[MIJB#19]

General Manager Notes: Training Camp 2105

Here we go, here we go! Except, that it's just training camp and we're not yet at mid-pre-season. Still, training camp progress of young players can give us some insight on their potential. Let's run down the roster by position group and with my usual rounding down to the nearest 5's, to still keep the rest of the league somewhat guessing on how good we are.

Quarterbacks
55/55 Drake (nc)
40/40 Bishop (+4/+1) = new
25/50 Walters (+6/nc)
30/35 Manning (+3/nc)
15/30 Kelley (+2/+3) = rookie
Walters continues to improve in training camps: +5, +6 and +6. And yet I have too little faith in him to be the successor to Drake. Kelley's lack of improvement isn't a good sign that he's capable of being our new project. Bishop and Manning are equal in kick holding, but Bishop is also a mentor. Both are too skilled to let any of our youngest become the QB2, because the staff will always give preference to Bishop or Manning over Walters or Kelley. I have to mull over that. Maybe I feel fine with Bishop and Manning for this season and look for a project next off-season and then go with one kick holder?

Running Backs
50/50 Levine (nc) = new
40/40 Holmes (nc)
40/40 Goodwin (nc)
35/35 Shackleford (nc)
35/35 Robertson (nc)
30/35 Poole (+1/+1) = rookie
I really have no idea what to do just yet. Shackleford looked like a good investment last off-season, but if his hole recognition goes down once more, he's no longer a RB2 alternative. He might still be a worthy KR2. Robertson is our PR guy and did well last season, so it depends on what the rookie CB Finley will do in pre-season. Holmes was solid last season, he should stick as our RB2. Levine, Goodwin and Poole are receiving and short yardage options. We don't need 3 of them, 2 would already be a luxury.

Fullbacks
35/35 Julian (nc)
30/30 Wanamaker (nc)
20/40 Rosebrock (+3/nc) = rookie
I'm leaning heavily to going with just Julian here for the new season. Rosebrock's improvement wasn't wowing. Wanamaker is the slightly better run blocker, but I think we can safely switch to Julian without losing too much cohesion and actually improving the pass protection and not spend 2 active roster spots at this position group.

Tight Ends
60/60 Alcala (nc)
40/55 Heath (+4/nc)
45/45 Martin (nc)
40/40 McKie (+3/+1)
This group is set. We'll just have to dodge that pre-season unpredictability.

Wide Receivers
65/65 Buysse (nc)
40/40 Schulz (nc)
35/35 Emerson (nc)
25/35 Butler (+1/nc) = rookie
25/25 Hancock (nc)
20/30 Henderson (+3/-2) = rookie
20/35 LaMarche (+3/nc) = rookie
15/25 Jeffries (+2/nc) = rookie
15/20 Greer (+2/nc)
We took a flyer on a bunch of rookies, but I doubt any are keepers. Still, they have some upside: Jeffries is a solid special teamer and has kickoff return potential, Butler is a big-play receiver and LaMarche has route running potential. Henderson won't make the pre-season roster. Maybe it's time to let Greer go too, despite his special teams ability finally reaching his excellent potential.

Offensive Line
80/80 C Cyr (nc)
60/70 RT Dole (+7/nc)
65/65 G Stickney (nc)
55/55 C Stonge (nc)
45/45 LT McCormick (nc)
45/45 LT Gruenwalder (nc)
45/45 G Helm (+4/nc) = new
40/40 G Driver (nc)
This group is set, bar pre-season misery. Stonge, Helm or Driver will become our RG, McCormick or Gruenwalder the LT.

Punters/Kickers/Long Snappers
95/95 K Harrington (nc)
50/55 P Nelson (+2/-3) = rookie
50/50 P Louis (nc)
20/20 LS Brock (nc)
Tricky situation with Nelson, the first signs are discouraging.

Defensive Linemen
80/80 DT Morris (nc)
65/65 DT Courcy (nc)
55/55 DE Harmon (nc) = new
55/55 DE Fletcher (nc) = new
45/45 DE Dobreski (nc)
40/40 DT Potchynok (nc)
35/35 DE Rosas (nc)
25/40 DE Preston (+5/nc)
25/25 DE Crawford (nc)
Solid group. Harmon and Fletcher improve this group. Last season LB Rhodes and LB Halvorson also played on the D-Line. This might force me to release DE Preston (still very good potential), DE Crawford (special teamer) or DT Potchynok (pass rusher).

Linebackers
75/75 Coleman (nc)
55/55 Desimone (nc)
50/50 Burks (nc)
45/45 Fausel (nc)
45/45 Ross (nc) = new
20/20 Rhodes (nc)
Good group with Coleman the All-League potential star. I'm likely to go with 6 LB into the season, so Rhodes might be safe, even if he loses his active role to DE Fletcher. LB Halvorson's spot will likely be filled with DE Harmon.

Secondary
55/55 CB Hane (nc) = new
55/55 CB Wallace (nc)
45/45 S Clancy (+5/nc)
45/45 S Shapiro (nc) = new
40/40 S Wright (nc), holding out
40/40 CB Cowdrick (nc)
40/40 CB Cabrera (nc)
40/40 S Weaver (nc)
30/45 S Taylor (+4/nc)
25/45 CB Finley (+4/+1) = rookie
Hane could be an upgrade over departed CB Dogins and S Shapiro an upgrade over hold out Wright. Taylor is a guy to be on the fench about, Clancy is clearly ahead of him. I'll likely trim down to 9 guys in pre-season.

So, with 65 players signed, I actually have to removed 5 of them before we can play our first 2 pre-season games. I'm undecided at the moment, but there's little time to dillydally on it...