[MIJB#19]

General Manager Notes: Yo, where are the updates?
Well, here's one.

The draft has started and it's been an interesting first couple of rounds. With the lack of scouting ability, I'm leaning heavily on the combine scores and such to determine where to go here.

At the 1.17 pick, an attempt to trade up failed due to timing, but we ended up landing the player we would have traded up for. That player? The top graded safety Ernie Grant. A top10 player by grade in this class. Ran a fast 40-yard dash, had a tremendous position drill score, strength is a plus, agility a plus, size is good. Any red flags? Why yes, he's considered a red flag. We will consider moving him to cornerback? Yes we will, it might not be worth starting him next to Devon Farrell in the inside of the secondary.

At pick 2.16, the last player of our first round list apparently lasted. Top graded outside linebacker Richie Piotte. Ran a fast 40-yard dash, with a good broad jump score and Solecismic Test score. We'll move him to defensive end, no question about it. He has the weight (269 lbs) for it and could get the job done at 6'3".

Otherwise it's been a silent off-season, obviously.

Or not!

We signed running back Jack Crane from the Gothenburg Giants and traded for running back Benjamin Kapp from the Paris Musketeers. Yeah, there's competition coming for Trey Beyer and his 5.47 yards per carry and Francisco Patter. Crane was signed for $10M/year to a 3-year deal. He's already 30 years old, in his 8th season and coming off a down season (first one below 1,000 yards, lowest yard per carry), is he over the hill? In Gothenburg known as Sticky Fingaz, Crane has 8 fumbles in his career in 2,163 touches. Kapp was acquired for our 6th round pick, we know he's good though, he was our 7th round pick only 2 draft ago.

In the bidding wars elsewhere, we're quite active. Defensive end Caiden Croyle is our main target, but after drafting Piotte, there's much less need to sign him as our third defensive end. We're also in the market to bring back backup center Aiden Doyle and are the only team bidding on former Bordeaux left tackle Marc Wilkerson. Do we need a new tackle? Not quite, but we do need 8 linemen and Wilkerson is more promising than all the guard prospects. Although signing a guard is a better decision to keep a legal roster [ugh, these game technicalities are such a spoil sport for the immersionists amongst us...]. Anyway, we're busy on the open market.

Enough for now, more tomorrow, or so.