[MIJB#19]

General Manager Notes: Bye bye Espino and Sandlin
And welcome to a new long snapper.

Daquan Espino, #29 overall pick in the 2086 draft, touted as our new all around stud linebacker. It all felt promising, but the longer he hung around, the more clear it became that he was gradually turning from a great linebacker into a situational defender. He was active in 158 regular season games and 8 playoffs games for us. The last two seasons he was inactive. Unwilling to sign a new deal, the stint in Maassluis ends after 12 seasons.

Branden Sandlin, a hidden gem in the 2087 sixth round? The wide receiver broke into our starting lineup on the offense as Theodore Bondy's sidekick in 2088, following up in 2089 with a 9-touchdown campaign. But more recently he was losing his speed and diminished into a WR5 role. The last four seasons we barely used him anymore. Contract negotiations failed, so after 129 regular season games and 5 playoffs games he left Oranje Haven.

Bummer, I like to keep our veterans around, but Espino and Sandlin both were unlikely to have an active role and became too expensive...

Coming in is rookie long snapper Harris Custer. I'm expecting him to beat the veteran Sebastian Garner that we signed as a free agent.

Richie Piotte signed a new contract, meaning one of our two hold outs is back on the training field. Darien Fletcher declined my very generous offer, on to offer number three we go, because we can't afford to give him what he's asking straight up.

Training Camp results are also in, players that made good progress: wide receiver Vinny Buysse (always a relief to see our first round on this list), undrafted rookie punter Trenton Sinclair, undrafted rookie linebacker Trey Ford. Secodd tier: fullback Damien Wanamaker (ready to play now?), guard Ronald Staigvil (our first round pick last season), defensive end Robbie Dobreski (could he be for real?), cornerback Omar Leszynski and rookie safety Blaine Wright. Third tier: rookie quarterback Bill Benson (nice, but I doubt he'll make the team), rookie running back Dashawn McIntyre, undrafted rookie tight end Wendell Borders (he's going to make the team), tight end Myron Lofton and tackle Dusty Webster.

Right now, I have to figure out which 6 players won't make our pre-season roster.