JuranBoldenRules

This might be the biggest overstatement in headline form of the year so far. Guy who never played and more likely than not couldn't play leaves a hole? He's no better than anyone they bring up from US for camp.

UFL camp rosters set on 14th, camp starts on 24th. Think a few guys might be headed that way.

Real life came into play. Good on the Bombers. Guy has been so-so and has a bum wheel. Look for bargain vet and have 5-6 guys compete in camp.

Stanback does not seem like a good fit in BC to me. Would prefer a guy who can do anything in pass game, including blocking, if I were them. He's not good enough with the ball to be shitty otherwise anymore. Think of how much Montreal used Antwi to cover up on pass downs the past 2 seasons. BC will need another back.

That's not a position I'd care to spend at unless the player is exceptional. Thurman isn't. The difference between him and say a Malik Clements is negligible in terms of winning.

Highest paid DB in league until J Peters signs. Don't think Adeleke will get there on this contract.

Ronnie Brown out of Sheperd is a pretty nuts D2 guy too Bombers have signed for camp. Senior season,8.5 yards per carry , 9 100 yard rushing games, 3 200 plus yard rushing game, exactly 3000 all purpose yards 24 total TDs in 15 games, so 200 yards per game average. Junior season 9 ypc too with fewer touches. Not big, not fast but fast enough 4.6 range but did everything. Runs routes too, not just static receptions, catching on the run, downfield.

Have the guy from Rutgers/Wisconsin too who is a return threat and played all over offensively, slot, tailback, even wildcat QB. Piled up yards offensively and generally. Would be nice if going import tailback to have a backup who can play some receiver too, return punts. Would be nice even if Oliviera is back to have a guy like that in a DI spot. Grant could run the odd jet sweep but he really wasn't a competent receiver or a guy who could take the ball from tailback spot...or block from backfield.

We've basically lost a OL each year from this group either retirement or free agency since Bryant came in. I expect them to add a veteran interior type guy (Gray or another) and have a lot of competition for RT, some experienced some less experienced. I don't foresee any draft picks being immediate players this year at OL aside from guys who go south. That would be a bonus to land someone like that. Can't count on it.

Hardrick could barely get himself into a stance for large chunks of last season and was just getting beat by speed constantly. In a 18+ game league, don't mind watching him walk.

Yeah can only go NFL.

You're missing the point that every time the NFL and NHL have increased their cap number the teams have just left that amount as open space. NFL players still make $70,000 like it's 1992. But they have so much cap space. I can tell you are not an accountant LOL. The same issues remain for teams trying to retain or attract top level players. Those players set their price. Sure a few of them might end up without dance partners in the end. The agents know how much money teams have to spend. When it comes down to it and a team is trying to pry a guy off his current team, what is the attraction? Money. Current team steps up to keep the guy or lets him walk. Repeat this with 5-10 free agents per team per year. And your "extra" cap space is kaput. It's just normal now. But the QB doesn't count so you've created a market there where they highest willing bidder will get the guy. So maybe a guy like Brown gets $600,000 on this deal so someone blows up the market to make sure they get him. This is what the 90s and 2000s were like. We've lived it. The revenue can't sustain it. Every single time the cap goes up in either hard capped (NFL, MLB with CBT luxury tax) or soft cap leagues (like CFL, NFL,NBA) the average salaries go up to meet that number. Every single time. That's why some guys are called value if they signed long-term 3 cap increment raises ago. Like how Schiefele was on his current deal.

Behar would basically be BOLO replacement. If you're signing guys like Schoen and Oliviera that's a rookies job.

The more money they have to offer the more money players expect to get paid. I gave you an example of how that money goes away. You have 20 other guys who expect 20-25,000 more on every team as it opens up. That's exactly what happened when the CFL had the QB exemption in the 90s and early 2000s and why the BOG went to this salary system that counts the QB. They had this in the 90s and early 2000s. The league almost went under.

They should just let it fall into ruins. Could build a great stadium for part of that cost just to make sure this one doesn't collapse on itself.

I tend to agree with this. It will just shift the market IE you'll have more $200,000 receivers and a few more elite defenders making in that range. Sort of like the reality that adding more lanes to a road doesn't alleviate congestion. The CFL did have this rule with the enforced cap in the 90s and into 2000s. The BOG moved away from it in 2006. It is a soft cap. A team like the Bombers can probably budget an extra 10% for 6 game time. The whole market shifts though. Agents aren't ignorant. Say someone like Jefferson. Instead of $165,000 he's setting his market at $190,000. Times that 15-20% by every spot but rookies on the roster and there goes the extra cap space from your exempt player.

Think about it this way. We won Grey Cups with Lawler as our #1, Demski, Adams, Wolitarsky, Bailey. We haven't won anything without Harris. Since Oliviera and Schoen came in, we've faltered both times in November. They can get it done without either. I'd say looking at the landscape, it will be a lot harder to replace the overall game of Oliviera, especially what he brings to the pass game. Think about 2022, brought in a guy like Ellingson who was always dinged but produced at like a 1400 yard pace when he did play. There's more guys like that around than complete every down backs. You get into a bit of a ratio mess if you need to start dressing 2-3 backs to cover off what you need. Augustine could maybe be one of those guys.

Problem is that goes both ways with Bede, especially if he's punting. He's very slow as a punter.

Really like this one^. Hard to imagine anyone being as explosive as Grant, but this guy is a legit offensive player and has some chops on returns. Could be the overall player they wanted Grant to be. Wisconsin used him lots as a gadget guy, wildcat QB and Rutgers used him as a legit receiver with some of the Jet stuff too.

Both are rush ends. Kongbo has a bit more range to play the field side if needed sometimes.

But then on O or D he only played in one spot...that he was converted to and had never played before he got here....didn't even play there in training camp or pre-season. They liked him on special teams but his athletic limitations meant he only had utility in pretty limited spots on cover team and all return teams. Where do you put a 6'2 295 guy on special teams? Basically the only spot Thomas might get in is on FG team and even then that's risky. I think they'll bring back at least one of Briggs or Gauthier. Those guys are trying the market to see if they might slot more into someone's D than they would here.

Carey's never really been a full time player either nor a threat in the pass game at all for anyone but his QB. And he's 32. So in avoiding paying the guy that is we might end up paying the same amount to use an extra roster spot for a couple guys, probably 1 vet and 1 rookie deal guy, to do the job plus Augustine. I think it circles back to Oliviera.

Ouellette is a black hole in the passing game though. He was subbed out a ton. He's not a guy that can be the every down only back on a team. I have no interest in him much past average salary range plus some incentives for production and awards etc. We're a markedly worse team with Ouellette. I'd rather spend that money on receivers and try out some other options at running back. I think Ouellette is actually going to take a harder fall on his contract expectations than Oliviera. Oliviera could get 200 including some incentives.

It would be cool to line up the depth chart for a week in May, set up a ring at midfield and everyone fight to see who survives in helmets and shorts. But everyone knows that isn't how it works. There's a handful of rookies/discards fighting for how ever many spots are left, coaches monitoring their habits, fit into team and pretty much everything else is locked in. This isn't only in this sport or this level. Everyone is preparing to play games. Not replacing half their roster the week before the season. Opportunity knocks when it does. Guys get chances to play due to injury or poor performance, work onto roster, work into roles. The major roster movement happens this time of year. If it's happening in May to November the team is probably ****** from the jump.

Ottawa likes to take risks on guys who can't stay healthy.