Robert Saleh called Will McDonald to let him know the Jets were drafting him, Saleh said “We’re getting you out of that 4i and into that Wide 9”. That meaning, that instead of playing him between the guard and the tackle, they’re going to put him as far out as the o-line is built. I think the Jets will try to get him standing up; even though they typically have four defensive linemen down as I trust Robert Saleh to not pigeonhole a guy to a set role and will just try to set him up to succeed as a pass rusher. The important thing to remember when evaluating McDonald’s upcoming rookie season (or Jermaine Johnson’s rookie season from 2022), is that the Jets have a religious dedication to cycling their defensive linemen in and out regardless of how well or poorly they’re playing. So, for young players like McDonald, Johnson, and Michael Clemons, they’re guaranteed to get a shot, but even if they succeed, they’ll get cycled out. But this does mean that in 2023, we’re guaranteed a chance to see the speed and shiftiness that Will McDonald IV will be bringing to the Jets defense for years to come.

2nd Round, 12th pick (43rd Overall) Joe Tippmann, C – Wisconsin

After the first night of the draft, most were shocked over the Jets’ selection of Will McDonald. And many more in Jets land were disappointed that the team couldn’t find any offensive line help for newly acquired QB, Aaron Rodgers. Fortunately for the Jets on night 2, the board broke their way positively, unlike on night 1. With most of the premier tackles off the board, the Jets then turned their attention interior offensive line. The Jets re-signed Connor McGovern to a 1 year $1.915 million deal after the main rush of free agency subsided and McGovern was unable to find a better deal. McGovern was a serviceable Center for the Jets on his previous 3 year deal, but at 30, the Jets are starting to look for long term options with higher upside. With McGovern making barely backup Center money, the Jets had basically no assets committed to the center position. With every center in the 2023 NFL draft on the board, I don’t think I need to do as much defending of the positional choice for center as I had to do for Edge rusher in the first round. The Jets selected Joe Tippmann with the 12th pick of the 2nd round. The Wisconsin Badger is one of the taller Centers we’ve seen at 6’6” (not including the mullet) and 313 lbs. However, Tippmann has shown on film that he’s able to get low off the snap off the height and in the later block can leverage his size. He had the highest athleticism score at his position (which is going to be a consistent theme for the Jets in this draft). He started his last two full seasons at Wisconsin, shining as a run blocker and allowed only on sack and five pressures over 338 pass blocking snaps. His strengths coming out of Wisconsin are his fluid movement and rotation, his high football IQ, and his size. His main weakness is his sense of balance and his high point of contact. Some might have questioned why the Jets chose Tippmann over John Michael-Schmitz and, while I would’ve been happy with either, I personally believe the Jets made the slightly better choice in banking on a player who is younger, bigger, healthier, and possibly has higher upside. The Jets have been looking for the heir apparent to Nick Mangold since he’s retired. While McGovern was a serviceable stop gap for the last three years and will get a chance to compete with Tippmann this summer, I believe this pick is a great chance for the Jets to find a new leader of their offensive line for years to come. The Jets are at their best in their franchise history when they have a Center with leadership, strength, and durability to support the offense.

4th Round, Pick 18 (120th Overall) Carter Warren, OT – Pittsburgh

In 2022, the New York Jets offensive line was a revolving door as the offensive line was decimated by injuries before they even started the regular season. They were able to mitigate these issues for the first few weeks of the season by deploying Alijah Vera-Tucker as a Swiss Army Offensive Lineman, but when he suffered a season ending injury, that had to come to an end. In this offseason, the Jets didn’t add many players who will contend for starting positions at guard or tackle in 2023, but Joe Douglas has made a point to bolster the depth at these positions so they’re better prepared for when Mekhi Becton, who hasn’t played a full game since mid 2020, or the 38 year old Duane Brown get injured.
To prepare for this, the Jets picked New Jersey native Carter Warren in the fourth round out of Pittsburgh. With his 7 foot wingspan, core strength, and leadership experience, Warren has the traits of a prototypical NFL Tackle. Carter Warren’s athleticism graded highly at the combine at the workouts he performed despite not being 100% from his shoulder injury. He fell to the fourth round in the draft as expected due to his season ending injury in 2022 and his overall lack of power and ability to sustain blocks for longer drives. The Jets are looking for Carter Warren to develop into a capable swing tackle or high end backup LT. The team is possibly still banking on Becton serving as the long term starting Left Tackle, but we’ll sort that out when training camp gets here. With veteran Billy Turner on the team and second year Maxx Mitchell returning as a swing tackle, the Jets are hopeful that they won’t rely on a rookie tackle in 2023. But if they do, Carter Warren has the traits needed to keep the offense on schedule when injuries inevitably come.

5th Round Pick, Pick 8 (#143rd Overall) Israel Abanikanda, RB – Pittsburgh

After selecting the Pittsburgh Panther from New Jersey in the fourth round, the Jets elected to take his teammate, RB Israel Abanikanda from Brooklyn, with the very next pick. In the last two years the Jets have brought in a lot of young runningbacks from the draft such as Michael Carter, Breece Hall, and Zonovan Knight. The Jets running back room looked like it was on the road to being elite after Breece Hall’s early career breakout before his tragic season ending injury. Breece Hall had emerged as a physical, downhill runner for the Jets and Michael Carter and Bam Knight were capable change of pace backs, pass blockers, and receiving backs. Breece Hall is going to go back to being the Jets premier runningback if he comes back to be 100% of what he was last year, even with Abanikanda on the roster. But what the Jets were lacking, even with Hall on the roster last year, was a shiftier, higher end speed running back that can break open in space. Hall checks off a lot of these boxes, but did so by being more physical over the middle. In 2022, Izzy Abanikanda’s stats were impressive. He reached 100 yards rushing in 9 out of his 11 games and rushed for 20 TDs on the season. With Hall, Izzy can be a dangerous lightning to Breece Hall’s thunder as the Jets look to round out their offense. Izzy’s athleticism is (say it with me now: ) really good. He ranked 5th out of running backs in this draft despite being a 5th round pick. The biggest weakness commonly cited about Izzy Abanikanda is his pass protection. This has been a recent focus on running backs in the NFL and something that will likely limit Izzy’s day one impact. But the Jets can keep things simple on the offense and just focus on getting the ball of playmakers like Abanikanda. The most exciting thing about Abanikanda is that he’s young, not turning 21 until October 5th of this year (making him born in 2002, if you wanted to feel old today). Abanikanda is an extremely speedy player with home run ability. The value in the 5th round is great for the Jets here and they are now hedged against a key RB injury like they suffered last year. This pick may spell trouble for fans of Michael Carter and Zonovan Knight (apologies to /DynastyFF), but it puts the Jets in a position to be dynamic in the ground game to capitalize on defenses thinking they can afford to sell out against the Aaron Rodgers-led passing offense.

6th Round, Pick 7 (184th Overall) Zaire Barnes, LB – Western Michigan

Getting later into the draft, the Jets start to look for roleplayers and positions where the team is light. Zaire Barnes fills both of these criteria with his special teams experience and coverage linebacker experience. The Jets have Quincy Williams and CJ Mosely playing in the box to handle secondary running coverage. The team may still bring back Kwon Alexander to return as the WILL linebacker in space, but the Jets are looking to bolster their coverage over the middle. The Jets have arguably the best cornerback duo on the outside with DJ Reed and Sauce Gardner and a capable slot corner with Michael Carter II. This means that most of the teams that threw the ball on the Jets did so over the middle.
At Western Michigan, Barnes lined up close to the line of scrimmage and focused mostly on man coverage. In order for him to unlock his potential and make this pick a steal, he needs to unlock his ability to use lateral movement to help in zone coverage. At 6’1” his height is unremarkable but more than adequate for a linebacker within the box. If Zaire Barnes can make himself valuable on special team and take advantage of the opportunities to make a play in coverage over the middle or to make an impact in the run game where the Jets are also light, Zaire Barnes will be able to be a part of this Jets team for a long time.

Round 6, Pick 27 (#204th Overall) Jarrick Bernard-Converse, DB – LSU

In writing Bernard-Converse’s position on the headliner, I opted to just write DB, as he’s played all over the secondary. Looking at JBC’s skillset and the holes the Jets have in their roster, it would seem Bernard-Converse’s best outlook on the Jets is to move to the Safety position. With good tackling ability, high athleticism, and four years of starting experience at the Power 5 level, the Jets are banking on Bernard-Converse’s ability to adapt to a new role as opposed to being a true CB. In coverage at LSU, he did have some issues letting players get behind him due to his ability to trail and backpedal, another sign that he’s likely better suited for the safety role. With Jarrick Bernard-Converse, the Jets are banking on his adaptability and Robert Saleh’s ability to develop a player with raw talent into a contributor on the backend.

Round 7, Pick 3 (#220th Overall) Zack Kuntz, TE – Old Dominion

The Jets have looked to rebuild their TE room after years of it being in disarray. Unfortunately, the group that Douglas has put together, CJ Uzomah, Tyler Conklin, and Jeremy Ruckert, didn’t quite pan out in 2023. Part of this was on the quarterback play, but part of this is that the tight ends on the Jets didn’t quite have the plus abilities the team needed to get production from their Tight Ends. This is just the beginning of why Zack Kuntz is an exciting pick for the Jets. Kuntz (pronounced KOONTS, unless you’re Australian) was primarily a receiving tight end for Penn State and Old Dominion in college. At 6’8” 255lbs, Kuntz has more than the prototypical size of a blocking Y tight end, but he instead spent his college career using his 4.55 speed to be a menace over the middle. His most productive season was only 692 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns, which is a bit less for the insane athleticism that a speedy and shifty tight end such as Kuntz possesses. Still, it’s hard to imagine how 32 GMs looked at Kuntz and decided over 200 times that they don’t need this freak of nature on their team. The Jets may look into developing his blocking a bit more, but I think they’re probably more excited by refining his hands and getting him over the middle to create some size mismatch. With Zach Kuntz elite size and speed, he’s truly a menace with the ball in his hands.

UDFA Rapid Fire

The Jets traded back in the 6th round at a pretty heavy loss. I believe this is because they wanted special teams and depth and were relatively satisfied with most of the starters they had going into the NFL draft. So, the Jets will likely not have a ton of contributions from UDFAs this year. Here are the 13 players the Jets have currently signed as UDFAs and I’ll highlight a few of the ones I think I have a chance at making the 53 man roster below:

• Jason Brownlee, WR Southern Mississippi: Despite receiving a combine invite and showing a good vertical and 40 yard dash, Brownlee ends up unsigned on the Jets. I think the Jets will look to leverage his athleticism on special teams, as most of the WRs on the roster have little experience/interest in playing special teams.
• Trey Dean, Safety Florida: A former starter as a freshman for the Gators in 2017, he’s got a lot of experience. As mentioned earlier, both safety positions are weakspots on the Jets roster, so a safety with Dean’s experience might be able to stick on.
• Deslin Alexandre, DL Pittsburgh: Joe Douglas sure does love his Pittsburgh guys. Deslin played as an edge rusher in college, but went undrafted due to weak bend (which is an important trait in an EDGE rusher, as I’m sure you can imagine). Still, a player with his size could still be a valuable Defensive Tackle in a 4-3 defense such as the Jets’. The main thing for Alexandre will be improving his run defense, as that’s currently a sore spot for the Jets DL.

53 Man Roster Projection

POS	1st String	2nd String
QB	Aaron Rodgers	Tim Boyle	Zach Wilson
RB	Breece Hall	Israel Abanikanda	Michael Carter, Zonovan Knight
WR	Garrett Wilson	Corey Davis	Mecole Hardman
WR	Allen Lazard	Randall Cobb	Jason Brownlee
TE	Tyler Conklin	CJ Uzomah	Jeremy Ruckert
LT	Duane Brown	Warren Carter
RT	Mekhi Becton	Maxx Mitchell
LG	Laken Tomlinson	Wes Schweitzer
RG	Alijah Vera-Tucker	Billy Turner
C	Connor McGovern	Joe Tippmann
DT	Quinnen Williams	Al Woods
DT	John Franklin-Myers	Deslin Alexandre
DE	Jermaine Johnson	Isaiah Mack
DE	Carl Lawson	Michael Clemons	Solomon Thomas
ILB	CJ Mosely
OLB	Quincy Williams	Bryce Huff
OLB	Will McDonald IV	Zaire Barnes
CB	Sauce Gardner	Michael Carter II	Brandin Echols
CB	DJ Reed	Bryce Hall	Javelin Guidry
FS	Ashtyn Davis	Jarrick Berndard-Converse
SS	Jordan Whitehead	Justin Hardee	Chuck Clark
K	Greg Zuerlein
P	Thomas Morstead
LS	Thomas Hennessy

Notes on 53 man roster

• Yes, the front seven is a complete mess. The Jets move guys around so much that even trying to delineate between a LB or a DE can be difficult. This is a rough guesstimation of what players will make the final roster, not necessarily where they’ll play.
• The NFL has a new rule that allows teams to carry 3 QBs and still be under the 53 man roster. So that's why you may count 54 on this.
• I only did this with players currently either on contract or drafted by the Jets. I think Kwon Alexander will eventually sign but for now, he’s not on here.
• I really wanted to find a spot for Zach Kuntz, but it was tough since there’s a lot of dedicated money to TEs. I thought maybe we could cut Randall Cobb, but we’ll see.

Final Thoughts

This offseason will be remembered as the offseason where the Jets made a huge swing for a future Hall of Fame QB. It’s impossible for me to try to put this draft class up against that. But the Jets got a lot of athleticism in this draft that can set them up to be competitive in the long term. It was surprising that they traded back, seeing as they’re in a win now mode, still. I think the Jets got 2 or 3 starters from this draft, likely some combination of Abanikanda, Tippmann, and McDonald. Certain players like Warren and Kuntz do have some longer term potential, too. Nothing will ever touch Joe Douglas’s 2022 draft class, but I thought this class was solid and built a lot of overdue depth. Still, when July rolls around and it’s time for camp, it’s going to be the QB that all Jets fans are looking at.

I originally intended to write this as a comment on YouTube for CritCrab's latest video as of writing this (Perfectionist DM Instantly Destroys Campaign), but I couldn't keep it short enough for a comment there, so I came here instead to give my experience.
He had asked if anyone had seen a TTRPG go well with double-digit players, and I have two stories relating to this. One where it went well, and one where it did not.
To start off, I want to talk about the one that did not go well, because who likes ending on a sour note? Also, please keep in mind that some of this may not be the most coherent since I am writing this at 1:30 in the morning.
The bad campaign/DM was an online campaign.
The first thing I want to bring up is that what I'm like as a person made this experience worse than it could've been. Around my usual friend group, I can be somewhat extroverted. Out of games I'm always willing to crack a joke or whatever. In games, I'm not afraid to speak up or even take center stage at times when I need to. However, with people I'm not as familiar with, I get pretty quiet. I naturally tend to listen more around people I don't know, as to get a read on their personalities so I don't overstep any lines. But that doesn't mean I won't talk at all. I'll give my piece and contribute.
The second thing I want to mention before I start sounding like an attention-seeking baby is that I do not mind taking the backseat at times. I've had campaigns where I'm not as important as other people, but I was still able to speak up and get involved. Its not a problem of not being prominent, but a problem of having no chance to contribute to the story at all. Now, to the story.
The campaign where it did not go well was, knowing what I do now, doomed to fail from the start. The group I played this 12 session campaign with was not my usual group. It had been a while since I was in a campaign at this point, and so I jumped at the opportunity to join a campaign when my friend invited me. This was the first time I was interacting with all but one of these people (not including my friend, obviously). So, naturally, I wasn't gonna be piping up a lot during the campaign, and I kind of knew that. But I expected to warm up after a session or two, and things would be all fine and dandy. Oh, how wrong I was. During the first session, we had at most 8 people in the party. Wasn't that bad, it was handled pretty well. I had some decent interactions with party members and npcs. The usual meeting the crew thing, basically. The most ironic part is that I probably had more lines during that session than I did for pretty much the entirety of the other 11 sessions.
After session 1, I never really got a chance to have a moment. Even when I'm about to force myself to speak, I'm stopped by the DM going to one of the few prominent characters. The DM always ended up focusing on a certain few players (to no fault of the players). Thinking that I can just try to get more moments next session, I never spoke up about it (I should have, but I also was not very confrontational at the time). Over the course of the sessions, we add a couple people to the lineup of the party, which brings our numbers to 10 or more (I don't remember at this point).Session 12 comes and goes, and the usual stuff happens. I don't do anything, and the certain people get most of the spotlight. I felt kind of sad that I did not get to do anything with the character I had written out for this, but had hope that maybe I can try again in part 2.
Little did I know that I wouldn't even get that chance. The DM brought up dropping some people from the campaign, since they thought that we had too many. I obviously wanted to stay and try to do something in the second half. Before I knew it, without warning, I was booted from the server. I didn't know that immediately, so I contacted the friend that invited me to the campaign to see if the server was down, deleted, or something else. It was still up, and had most of the people left in it. I was booted without being told.
I wasn't so mad about being removed from the campaign at the time, I kind of understood why I was removed (and looking back at it now, it was a blessing in disguise, since part 2 of it fell apart and my friend doesn't even talk to that DM and a couple of the players now anyways). What hurt was that I wasn't given a heads up, or even messaged by the DM. I had to message them about it, and only then did they say anything. Not long after, I dropped from the other (smaller) short campaign project that I was involved in with some of the same people. I never talked to those people again, and knowing what I do now, I'm glad I don't. But thats not something I'm getting into.
Okay, enough doom and gloom, now is the good story!
Unlike my previous story, this one is from an in-person campaign. It is run by my current DM, and has been my favorite campaign I've played in so far. Sadly, this campaign ended early due very unfortunate circumstances that prevented the DM and the other permanent players from being able to play the campaign normally. However, this campaign had a very good and very long run before this.
We had started with 5 players during session 1, but the campaign grew to include, that I can remember 13 people. As the party grew, the DM adapted. The party got to around 7 or 8 people playing together in a session before the DM decided to implement a sub rule. This rule definitely saved the campaign from falling into the same pit as the previous one I mentioned. We capped out at 6 players per session. The lineup consisted of the four players who had consistently been there since session 1 (including myself), and two slots free to whoever wanted to pick them up (those also had their usual takers, but had some others take in once in a while). A benefit to this campaign, I will admit, was that players had a varying level of commitment. Some people were new, and didn't have much in terms of character story to delve into from the beginning, so they were very rarely there.
Ironically, though, this campaign also had two parts. Also ironically, this campaign's second part did not last long either, but that was due to the mentioned circumstances that unintentionally killed the campaign.
Back to the story, though. For the first session of part 2, we had almost all the part one players, plus two new players for part 2 present. At minimum there was 10 of us crowded around a table meant for 6 people. Yet, somehow, the DM made it work. It wasn't going to be a heavy session for roleplay or combat, but it wasn't as if we were doing nothing, either. It was a tad chaotic, but the DM held the reigns firm and managed to scoot things along. Since it was just an introduction session, we weren't going to have the same number of people there again for the remaining sessions. That number went back down. This time it was at 7 or 8, since the two new people were the brothers of the DM and the person whose basement we played in. He still made it work just as well, and I noticed even the new players get their moments. Nobody was forced to the shadows.
Unfortunately, we did cut our numbers to below 10 between the beginning of part 2 and the cutoff of it. However, we did it in a much more structured and communicated way. Unlike the DM of the online campaign, our DM let people know before they were given the boot. He gave them notice before it happened, which is a lot more than the online DM can claim.
Summary, Comparison
In the end, campaigns that have high player counts will inevitably have players who are more integral to the plot than others. With so many stories to tell, its impossible to have a few that are most expanded on, and a few that aren't as expanded upon. In times like these, permanent players and substitute players are the way to go. Trying to cram every single person into a session will most likely not go well unless you have a good DM, and trying to cram that many people into a series of sessions will not go well, even if the DM could do the one large session. Trying to fit that many people into every session will create the same priority as permanent and substitutes, whether you like it or not. People will be drowned out much in the same way I was with that many people in the game at once.
Set those permanent player and substitute player boundaries early on if you plan to have more than 8 players in a campaign. Substitute players may not be able to get the same development and focus as the permanent players overall, but the sessions they do attend will allow them to participate far more than they could otherwise.
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TLDR: Don't add too many players to a campaign unless you know you can handle it or have solutions that won't devoid any players of any spotlight at all. And if its too much, be sure to notify players before removing them.
Ending notes: This took a while to write and revise a bit, so now its nearly 2:30 in the morning, and I can feel my braincells further depleting as the minutes tick by. If there is anything that needs clarification, I will reply later on when I'm not rivalling a rock for thought processing.

Because it’s the offseason, I decided to see how many potential matchups there are between Power 5 Teams, and how many have been played. I made this chart to display these matchups. Out of the 64 current Power 5 members, Notre Dame, and the 4 future teams joining the Big 12, there are a total of 2,346 potential matchups possible. Out of those, 1,802 matchups have been played, with 31 new matchups having been officially scheduled. This leaves 513 matchups that have not been played or scheduled as of yet.
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Teams With The Most Matchups Already
2 programs are tied for having the most matchups played, those being Michigan and Nebraska who only have 5 teams never played. 4 programs are tied for the second most, those being Miami, Missouri, Ohio State, Penn State, and Texas who all have 6 remaining matchups.
Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State, and Texas make sense, as they all have a long history of success and are commonly accepted as blue bloods of the sport. They likely have more games played when compared to other teams in the sport, whether that be due to more bowl games achieved or getting more reach due to their success.
Penn State and Miami could be explained due to their longer history as independents, giving them more options when scheduling (Notre Dame has played all but 7 teams). These two teams have also had a history of success much like the blue blood teams mentioned above.
This leaves us with Missouri. They seem out of place compared to the other teams, but do have a good history of their own. The explanation I could come up with is due to their location near the middle of the country, giving them equal access to both eastern and western teams. They also have history in multiple conferences such as the Big8/12 and SEC, giving them a larger pool of conference opponents than many other teams.
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Teams With The Least Matchups Already Played
Not unexpected, UCF has the least matchups played with 30 Power5 teams never played. This is likely due to their age, having only been competing since 1979 and only having joined FBS ranks in 1996. They are making strides to play new teams, having 4 new future matchups on the schedule already and more likely matchups to happen when they join the Big 12.
Ole Miss is next, having 28 teams they have never played. I don’t have a concrete theory as to why this is the case. One idea is that many teams may have refused to play. Legendary Georgia Tech coach Bobby Dodd famously refused to ever play in Mississippi, so something similar may have happened with other teams. If anyone else has a theory, please leave it in the comments!
In third place is Utah, with 26 teams never played. Their explanation is similar to UCF’s, being a new Power 5 member joining the Pac-12 in 2011.
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Likely Future Conference Matchups
A few matchups will likely be played within the next few years as a result of new conference realignment.

Iowa State	Houston
Iowa State	UCF
TCU	UCF
Texas Tech	UCF
Indiana	UCLA
Rutgers	UCLA
Maryland	USC
Rutgers	USC
Mississippi State	Oklahoma
South Carolina	Oklahoma

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Unplayed Matchups That Surprised Me
Florida State-Texas: 2 major teams in the South with passionate fanbases, I would’ve expected at least a bowl matchup by now.
Penn State-Virginia Tech: 2 programs with a history of independence and close proximity. Matchups were scheduled in 2020 and 2025, though both were cancelled.
Duke-Vanderbilt: 2 nerd schools in nearby states? It would just make sense to play at least once!
LSU-Michigan: This one surprised me the most, both teams having great histories and sustained success. I could see a playoff matchup in the near future.
All matchup info is from Winsipedia. If any information is incorrect, please let me know. And let me know which unplayed matchup surprised you the most in the comments! Hope everyone finds this interesting!

Hey all,
Big NFL fan here, but I don’t really follow CFB. I’m visiting New Orleans in the fall and wanted to catch a Saints game but they’re away that weekend. I was looking at college games which I believe my options are Tulane or LSU if we rent a car. Do you think it’s worth going up to Baton-Rouge for the game? Tulane also seems to be cheaper, would like to have some thoughts on those of you who’ve been! If there are other good options for a good football game around I’d appreciate it too
Edit: they’re playing the Gators and from the comments in here LSU seems like the clear winner!! Thanks to everyone

I feel like there is a lot of single purpose gadgetry that is marketed towards new parents. So I’m wondering what are people’s favorite workarounds are to avoid purchasing marked up baby sh*t?
I’ll start: don’t buy a bottle warmer (especially a portable one). Get a good thermos and a reusable ziplock. My stainless steel thermos keeps water hot for 24 hours and I can toss a bottle in the bag, throw in some hot water, seal and shake and voila: warm bottle. Once your LO ages out of bottles you have a handy dandy thermos instead of another thing to get rid of.

Couple things to note before we begin. This is for people OVER the legal age of consent. Don’t get people sent to jail because you have issues. For the sake of the people who can’t handle the truth, this is all just satire.
And second this WONT work on every oldetaller women. Different people are different, and because of this fact, they’ll have different opinions and ways to react. This won’t be strict, nor will it be all encompassing. Tweak it as you go, and accept failure when it comes. You’ll be surprised how many women don’t have men walk away from them, so you walking away would actually increase your chances sometimes.
Lets start:

1. ⁠Start looking for women who are taller than u. Theres a lot of those they just feel out of place and ostracised. Taller and older.
2. ⁠Hit the gym heavy. Don’t pump yourself with steroids and lose your hair, but turn your body into a perfect V-cut. You don’t need massive arms, but you need to be lean.

Think about it this way:
If the perfect woman dominated you, she’d still have an hourglass figure. Because you like women, you like a womans figure. The perfect submissive man, still has the V-cut, (the beastly ectomorph), because she still likes men.

1. Be (SLIGHTLY) more feminine. On this step most people think they need to start looking homosexual, and thats not the case. You just need to be psychologically female. (So that in the relationship she can be psychologically male) This means like, wanting to take your time and get to know people better before rushing into sex. This means valuing style, comfort, and safety.

If you skip this step she’ll either sleep with you once and leave, or she won’t be the (male) in the relationship. Leaving you with just an older girlfriend. Or a taller girlfriend. When what you really want is to be dominated.

1. Putting yourself out there correctly. This step is less important but streamlines the process. Women have stigma amongst themselves against dating younger men. And even more so they tend to think of younger shorter men as useless. They compare sleeping with a 19 year old, to being a kiddie diddler. To get around this stupid nonsense, you gotta do a couple things.
   
2. ⁠Have a reason to see her. Don’t just show up in a shop stalking tall women. Try to instead be somewhere where you will be often, and then start by saying something that would imply your intentions without saying it outright. Something like: “oh wow you’re tall. It must be hard being so tall as a girl.” (This shows that you’re psychologically female)
   
3. ⁠Isolate her. Around her friends and coworkers, she wont be able to do anything with you out of fear of social repercussions. We’ve all had a moment where we liked someone and then our friends disapproved so we hid the fact that we liked them. This is like on steroids for women. They even go to the bathroom together, you think they don’t pick partners together? The more people there are, the less of a chance you have to bring that side out of her, so try to find her when she’s seen you before, but is alone. Don’t stalk her to bathroom but if shes at work, leave when she leaves and meet her in the parking lot. Maybe she heads to a smoke break, schedule yours during hers. Be clever.
   
4. ⁠Shoot down her subconscious objections. Eventually you’ll be making good progress and mentally she’ll say something like, “oh I don’t date younger guys”, this is bullshit. Now for very few women, they actually believe this stuff, but the truth is, people are outwardly just doing what society makes them think is best. As long as she won’t get punished for it, (as in its legal), she will do it under the right circumstances.
   

To shoot it down, be unusually confident. You can deflect this by saying: “haha that’s what they all say at first”. Don’t elaborate and don’t go into detail. If she asks further that means she’s interested, instead just say something along the lines of “what did you think I meant” and just humour the answer she gives you.
As long as you stay in your feminine energy, she’ll fall into her masculine one. And then because you spend time alone, eventually she’ll make a move, or pull some stupid nonsense to get you to her place. Just always remember to frame it like shes the one pursuing you, and eventually she will be.
Stuff like: “oh i hope you’re not a serial killer” should be said by YOU, because this implies that she has to prove shes safe to you. Also stuff like: “I like to get to know people before we do stuff” And “I want to make sure you’re a good person first” All of this puts her in a frame where she has to qualify herself to you. As opposed to her saying and you having to prove yourself to her, where you would eventually fail. And even if you somehow succeeded, you’d be the masculine one.
If you’re really struggling, try reading the art of seduction. (The chapter “the dandy” applies to this specifically)
And yes this works try it

I graduated 6 months ago from LSU with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with minors in IT Management, Sociology, and Business Administration. I’ve been having a really difficult time finding work because obviously, my degree isn’t exactly curated for a specific position. That said, my background is in real estate and property management(close to 5 years). I’ve applied to countless property management positions only to me told I don’t have enough experience because the organization I worked for had an in-house accountant, and I was not required to do booking.
Recently a family friend encouraged me to look into Codecademy and consider attending a coding bootcamp. I have some experience in this space with AWS, JavaScript, and MySQL, but not near enough to go work somewhere. I like the idea of having some flexibility in my schedule, and this career seems to offer that.
On the other hand most of my friends, and my brother-in-law are in law school. I have some friends that are already working as attorneys. I’ve been told all my life that I should be an attorney because i can be a bit argumentative, but these were always jokes, however the jokes have bled into serious conversations lately. I’m a decent student, but the thought of going back to school is nauseating, and I don’t even know if I could get in.
I just want some advice from the experiences of others. Tech does seem to be slowing down, and there’s always a surplus of lawyers, so I don’t know if I’m even looking in the right areas. I’m a hustler. I’ve done everything from mow grass in high school to building Shopify websites and dropshipping, but I want a real career. I’d appreciate any advice.

Beginning the story of Gethin Oyvind, a knight-errant, and his band as they seek treasure and fame in the land of Ederfast (the name came on the cool map I found online, so I’m rolling with it). It’s going to be a D&D-inspired, party-based dungeon crawl using Ironsworn and Starforge rules, mix-and-matched as I see fit, but tending toward Ironsworn.
The Party: Sir Gethin Oyvind E-1 H-2 I-3 S-1 W-2 Assets: Commander, Ironclad (light armor), Empowered (Knight Errant). Equipment: chain armor, sword, shield, crossbow Vows: Become worthy of the Oyvind family name (epic): 0.0
Bonds (all randomly generated):

1. Baggi the Carpenter.
2. Frej the Mercenary.
3. Tessa the Wheel-maker.

These seem like unlikely allies of a Knight-Errant, but I’m interpreting them to be those whom he knows and trusts in this region. In this world, adventuring knights are relatively common, and all tend to migrate to other regions in search of fame, fortune, and glory. “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown…” As a third son, this is even more true. All of Gethin’s brothers are known to the court and beloved of their father; Gethin has come east to earn the right to bear his own name, and he refuses to return home until he has done so.
Because this is a D&D style game, my PC won’t be solo, but the rest of the characters will not be represented by Ironsworn PCs. Instead, they are represented by the party contained within the “Commander” perk. As it stands, they are:

1. Sola the Cruel. Workcrew overseer.
2. Inguna the Naive. A trapper.
3. Bjarn the Jealous. A falconer.
4. Somhaile the Tactless. A thief.

All were randomly generated, and I hope we’ll get to see some personality (out of the ones who survive). Note that I am back to using the default Ironsworn stat spread; the more powerful heroic version just didn’t feel right for an old-school D&D adventure.
And now we begin the adventure, throwing ourselves right into the thick of it. In keeping with the IS ethos, Gethin is not an abject neophyte. He is competent and well-equipped, although how well his men-at-arms are trained is something that we have yet to see. This is not his first adventure, and his previous exploits have won him some friends in Longhill, a major city in the region.
Reminder: You can find links to every one of my solo session game reports on my Campaign Logs page.
What is the trouble in Longhill? Resources/Depleted. What is the city like? Blocked/Darkness.
Longhill. A sprawling city set in the lee of the western hills. Already, long shadows darken the city’s narrow streets. “It’s good to be back,” Somhaile the thief says as they pass through the city gates. Gethin disagrees, but he holds his tongue.
Which bond approaches? Tessa the Wheel-maker. What does she say? Affect/Duty – SweaOpportunity
Gethin leads the band north through the gates, to the stable house. Tessa, the [oracle=] hot-tempered wheelwright and stablemaster, is working in the yard. After Bjarn and Inguna unload the donkey’s saddlebags, he leads it over to the small fenced yard.
“It did its job?” the woman asks as she hands him back his retainer.
“Well enough,” Gethin replies. “What’s news?”
“Almost better you didn’t bring in five mouths to feed. Tensions are high in Longhill.”
“Why’s that?”
“The river’s dried up,” the woman says simply.
“It isn’t,” Gethin replies. He’d seen it as they passed in from the east.
“Not the water,” she snorts. “The fishing. Nobody’s caught anything in days. The market’s closed up. Never happened afore. A curse, no doubt.” She looks doubtful anyway. “Or so they say. I don’t know about curses, but it’s something suspicious, and that’s for certain. Fish don’t just up and stop, not all at once.”
He pauses, glances back at his band and sees Sola giving Somhaile an earful after the thief–scout, Gethin reminds himself–apparently tried to leave off without hauling his share of the luggage.
“The boys could use a night or two in town,” Gethin says, “but you think there’s any coin to be made here?”
Tessa laughs. “If you could get the fish swimming again, the baron’d give you the robe off his own back.”
Swear an Iron Vow (Dangerous) to discover the source of the fishing issues: [Weak Hit: 1 + 2 + 1 = 4 vs 4 3]. +1m (now 3).
Gethin grins as he leaves the yard and lets one of the band lead him to a nearby tavern. They secure a pair of rooms on the second floor and then return to the common room. He drops a purseful of silver in the middle of the table. “Drinks are on me,” he says as the silver is immediately divided into four piles. “But keep yourselves ready. We might have more work in a couple of days.”
Grim faces stare back at him.
“Paying work, this time,” he clarifies.
“I’ll drink to that,” Inguna cheers, and the rest of them take him up on it.
Gethin doesn’t drink, though–he has work to do. He heads out into the night and makes his way toward the river docks.
Gather Information: [Weak Hit: 6 + 2 + 0 = 8 vs 5 10]. +1m (now 4). Twist: charge/opinion
The fish-markets are quiet at night. Normally. Tonight, he can hear the ruckus from several blocks off. Soon, the light of torch fires become visible. A platform has been raised, and a weather-worn man is standing atop it, preaching–shouting–at the crowd below. The fishermen listen, rapt, as he roars that the river god has taken back its bounty because of their sin.
Is this bad for Gethin (75%)? Yes, but… easy to get away
It doesn’t take long before the priest’s laundry-list of sinners begins to include foreigners and, to Gethin’s dismay, the gentry. He glances down at his outfit–the boiled leather vest is unassuming, but the laced sleeves beneath it give him away. He slips back into the darkness and returns to the inn.
Has anything happened to the crew (25%)? No.
The entire lot is drunk when he returns to the inn, but Sola has them (mostly) in hand. He pulls her aside, warns her not to let them leave the tavern grounds that night, and then heads upstairs to sleep.
Are the party ready to head out the next day (33%)? No.
Dawn comes early. The four members of his crew are sprawled across every flat surface in their room that isn’t his own bed. He rises and dresses quickly, even throwing on his chain and strapping on sword and shield. He kicks Sola awake as he leaves. “Don’t let them out,” he warns again. “I’ll be back before nightfall.” Then he heads out into the city.
Anything drastic happen overnight (10%)? No.
The streets are calm. Whatever he felt brewing in the market-district last night, it hasn’t come to a head yet. He returns to the stables to find Tessa.
Is she there (33%)? No.
She’s not there, but an apprentice is. Gethin tosses him a couple of coppers to get his horse ready so he can leave early.
Secure an Advantage (Heart): [Strong Hit: 5 + 2 + 0 = 7 vs 4 1]. +2m (now 6).
The boy takes the coins eagerly and gets the horse ready. In moments, Gethin is mounted and riding out through the city gates. He turns his horse north and heads toward the river–and beyond it, the lake.
Face Danger (Wits) to check for encounter along the way: [Miss: 5 + 2 + 0 = 7 vs 8 9]. What do we find, and where? Corruption has spread further than thought. Mysterious/Foothills.
It isn’t long before he is in the foothills. Soon, the trail rises and comes to a crest. The river and its docks lay before him, winding away northward toward the distant lake. Even here he can tell that something is wrong. The smell of it–like a days-dead fish left outside, but not so close that it is overpowering. Something is definitely wrong.
Any fishermen in their boats (80%)? No, but…
The normally-busy waterways are empty. As far as he can see to the north and the east, the waters are empty. But there, by a sandy shore, he sees a young woman readying a small rowboat to go into the water. He spurs his horse forward and rides to her.
What does she say? Knowing – Account – Fame.
“I know you,” the woman states as Gethin rides up beside her. “You’re that foreign dandy. The gentleman-adventurer.”
“We prefer Knight Errant,” Gethin responds. “Who are you? And where is everyone?”
Compel (heart): [Miss: 4 + 2 + 0 = 6 vs 7 6]
The woman snorts. “As if I’d tell you anything, what with the curse your lot brought on us!” She pointedly turns her back to the knight and pushes her boat into the river.
Gethin reflects on the encounter on the ride back to the inn. Tessa was right–things are getting bad in Longhill. But that just means the rewards will be all the greater when he can…put the fish back in the river? He shakes his head. Maybe his crew will have some idea of what to do.
[Mark Progress: Bring back the fishing :2 boxes]
What has the party been up to while he was gone? Communicate/Vengeance.
The party is still holed up in the tavern when he returns. Somhaile was the only one who ventured out, and she returned quickly, bearing word that tensions are high in the city. Talk in the city is indeed turning against outsiders.
They spend another night and prepare themselves to head out the next morning.
Any event in the night (10%)? Yes, change/idea.
That night, hundreds of people march through the streets of Longhill as Gethin and the others watch from the window of their second-floor room. The bedraggled priest leads them, chanting that the time has come for repentance and cleansing, for a turning away from foreign influences.
Is the local lord a native of Longhill (50%)? No, but…
The line seems to wind toward the gates of the keep, but the guards there stand strong against the crowd. They mill about for a few hours before dispersing into the night.
The next morning, Gethin rouses the party early and leads them out. Somhaile and Bjarn grumble, but Sola keeps them in line while Gethin goes to the stables to see about renting horses for the party.
Secure an Advantage (wits): [Weak Hit: 2 + 2 + 0 = 4 vs 3 10] +1m (now 7).
Unfortunately, none are available to rent. However, the stable has a few mules available, and Gethin rents one of those for hauling supplies. While the stable boy fetches Gethin’s horse and the rented mule, Gethin breaks the news to the party. They fuss about it, but they all remember the events of the night and are too eager to leave to make too much trouble.
A few minutes later, they are out of the city and heading north toward the river. They angle northeast, trying to put some distance between themselves and the docks in case they run into any angry locals. Gethin then spurs his horse on ahead, hoping to scout some of the terrain and gain some sense of which direction to search.
Gather Information: [Weak Hit: 2 + 2 + 0 = 4 vs 4 3] +1m (now 8), but introduce danger. Danger: Escort/Vengeance.
He rides east along the bank for a mile or two, until the river bend and trees conceal the city behind him entirely. He scans the bank as he rides, but he sees nothing of note–and sees no one–until he hears the sound of movement in the water.
A boat comes around the bend ahead of him, rowed by a pair of fisherman while a third man stands with a bow in his hands. He shouts when he spots Gethin and has the rowers push them toward the shore.
Face Danger (Heart): [Weak Hit: 5 + 2 + 0 = 7 vs 4 10]. -1m (now 7).
Gethin calls out to them, unwilling to turn and run from a bunch of riled-up yokels. The captain of the boat has the gall to ask him for his name and purpose, and even goes so far as to demand that he disarm himself! It takes some time–more than he cared to spend–but Gethin eventually cows the aggressive captain and puts the man in his proper place before sending him off down the river.
It’s late morning by the time Gethin returns to the party. He explains that the smell of rotting fish–weak near the hills–does not dissipate up river. He suggests they head that way to search at first. The others agree and they turn toward the east and head upriver.
I’ll be handling the passage up-river as a troublesome Tanglewood delve with a Haunted (randomly selected) theme.
The river wends its was toward the sea through a low valley cut between the hills. Trees grow near the water, and eventually they thicken into a strip of dark woodland. All of the party are unnerved by the sight of the twisted trees, though none is willing to mention it.
[Delve the Depths: Mark progress twice and Reveal a Danger.] [Mark Progress: Haunted Forest :6 boxes] Danger: Denizen hunts
All right, this should be interesting. A ‘denizen’ is surely not the same as a person in this haunted forest. So I have to choose between a ghost and a monster of some kind. I know a ghost wouldn’t be literally hunting, so I’m going to roll on the Monstrosity table:
Monster: person-sized – crustacean – horns/tusks – parasitic
Several miles pass in nervous watch before they come across the thing–something like a crawdad or a lobster, but the size of a large man. A hard shell covers its back, and a wicked proboscis extends from the center of its face like a spear.
Face Danger (Shadow): [Strong Hit: 6 + 1 + 0 = 7 vs 3 1]. +1m (now 8).
Fortunately, the sound of wet slurping alerts the party before they see the beast. Somhaile sneaks forward and returns with a pale face. Her hands flutter as she tells them of the thing she saw, of the sight and sound of it as it buried its foul mouth in the bloated corpse of a deer and drank the ichor.
Do the others want to fight it (15%)? No.
There is no margin in risking one’s life to kill strange beasts in unfamiliar woods, so the party votes unanimously to give the thing wide berth. They cut inland a few hundred yards and pass on until they are sure they have left it behind. After that, though, all of them are even more cautious of what they might find–or what might find them.
End of Part 1.

Beginning the story of Gethin Oyvind, a knight-errant, and his band as they seek treasure and fame in the land of Ederfast (the name came on the cool map I found online, so I’m rolling with it). It’s going to be a D&D-inspired, party-based dungeon crawl using Ironsworn and Starforge rules, mix-and-matched as I see fit, but tending toward Ironsworn.
The Party: Sir Gethin Oyvind E-1 H-2 I-3 S-1 W-2 Assets: Commander, Ironclad (light armor), Empowered (Knight Errant). Equipment: chain armor, sword, shield, crossbow Vows: Become worthy of the Oyvind family name (epic): 0.0
Bonds (all randomly generated):

1. Baggi the Carpenter.
2. Frej the Mercenary.
3. Tessa the Wheel-maker.

These seem like unlikely allies of a Knight-Errant, but I’m interpreting them to be those whom he knows and trusts in this region. In this world, adventuring knights are relatively common, and all tend to migrate to other regions in search of fame, fortune, and glory. “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown…” As a third son, this is even more true. All of Gethin’s brothers are known to the court and beloved of their father; Gethin has come east to earn the right to bear his own name, and he refuses to return home until he has done so.
Because this is a D&D style game, my PC won’t be solo, but the rest of the characters will not be represented by Ironsworn PCs. Instead, they are represented by the party contained within the “Commander” perk. As it stands, they are:

1. Sola the Cruel. Workcrew overseer.
2. Inguna the Naive. A trapper.
3. Bjarn the Jealous. A falconer.
4. Somhaile the Tactless. A thief.

All were randomly generated, and I hope we’ll get to see some personality (out of the ones who survive). Note that I am back to using the default Ironsworn stat spread; the more powerful heroic version just didn’t feel right for an old-school D&D adventure.
And now we begin the adventure, throwing ourselves right into the thick of it. In keeping with the IS ethos, Gethin is not an abject neophyte. He is competent and well-equipped, although how well his men-at-arms are trained is something that we have yet to see. This is not his first adventure, and his previous exploits have won him some friends in Longhill, a major city in the region.
Reminder: You can find links to every one of my solo session game reports on my Campaign Logs page.
What is the trouble in Longhill? Resources/Depleted. What is the city like? Blocked/Darkness.
Longhill. A sprawling city set in the lee of the western hills. Already, long shadows darken the city’s narrow streets. “It’s good to be back,” Somhaile the thief says as they pass through the city gates. Gethin disagrees, but he holds his tongue.
Which bond approaches? Tessa the Wheel-maker. What does she say? Affect/Duty – SweaOpportunity
Gethin leads the band north through the gates, to the stable house. Tessa, the [oracle=] hot-tempered wheelwright and stablemaster, is working in the yard. After Bjarn and Inguna unload the donkey’s saddlebags, he leads it over to the small fenced yard.
“It did its job?” the woman asks as she hands him back his retainer.
“Well enough,” Gethin replies. “What’s news?”
“Almost better you didn’t bring in five mouths to feed. Tensions are high in Longhill.”
“Why’s that?”
“The river’s dried up,” the woman says simply.
“It isn’t,” Gethin replies. He’d seen it as they passed in from the east.
“Not the water,” she snorts. “The fishing. Nobody’s caught anything in days. The market’s closed up. Never happened afore. A curse, no doubt.” She looks doubtful anyway. “Or so they say. I don’t know about curses, but it’s something suspicious, and that’s for certain. Fish don’t just up and stop, not all at once.”
He pauses, glances back at his band and sees Sola giving Somhaile an earful after the thief–scout, Gethin reminds himself–apparently tried to leave off without hauling his share of the luggage.
“The boys could use a night or two in town,” Gethin says, “but you think there’s any coin to be made here?”
Tessa laughs. “If you could get the fish swimming again, the baron’d give you the robe off his own back.”
Swear an Iron Vow (Dangerous) to discover the source of the fishing issues: [Weak Hit: 1 + 2 + 1 = 4 vs 4 3]. +1m (now 3).
Gethin grins as he leaves the yard and lets one of the band lead him to a nearby tavern. They secure a pair of rooms on the second floor and then return to the common room. He drops a purseful of silver in the middle of the table. “Drinks are on me,” he says as the silver is immediately divided into four piles. “But keep yourselves ready. We might have more work in a couple of days.”
Grim faces stare back at him.
“Paying work, this time,” he clarifies.
“I’ll drink to that,” Inguna cheers, and the rest of them take him up on it.
Gethin doesn’t drink, though–he has work to do. He heads out into the night and makes his way toward the river docks.
Gather Information: [Weak Hit: 6 + 2 + 0 = 8 vs 5 10]. +1m (now 4). Twist: charge/opinion
The fish-markets are quiet at night. Normally. Tonight, he can hear the ruckus from several blocks off. Soon, the light of torch fires become visible. A platform has been raised, and a weather-worn man is standing atop it, preaching–shouting–at the crowd below. The fishermen listen, rapt, as he roars that the river god has taken back its bounty because of their sin.
Is this bad for Gethin (75%)? Yes, but… easy to get away
It doesn’t take long before the priest’s laundry-list of sinners begins to include foreigners and, to Gethin’s dismay, the gentry. He glances down at his outfit–the boiled leather vest is unassuming, but the laced sleeves beneath it give him away. He slips back into the darkness and returns to the inn.
Has anything happened to the crew (25%)? No.
The entire lot is drunk when he returns to the inn, but Sola has them (mostly) in hand. He pulls her aside, warns her not to let them leave the tavern grounds that night, and then heads upstairs to sleep.
Are the party ready to head out the next day (33%)? No.
Dawn comes early. The four members of his crew are sprawled across every flat surface in their room that isn’t his own bed. He rises and dresses quickly, even throwing on his chain and strapping on sword and shield. He kicks Sola awake as he leaves. “Don’t let them out,” he warns again. “I’ll be back before nightfall.” Then he heads out into the city.
Anything drastic happen overnight (10%)? No.
The streets are calm. Whatever he felt brewing in the market-district last night, it hasn’t come to a head yet. He returns to the stables to find Tessa.
Is she there (33%)? No.
She’s not there, but an apprentice is. Gethin tosses him a couple of coppers to get his horse ready so he can leave early.
Secure an Advantage (Heart): [Strong Hit: 5 + 2 + 0 = 7 vs 4 1]. +2m (now 6).
The boy takes the coins eagerly and gets the horse ready. In moments, Gethin is mounted and riding out through the city gates. He turns his horse north and heads toward the river–and beyond it, the lake.
Face Danger (Wits) to check for encounter along the way: [Miss: 5 + 2 + 0 = 7 vs 8 9]. What do we find, and where? Corruption has spread further than thought. Mysterious/Foothills.
It isn’t long before he is in the foothills. Soon, the trail rises and comes to a crest. The river and its docks lay before him, winding away northward toward the distant lake. Even here he can tell that something is wrong. The smell of it–like a days-dead fish left outside, but not so close that it is overpowering. Something is definitely wrong.
Any fishermen in their boats (80%)? No, but…
The normally-busy waterways are empty. As far as he can see to the north and the east, the waters are empty. But there, by a sandy shore, he sees a young woman readying a small rowboat to go into the water. He spurs his horse forward and rides to her.
What does she say? Knowing – Account – Fame.
“I know you,” the woman states as Gethin rides up beside her. “You’re that foreign dandy. The gentleman-adventurer.”
“We prefer Knight Errant,” Gethin responds. “Who are you? And where is everyone?”
Compel (heart): [Miss: 4 + 2 + 0 = 6 vs 7 6]
The woman snorts. “As if I’d tell you anything, what with the curse your lot brought on us!” She pointedly turns her back to the knight and pushes her boat into the river.
Gethin reflects on the encounter on the ride back to the inn. Tessa was right–things are getting bad in Longhill. But that just means the rewards will be all the greater when he can…put the fish back in the river? He shakes his head. Maybe his crew will have some idea of what to do.
[Mark Progress: Bring back the fishing :2 boxes]
What has the party been up to while he was gone? Communicate/Vengeance.
The party is still holed up in the tavern when he returns. Somhaile was the only one who ventured out, and she returned quickly, bearing word that tensions are high in the city. Talk in the city is indeed turning against outsiders.
They spend another night and prepare themselves to head out the next morning.
Any event in the night (10%)? Yes, change/idea.
That night, hundreds of people march through the streets of Longhill as Gethin and the others watch from the window of their second-floor room. The bedraggled priest leads them, chanting that the time has come for repentance and cleansing, for a turning away from foreign influences.
Is the local lord a native of Longhill (50%)? No, but…
The line seems to wind toward the gates of the keep, but the guards there stand strong against the crowd. They mill about for a few hours before dispersing into the night.
The next morning, Gethin rouses the party early and leads them out. Somhaile and Bjarn grumble, but Sola keeps them in line while Gethin goes to the stables to see about renting horses for the party.
Secure an Advantage (wits): [Weak Hit: 2 + 2 + 0 = 4 vs 3 10] +1m (now 7).
Unfortunately, none are available to rent. However, the stable has a few mules available, and Gethin rents one of those for hauling supplies. While the stable boy fetches Gethin’s horse and the rented mule, Gethin breaks the news to the party. They fuss about it, but they all remember the events of the night and are too eager to leave to make too much trouble.
A few minutes later, they are out of the city and heading north toward the river. They angle northeast, trying to put some distance between themselves and the docks in case they run into any angry locals. Gethin then spurs his horse on ahead, hoping to scout some of the terrain and gain some sense of which direction to search.
Gather Information: [Weak Hit: 2 + 2 + 0 = 4 vs 4 3] +1m (now 8), but introduce danger. Danger: Escort/Vengeance.
He rides east along the bank for a mile or two, until the river bend and trees conceal the city behind him entirely. He scans the bank as he rides, but he sees nothing of note–and sees no one–until he hears the sound of movement in the water.
A boat comes around the bend ahead of him, rowed by a pair of fisherman while a third man stands with a bow in his hands. He shouts when he spots Gethin and has the rowers push them toward the shore.
Face Danger (Heart): [Weak Hit: 5 + 2 + 0 = 7 vs 4 10]. -1m (now 7).
Gethin calls out to them, unwilling to turn and run from a bunch of riled-up yokels. The captain of the boat has the gall to ask him for his name and purpose, and even goes so far as to demand that he disarm himself! It takes some time–more than he cared to spend–but Gethin eventually cows the aggressive captain and puts the man in his proper place before sending him off down the river.
It’s late morning by the time Gethin returns to the party. He explains that the smell of rotting fish–weak near the hills–does not dissipate up river. He suggests they head that way to search at first. The others agree and they turn toward the east and head upriver.
I’ll be handling the passage up-river as a troublesome Tanglewood delve with a Haunted (randomly selected) theme.
The river wends its was toward the sea through a low valley cut between the hills. Trees grow near the water, and eventually they thicken into a strip of dark woodland. All of the party are unnerved by the sight of the twisted trees, though none is willing to mention it.
[Delve the Depths: Mark progress twice and Reveal a Danger.] [Mark Progress: Haunted Forest :6 boxes] Danger: Denizen hunts
All right, this should be interesting. A ‘denizen’ is surely not the same as a person in this haunted forest. So I have to choose between a ghost and a monster of some kind. I know a ghost wouldn’t be literally hunting, so I’m going to roll on the Monstrosity table:
Monster: person-sized – crustacean – horns/tusks – parasitic
Several miles pass in nervous watch before they come across the thing–something like a crawdad or a lobster, but the size of a large man. A hard shell covers its back, and a wicked proboscis extends from the center of its face like a spear.
Face Danger (Shadow): [Strong Hit: 6 + 1 + 0 = 7 vs 3 1]. +1m (now 8).
Fortunately, the sound of wet slurping alerts the party before they see the beast. Somhaile sneaks forward and returns with a pale face. Her hands flutter as she tells them of the thing she saw, of the sight and sound of it as it buried its foul mouth in the bloated corpse of a deer and drank the ichor.
Do the others want to fight it (15%)? No.
There is no margin in risking one’s life to kill strange beasts in unfamiliar woods, so the party votes unanimously to give the thing wide berth. They cut inland a few hundred yards and pass on until they are sure they have left it behind. After that, though, all of them are even more cautious of what they might find–or what might find them.
End of Part 1.