M.Silverback

Zylstra is on the bubble in Minnesota. Hope for his sake he makes the roster, but, he's high on my Bomber wish list, even with our improved receiver depth. 

Agree. The big thing to consider is the next Nichols contract. Riding out 2020 with his $400K deal is still pretty good from a pure dollars perspective. But, there's no way I'd be willing to pay Mike Reilly or BLM money for him the year after. So, might be best to move on from him regardless of the outcome this year, and pass the torch to Streveler or some other lower priced option with potential.  

This is gonna be a tough choice for the Bombers. Nichols has shown that he can win, albeit inconsistently.  Streveler has shown that he has the tools but lacks the experience and under O'Shea and LaPolice, he may not get it in Winnipeg. We cannot expect Streveler to bide his time endlessly waiting for his opportunity, so the most likely scenario is that the Bombers will trade one or the other, and I am personally leaning towards keeping Streveler.

I reluctantly agree. You can't blame losing on one person but it would be hard to go forward with Nichols if he doesn't play well in the playoffs and we lose. 

The other side of the coin regarding Nichols/Streveler... is what if we don't win the Cup...That will put a whole new look on the quarterbacking situation in this town...Coming up empty year after year running Nichols as your no1 ain't gonna wash...I'm a positive thinker and I think we have the team to win it all this year....but there will be a lot of assessment at years end if we don't....In that case I say we definitely keep Streve...... Nichols....wellll the jury will be out

Most of the time its politics and image.
If a draft pick is battling with a CFL guy and even not as good..they will be elevated above the CFL guy..its just how it works...not right but picks have to be justified.
 

Duke would be an awesome addition for any CFL team. I have a feeling though that he may stick around the NFL this year, even if it's on a practice roster. Zylstra I think is on his last chance in the NFL. He's talented enough, I just think that if he can't crack the roster this year and actually play (he only had one reception last season, and played special teams), I think the Vikings will move on from him and keep one of the players they drafted low in his place.
Related to that, I highly recommend listening to Adam Bighill on the 3downnation podcast talking about CFL players trying to make NFL teams. In short, it's an uphill battle for so many reasons that don't necessarily have to do with talent.
 
 
 

Duke would be an awesome addition for any CFL team. I have a feeling though that he may stick around the NFL this year, even if it's on a practice roster. Zylstra I think is on his last chance in the NFL. He's talented enough, I just think that if he can't crack the roster this year and actually play (he only had one reception last season, and played special teams), I think the Vikings will move on from him and keep one of the players they drafted low in his place.
Related to that, I highly recommend listening to Adam Bighill on the 3downnation podcast talking about CFL players trying to make NFL teams. In short, it's an uphill battle for so many reasons that don't necessarily have to do with talent.
 
 
 

Zylstra and duke are guys who would improve every team in the league. 
 

Zylstra is on the bubble in Minnesota. Hope for his sake he makes the roster, but, he's high on my Bomber wish list, even with our improved receiver depth. 

I don't even consider safety a weak spot..the position itself as named basically is your safety net in the back-end..so a smart guy who doesn't try to be a world beater and just plays within the system will be fine...when's the last time in the CFL that a safety was the lynchpin of a super defense...the main reason for it??..ummm...never
With our d-line..Bighill..and our 2 halfbacks..Sayles who I think was a gem unearthed and Alexander now in his 3rd year and as solid as HB come in the league, our safety just needs to survey the scene and come in and clean up the garbage, or add to the carnage the rest of this defense I believe will be laying on teams.
I'm super excited to see what the Jeffs and Richardson and Nevis are going to create, if it's what i think our blitz packages are going to be unreal and even though Reilly is a tough SOB to bring down and sack I can see 5 sacks coming tonight
 

Walters press conference for one...he is related to Mcmanus wife's family..they have talked to him a lot..he has expressed desire to play again...and is excited it's Winnipeg as he has some family ties to here as well...not verbatim but close enough to what he said

I really don't expect the ratio to change for this year.  I expect that it would be phased in over a period of time.  The teams have already committed a lot of cash to players believing that they needed 7 starting Canadians.  A number of teams would want to take a mulligan on free agency, if that is the case. 

Well put. John Hodge, or anyone, suggesting that we should re-stock the Canadian OL shelf with one of the first round picks makes perfect sense. We did lose two Canadian all star OL. And, because of Kyle Walters' strategy of drafting OL, it looks like we will have capable players stepping into those spots. But, you should never stop drafting quality Canadians on the OL. Particularly if the CFL does change the ratio from 7 to 5 nationals. The two US players potentially stepping into the line up are not likely to be OL. CFL teams will always think OL first in terms of the ratio. Foolish not to. 

Fair to say the OL will probably take a bit of a step back after losing Goossen and Chungh... they were both really, really good.  I don't expect Couture and Gray to immediately be at their level but at least Couture has been around for years already and Gray is an A+ prospect.  Speller and Foketi also provide some options.  It could be a lot worse.  I still expect us to take an OL at 4 or 5.

The playoff win in Sask bought this coaching regime another season, like it or not. Given the expiring CBA, massive free agency on every team, the AAF impact, it’s going to be a very interesting off season and 2019.

400k for Nichols aint worth it. 

If somebody like Reilly is available you go after him.  But ultimately we have to stick with what we have at qb.  Either Nichols or Steveler.  This team has a bright future with the new leagues coming in.  The cfl will weight more heavily towards Canadian talent and Winnipeg leads the league in this area and will only get better with two first round picks including 3rd overall.

Name to consider also with Bombers having multiple first rounders is Brady Oliveria RB from Winnipeg playing at UND.

The contrast with Johnny Football is quite stark.

That in itself for what he has produced straight out of College while learning the Canadian game is pretty amazing truth be told...

I can't stand cocky backup quarterbacks who produce 18 TD's (10 pass, 8 rush) in limited action.......