*Errol Maddox Signs Extension with Hawks

PigSnout · 03-27-2019, 01:11 AM

With Season 14 of the NSFL getting ready to begin, the Baltimore Hawks announced that they had come to terms on an extension with wide receiver Errol Maddox. With Maddox entering the final year of his rookie contract this season, the new contract will begin next season. The contract is a 3 year deal that will pay $3M per season, paying out $9M total over the course of the contract. This will keep Maddox as a member of the Hawks through at least the 6th year of his career.

Errol Maddox joined the Hawks in the Season 12 Draft after they selected him with the #2 overall pick. Maddox played out the season before the draft in the DSFL as a member of the Portland Pythons. During that season, he recorded 45 catches for 691 yards and 6 touchdowns as the Pythons went 13-1 and won the DSFL championship. He was able to make a good enough impression that the Hawks viewed him as one of the top prospects on their board. They ended up with the #2 pick in the draft despite making it to the championship game in the previous after a trade with the Yellowknife Wraiths gave them that pick.

Maddox was called up to the NSFL for his rookie season and started playing for the Hawks immediately. During his rookie year, Maddox played a complementary receiving role as he made 30 receptions for 436 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. It was a strong year for the Hawks as they finished at the top of the NSFC with an 8-6 record and finished as the NSFL's runner up after winning the NSFC championship game but falling short in the NSFL championship game. While Maddox didn't put up huge numbers as a rookie, he wasn't expected to play a big role on an already strong team but was still able to make some contributions as the Hawks had a good season.

Maddox took on a larger role during his second season with the Hawks. He finished the year with 72 catches for 986 yards and 6 touchdowns, doubling his result in each star from his previous season. Unfortunately, it didn't result in better team results as the Hawks regressed to a 4-10 record and missed the playoffs despite playing like a better team than their record suggested. However, Maddox made some good strides individually, particularly in the second half of the season. He finished with at least 100 receiving yards in 5 of the last 8 games of the season after not reaching 100 yards in any of the first 6 games. Part of this was from the Hawks adopting a more pass heavy playstyle later in the season, but Maddox also stepped up his individual level of play. This could be a sign that he's ready to have a breakout season next year.

Maddox has shown signs of steady improvement so far during his career. The Hawks hope that he has the potential keep up this development and become a star level player. This new contract will keep him under contract into his prime years so that he will have the chance to reach that potential as a member of the Hawks. The Hawks had faith in Maddox when they drafted him with the #2 overall pick and they renewed that faith by signing him to a long term extension.

Maddox spoke to the press about his new contract:
"I'm really excited to come to terms to lock down a long term contract before entering the final year of my rookie deal. This way, I can stay focused on the game without having to worry about my contract situation. As a Baltimore native, I grew up rooting for the Hawks, so it's been a dream come true getting to play for them. We suffered some setbacks last season, but I think we will bounce back stronger than before and will continue to contend for years to come. I'm very happy to remain a part of this team and continue my development as a member of the Hawks. I'd love to be able to make a name for myself as one of the Hawks' greatest players and maybe even some day become a member of the Wing of Honor. I'm excited to solidify a long term future with the Hawks and am looking forward to getting back on the field this season and continuing to improve."

Despite a disappointing finish last season, the Hawks made some big moves over the off season and are expected to make it back to the playoffs this season and potentially contend for the Ultimus trophy. They received the #2 overall pick after last season and were able to draft Corvo Havran to be their quarterback of the future. They will still have a couple more years of high level quarterback play from Childish Gambino but Havran will help ensure an easy transition when Gambino regresses and it is time to move on to a younger quarterback. Maddox should be able to help with this transition as he will provide another reliable receiving option for Havran to throw to in his early years in the NSFL. Despite already being contenders, the Hawks have some exciting young talent too and it will be fun to see how they develop over the coming seasons. But for now, they at least know Errol Maddox will be sticking around for a while as he looks to get started on his new contract.