GCn20

I'm keeping Manu. If we really covet Vaccaro that much AND he is not in the NFL, then we find a different way to make it happen. Stud NAT OL are becoming a rare commodity and I wouldn't trade any of them.

I'm keeping Manu. If we really covet Vaccaro that much AND he is not in the NFL, then we find a different way to make it happen. Stud NAT OL are becoming a rare commodity and I wouldn't trade any of them.

I'm keeping Manu. If we really covet Vaccaro that much AND he is not in the NFL, then we find a different way to make it happen. Stud NAT OL are becoming a rare commodity and I wouldn't trade any of them.

I think it's a matter of both players not playing up to their contracts last year and expecting the same pay day. I'm sure teams inquired on both and didn't like the asking price. Both guys were highly paid last year and were not going to receive that amount again whether in FA or in the second year of a contract. Once the reality sets in no one is ponying up big bucks some guys choose to retire.

It takes time for most QBs to catch onto our game. You won't succeed with a numbers game. Reps are crucial to learn our game. The problem is that nearly all the QBs brought in league wide have the physical tools to succeed. It really is a matter of picking up our game, intangibles, and the individual QBs drive to succeed in our league. None of that is readily apparent after throwing a few footballs in practice. Some guys (Dominique Davis for eg) look absolutely dynamite in practice but can't get it to translate when the lights are on. Other guys look like hot garbage in practice but are able to to turn that light switch on in games. It is extremely hard to determine what guy will do what. Not to mention, as Brendan Taman used to say, for every guy you get to sign a contract up here there are 9 others that have turned you down.
CFL scouts for the most part just pick the guys with the toolbox, and that seem the most enthusiastic to come up here and play.

I think it's a matter of both players not playing up to their contracts last year and expecting the same pay day. I'm sure teams inquired on both and didn't like the asking price. Both guys were highly paid last year and were not going to receive that amount again whether in FA or in the second year of a contract. Once the reality sets in no one is ponying up big bucks some guys choose to retire.

It takes time for most QBs to catch onto our game. You won't succeed with a numbers game. Reps are crucial to learn our game. The problem is that nearly all the QBs brought in league wide have the physical tools to succeed. It really is a matter of picking up our game, intangibles, and the individual QBs drive to succeed in our league. None of that is readily apparent after throwing a few footballs in practice. Some guys (Dominique Davis for eg) look absolutely dynamite in practice but can't get it to translate when the lights are on. Other guys look like hot garbage in practice but are able to to turn that light switch on in games. It is extremely hard to determine what guy will do what. Not to mention, as Brendan Taman used to say, for every guy you get to sign a contract up here there are 9 others that have turned you down.
CFL scouts for the most part just pick the guys with the toolbox, and that seem the most enthusiastic to come up here and play.

We have 9 teams in this league. QB development is league wide. Maybe one or two legit QBs a year comes thru our entire league loop just because of the small size of our roster availability league wide and the scarcity of legit QBs. We can sit here and bemoan the lack of QB development but hell look around the NFL even, how many teams are developing their own other than teams that were lucky enough to draft franchise guys. Even then. This notion that we must develop our own QB is not the best strategy. Of course, we should try, but really in this league there is absolutely no shame in just signing the most ready guy that hits FA when the time comes. There are only a couple teams in our entire league who are riding QBs they brought in and developed.

We have 9 teams in this league. QB development is league wide. Maybe one or two legit QBs a year comes thru our entire league loop just because of the small size of our roster availability league wide and the scarcity of legit QBs. We can sit here and bemoan the lack of QB development but hell look around the NFL even, how many teams are developing their own other than teams that were lucky enough to draft franchise guys. Even then. This notion that we must develop our own QB is not the best strategy. Of course, we should try, but really in this league there is absolutely no shame in just signing the most ready guy that hits FA when the time comes. There are only a couple teams in our entire league who are riding QBs they brought in and developed.

Your amounts are a complete red herring. I'm not going to argue ZC wasn't overpaid..he was..but basing it solely on hard money not total contract is not even remotely proof of concept

Elgersma is up against two far superior 4 down QBs. He literally has zero chance in the UFL of starting. Makes no sense either way other than getting a paycheque while waiting for this mythical NFL interest to come around.

I get the league's want for cost certainty but it is ridiculous for that quest to be attached to coaching, and NAT draftees. NAT draftees, quality ones, are an issue in this league and having reduced capacity for quality coaching and recruitment just waters down our league's talent base as well. We increased our overall salary cap, yet we can't find a proper wage scale for valuable commodities like coaching and NAT draftees. It's, as you put it, bush.
You don't have to compete with the NFL salary wise, but you can't pigeon hole a NAT draftee for 3 years of his career either. Guys will go to the UFL instead or take flyers on weak NFL interest. We've seen it, we are seeing it, it's a problem. It's not imaginary. The top of our draft classes are choosing to chase the NFL despite very weak interest in them. Elgersma is not the first high draft pick we've waited to go through NFL interest then the UFL before coming here.

The thing is that you can only keep so many guys on the roster and futures can definitely be helpful sometimes when roster spots are limited. Is a 3rd rounder likely to come in and beat out any of your incumbents? That's the question you ask, if not then a futures pick can be the smart pick at that position. Lots goes into the equation, whats our roster makeup currently, what is our projection for our 2nd and 3rd year NATs? How deep is the draft? One shouldn't think that Elgersma is a flyer either. He is a guy chasing a dream that is going to end up here. A NAT QB with a high ceiling and a high probability of being in the CFL sooner rather than later is NOT a flyer. So, in short I agree with your assessment that rounds 3-4 you go realistic fliers, and then hail marys after that IF the draft is not deep or you don't want to draft someone just to have to release someone of equal talent already on your roster.

Over the last 10 years not one QB invited as a combine arm has been in an NFL training camp the same year.

He never signed in Birmingham, he was drafted by them but according to 3DN he never signed. If he is not there by now it seems to me that there is little chance he will be.

I totally agree. Teams have their top 3 QB spots picked before TC even opens imo. Maybe there is an open competition sometimes for QB3 but even when that happens most of the time the winner is replaced by a recent TC cut from another team. UDFA QBs have a very tiny chance of sticking, one that was developed in the CIS...even less. Elgersma's only remote chance is that some coach falls in love with him for some reason, and that is highly unlikely.

The thing is that you can only keep so many guys on the roster and futures can definitely be helpful sometimes when roster spots are limited. Is a 3rd rounder likely to come in and beat out any of your incumbents? That's the question you ask, if not then a futures pick can be the smart pick at that position. Lots goes into the equation, whats our roster makeup currently, what is our projection for our 2nd and 3rd year NATs? How deep is the draft? One shouldn't think that Elgersma is a flyer either. He is a guy chasing a dream that is going to end up here. A NAT QB with a high ceiling and a high probability of being in the CFL sooner rather than later is NOT a flyer. So, in short I agree with your assessment that rounds 3-4 you go realistic fliers, and then hail marys after that IF the draft is not deep or you don't want to draft someone just to have to release someone of equal talent already on your roster.

Over the last 10 years not one QB invited as a combine arm has been in an NFL training camp the same year.

Over the last 10 years not one QB invited as a combine arm has been in an NFL training camp the same year.

Elgersma will be here eventually. You guys are getting panicked about nothing. Best thing that could happen for us is that he gets another NFL camp to develop.

I really don't mind if we reach with the extra pick IF it's for a guy that is a bubble NFLer. If we have to wait a year or two I'm OK with that.

Jackson Jeffcoat was not chopped liver either

We have last year's UFL MVP coming to camp, that's how much lighting it up in the UFL is worth.

It would take a lot of injuries. There are a crap load of former 2nd, 3rd, and PR QBs currently out of work that would get the call ahead of him. Heck last year the NFL even pulled Rivers out of retirement before they would look down their depth charts and FA's. Injuries is not a viable way into the NFL for Elgersma.

We have last year's UFL MVP coming to camp, that's how much lighting it up in the UFL is worth.