***BREAKING NEWS***

The Archie Daniels era in London is officially over. The #1 overall pick in the 2031 draft (the first ever selection by current ownership) has walked away from the only Moguls team he has ever known. The 31 year old running back agreed to a four year $40 million contract with the ownerless Denver Broncos in the second week of free agency, following nine stellar seasons in London.

Daniels had a solid season in 2039, rushing for 886 yards and 6 touchdowns, while adding 220 yards receiving. However, Daniels missed a number of regular season games due to various injuries. After coaches held him out of games to be fully recovered for the postseason, Daniels suffered a serious ankle injury in the second half of the Monarchs wild card round victory over the Argonauts that kept him sidelined for the remainder of the playoffs. The possibility that Daniels might not return to London was crystallized when the team traded a 2041 first round pick to the Shadow Dancers for WR/RB Von Popa, who will share lead backfield duties with RB Obafemi Ayanbadejo, who filled in admirably after Daniels went down in the playoffs.

Daniels finishes his Monarchs career tantalizingly close to every franchise rushing record. He tallied 8,191 yards rushing, just 198 yards behind the all time team mark, while notching a team record 32 rushing touchdowns. In addition, Daniels is also fifth all time in the London receiving ledger, with 400 career receptions for 4,235 yards and 28 TDs through the air. Daniels 12,429 total yards is #2 in franchise history, while his 60 combined touchdowns is the best ever for the London/Indianapolis franchise.

Losing the player who began to turnaround of one of the league's laughingstock teams into a perennial playoff contender in the 2030s signals a large shift for London. Besides trading for RB Popa, management may become more aggressive with its trading and drafting philosophies. There may never be another player who joined an 0-16 team before his rookie year, and left the same squad following a trip to the AFC Championship in his final campaign. No word yet if management will retire Archie Daniels #23 jersey now that he has headed to the Broncos.

Roster reconstruction continues as current ownership begins its second decade at the helm.

Retirements:
None

Coaching changes:
The Monarchs bring in a new secondary coach for 2040, as Willie Benson takes over coaching the DBs. Benson joins just his second organization in Moguls, after serving as the defensive line coach for the Chicago Bears since 2024. Benson replaces Curtis Hardy, who accepted a promotion to defensive coordinator for the Wraiths after working as London's secondary coach since 2033. To solidify the rest of the coaching staff receivers coach John Thompson, backfield coach William Berg and kickers coach Bruce Bahe all signed contract extensions to remain with the club. Most importantly, head coach David Kirby signed a six year contract extension, which may keep him with the club for the remainder of his coaching career. Kirby joined London in 2031, and after a rocky first season has lead the team to multiple playoff appearances and should reach his 100th career head coaching victory sometime in 2040.

Free Agency:
GM Nigel Worthington IV was busy this offseason, looking to strengthen a team aging in some areas, despite reaching the AFC Championship game last season. Besides losing cornerstone RB Archie Daniels in free agency to Denver (since relocated to Santa Fe as the Bandits), longtime starting MLB Bryon Cleveland also moved on, signing with the Irvine Anteaters. While trading away a 2041 first round pick to the Rapid Valley Shadow Dancers for hybrid RB/WR Von Popa to replace Daniels, the Monarchs focused more on defensive additions than expected entering the offseason.

WLB Robert Williams - Williams was brought back for his 9th season in London on a one year contract. While starting 13 games in 2039, the thirty one year old Williams will now be backup depth while coaches see what younger linebacking talent has to offer.

SS Frank Wilkerson - the speedy safety joins London after spending his first five years with the Dildozers. While playing sparingly last season, Wilkerson has shown good talent as a pass defender and tackler.

FS Roger Tomlin - the annual tradition of the Monarchs raiding the crosstown rival Ravens continues. While not possessing amazing speed or strength, the fifth year pro has shown high football intelligence and tackling skill which should make him valuable for depth in the defensive backfield

FS Charles Rana - signed to a one year contract as a flyer, Rana has since been cut to free up roster space for a large rookie class.

DT Brian Hubbard - Looking to beef up the defensive line, London signs the twenty six year old who spent his first four years with the Barbarians. While not expected to be a starter for the Monarchs, Hubbard did register three sacks for Battle Creek in 2039.

WR Stephan Howard - Another hybrid offensive player, management hopes Howard will be able repeat the production he had for the Argonauts last season. Howard recorded 53 receptions for 453 yards, while adding 561 yards rushing and two TDs for Wilmington. With some of London's receivers nearing the end of their prime years, Howard should be a solid addition for the next three seasons.

C Donald Draughn - With veteran centers Patrick Wilson (Bears) and Damon Baldwin (Bandits) both allowed to leave via free agency, Draughn was brought in to backup new starter Derrick Robinson. Perhaps the shakiest spot on the Monarchs offensive line, management will look for additional reinforcements if necessary.

CB David Carver - Another defensive back with above average speed and solid tackling, Carver comes over from the Rocky Mountain Bronx, where he recorded 53 tackles, 2 INTs and a sack last season.

LDE Casey Cangelosi - a player whose stats outshine his ratings, management was thrilled to snag the defensive lineman from the Oakland Panthers. Cangelosi has recorded double digit sacks the last three seasons, including 11 in 2039 to go along with 41 tackles. With speed, acceleration and strength, the coaches are hoping he will cause a lot of disruption in opposing backfields.

2040 Draft:
There is no truth to the rumor that the franchise is considering changing their name to the London Bangles following multiple trades with Cincinnati during the 2040 draft. London traded picks 2.1 and 2.29 to the Bangles for pick 1.20, as well as a second trade with picks 4.14 and 4.20 heading to Cincinnati for pick 3.22. Entering the draft with twelve selections, GM Worthington felt it was smarter to trade away multiple assets for higher quality rookies with mainly positive results.

1.20 - RB Tony Vinson (+4/+3 now 49/79) - As the draft will tell, adding running back depth and talent to replace departed RB Archie Daniels was a key goal this season. With great speed and strength while still needing time to develop as a receiver, Vinson will start further down the depth chart for now.

1.29 - WLB Ricky Shaw (+4/-4 now 48/71) - For the third straight season the Monarchs select a linebacker in the first round. A solid athlete with high football intelligence, Shaw is an established pass rusher who has room to grow in pass coverage. Penciled in as a starter heading into the preseason, if Shaw struggles third year WLB Marlon Brown, who has attracted some attention on the trade market, may be asked to step in.

3.22 - SS Reggie Holt (+4/+1 now 47/75) - After trading away both second round picks to Cincinnati, the Monarchs make another deal with the Bangles to trade up and select the converted cornerback. While not possessing amazing coverage skills, management believes his elite speed, strength and tackling skills will be a valuable asset, and could even push starting SS Dan Crossman down the road.

3.29 - LG John Mazzotta (+8/+8 now 56/80) - The gamble appears to have paid off on Mazzotta, who played tight end in college. With great acceleration and amazing strength, Mazzotta will play sparingly until he gains enough weight to aid London's rushing attack.

4.26 - DT Nigel Hoyte (+2/-2 now 42/67) - While not possessing amazing speed, Hoyte's strength punched his ticket to London. Hoyte needs to improve his tackling skills to go along with above average pass rushing talent to get more playing time with the Monarchs.

4.29 RB Charlie Young (+3/-2 now 46/68) - A disappointment after training camp, Young has great speed, but not the secondary talents as a receiver out of the backfield. His future with the team remains cloudy with London's overstuffed running backs room.

5.23 LT Todd Oberdorf (+7/-3 now 40/68) - After debating picking him at 4.29, management was overjoyed to see the college center still on the board here. Oberdorf appears likely to fill a backup role across the offensive line with his average blocking skills and plus strength.

5.29 RB Judd Garrett (+2/-1 now 50/67) - London's third rookie running back, Garrett is rated well as a receiver, but could even be converted to fullback thanks to his excellent pass blocking skills.

6.29 SS Rowelle Blenman (+6/+2 now 42/62) - While fast and strong, Blenman's poor pass coverage skills led him to be cut before training camp to make space for the team to sign free agent offensive lineman Willie Hornsby. Hornsby never started a game for the Thundercocks after being selected fifth overall in 2036, but Monarchs coaches believe he may be better suited to play guard than tackle.

7.29 MLB Roland Peres (+0/-8 now 34/51) - Peres notified management he did not want to leave Idaho for a large metropolitan city like London, and his contract was voided following the 2040 draft.

With a full sixty man roster heading into the preseason opener with the Rapid Valley Shadow Dancers, management has still identified several positions where upgrades and depth could be improved. With a new willingness to trade future draft picks or players for areas of need, the Blue and Gold will likely remain aggressive to keep pace with other improving teams in a highly competitive AFC. Look for an update later this season.

The Monarchs completed an up and down 2-2 preseason, with some encouraging signs and a few letdowns. The offense performed well for the most part, besides being held to only four field goals in the annual preseason loss to Chicago. Some sloppy play in a 28-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in the preseason finale was a concern, as London allows an interception return for a TD, a fumbled punt returned for a TD, and an 84 yard touchdown pass for the gamewinning score with less than two minutes remaining. The Monarchs balanced offense and pass rush appear to be ready for the regular season, but coaches are hoping the defense can be more opportunistic and force more turnovers as the year moves on.

Roster moves:
GM Nigel Worthington IV made one significant move in the preseason, trading backups LT Theo Adams and LG Louis Lincoln to the Devils for Tasmania's 1st and 3rd round picks in 2042 as well as the team's 2nd round pick in 2043. While the move may leave London's offensive line somewhat thin in the short term, management felt the draft picks could be valuable to future assets, or even packaged for an elite player down the line.

The trade left the Monarchs with five players to cut to reach the 53 man roster limit:

RDE Leonard Walker - a 2039 waiver claim, Walker never flashed enough to merit staying on the roster with the team's other offseason acquisitions.

CB Anthony Johnson - another player passed on the depth chart by younger DBs, Johnson started four games for London last season.

WR Kyle Curley - the speedy receiver appears to already be declining at age 28, and free agent signee WR Stephan Howard has impressed coaches scoring three TDs this preseason.

LDE LaVar Ball - while never possessing amazing speed or strength, Ball showed solid pass rushing skill whenever he was given an opportunity, but made only four starts over the last three seasons, including none in 2039 and was deemed expendable.

LT Todd Oberdorf - the fifth round rookie lineman is the final cut. While appearing in all four preseason games and recovering a fumble, management could not justify keeping twelve offensive linemen and decided to cut him without any dead cap bonus money as opposed to more expensive veterans.

As always, management will be scouring the waiver wire and trade block to look for more roster upgrades. The Monarchs now prepare to open the 2040 season where the 2039 season ended, with an AFC Conference Championship rematch against the defending Super Bowl Champion Brooklyn Tigers.

Congratulations to Monarchs head coach David Kirby for picking up career victory #100 in London's 38-10 win over the Pennsauken Del Fuego Phoenix in week 12. Kirby was hired in 2031 to lead a squad that was winless the previous year, but has exceeded all expectations. The Monarchs have claimed three AFC South division titles under Kirby, and made five total playoff appearances.

After some early season struggles and injuries in 2040, the Royal Blue and Gold have turned things around and currently stand atop the division once again with a record of 9-3. The final quarter of the season features matchups against the division leading Raiders and Shadow Dancers, along with division contests against the Del Fuego Phoenix and Rocky Mountain Bronx. Coach Kirby has little time to celebrate his career milestone if he wants to keep his players focused on another trip to the playoffs in the highly competitive AFC.

2040 final report:
Regular season record: 13-3 (AFC South Champion, #2 playoff seed)
Playoff record: 1-1(lost in Divisional Round)

All good things must come to an end, and unfortunately for London Monarchs fans in 2040, that means finishing the season without an elusive Super Bowl appearance. After struggling early in the season, and falling to 3-3 after a week 6 loss to Roswell, London's fortunes suddenly changed. The Monarchs won their final ten regular season games, matching the longest winning streak in franchise history (2022 Indianapolis), including wins over playoff squads from Las Vegas, Roswell, South Brisbane, and the eventual NFC Champion Rapid Valley Shadow Dancers. While some injuries in the regular season finale tested the team, most notably a serious foot injury to starting MLB Danny Lockett, London was still able to secure the #2 seed in the AFC playoffs.

- The Monarchs squared off against the Las Vegas Wraiths in the wild card round. The Wraiths made the playoffs for the first time since 2029 and only the third time in franchise history, and gave London a tough battle. In a defensive struggle, neither team was able to generate any sustained offense. However, London was able to find the end zone twice on a one yard TD run by RB Obafemi Ayanbedejo in the second quarter, and a 27 yard TD pass from QB Preston Jones to WR Stephan Howard in the third quarter. London's Tough Blokes defense did the rest, holding Las Vegas to just a pair of Winford Ferrero field goals in a 14-6 win.

- That victory pushed London into the divisional round, for a playoff rematch against the defending Super Bowl champion Brooklyn Tigers. After humiliating the Monarchs 26-3 in last season's AFC Championship game and knocking off the Blue and Gold once again 26-18 in week one, London finally gets to host the Tigers at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. A near capacity crowd was filled with a feeling of dread, as Brooklyn's high powered offense explodes in the first quarter. Brooklyn needs less than five minutes on their opening possession to grab the lead, thanks to a 51 yard TD pass from QB Brandon Collins to WR Scott Johnson. After forcing a London punt on the ensuing possession, Collins once again burns London's blitzing defense, this time for a backbreaking 91 yard TD pass to WR Larry Deaton. After CB **** Trickle records the first of two interceptions of QB Preston Jones on the next possession, some London fans were rightly expecting a repeat of the AFC Championship game blowout. However, London is able to battle for pride, capping a sixty eight yard drive with a one yard TD run by RB Von Popa to cut the Tiger lead to 14-7 early in the second quarter. After a third quarter field goal pushes Brooklyn's lead back to ten at 17-7, the Monarchs catch a lucky break. WR Stephan Howard breaks a tackle and races for a 62 yard TD run to trim Brooklyn's lead to only 17-14 entering the fourth quarter. Brooklyn GM duane_bickett has assembled one of the most elite defenses in Moguls history, and the team steps up in the fourth quarter. With some questionable playcalling by London coach David Kirby, Brooklyn is able to record five of their eight sacks on the day in the final fifteen minutes. Tiger SLB Marvin Baker collects three of his four sacks in the fourth quarter, while rookie SLB Jeff Gorrell adds two sacks of his own. Two more chipshot field goals by K Rodney Lezama push the game out of reach in the final frame, as Brooklyn continues the march to their second straight Super Bowl appearance with a 23-14 divisional round victory.

The shortened playoff run has management considering their options for 2041. Without a first round draft pick (sent to Rapid Valley to acquire RB Von Popa), GM Nigel Worthington IV will have to get creative with building the roster. Adding more depth will be a key focus, as well as being more willing to consider aging veterans at some positions than in years past. With a first place schedule and a likely matchup against the strong NFC North division in 2041, fans of the London Monarchs should see an abundance of talented teams on the opposing sideline next season.

Offensive Co-MVPs:
QB Preston Jones 3135 yards (5th in league) 21 TDs (3rd) 14 INTs 7.08 YPA (1st) 90.26 QB rating (4th)
RB Von Popa 1031 rushing yards (8th) 8 TDs (tie-3rd) 37 receptions 534 yards 3 TDs - 11 total TDs (tie-2nd)

Defensive Co-MVPs:
MLB Danny Lockett 105 tackles 3 sacks 2 INTs 12 passes defended
LDE Tom Dovo 34 tackles 13 sacks 14 QB hurries
RDE Chris Thompson 22 tackles 13 sacks 13 hurries