[MIJB#19]

General Manager Notes: Six out for the 2106 pre-season roster

The position battles are slowly taking shape. To get our roster pre-season ready, we had to release 6 of the 66 players on team. At five positions we trimmed down. Undrafted rookies QB Dalton Burin, RB Rufus McDonald and WR Cory Mattox were the easiest cuts. It means our QB roster spot battle isn't over yet, but has one candidate less. At RB the battle could be over, unless one of the returning players falls apart in pre-season. Mattox was the a longshot to make the team already, despite his promising route running skills.

P Dana Louis and P Mack Nelson both are victims of the signing of two-time All IHOF second teamer Jimmy Summers. Louis played admirably well the last two seasons, while Nelson was our 3rd round pick and I held out hopes he could improve this off-season.

G Kenyon Helm was the first, and probably not last, cut on the offensive line. A trade acquisition in the 2105 off-season, he showed up completely out of shape after our first pre-season game then. This off-season initially we extended through 2107, but then we drafted G Anders Uwaezuoke and picked up G Nathaniel Robbins to at minimum mentor the rookie.

We're now back up to $25M in cap space, which we're going to need if we decide that we want to extend the contracts of QB Evan Drake, MLB Gus Coleman and CB Otis Hane, amongst others. But, that's something to investigate after the first couple of pre-season games...