2021 Team Capsules: Bangkok Blitz

In a 12-part series, we take a look at each MFFL team, where they’ve been and where they’re going. We analyze the strength of their current roster build, what areas need improvement, and speculate what they might do in the coming months.

A look back

Two seasons ago the Bangkok Blitz changed hands, and it didn’t take long for the new ownership to make it their own. Just a few weeks into their inaugural season and sensing an unacceptable trajectory, ownership threw in the towel on the 2019 season and began offloading pieces they didn’t see as fits for the future. The series of trades landed them several picks in the 2020 draft, which they used on a stable of running backs. With a mostly young lineup and some holes at the receiver position, the 2020 season was never about competing for a championship, but instead steering the ship in the right direction. After all, the team left Auction Day with more cash in hand than team payroll. Despite that, the team stayed the course. They remained in striking distance of the playoffs for most of the season, but in the end they were on the outside looking in. With the surplus of cash, they restructured the contracts of some of their young running backs, setting themselves up with good cap numbers moving forward. Missing the playoffs also enabled them to earn the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft, giving them the opportunity to land one more young playmaker to bolster the franchise. Although it hasn’t been a fun two years, there is certainly light at the end of the tunnel.

A look ahead

To put things into perspective, 2019 was akin to buying a vintage car, gutting it and discarding the broken or outdated parts. Then, 2020 was like finding the compatible parts to restore the vehicle and polishing it up. Now, the 2021 season will be when the team can take the car out for a joyride. The Blitz have almost all the pieces they need to compete for a title in 2021. They have two quarterbacks projected to be mid-to-high QB1s. They have four second-year running backs, all projected to be among the Top 20, with Jonathan Taylor possibly pushing for high-end RB1 status. They have two tight ends who could finish in, or near, TE1 territory. The one area they need to attack — and they will have the funds to do it — is strengthening the receiving corps. The team acquired D.J. Moore this offseason to pair with JuJu Smith-Schuster, two players who finished as WR2s last year but aren’t getting a lot of love this offseason. There are 3 receivers under the NFT tag and one under the TT, plus 5 strong UFAs available on the market. With $47 million in cap space, the Blitz can afford at least one, if not two, veteran receivers, depending on what direction they choose to go. There’s no question that Bangkok will be players in 2021.

The Stock Report

Stock Up: Aaron Rodgers, QB/GB; Jonathan Taylor, RB/IND; Antonio Gibson, RB/WAS; JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR/PIT.
Stock Down: Dak Prescott, QB/DAL; Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB/KC; D.J. Moore, WR/CAR; Michael Gallup, WR/DAL.

Quarterback analysis

Exit starting quarterback, enter replacement, keep on cruising. The Blitz engineered a successful quarterback change last year faster than a NASCAR pit crew. In 2019, Dak Prescott finished as a Top 3 quarterback. Last season, he played in just five games before suffering an ankle injury and missed the rest of the season. What would’ve been devastating for any other franchise was no big deal, as Aaron Rodgers stepped right in and had one of his best seasons as a pro. With both players under contract for the 2021 season, the Blitz will have a difficult choice on their hands choosing which player to start any given week. But the ownership set them up with good depth and now it’s on the coaching staff to make the weekly call. Bangkok also has Baker Mayfield entering the final year of his rookie deal. Mayfield has been a bit of a disappointment throughout his young career, never quite fulfilling his potential. At this point, he is but a decent backup option. But given that he currently sits third on Bangkok’s depth chart, that’s even better value.

Running Back analysis

The Blitz drafted five running backs in last year’s draft and promoted three of them — Jonathan Taylor, Antonio Gibson, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire — to the active roster. Number four is but a mere formality as J.K. Dobbins will likely get the post-June 1 call-up when his promotion will cost just $1 million. Edwards-Helaire was selected first overall last year, but he had kind of a disappointing RB18 finish. It was the second-overall pick, Taylor, and the 22nd-overall pick, Gibson, who made the biggest splashes. Taylor churned out a RB6 finish while Gibson finished RB15. But all three running backs, along with Dobbins, are projected to finish in the Top 20 this season. Given the team’s excess cash in 2020, they restructured some of their deals and now all of them are on cheap, multi-year deals. With four good young backs ready to make a contribution, it suddenly makes Devin Singletary expendable. Singletary is still under his rookie contract, and although he has dropped considerably, he’s a flex-worthy option who could be attractive to running back-needy teams.

Wide Receiver analysis

The Blitz have six receivers on their Active Roster and three more in their Rookie Corral, and yet addressing the position will be a big priority this offseason. Last season, JuJu Smith-Schuster finished as a WR2 but got very little help from his supporting cast. As a third-year pro in 2020, Michael Gallup was a big disappointment, while Mike Williams, Christian Kirk, and Antonio Brown offered very little to the team. All five of these players are still under contract for 2021. The team acquired D.J. Moore this offseason to help bolster the position. Moore was all the rave during the 2020 offseason, with many analysts predicting he could make the leap into mid-WR1 territory. That never panned out for him as ineffective quarterback play limited his potential. Now, Moore and JJSS are tasked with stepping up their games until the Blitz can bring in reinforcements. The three players in the Rookie Corral — Mecole Hardman, N’Keal Harry, and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside — have woefully underperformed their expectations. Harry was even selected fourth overall in the 2019 draft. If the team is going to improve their receiving corps, it is going to have to come from outside the organization. There are a handful of good options available and the Blitz will be doing their homework on them.

Tight End analysis

Bangkok acquired Noah Fant last offseason for a second- and third-round pick, and thus far the trade has paid off. Fant finished as TE8 in 2020 and is once again projected to be a mid-level TE1 this season. The team also signed Jonnu Smith in last year’s auction and he churned out a mid-TE2 season. Both Fant and Smith are projected as TE1s at the moment, giving them strong depth for the upcoming season. Bangkok also has Chris Herndon under contract, but he has been a bit disappointing. Once considered an up-and-comer, Herndon has struggled with both injuries and quarterback play, rendering him more a deep backup and squashing his once-promising career. With $47 million available to them and only three roster spots to fill, the Blitz can explore adding another body to the depth chart for added competition. As we know, tight ends can be a volatile group that is difficult to nail down from year to year.

Biggest Objective

This one is a no-brainer. While other teams have a plethora of needs that make it difficult to gauge which might be the most important, the Blitz have one primary objective that can be narrowed down to one position: kicker. (I kid, I kid. I’m writing this on April Fool’s Day, after all). The position is obviously wide receiver. Can they improve at other positions? Of course. Every team can. Will they look to improve in other areas? They wouldn’t be doing their due diligence if they did not. But it’s clear that landing a WR1 would only bolster their already surging title expectations. There are three WR1-worthy receivers who have been handed the NFT: Tyreek Hill, DeAndre Hopkins, and Michael Thomas. The Blitz have four second-round picks in their arsenal, including Pick 14, which would satisfy the NFT compensation if they go hard after one of those three players. Additionally, Amari Cooper was hit with the TT, although his price tag is a bit high for a player currently ranked as a lower-end WR2. Among other options available will be Mike Evans, Julio Jones, Adam Thielen, Robert Woods, and Odell Beckham. The Blitz can go all-in on one of the NFT players and just outbid every other team with their stack of cash, or they can diversify and try to nab two of these available players. Whatever they choose to do, it is highly likely they address the receiver position and set themselves up for even better receiver play in 2021.

“What could be…”

No organization likes to undergo a rebuild. It’s difficult to sit back and watch other teams compete week in and week out while you know your team isn’t exactly battling for the ultimate prize. But sometimes it becomes necessary to turn around the fortunes of one’s franchise. Russia successfully underwent a rebuild in 2016 and won the championship the very next year in 2017. Jamaica similarly underwent a massive rebuild in 2018 and won the West Division in 2019. Rebuilds can and do work, and Bangkok looks to be the next success story if everything goes according to plan. The first thing that is required is sustained health, which is a variable no team can fully prepare for. That’s where depth comes in handy, and the Blitz have been bolstering their depth chart over the past two offseasons. The next requirement is timing, and Bangkok has many pieces who are all entering pivotal years of their young careers. If they all break out — particularly the second-year running backs — there could be an explosion of points in Southeast Asia. And if the team adds one or two receivers to join Moore and Smith-Schuster, they could be quite the juggernaut for teams to deal with. One thing is certain: after a rough two years, Bangkokians will have something to cheer about in 2021.

Next up: Turkey Jerky