While You Were Sleeping...

Did you feel that? A shift in the landscape and and end of an era. What started as a swap of picks and mediocre talent quickly escalated into a series of coordinated trades. It was fantasy football's version of the Tet Offensive. Before the dust settled, the team formerly known as the Manning Gravy Train had shipped off it's namesake and in it's place is depth. So where did it start?

March 4th 8:16pm
The Manning Gravy Train acquires Stedman Bailey from Luck Dynasty in exchange for picks. Luck Dynasty GM Keegan Warwick is able to move up eight spots in the 3rd round of this year's draft while the Gravy Train acquires an additional fourth round selection(4.9). In all honesty the move doesn't seem to benefit one side over the other, but having multiple picks in the later rounds of 2015 for Hawkins is probably the biggest takeaway.

March 5th 6:15am
The bombshell. The Gravy Train GM Ronald Hawkins decided it was time to pull the plug on the 5-time MVP Peyton Manning. Paired with Manning is decrepit running back Darren McFadden and in exchange Hawkins acquired Vernon Davis and Reggie Bush.

Manning waves to fans as he leaves the Train behind

"This is looking like Peyton's last year and it makes sense that we cut him loose and improve other weak spots on the roster." said Hawkins.
Manning joins a crowded system in Eric Smart's backfield. He'll more than likely supplant Matt Ryan and give Ryan Tannehill more time to perfect the offense in Miami. The odd man out is looking like Matt Cassel, who after yesterday's news was looking like a decent option. Smart may hold out for a trade but a release is a more likely option.
Now for Hawkins' new toys, Davis is coming off a historic down year in which he was a complete afterthought in Jim Harbaugh's anemic offense. With Harbaugh back in Ann Arbor, the hope is that Jim Tomsula will unleash his quarterback and return Davis to All-Pro form. Bush on the Other hand is a bigger question. He's been released by the Lions and if finding a new home wasn't hard enough he's also been called out by former team mate Darren Sharper who is currently being investigated on rape charges.
"We aren't worried about Reggie at this time." Hawkins said of his new acquisition. A fair argument, but all it takes is a warrant to quickly change that tune.

March 5th 7:31am
Parlayed the pick acquired in the Stedman Bailey trade (3.9) into Roddy White. Hawkins also threw an extra 3rd round pick in the 2016 to seal the deal. On paper this looks like a good move for Hawkins chances in 2015 but you have to wonder about the future. To make room for White, Hawkins served Reggie Wayne his papers. It only makes sense with Manning gone, his one-time favorite receiver also gets sacked.   

In all honesty, moving on from Manning looks to be like the wrong move at this point in the game. Here's a player who is still one of the best options at the position and he's shipped off for spare parts. In my opinion it would have been wiser to let the captain go down with the ship. Yes, the team acquired something for nothing, but I don't believe Bush and Davis offer any long term gains. That being said, Hawkins does own the first pick in this year's draft and he could address any position with it. He would be wise to seek a trade that turns the pick into 2 first round picks and build for the future. But that's what makes this game so much fun to watch and to play. The moves caught most of the league by storm, but will they end up being successful? Time will tell, but to me it really looks like the same result of Tet.