[MIJB#19]

General Manager Notes: Rock, Paper, Scissors…
Oliver wins. I mean, loses. He's out.

Ladies and gentlemen, that was a tough decision. We're down our franchise defensive tackle. A sad day for the Merchantmen defense, a position we usually cherish, especially when he's the best at it.

Well, Heath Oliver, it was a good run, five season in orange, white and blue. The acquisition started in the 2081 draft, when we shipped two second round picks, a third and a sixth to the Outer Banks Ospreys for their first rounder in 2083. It ended up being the #9 overall and at that slot we grabbed the best player of his class, just like we did in the previous bunch of drafts. In those five seasons, he missed nine games due to concussion in 2084. His statistics aren't all that shiny, but he earned all-IHOF first team honors in 2086 and was probably a key figure in our run defense, giving other players the opportunity to make plays.

It is what it is. We turned down a couple of great offers for Theodore Bondy, as I suspect we can do a better job winning games with him and Kirk Hitchcock still around.

But, y'know, it's been a tough off-season. We've released 12 players and I'm not yet convinced we've reached the end of the tunnel. Cap space should be cleared in time for the end of the draft, with just enough cap space to sign Francisco Farley, regardless of whether Bondy and Hitchcock will sign a renegotiated deal that gives them much less money (yeah, remember, player agents are lunatics), but closer to their demands.

The draft has been ongoing and we've already picked a replacement defensive tackle in Corwin Nowlin. Outside linebacker Trenton Mendelssohn and kicker Emmett Wells were other other two third round picks. Additionally, we swapped our fourth rounder for a pick next draft from North Plainfield. We still have our fifth, sixth and seventh round picks to use.

Again, cap hell is not yet over, but the end is in sight. Some inevitable hold outs are upcoming, I just hope we can get Howard Humphrey to stay away from that and offer our all-IHOF first teamer a contract both parties can agree with.

So it goes. Got to keep believing we can manage it!