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I don't bother looking at the FA lists until a week before the end of FA season. Most of them will be re-signed by their own clubs.

I'm sorry but our roster for the Grey Cup was a clusterfuck.

It would be interesting for sure. I just have a sneaking suspicion that Strev may come home at a discount for us unless someone throws legit starter money at him.

Twenty nine regular season wins in the last 2 seasons. Then factor in the playoffs & it's 31. What qb in recent memory comes even close to that stat?? Cracks? There are no cracks. We have a HC who squanders games with his crazy as hell use of the roster. We have a DC who blitzes into brick walls of blocking. keeps doing it even when it doesn't work. Plays cover zero on the goal line. Yet, it's somehow Collaros showing cracks????

Anyone who didn't see cracks start to emerge in Collaros wasn't paying attention and at his age it is totally valid to question how much longer he can be at that level. Especially when he has a top 2 biggest salary in the league.

Hype doesn't matter if the cash flows do not exist to operate teams. The league will be operating them or folding them as we've seen repeatedly in the history of this league. I'm not sure why seeking out a 10th market that would be in this position almost from the jump is celebrated by so many. BC, Montreal, Calgary, Hamilton, Toronto right now only exist as long as their owners accept negative cash flows....meaning the revenue possible from operations cannot cover the operation of the franchise currently. These franchises have spent 30+ years in this pool of red ink. Edmonton is there too right now although they historically have not been. There's a **** load of work to do in existing markets. It's laughable that a CFL commissioner with a league in the state it is currently would be spending a single minute thinking about expansion, particularly when there is no money behind it.

Bombers like spread out signing announcements throughout the off-season to keep fan engagement somewhat alive.

For cripes sake ....has anyone forgotten who Buck and the other defectors would be working for...That would be O'Daisie who has been the author of Regina's last few years of futility....Can't see any of the guys mentioned wanting to go down that road BUT money talks ...We'll see

I think Brown has a good chance to be a high caliber qb. But...did anyone expect Zach to say something else about him? Why are some taking it as gospel that Brown is the next coming. Lol. Like what team have we been watching? Players will never throw anyone under any kind of bus anytime. Ever...Zach was as much playing the media as he was complimenting Brown.

It's Rider fan speculation and wet dreaming. Hell, we gave Ottawa permission to talk to Buck last year and he flat out told them he wasn't interested. We have no idea if he is even interested in the Rider job. It would not shock me to see Richie retire this offseason and Younger is our man here. Would Younger leave Winnipeg for the Riders for the same job, I very much doubt it.

Zach. Anyway, it is fine to wonder how much longer he can continue to be the best QB in the league (and he was last year). Say what you want about 2021 - he had a great 4th quarter and OT. He was also injured in the Cup last year - but let’s hold that against him. Did anyone want Brown or Prukop starting that game? I didn’t. His “off years” for us has been the top QB in the league and going to Grey Cups. He has also stayed healthy for the most part.

I suspect this week we will be hearing noise on that front.

How much did injuries play in the lack of a passing game? I'd say a lot. Now, blame MOS for not bringing in any wide receivers to be ready to go when needed. That's on him. BOO & Ambles never played. Why? Instead, we had Schoen who couldn't jump, cut or pull away on his routes & an injured Nic Demski. They really weren't difference makers but Osh played them anyway. I blame him for our passing woes as he's the HC. The final decisions on personnel are all his.

For past couple regular seasons (let alone playoffs) ZC hasn't passed the eye test. Stats-wise, OK, fine. But he's been very inconsistent - are you going to get the good Zach or bad Zach? Downward trajectory especially noticeable when he came back after sitting out couple games with a neck injury Game 10 thanks to what should've been RP by Elks Kony Ealy. But even prior to that Zach was very hot/cold in my opinion. It looked like Buck might've adjusted the playbook after that - taking a more conservative game manager approach that doesn't exactly suit Collaros's style. But it also seemed Zach was taking longer than normal to process things. That could be why Dru Brown had such brilliant success in relief. Much quicker processing time, quicker release, high velocity throws.

How big is that stinker goal that Brossoit let in now. Jeez.

2001 for sure. For fun. 93/94 had an equal or arguably better top end set of skill players. David Williams and Alfred Jackson were an amazing 1-2. I’d argue equal to Schoen/Lawler. Brady > Blaze Bryant/Richardson The depth kind of sucked back then though. Think Allan Boyko and Jamie Holland vs Bailey and Woli. I’d rank it 01-02, 23, 92-94

I find it hilarious that you break down Collaros's playoff numbers in isolation while suggesting Kelly is his equal after maybe the worst playoff performance in a generation. You point to playoffs ONLY as an indicator of next year's performance for Collaros but if that is the case the two guys you say may surpass him should be cut this offseason based on beyond horrible playoff performances themselves. That's the danger of cherry picking games to support your argument..it doesn't show the full body of work. Qbs rarely are stellar in the playoffs. That's just a function of defences playing harder and cold weather. Zac was the best QB in the CFL this year and there is more reason to believe VA and CK will regress than ZC.

A Strev Brown combo would work real well actually....pay em both 300k...with start bonuses...and a few incentives.....Sign a rookie entry level guy for the 3rd string spot...would be a net savings overall.....And I'd run multiple combos and sets all game with both on the field at once...Strev in back field...TE...run option with both them....could really create a lot of havoc....Get in his ear now about a contract....and if you get it done you send ZC to the Hammer for their Bennett (or at least the rights to deal with him before FA)...Toss in Erlington an a pick an we forge on

Getting ranked 3rd overall is pretty impressive considering they has us at 422th (out of 439) for climate. We must have done really well in the other categories!

Doubtful. We had mostly 2nd and short thanks to Oliveira - that kind of outstanding ground game makes things hugely easier for your QB. Less is required of him. One could argue BO's routine 6-9 yards gains masked Collaros's shortcomings. Collaros also benefitted from tossing to the best receiving crew in the CFL. That won't necessarily be so next year and that handicap really showed in the Big Game. To me, for whatever reason, Collaros looks like he's routinely facing indecision in the first couple of seconds post-snap. Lot's of folks said he often looked like a deer in the headlights. Why? Because he's taking off to scramble too soon. Why is that happening? Because he's taking too long to process things. Just my opinion but Brown is the better QB right now because, after 3 years in this offence, he makes faster decisions and can put that football at high velocity exactly where it needs to go.

Brossy starts in net

well....8...Biggie and Schoen for sure...But Bailey and Demski were far far from being effective and able to run all the plays...we hand-cuffed our selves big time...Then factor in the uselesness of Jackson....Omitting Rose off the roster....Bennett who hardly saw field..Thomas...Thats 8 of your 46 who were handicapping us...Thats messed up anyway u slice and dice it

A guy leaving one place just cant take dudes with him...not how that works.....

It came from Justin Dunk, originally. Obviously I have always expected Younger to be the heir apparent, but If Hall isn't retiring this year, I don't know why Younger wouldn't take the opportunity to take the promotion. That said, I feel like Buck isn't even O'Days first choice. So we'll see if Buck is even given the choice to accept or refuse.

Pay raise, plus it's sort of a free-hit, isn't it? Like, if they take a year or two to rebuild, nobody will be looking to fire them so long as there's a process in place that gives the Riders a chance to improve year-on-year. Bigger paycheque and lower expectations is a nice combo to offer a candidate.

What else would he say? I’m sure he’d say Prukop could be a starter too.

It would be interesting to see Streveler and Brown starting somewhere else next year.

Please compare stat lines between the first two Grey Cup wins and the next two losses. Virtually identical. We neither won nor lost cups because of Zac Collaros. He did give us our best chance to win in all 4 tho. We will not be keeping Brown unless no one wants him to compete as their starter. We need to be realistic. We have the league's best QB under contract for the next 2 years with a very significant amount of that contract guaranteed. We couldn't move on from Collaros if we wanted to without severely damaging our SMS. I mean let's be real here people, Brown MIGHT BE a good QB starter someday, and Collaros IS UNQUESTIONABLY a good QB starter right now. The CFL salary structure is not built to be looking long game 2-3 years down the road. This isn't the NHL. Contracts are one year, sometimes 2, very occasionally 3 for a select few. You go with who will give you the best chance to win THIS year. That is Collaros.

We will have a GM in the very near future I would think.

Good Zach or bad Zach? CoFaj was better than Zach when it mattered? This fanbase deserves a qb worse than Taylor Cornelius so badly. I hope we get it real soon, go 3-15 just to shut up the naysayers who'll then be longing for the Good Old Days of today. I've never read such drivel here before. Was Zach on the field when our secondary looked like swiss cheese on that final drive? Did Zach call a Cover Zero defense on thre goalline that final play? Does Zach play favourites politically with the roster?? Did Zach dress Adam Bighill just so he'd get his name on the GC if we won? He must as he's at fault for everything else, it seems.

How much of Dru Brown's success is just teams not having a ton of tape on him? That is huge. We criticize Zac for inconsistency but in the games he was inconsistent was when his OL was getting bettered by the opposition. Did he try too hard to force some things sometimes this year. I think so. I am super unclear how a guy with a QB rating over the season of around 110 can be labelled as inconsistent though. I just think that as a fan base we tend to have selective memory of the past and we are holding him up to the standard of a QB we have romanticized in our heads. Go the game by game logs of 2021 or 2022 he`s had non descript games in every season he is here and I would argue that most if not all QBs have in the modern era. ALL QBs numbers go noticeably down after Labor Day. Every year. Defences catch up to offences...that`s just football. Fact of the matter is that defences were solid all around the league this year and nobody played better against them than Zac.

Despite a lot of people thinking we are somehow not attractive anymore and our team is falling apart, basically every marquee guy interviewed stated they want to be back, Exactly. The ones who aren't are the break out guys that are gonna get HUGE raises because they are now top tier players or players we are willing to risk to FA. No team let's their reasonable priced high end talent walk out the door if they can avoid it.

Cofaj was better than Zach when it mattered.

We are a conundrum.

Please show me the stat lines where Zac turned the ball over 9 times, or passed for 3 yards in the first half of a playoff game? If you are talking about the regular season then don't use playoffs as your metric. Zac hasn't put up hall of fame numbers in the playoffs but he hasn't really played badly either until this year's Grey Cup, and that really wasn't terrible either. He was asked to game manage and he did. It was actually when he tried to open it up that it cost us. Bottom line is Zac was the best QB in the CFL last year. The numbers prove it. If you want to move the goal posts to the playoffs to determine who was the best QB last year.....still Zac....and yes, I firmly and strongly believe he is the least likely to regress next year out of the top 3. Kelly looks to be mentally fragile, I think the book is out on him now and Vernon Adams has been wildly inconsistent his entire career and I don't see that changing. What has Zac done? Nothing but win 2xMOP and then be the league's top QB for a third year in a row. That' s consistency I am willing to bank on. You talk like 36 is ancient for a QB, and it's not. Other football positions sure...but not QB.

I'm feeling pretty decent now. Cough is gone. Decongestion getting better. No fever. I'm still extremely tired but considering how I felt a few days ago, I seem to be doing okay. Hopefully, I don't have a relapse.

That's a big maybe. 93/94 with Dunigan healthy And for sure 2001

It'll thrill you to know Rider fans are in an orgasmic tizzy over Buck becoming HC and bringing Younger and Dru Brown along with him.

Zach has had a couple of those type stat lines in the last two seasons. Kelly carried the way to a win in the gc, some thing Zach hasn’t. The three are absolutely in the same tier. The top tier of qbing in the cfl is not elite. No qb right now is. Any thing could happen to any of them. Play off performance isn’t cherry picking. Especially over 4 years. Cole weather? What cold weather game did Zach play this year? Defences aren’t better, you just don’t get to beat up on bad teams or teams in a bad spot. vaj improved this year again. He is still a very flawed qb but no question he improved. Zach has taken a step back for the second consecutive year and is going it be 36 next year. If you think that equals Zach being less likely to regress you’ve lost it bud. Agree. I think if you tell brown he goes into camp to fight against strevy for starter he’s willing to take a far more team friendly deal. Normally I’d say nothing will happen vets make the rules on mos teams. But as some one pointed out Willy was mos’ boy through and through. So was Nichols and big Chris. I think it’s more likely than most vets that he pulls the trigger. Though I think that’d be next year in season which could well be too late. Idk with Zach bouncing back. Eli would be a big quality of life improvement. I don’t think even Zach would know if he would have another bounce back in him or not. Ol being better would be huge. At the same time he had the greatest skill group surrounding him this last year that a bomber QB has maybe ever had. Lawler schoen Brady Demski bailey woli is insane. If he had a 2021 ol and half the threats would he improve?

I cant imagine a worse scenario than having Dru go on to be a dominant qb in another organization. We need to find a way to keep him.

Also- As much as I’m in the keep Brown camp, I understand the difference between what I want vs what will actually happen. I’ve been thinking about Collaros. It would be really nice to see how much of a difference in play there would be if the center wasn’t regularly in his lap. Watched some season highlights over the last few days. Hate to harp on the same guy, but man did that OL ever look weaker in pass pro with Kolo in there. Could have been a bigger issue than we realize.

Ok good. If Buck moves on I want a clean break from residual Lapo with a new system, never mind the man himself coming back. I’m sure he’s a hell of a nice guy but the Lapo offence definitely has a ceiling. Every year since 2016 whoever our OC is gets penciled in for the Sask job. I’ll believe it when I see it. If anything, the job in Ottawa seems more appealing but I really don’t see Buck leaving here. If we’re going to lose an assistant hypothetically, it’s Jordan Younger I’d be most unhappy about.

If you are talking about Dru, I don’t think the money is the issue at this point. Dru's ready to lead a team. I think at juncture in his career he will prioritize being the starter over money.

$$

Buck to sask? Why would he do that? The team sucks

The difference being that playcalling is what Lapo sucks at! Which is why I don't want him back.

Despite the cost it is the right answer. 3 or 4 Billion to move it now or 700 Million for Arlington Bridge and then 1.5B for Slaw Rebchuk and on and on in to the future. The possible economic boon from the area currently covered by the rail yard was estimated at 4 or 5 times the cost of moving it (if my memory is correct). How many housing units could be built on that land (after remediation) and the societal gains from removing the division between the North and the rest of the city would have a value as well, but I have no idea how to place an amount on it. We need to get past doing the cheapest right now and start doing the best for ever solution.

This is going to be an ongoing issue with both the expansion of NFL PR's and drop of eligibility restrictions combined with CFL starting season earlier leaving fewer game cheques for guys who return. In Ford's case the amount he could have made joining the Bombers in mid-September would be dwarfed by a couple/3 weeks on a NFL PR. Plus the timing of the CFL offseason really hamstrings guys trying to stay in contention to make NFL teams for the next season. Really if he came back this season that's a career long decision not a 2023 decision. They have a lot of work to do to make navigating this more pleasant for guys to come back at the moment.

Edmonton and Calgary are going to be flash points for the league very shortly. Disappointing how nonchalant Ambrosie is toward the strife in these markets. Facility issues there are huge. No use pining after a 10th market.