[MIJB#19]

Exclusive: GM Review On First Round Of 2005 IHOF Draft
Well, the first round has finished, it's time to reveal some secrets behind Maassluis' First Round Drafting in the 2005 IHOF Draft.

What were our goals?
At the start of the offseason the Merchantmen had the following needs in order of importance:
* get a new offensive line
* get a starting cornerback
* get rid of overpaid backups
* upgrading the starting quarterback
* get a better outside linebacker

What was our plan?
To achieve the goals mentioned above, the following had to be done:
* try to acquire All IHOF guard Gene Simmons
* trade for enough picks to select 3 linemen
* get a cornerback, how was not important
* sign a free agent quarterback
* get a linebacker, how was not important

What happened?
* We got into a trade with North Plainfield. That trade got us the #14 pick overall and cost us backup WR Frederic Vargas, who was too expensive to keep around. We also tradsed up from #65 to #50 overall in the draft.
* We got into negotiations with Astoria for the #1 pick. Although neither side wanted to traded ahead of seeing the draft class, at some point both sides felt they had a steal and the deal got on. We got the linebacker we wanted, got the #12 overall, went up from #33 to #31 and got a late 2nd round pick.
* The draft class is revealed, the draft is deep at OL positions, especially OT, which is good for us to fill the gaps on the OL.
* Paris approach us and manage to convince us to trade for Wilson Grimaldo. Eventually we gave up the #50 and #63 picks and our important free safety Randall Smith.
* We renewed contracts with about 20 starters and quality backups to keep them around for 2 or more years.
* We signed two free agent safeties and a mentor defensive end (making one of our other DEs tradable).
* I decided that trading away all the 2006 picks to improve our team in the 2005 draft could benefit us.
* We traded up from #14 to #6 with Springfield and gave up 2nd rounders in that trade for 3rd and 4th rounders in 2007. It put us in a position where we could pickup QB Mario Hudson.
* We picked up Fort Worth's #41 overall by giving up our 2007 2nd rounder and two more later round picks.
* Rumors were spread about our interest for Gene Simmons.
* We traded for Alvin Causey from Orlando, who is out for the 2005 season, giving up two 3rd rounders and a 4th rounder.
* Negotiations for Gene Simmons failed.
* The draft started.
* Mario Hudson was picked #4 overall, making the #6 no longer useful. Our other options G Hayes and C Burroughs could be get at #12 overall. Leonard Lyon becomes our potential aim at QB.
* We traded the #6 overall and our expendable backup DE Cecil Doney for Astoria's 2006 1st and 2nd rouders, as well as the #37 and #69 overall
* Negotiations for Gene Simmons failed, again.
* G Luke Hayes was selected, moving Butch White into #1 for guard at our draft board.
* Negotiations for Gene Simmons failed, for a third time.
* We picked up cornerback Tai Wayne, who we wanted to get here, knowing center is not a need position in this league.
* We tried to trade into the mid first round to get C Burroughs, offering Astoria's 1st and 2nd round picks in 2006, but no deal was made.
* Brooklyn picked up our second option at center in Max Warren, leaving Burrough on the board.
* We tried to trade into the mid first round to get C Burroughs, offering Astoria's 1st and 2nd round picks in 2006, but no deal was made.
* We established a possible deal with Fairbanks involving their #32 pick and our #41 pick.
* A conditional trade for Asheville's #26 involving our #31 was established, if DE B.J. Ingram would go #25 overall.
* We traded our future 1st rounder to get the #28 overall from San Antonio to pick G White or QB Lyon, knowing who the #26 pick would be.
* We trade the #37 pick for a 2nd rounder in 2006 with Vicksburg, we figured our #37 could not land us one of the 3 guys we aim for in C Burroughs, G White and QB Lyon.
* The trade was cancelled with Columbus picking up WR Weaver.
* Frederick picked C Burroughs at #27 overall. Brant Heinrich moves up to our #1 center.
* We selected guard Butch White at #28 in stead of #31.
* We established a conditional trade with Fairbanks depending on Ann Arbor's selection, the #32 and #96 from Fairbanks for our #41 and #69.
* Ann Arbor picked OT Nolan Bradford, meaning the Fairbanks trade was finalised.
* We selected QB Lyon and center Heinrich.

Total review?
* I think we filled our gaps at C, G, G, T, OLB and CB.
* We still could use an upgrade at DT and QB Lyon is far from a sure thing to us, QB McDavid has the odds against him, but he could remain as our #1 QB.
* We have seven selections in the 2006 draft, and seven in 2007. In total we turned a 5th and 7th rounder into a 4th rounder.
* Our 2006 cap situation is expected to be at 10M over the cap with 48 players signed, including rookies from the 2005 and 2006 drafts.

Conclusion?
Well, I think we did well with the trading and drafting. We turned the #1 overall in every round into 4 possible starters and we still have the last pick in round 3 and two late 7th rounders. For some reason, we ended up with as much picks and possibly as much value of the picks for the upcoming drafts. The starting role gaps are close to addressed, yet my confidence in QB Lyon is a relative low. He looks like a good QB, but I've yet to see he fits our system like McDavid did. The thing is, we needed to do something, QB Lyon provides us an alternative at QB, which we didn't have with our backups Antonio Shepard and Calvin Snider. I think the team has been upgraded. The loss of just three players can be worked with, WR Vargas was an overpaid backup to me, though he's concidered a top10 talent at his position. DE Doney was also an overpaid backup. Only FS Randall Smith will be missed, but Miller and McGhee, our FA pickups, should improve our secondary.