[MIJB#19]

Press release: Merchantmen announce seven trades
Going into the 2006 season, the Maassluis Merchantmen management is happy to announce the conclusion of seven trades. The management agreed terms with six other teams to bring in six new players and also provide new homes to four players too expensive for their depth chart role. Additionally, the team upgraded the 2006 draft situation.

The four leaving players are all players with a two year history in Maassluis. Tight end Jerry Aubrey earned All IHOF honors in 2004 and moves to the Rochester Lake Monsters. He's joined by defensive end Deon Chapa, who lost his starting job mid-way the 2005 campaign. Popular starting fullback Mark Burger is going to block, run and catch passes for the Forth Worth Fury. Safety Percy Francis hopes to have a prominent backup role to Outer Banks Osprey star player Milo Epperson.

Coming to Maassluis are mainly offensive linemen. Right guard Timothy Lacy is acquired from Forth Worth Fury to battle for the starting right guard position. Right guard Eric Dietrich is coming in from Vicksburg to be Lacy's backup. Also coming from Vicksburg is big-play flanker David Henkel. Left tackle Edgar Dunkin comes over from Rochester Lake Monster to backup Harold Hurtado. Moving in from the Orlando Knights are cornerbacks Gus Stoffers and Johnnie Stidham. They both will battle for a roster spot the upcoming training camp.

Concerning the 2006 draft situation, the Merchantmen now hold seven draft selections devided over the top five rounds. The top pick is the #12 overall, the second pick is a second rounder at #41 overall. After that come two third rounders, two fourth rounders and a fifth rounder. Additionally, we have draft picks in all rounds in 2007 except the fourth round, but did add a sixth rounder for 2008.

General manager M.IJ.B. explains the moves: "Burger was a starter, he will be missed, but we are on the phones for a comparable replacement. Chapa and Aubrey were expensive backups, together with Burger accounting for 9.5 million dollars of our cap room. Percy Francis doesn't fit in our new plans for the secondary as the fifth option at safety. We freed up about 6 million of cap space, got ourselves a normal 2007 draft situation and added some valuable picks in 2006. We also acquired six good backups who are upgrades to our former reserves."