Blue In BC

The 2026 SMS increased by the $400K that was implemented in 2025. Most teams didn't get a chance to spend all that was available last year. Regardless the new SMS is being spent on some players being re-signed to higher level contracts.

Some RB's also are very good returners / receivers. However as you pointed out a DB or WR COULD have more value as depth whether or not Vaval is lost for the season. Peterson is our depth at RB but it seems we bring in an import every TC just to have a look see.

Not sure about Logan. His SMS was reported at $107K. Obviously if Vaval comes back then we're looking for a PR player as injury insurance and development on an ELC. Saving $26K on Logan not a big deal but we don't know if he's asking for more either. There will always be DB's, receivers looking to win a spot that includes depth as a returner. A few players coming off serious season ending injury: Streveler, Schoen, Case and Bonds to name a few. I'm not expecting any of them back but we'll see if that happens or not. A few players like Hallett and Gauthier might not be extended. Both still good on ST's but we added Ball and 3 LB's in the draft to take on those roles. Overall we added 3 LB's, 1 DB, 1 receiver and 1 OL from the 2025 draft. Some SMS savings potentially. 2026 draft will add some new players to the roster and room will need to be made. However younger and ELC options is an annual situation.

The increase in 2025 was due to revenue increase over more than 1 season IIRC. I don't see a further increase in 2026 of that magnitude. I do think most teams ended up with some SMS left from 2025 that has been used to re-sign some top talent. That will make it interesting to see how they spend the increase for 2026 after signing some of top talent already.

Like all questions it depends on what their SMS hit would be if they reach free agency.

Going up over the previous $400K increase or just the teams now using that on re-signing of players?

In the words of O'Shea, everyone is a starter. We rotate players on defence every play it seems. Who gets how many reps may depend on defensive formations, health of players at a given position, or even the opponent. If you believe GCn20, he's not a good starting MLB. By definition then he's depth. If you believe the Lions, then he is a at best, the starter, at worst he's depth. There are only 9 teams and obviously the Als were no longer interested. A combination of SMS, age and ratio? Not every team is going to make free agent acquisitions at the LB position. Those that do might only be looking at depth spots. IMO he's better than GCn20 suggested but does have similar limitations as T.Jones. Neither is A. Bighill in his prime.

He could be a trade asset if he really doesn't want to play in Winnipeg.

We don't know how much Sankey would cost. The issue is depth. Who do we have that is better in pass coverage behind T. Jones or for that matter as run stopping? There is hope the Canadian LB's take up the slack, but I don't know if Ayers fills either of those needs or will even return in 2026. J. Jones was signed as depth in 2025 and obviously released before the end of the season. Noting that Sankey did very well in Montreal and obviously the Lions were impressed enough to add him to their roster. I never said to replace T. Jones but suggested Sankey as depth ( a DI ) to rotate and fill in for in game injury situations. It really depends on what the Canadians will bring in their 2nd season. I'm not entirely impressed with T. Jones as a complete MLB. Our run defence was problematic at times.

Is Lofton better than Randolph? IDK, maybe he is but he's a free agent coming off a season ending injury. I don't know when he'll be healthy to play or if he can attend TC. I wasn't expecting him back considering all the import OL signed recently. Adding an import RB on the AR costs us a DI and that is not likely unless he's the returner ( Logan if Vaval doesn't return ). We could add one on the PR as well. We haven't added any import RB since the end of the season. That may be telling whether we stick with a Canadian back up as the primary in game situation. We missed adding Sankey but his SMS might have been expensive. Not sure how the Lions managed that.

I agree 100%. The limit in my mind is the same and I'd go so far as reducing what he got in 2025. He was $80K more than the next well paid RB.

C'mon. Those 3 aren't earning a combined $500K. Closer to $375K-$400K range. Even if that were true, you have to replace them with 3 other players. On ELC's that's still $74K per player. ME too. IMO Logan, Schoen and Mitchell shouldn't be back.

IDK. He's only played in 60 games and not all of them as a starter. The Elks have not been a good team until the last half of 2025 and Faj was the starter. For back up money and not having to trade a significant asset for him, he's a maybe. Calvillo wasn't a very good QB until he became the back up for T. Ham then he developed. It does take a good team to surround a QB so it's not all on him. It wasn't until AC's 6th season before he threw for more TD's than int's. Hamilton essentially let him leave Hamilton after 3 seasons of marginal success.

Interesting thought.

You can't just sit Thomas in order to add Adams without changing the ratio somewhere else. I would have preferred two import DT's rather than what we did. Whether we had better import talent is a question and what we did to find that during TC is another. Regardless we've heard many thoughts about adding that 2nd import DT at the cost of Ayers for example and it was continually shot down by a few. Ayers is a good ST player but it's the trade off on the roster when choosing the DI's. The number of imports on the roster is a constant whether you start 7, 8 or 9 Canadians.

In theory he could be a Bomber for some time. OTOH, he might decide to use his NFL option window for another shot down south. We'd lose him for a 1/2 season or longer possibly. Woodbey might be another player interested in trying again. I'm not saying their play has necessarily attracted a lot of NFL interest but that doesn't stop them from signing some TC deal.

I'm guessing he sticks on the AR as the replacement for Person in the play offs. Jaworski looked like he has some talent and Bailey as well. In theory we could add Bailey but I don't know which Canadian we'd take off with the regulars coming back next week.

Finish in 1st and then you get a home game and a chance to rest veterans. There is no guarantee we don't suffer serious injury in any game even if we sit a few starters. It only takes one play. Oliveria got injured on the 4th play of his 1st game this year. I should point out we rested many veterans to end the last 3 seasons, still ended up with critical injuries and lost 3 Grey Cups in a row. When you play scared you end up losing. A handful of Bomber fans on the road is always a good thing.

Are we actually going to make two changes in the secondary with PR DB's at the same time we don't dress Kramdi and put Person on the PR? Anyone know whether these DB's are DHB's or CB's?

A better record. Respect for playing to win. Momentum. More Bomber fans will attend games in Calgary, Regina or Vancouver than Montreal or Hamilton. It shouldn't be necessary to explain this to you.

That may be true but we're better served in him not being limited to any specific role and removing Parker or Houston to get him on the AR. Vaval is more likely to fill an in game injury at CB than Griffin IMO. That's not a bad thing or a knock, just a recognition of his versatility. Yes I'd remove Ayers to get him on but O'Shea won't. It might be moot because Woods is nicked and might not play this week.

Nope. Griffin is needed but he won't start at CB. That's not his role. I noticed Woods is nicked so he'd seem the logical choice unless O'Shea finally moves Ayers off the AR. Not sure what the deal with the receivers is with Echols in with the 1st string. Since 3rd place is still in the cards until the Lions play after us, this is not a game to play a bunchof PR players.

Not true. We have the season series against the Lions so we only have to tie them. Stamps should beat the Elks so that would be a tie for 2nd place possibly on the line. Will the Lions beat the Riders on the road? Riders most likely resting starters again, so it looks like a cakce walk for them. The problem is that they play after we play, so it needs to be full steam ahead and let the chips fall where they may. Laughable

For some reason O'Shea refuses to consider taking Ayers off the roster. That would my 1st choice to have 2 import DT's. Unfortunately Person is the only other alternative switch and that is not happening either. Last time we played the TiCats we gave up 160 yards rushing. Let's see if just adding Woods in rotation improves that and results in a win.

I don't entirely disagree. If we took Person off and added Bailey and used the extra DI spot for Adams I'd be happy with that. The catch is that we're not deep at DE so that's the only other option with Bailey taking on some reps there. I don't think Person has been invisible per se. Not recording stats but he has applied some pressure and added contain responsibilities. Two DT's in 10 games is not overwhelming success though.