The Monarchs look to defend a division title with some aging stars and new faces.

Retirements:
SS Tony Washington - A first round pick of the Bangles in 2030, Washington spent his final three seasons in London primarily as a backup to starting safety Dan Crossman.

Coaching changes:
Head Coach David Kirby kept his entire staff intact this offseason, but management has entertained the idea of shaking up the coaches in the future as some of the key players on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball may be close to the end of their time in London after this season.

Free Agents:
Several pricey additions were made to the roster in hopes of continuing the recent run of success in London.

LG Adam Oconnor - Drafted fourth overall as a right guard by the Falcons in 2035, Oconnor was asked to switch to the left side for the Monarchs. While possessing only average blocking skills, management hopes his brute strength can help both the running and passing games.

C Derrick Robinson - Another muscle man for the offensive line. Robinson started all sixteen games for Las Vegas in 2038, but will most likely be a backup for London barring injury.

CB Christopher Evans - The speedy cornerback doesn't even need to move out of his apartment as he changes from the Ravens to the Monarchs. Evans recorded 82 tackles, an interception and forced fumble in 2038 and the 26 year old is expected to use his speed and strength to bolster the Monarchs secondary for the next several seasons.

RT Ernest Doak - London adds more veteran depth to the offensive line, adding Doak from the world champion Detroit Lions. While not the fastest blocker, management felt confident enough in his superior strength to give him a two year contract.

CB George Lenz - A second round pick of the Barbarians in 2034, the 27 year old is versatile enough to play both cornerback and free safety. London management was intrigued by his 25 knocked down passes in 2038, to go along with 59 tackles, 3 INTs, 1 forced and 3 recovered fumbles to make him a priority addition to the secondary.

LG Joseph Lowrie - Slow but strong, Lowrie was a second round pick of the Dildozers in 2037. Despite signing a two year deal, Lowrie's spot on the final roster isn't guaranteed.

WLB Dwight Gainer - After debating letting him walk in the offseason, London was able to outbid several other teams to retain the 30 year old linebacker for defensive depth on a one year contract. Despite losing speed, Gainer has excellent coverage skills but may not be able to keep his roster spot after a poor training camp.

2039 draft:
London focuses almost exclusively on defensive athletes with mostly poor results.

1-22 MLB Danny Lockett (+8/+2 now 53/86) - With starting MLB Bryon Cleveland expected to test free agency in 2040, bringing in a quality replacement was imperative. Lockett entered the draft pool with high tackling and run defense skills, and management expected he would be long gone by the time the Monarchs selected. While needing to improve his pass rushing technique, everything else looks elite and he should be able to make an immediate impact.

3-22 FS Dedrick Dodge (+4/-1 now 47/67) - Without a second round pick this season, London had to wait to make their next selection. Hoping to get a future starter to replace aging FS Malcolm DeVry, Dodge's poor tackling and mediocre coverage skills appear to set him up as only a backup.

5-8 DT Malik Jackson (+0/-10 now 34/58) - After debating selecting the raw defensive lineman at pick 4-23 before trading it to the Terror for a pair of 2040 selections, London appears to have dodged a bullet. With absolutely no development of tackling or run defense skills in training camp, Jackson will be cut immediately with no bonus money owed.

5-22 CB Irvin Smith (+1/-2 now 44/65) - Another snake eyes dice roll, Smith has elite speed and intelligence but nothing else to offer defensively and will be cut after training camp.

6-23 WLB Fab Knit (+3/-5 now 38/57) - The third straight flop, Knit was selected in hopes of being a future defensive starter. With decent speed but poor tackling skills and coverage potentials after training camp, management did not feel it was worth keeping the rookie with other needs on the roster.

7-22 WR Larry Stallworth (+4/-2 now 42/64) - The lone offensive rookie, Stallworth is a long shot to make the team despite a need for receivers. With only average speed and catching skills, he will need to impress with his high intelligence to catch the eye of the coaching staff.

The Monarchs were able to add some potentially useful offensive pieces after the draft.

WR/RB Kyle Curley - Curley sat out last season after being a first round pick of the Frozen Tundra SnowSharks in 2034. With excellent speed, acceleration and strength, Curley has poor route running and catching skills, but has shown some ability as a rusher in the past and may find most of his playing time coming out of the backfield.

TE/FB John Roman - A third round pick of the Seahawks in 2038, London jumped on the 23 year old after he was released following the draft. With a 43-372-1 receiving line in thirteen starts in his lone season with Seattle, the speedy, strong Roman is expected to battle Ernest Benefiel for the backup tight end spot and possibly work as a receiver out of the backfield despite his below average blocking skills.

To make space to sign Roman, backup LG Richard Liley was released following one year with the Monarchs. Some quality players from London's excellent 2038 draft class were also signed to team friendly contract extensions to keep them in the fold for six additional seasons - RB Obafemi Ayanbedejo and starting LT Seth Dittman.

With the pending cuts from this year's disappointing rookie class, GM Nigel Worthington IV has some room to juggle the roster with any more unexpected cuts by other teams. Look for an update at the conclusion of the preseason.

Preseason report:

Record: 1-3

The backups are a letdown.

- The 2039 preseason begins at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with the Monarchs hosting the Seattle Seahawks. Neither team is able to get rid of the offseason rust, as K Gilbert Diaz's 45 yard field goal on Seattle's game opening drive is the only scoring of the first half. However, the Seahawks defense helps the offense in the third quarter. Monarchs backup QB Christopher Marciniak is intercepted twice inside the London 40 yard line in the third quarter, setting up Seattle with short fields. That leads to a pair of one yard touchdown plunges, the first by RB James Frazier, followed by WR John Cason, putting Seattle ahead 17-0 late in the third quarter. The Monarchs show some signs of life in the fourth quarter, with the outcome already decided. K Brandon Shah kicks a 35 yard field goal to put London on the board, followed by an interception of backup QB Randall Prosperie by CB Troy Seim. The turnover leads to London's longest drive of the day, when as TE John Roman gets revenge against his former team with a 7 yard touchdown reception from Marciniak, cutting the Seahawks lead to 17-10. In a trend that unfolds the rest of the preseason, Marciniak throws his third interception of the second half on London's final possession and Seattle comes away with the seven point victory, as neither team tops 230 yards of total offense.

- Preseason week two features the Monarchs traveling to Chicago to take on the Bears. After Chicago dominated the rivalry with a series of humiliating defeats earlier in the decade, the Monarchs have been much more competitive lately. After Chicago jumps out to a 6-0 first quarter lead thanks to a pair of field goals, London's sluggish offense begins to turn things around. QB Preston Jones leads a pair of impressive drives late in the second quarter, first finding TE George Payne on a six yard score to give London its first lead at 7-6. Jones follows that up with a forty two yard strike to WR Jon Horton just before halftime, putting the visitors ahead 14-6 at the break. When the reserves appear in the second half, the offense takes a hit. After receiving the second half kickoff, backup QB Christopher Marciniak throws his fourth interception of the preseason just eleven seconds into the second half at the London 27, allowing the Bears to trim the lead to five at 14-9 thanks to K Paul Eckhart's third field goal of the game. The Monarchs next possession is more useful, as WR/RB Kyle Curley shows his skills as a runner with a five yard scoring run, pushing the London lead to 21-9. A pair of fourth quarter field goals puts London ahead 27-9, before a breakdown in the secondary allows Chicago's second year backup QB Ronnie Hogue to connect with WR/RB Robert Starkey for a 57 yard touchdown strike just before the two minute warning. The Bears are unable to make a two point conversion, and London recovers the ensuing onside kick and runs out the clock in the 27-15 victory. QB Jones's finishes with an efficient 10/12 passing day for 102 yards and a pair of scores, and London runs for 199 yards on the day, lead by backup RB Obafemi Ayanbedejo's 69 yards on the ground.

- The Monarchs return to London in preseason week three, welcoming the world champion Detroit Lions. The crowd of 43,682 is entertained by a competitive first half, as CB Corris Ervin forces and recovers a fumble by Lions RB Leo Hudson at the Detroit 41. The first quarter turnover gives the Monarchs excellent field position, as the team needs just four plays to find the end zone on a goal line pass from QB Preston Jones to RB Obafemi Ayabadejo for a 7-0 lead. The Monarchs Tough Blokes defense flexes their muscles again on Detroit's following possession, as WLB Robert Williams sacks QB Joe Mason for a safety and a 9-0 first quarter lead. Mason recovers from the mishap to throw a twenty yard touchdown pass to RB **** Hardwick II to get the Lions on the board at 9-7 in the second quarter. Detroit's offense keeps firing later in the period as RB Charles Minton's one yard run gives the visitors their first lead at 14-9. Refusing to roll over, Jones leads the Monarchs on their longest drive of the day, capping a 75 yard drive in just over ninety seconds with a thirty yard TD pass to WR Jon Horton, sending the Blue and Gold to the locker room with a 16-14 lead. With the starters on the sidelines, London's offense again struggles in the second half. After Detroit regains the lead at 17-16 on a 34 yard K Wally Morris field goal, backup QB Christopher Marciniak once again misreads the defense, throwing his fifth preseason interception in the third quarter. This sets up the Lions at London's 37 yard line, and Morris kicks another field goal to put the visitors ahead 20-16. RB Victor X. Ebubedike squanders a rare carry opportunity on London's next possession, fumbling the ball away to the Lions and leading to another Morris field goal. Detroit ends their fourth straight possession with a field goal early in the fourth quarter, as their balanced offensive attack holds the ball for over 38 minutes and leads to a final score of 26-16 for the world champs. While Marciniak was never expected to challenge Jones for the starting quarterback role, throwing another interception on London's final possession - his sixth of the preseason - seals his fate. The former first round pick is cut following the game, and the Monarchs are able to claim 4th round rookie QB Bret Crosby off waivers from the Brooklyn Tigers before the preseason finale.

- The Monarchs head to the rainy Asbestos Tub in Charlotte in preseason week four to face the Fire Breathing Rubber Duckies. With most of the starters playing only the first quarter to avoid injury, London is unable to generate much offense, with a fourth down gamble at the Duckies 23 yard line stopping their best chance for points in the contest. Two first half field goals by Charlotte K Matthew McQuade from 52 and 30 yards are the only points on the day as the Duckies drop the Monarchs to 1-3 in the preseason with an uninspiring 6-0 victory. London's struggling K Brandon Shah misses a pair of second half field goals which could have tied the game, and a poor preseason showing (3/7 field goals) has management wondering if the longtime reliable kicker may be losing his skills. On a positive note, rookie QB Bret Crosby impresses in his London debut. Having just been claimed off waivers, Crosby still goes 16-24 for 189 yards in three quarters of work. While being sacked three times (presumably the same reason he was cut by the Tigers), the slow Crosby does make a positive impression with his high accuracy and football intelligence. After cutting ties with the turnover prone Christopher Marciniak, London's backup quarterback position seems to be a little more settled heading into the regular season.

London has to trim the roster to get down to the 53 man limit, with some longtime players hanging up their crowns.

QB William Hardison - signed solely in case the team could not land Crosby on waivers, the journeyman QB never enters his lone game for London.

LG Joseph Lowrie - a signing for depth on the offensive line, Lowrie plays little and management is comfortable enough with their roster depth to release him.

TE Ernest Benefiel - With the solid play of second year TE John Roman, management didn't feel the need to keep three tight ends and asked the slow but reliable pass catcher to turn in his playbook.

CB Osvaldo Costales - The hardest cut. A longtime fan favorite, the 2031 fourth round pick ends his tenure in London tied for the franchise record for interceptions with 33. While not possessing amazing speed or coverage skills, Costales still recorded twenty three interceptions in his first three seasons, but only had ten in his next five years as he was passed by younger quicker players in the secondary.

WLB Dwight Gainer - The final cut. Despite a poor showing at training camp, Gainer still recorded seven tackles and a sack in the preseason. While hoping a trade might open up a roster spot to retain Gainer, no takers meant his return for a seventh season in London lasted only through the preseason.

GM Nigel Worthington IV was able to get a little roster flexibility, shipping MLB Dennis Neuhaus to the Las Vegas Wraiths for a 2042 fifth round pick. Jettisoning both Gainer and Neuhaus leaves London's linebacking corps a little thin, especially with aging starters MLB Bryon Cleveland and WLB Robert Williams both expected to test free agency following this season. With the roster in place, Coach David Kirby's squad turns their attention to the regular season opener, when the Monarchs will host their division rivals the Roswell Invaders.

2039 midseason report:
Current record: 7-2

Real life is getting in the way of a detailed writeup for 2039, so I'm going with an abbreviated offense/defense breakdown (if it works for a team like the Thrashers who am I to question it?)

Offense:
The Monarchs currently stand second in the league in scoring at 25.8 points per game, despite an array of injuries, especially at running back, tight end and offensive line. Backfield depth has been especially valuable, with Archie Daniels (3 games missed), Obafemi Ayanbedejo (3 games missed) and Victor X. Ebubedike (4 games played) all moving in and out of the lineup. However, the multi headed rushing attack has allowed all three players to notch four rushing TDs on the season, tied for third most in the league. Ebubedike also notched the first three rushing TD game in London/Indianapolis franchise history in the Monarchs 51-0 victory over the Denver Broncos in week 4 - the largest margin of victory in team history, and third most points scored ever (52-3 win vs. Frozen Tundra SnowSharks 2034 week 12; 56-7 Indianapolis win vs. Jacksonville 2019 week 9). WR Jon Horton leads the team in receiving with 350 yards and 2 TDs, while William Ortiz has expanded his role into a hybrid player, with 178 receiving and 159 yards rushing with four total touchdowns - two rushing and two receiving, including 75 yard scores through the air and on the ground. QB Preston Jones has had an up and down campaign, throwing for 1446 yards (7th in league) and 12 TDs (2nd in league). However, Jones has also thrown 10 interceptions so far, including four in a week 7 loss to the Rocky Mountain Bronx. If Jones can do a better job protecting the ball during a tougher second half schedule, hopefully the offense will keep firing on all cylinders.
Midseason offensive MVP: RB Archie Daniels 543 rushing yards 4 TDs 17 receptions 113 yards

Defense:
London's team defense has been as solid as the offense so far in 2039. The Tough Blokes have allowed only 70 points through nine games, including a pair of shutout home wins (37-0 vs. Barbarians week 2; 51-0 vs. Broncos week 4). While standing in the middle of pack with sacks and turnovers, there have been some strong individual performances. Veteran LDE Minh Rawls leads the team with 10 sacks, including five sacks in a week 8 win vs. the Terror, and appears likely to break his career high of 12 set in 2037. On the opposite side of the line RDE Chris Thompson has impressed with 6 sacks and 11 QB hurries. Defending defensive rookie of the year LDE Tom Dovo (2 sacks) hasn't played since week 4 due to a leg injury, but is expected to return soon and strengthen the squad. While no individual defensive back has more than one interception, former Raven CB Christopher Evans has stood out in his first year with the Monarchs (30 tackles and 13 passes defended 42.5 completion percentage). Some of London's veteran linebackers have had impressive campaigns, in what may be their final year with the club. WLB Robert Williams has been a force across the field, with 43 tackles, 2 sacks and 3 interceptions, while MLB Bryon Cleveland has recorded 39 tackles and an interception. After selecting linebackers in the first round the last two drafts, the two veterans may make management's decision to move on a difficult one thanks to their continued strong play.
Midseason defensive MVP: WLB Robert Williams 43 tackles 2 sacks 3 INTs

The Monarchs currently hold a one game lead over the sliding Pennsauken Del Fuego Phoenix for the AFC South division lead, with a pair of showdowns coming in weeks 12 and 14. London also faces battles against the undefeated Thrashers, as well as the Wraiths and Argonauts, all currently in line for an AFC playoff berth. Defending the division title is the only guaranteed way to return to the playoffs for the second straight season, so juggling the dinged up roster is Coach David Kirby's major challenge the rest of the regular season.

2039 final report
Regular season record: 11-5 (2nd place in AFC South, wild card berth)
Playoff record: 2-1 (lost in AFC Conference Championship game)

The London Monarchs 2039 season is over. While going farther than ever before in the postseason, London came up short in their goal of playing for the Moguls league championship.

- The playoffs began with a thrilling 24-21 overtime victory over the Wilmington Argonauts. The Monarchs, third in the league in scoring in the regular season, carried over the firepower in the wild card round. Recording nearly 500 yards of total offense in the game, including a pair of long TDs from QB Preston Jones to WR Jon Horton. RB Obafemi Ayanbedejo also scored a TD run, stepping up for primary RB Archie Daniels who suffered a serious ankle injury in the second half that landed him on injured reserve for the remainder of the postseason.

- The divisional round game sent the Monarchs to a rocking Thrasherdome for a showdown against the two time defending AFC Champion Arkansas Thrashers. After losing to the Arkansas 26-21 in week 11, the postseason rematch was much more of a defensive struggle. Despite being outgained by the Thrashers, London's Tough Blokes defense forces three turnovers, including two interceptions of veteran QB Calvin Hahn. The Monarchs are able to turn those miscues into a pair of field goals by K Brandon Shah and pull off a stunning 6-3 upset win to advance to the conference championship for the first time under current ownership.

- However, all the excitement of London's first extended postseason run quickly came crashing down in the hipster borough of Brooklyn. The Royal Blue and Gold end up black and blue as the Tigers absolutely dominate the contest from the opening kickoff. A 55 yard touchdown pass from legendary QB John Spartan to WR Joshua Rhoden less than two minutes into the game gives Brooklyn all the points they'll need, but they weren't done yet. Spartan's second TD pass in the first quarter, this time to veteran WR Tom Wood, effectively ended the game as Brooklyn's dominant rushing attack takes over. RB Bruce Hall ends up rushing for 148 yards and adds another 94 yards receiving, while RB Richard Mason chips in another 68 yards on the ground. The Tigers swarm on defense, recording five sacks and limit the Monarchs to a pathetic two yards rushing in the game. The Brooklyn Tigers punch a ticket to their first ever Super Bowl appearance thanks to a dominating 26-3 win that is even less competitive than the score would indicate.

It remains to be seen how London will respond to the first trip to the AFC Conference Championship in five playoff appearances under current ownership. A number of cornerstone players who have contributed to the Monarchs extended success this decade are at a crossroads in their careers. Besides injured RB Archie Daniels, nearing the franchise career rushing record, starting WLB Robert Williams and MLB Bryon Cleveland may all be allowed to test free agency, along with other aging defenders. With abundant salary cap space and a dozen draft picks in what appears to be a fairly deep draft class in 2040, management has the flexibility to either acquire the next wave of young players, or trade draft capital for established veterans on both sides of the ball. Check back for the next chapter of the London Monarchs story soon!

Offensive MVP: WR Jeff Davis 57 receptions 811 yards 9 TDs
Defensive MVP: RDE Chris Thompson 30 tackles 16 sacks 22 QB hurries 1 forced fumble