M.Silverback

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.......

Hope so. His national status means he’s valuable in the CFL and should get paid. My worry is I think he has the same Minneapolis based agent as Zylstra and Thielen. Might get talked into giving the AAF a shot as a step towards an NFL look. But, I have no idea how US agents view the AAF. Some well connected football types running it though 

Minimum salary AAF: $75,000 USD, which translates to about $97,000 CAD
Minimum salary CFL: $54,000 CAD
Even though the AAF is unproven, you can't blame players for seeking employment elsewhere where the pay is almost 80% more. It'll be interesting to see how the existence of the AAF will impact the upcoming CBA negotiations between CFL/CFLPA for the 2019 season.
 

If this new league can prove to be sustainable over 2-3 years the CFL will take a big hit with their Imports but it won't pave the road to a NFL career anymore than the CFL currently does.  For mid-level talent players like Wolitarsky and others choosing to play in this new league will come down to $$ and preferred location, for un-drafted graduates of US College football or recent NFL cuts it will probably supplant the CFL as the most obvious destination to pursue their careers. 
One thing the CFL can do to combat the outflow is ensure all of their player facilities and benefits are top of the line and each team's football program is run at a high professional standard across the league.  Making the CFL a "nice place" to play football will go a long way to retaining vets. who have already given the NFL a go and are happy to play professional football in a good environment.

This is why any new money added to the salary cap should be spent on raising the minimum salary. Since the last deal most of it has likely gone to Canadians and quarterbacks, which isn't going to help recruit talent from down south.