[MIJB#19]

General Manager Notes: Tradeaholic at work
Yeah, like, nobody saw that coming...

We struck a deal with division rivals Gothenburg Giants for their 3rd and 5th round picks next draft in exchange for the #78 overall pick in the ongoing 2104 draft. We also dealt the #110 overall pick to the Toronto Lake Monsters for their 4th in 2105. And we're awaiting confirmation on a deal that would send the #96 overall pick elsewhere for yet another 3rd rounder in the next draft.

The bummers of the off-season so far have been the contracts that were turned down by free agents we tried to sign. G Lance Gryboski, a 5th year pro and former #10 overall pick, decided to stick with his original team the Capital City Blues. CB Sebastian Ogden, recently released by the Iowa Cobbers and a 10th season veteran, took $100M signing bonus to play for the Gothenburg Giants. And DE Mo Milton, previous with the Paris Musketeers and recovering from a severe groin injury, he took a slightly better offer from the Orlando Talons.

We did manage to sign C Elijah Cyr, a 14th season veteran, possibly the best run blocker in the business and all around a solid lineman. We gave him a good 2-year deal, that apparently makes him the best paid center in the league, which he certainly deserves to be.

In the renegotiations department of news stories, we've been quite quiet as we're still more than $50M on the good side of the salary cap figure. We increased our figure by agreeing terms with WR Calvin Maxwell on a new 5-year deal, including a new $50M signing bonus. It actually makes WR Vinny Buysse slightly higher paid for the upcoming season, unless we rework his contract later on.

Our negotiations with QB Earnest Ashley have been kind of okay, despite that we failed to agree to terms. To my own surprise, Ashley is unhappy, but apparently still willing to talk with me about a new deal. His demands are reasonable for a starting caliber quarterback that isn't guaranteed to be the starter. He's willing to give in about $18M of his salary cap figure, which at $75M is the highest on the roster. Being in the final year of contract, obviously I want to lock him up, if the price is right and if I feel that he could be our starter again at some point during that new contract. He turned down a fair offer of $110M over 4 years and on the second attempt a $83M over 3 years deal. We'll get back to him, but unless we quickly need cap space, it will likely have to wait until mid-pre-season.