GCn20

I would imagine you are right. Tough situation for us, as we are not likely to go 3 NAT receivers and aren't looking to replace Woli or Demski. That makes any decent offer or realistic shot at starting reps pretty tough for us to compete with. Like when we lost Petermann.

He wasn't making much over league minimum last year so if he agreed to the same contract as last year I'm sure we would sign him in a heart beat.

He's no longer under contract with us for the season, and we haven't signed him. it's not official but the writing is on the wall I would think.

Thought you were talking about Holm. My bad.

Of course they will. Once that window is closed it's closed and you are expected to honor your CFL contract. NFL teams will NOT work out or even talk to a player currently under contract in the CFL except those eligible to do so under CFLPA bargaining. The NFLPA is very protective about that.

I am a bit suspicious of the Younger move to be honest. I think Hall will have a lot of influence still. I hated how he coordinated the Grey Cup but his D game plan and play calling in the West final was an absolute master class.

I doubt we see a whole lot of deviation from Hall's defensive scheme.

It's not the payday that makes it tough, it's knowing that your going to have to ask a ton from your depth for a third of the season imo. It's just hard to plan out that position like that. Part of it is him tailoring his comments to his interviewers audience, but it was nice he singled out MOS for sure. I mean you won't get many NFL guys speaking about it in public but they have a ton of respect for our coaches up here.

Sayles is better and is being compensated well for it too.

Most players who are aging out tend to feel disrespected come contract time. Football players, by trade, have to have a ton of self confidence. Not many realize their time is up at the time their time is up. Sad to see him go. Best of luck JJ.

Does Bear Woods even play anymore. Lost track of him.

For sure. Just saying if a player shakes loose in May that can be a difference maker a good GM will carve out the cash to get him. No doubt it is not ideal. Woody Baron would be a nice add, but he commands pretty hefty dollars....or at least he did on his last contract. I can't remember what he was making but I remember being shocked at the amount. Edit: 150k for this season. Pretty expensive for his output. If he wanted to come in here at 120-125k I would hope we would consider it.

I never once stated that coaches don't make mistakes. Every single coach ever has made mistakes. You are being obtuse suggesting that. BOLO may or may not turn out to be an excellent receiver and I hope he does. I, also stated that not playing BOLO was a mistake in hindsight. Hindsight makes it extremely easy to point out mistakes and that is my point entirely. I don't think playing BOLO would have any significant impact on that game, you do, neither of us can prove each other wrong as it is opinion. I am simply pointing out that many coaches play banged up players in hopes that they can fight through their injuries in a big game. You guys are trying to make it sound like this is some kind of flaw fatale of MOS when in reality it is coaching SOP. In game, our coaching was atrocious. Our coordinators were thoroughly taken behind the woodshed all game long. That was my biggest gripe with our coaching that far exceeded any roster mistakes made. We game planned poorly, we adapted poorly, and yes we clung to some injured starters too long in game. All coaching mistakes, no doubt about it. I just think you guys pinning it all on MOS is a massive red herring that lets some piss poor coordinating and individual player performances off the hook for that loss. Does someone disagreeing with your OPINION after careful consideration of it make them obtuse? You are talking like your opinion is fact but have no way of demonstrating it as such because it is strictly opinion. Disagreeing with someone else's unprovable theory is not being obtuse.

True. If a player is worth picking up a GM will figure it out. I think when we first signed Bighill it was in April or May of the offseason.

There is months to go before TC. Not that late in the offseason as well. Teams have not committed all their money at this point of the season unless they are fools.

In all probability it will have to come from within. You are correct. However, there is still some good value DEs on the market. Players never really plan on necessarily getting that money. It's not what the offseason bonus is designed to do. It is simply a way to force teams to commit to a player or cut him loose with enough time to catch on somewhere else. If a player does not get his offseason bonus he has not lost anything that he can't make up for with his signing bonus on a new team. Players who are cut before offseason bonuses do not lose anything. It is a far better outcome than coming to TC and being cut because you weren't in the plans in the first place.

Agreed. He's earned more reps.

Gimme a break. best kept secret in the league. lol. Yea...he was so good that we dared not play him nearly all season for fear that the secret of his dominance would be revealed. He was developing nicely but show me what production makes you feel he was the best kept secret in the league. That is straight hyperbole. Let's not make him into a superstar that we held out of the lineup because he isn't. He is a guy that arguably may have offered a slight upgrade over an injured player in hindsight. Is the argument du jour that playing BOLO more over Bailey would have won us the Grey Cup?

Who would that receiver have been? Only name that comes to mind is that dude that did just awful in the one game we rostered him. I guess we could have activated Ambles but he was only in town for a couple weeks and the playbook would have had to be reduced or the QB just doesn't look his way, which kinda defeats the purpose.

Yes, it was most unfortunate timing.

At the speed positions I really am more concerned with the losing of a step than in the trenches for sure. BA looks to be slower, we know that he was hobbled most of the year last year. I would hope that the Bombers will be paying very close attention to that position in camp and will make adjustments to the plan if it becomes apparent they need to do so. I have no issues with the Bombers signing him and giving him a chance to come back though. I just hope that he earns the job.

It's a guessing game really. Is Schoen at 70% better than BOLO at 100%....I guess we'll never know now, but hindsight would suggest he couldn't have been worse. Thing is at the time, if I were coach, I probably go with Schoen too just because if adrenaline can take that 70% up to 80% then there is no contest. It just didn't work out well in the end, no denying that, but the decision itself could go either way really.

I want more too. Way more....much much more. I am a greedy pig when it comes to winning.

In the end it's all just our opinion one way or another and how much benefit of the doubt one feels comfortable with. I just have thoroughly enjoyed watching Bomber ball the past 5-6 years, so I am willing to cut some slack. Booch knows his shyte, I'm not going to pretend otherwise. He knows that I do to but am just coming from a different angle. Therefore, mutual respect just takes over. Nothing he has said I feel is inherently wrong, it's just not my interpretation. Doesn't make my interpretation correct, or his, just a difference in opinion. At the end of the day all I need to know about Booch, and most of the guys on this forum is that we all live and breathe Bomber football, and hate the Riders. Any disagreement other than that is just how a forum generates conversation and how people learn more about the game. I've learned more about football from people who have a different outlook from me than I ever did from people who are aligned with my thinking. I think that stands to reason. When you are talking in an echo chamber you only learn what you already knew.

I don't really care how old a player is until I see signs of regression. I agree with your assessment. I see no issues with bringing JJ back as long as we understand and prepare for the eventuality that he will likely miss games. Bring in a viable 3rd DE that can be an effective starter when JJ is down and resign JJ and I'm good with that.