[MIJB#19]

General manager notes
A little insight on the announced trades here.

OT Wilson Grimaldo has been a key element on the OL in 2006 and I fear we'll give up 40 sacks next season, rathen than the 28 we gave up. If Rice turns out to be the real thing, this trade was wort it. All we still need to do is figure out whether Dunkin is good enough to be the primairy backup OL player or whether we'll need a new backup, like Kerry McLaurin turned out to be for us.

DE Scot Dick was a good player, but he was simply a temporary solution. When we got Omar Gougeon in the draft, the need for him was gone and now I've been able to deal him away for a 3rd rounder and also managed to trade up in the 5th round of the draft.

DE Ian Degrange has great potential, but with him simply not fitting in with chemistry, he wouldn't get playing time here to develop. Sadly, but it just wouldn't work with him on the line.

CB Gus Stoffers was a good fill-in. He was the initial guy to side with Tai Wayne, but then Wayne got injured and Johnnie Stidham broke out with 7 interceptions. Sure, Stoffers contributed in a way, but he would be a backup and doesn't have the interception skills to show for it, unlike our other backups Desmond Craig and Myron Stevens.

Now the future additions:
WR Emmanuel Jennings will give us more room for the returning duties. With him we'll have two punt returners and two kick returners rather than one. I believe in special teams and reserving roster spots for it.

RT Cornelius Rice was a second round pick for Vicksburg and I think he can work out here. He should be interesting for chemistry and has the skill level to at least not be the weakest link on the link in pass protection or run blocking.

CB Danny Person is a man-to-man coverage standout, but the guy will also be a great new secondary leader and should be a decent replacement when either Wayne or Stidham gets injured.

TE Arnold Ramirez will finally give us a good backup behind Jim Reiser. Sure, we had good old Jerry Aubrey in the past, but he was, well, old. And the Charlies Burley and Martins just don't do it. Burley is exclusively a pass catcher, he can't block, while Martins can't do either well, but yet is an excellent long snapper.

Also, I feel pretty happy with the new draft situation. In 2008 we now have enough picks to make an impact then, if we need to, but we also added two 2nd rounders in 2009, when I initially planned the required rebuilding. But with Grimaldo traded at a dead cap friendly timing, we might not be forced in a big rebuilding mode, but rather will still be looking for a big offensive tackle to replace Harold Hurtado at some point. And in the 2007 draft, I will still try to get a (low) 1st rounder and start focussing on the fifth round of the draft, wait and see what's available there.