1 minute ago, HardCoreBlue said:

For me i don’t mind the hype whether it’s warranted or not because at this stage he’s a prospect of ours and we always hold hope a prospect works out for us until it does or it doesn’t. Keep it simple and manage our expectations appropriately.

Also, this just in, Riders continue to suck royally, report at 10.

Yeah he is a player we have rights to...support them all....but he basically is hype and hope at this point...and the longer he dilly dallies down a dead end road...the longer he is delaying this process and proving anything...and he is getting older at same time with no evidence of anything...which dont help his cause

He should suck it up....win a job here....shoot the lights out when he is still very young and if NFL teams see the possible talent...then he can get a more legit shot coming in as a successful starter in Canada...but **** around for couple yrs...stunting your growth while u wait and being 26..27 already if you do show you may be worth a look, and even then it will be as a prospect and a developmental type thing...You basically aged yourself out as NFL teams wont put in the time and money on a guy that may not show it until he 30ish...especially a guy coming with his background

37 minutes ago, bryan35 said:

Makes me wonder if he fails the UFL option will he mentally crushed and not succeed here.

nothing really indicates until he even gets up here and makes an attempt if he will even see success here...He's a Canadian high school trained...then CIS trained QB...NOT a glowing resume by any means.....When has the last Canadian trained through high school then College QB has had any real success up here?....Gerry Datillio??

Ain't gonna happen for him anytime soon...if ever....Give him props for the self belief i guess, but cmon man....

His best shot for any real legit NFL attempt....and even this is a longshot is to come up here....Win a job as a starter by shooting the lights out and show he has the advanced mind/processing ability in the pros's and put up Rourke like numbers ...or better before, Before Rourke got his somewhat legit chance....and even then he had NFL polotics against him...Elgserma's are even worse against him being a 100 percent product of Canada..At least Rourke went the prep school route, and then had success at the NCAA level, and that wasnt even enough for him

33 minutes ago, bryan35 said:

He's been here since 2014 and won his first grey cup in 2019. Thinking he had something to do with that talent.

Yeah he played the in prime talent Walter's plopped in his lap...top guys across the board in the league at many positions....bookend those 2 yrs with what we seen...not a lot of answers and success...People will say "hey...first pace finish....5 straight cups"...yaddda yadda...but when the chips were on the table we lost more than we won...and had zero answers for a lot of things leading up to the big games...and got out coached in all them...and really if not for a dumb Ticat decision in the second cup...we'd have lost 4 of the 5

Sure I can say he had a hand in it...But wasnt the sole reason tho....But can say he was one the key and main reasons tho for the successive failures yr over yr

This yr Walter's has woke up and again handed him the tools for a push to be first again...big question for 2026 is Osh gonna be a HC who utilizes it, or is he gonna be a HC like we seen the last 4 yrs and eff it up with dumb decisions?....time will tell

30 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

That's not what Booch is saying... He is saying he doesn't know how to maximize the talent he already has. That he's played favourites with guys for many years who had no business being on the roster anymore. Like Koala & Thomas to name a few.

Bingo...this will be a real test this yr as to what Osh has and is all about....We cant blame Walters this yr...he purged some dead weight that should have been yrs ago...signed the 2 best lineman on each side of ball...2 legit receivers....and our key FA that we couldnt afford to lose

Now it's up to Osh to assemble the best group based on talent...upside...usefulness outside of ST's....and not a team based on his personal opinion and bias....can he do it?

12 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Then he competes against this year's crops of draft picks or free agents that scouts are excited about. It won't get any easier. Plus, he has to earn a spot on Birmingham's team. If he's third on the roster, that'll be of little help.

yup....far from a slam dunk he gets any playtime there either...or even makes a roster

15 hours ago, 17to85 said:

Honestly I think the root cause was hanging onto expensive guys too long and not moving on sooner. Helps balance how your cap is allocated and increase the overall competition.

Just my opinion anyway.

14 hours ago, wbbfan said:

I think that is a big part of it. I also think we kept sitting on money for flexibility. Glad that is over and we are back to competing in free agency.

yeah...was a major part, and we also never truly allowed guys to actually develop and show they had the chops.....rode our guys into stubby nibs with zero practical experience behind them

16 hours ago, HardCoreBlue said:

I'm not talking about what players should lose their jobs, I'm talking about what scouting personale should lose their jobs by scouting inferior players or is it you can't hold them accountable because of things out of their control? I'm a bit confused here in what/who is accoutable for our depth inferiority. Combination of a whole slew of things?

I not really of the opinion the scouting failed us for the most part.....more that Osh isnt a really good evaluator of talent and some thje things in his mind that he deems important, don't translate on the field or always are the best option skill/performance wise....History here shows when he is handed great talent/established talent in their prime he seems like a genius but when he has to at times sift thru it and inearth players handed to him or creaye solutions on the fly....big swing and a miss more often than a hit

58 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Well the depth also took a hit because as your vets and starters eat up more of your cap you don't have the same depth. 2019, 2021 those teams were deep as hell.

thats where u have to see past the present and realize/decide when to walk away from certain vets and starters and have already put time and into the successor's and not look backwards and pay mightily for declining older talent who command a bigger pay cheque....we failed in that regard in a huge way....we also failed in our rigidity in how we used ratio and missed out on a lot of ralent we could have went after, rather than just clinging to pieces that were on the wrong side of their best before date, but still commanded bigger bucks

53 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

So who should lose their job? Or is it their hands are tied, they have too many challenges attracting available players to play here, nothing they can do? Or what is the main struggle here?

the inferior player should regardless of their tenure here....or their nationality...or if it's one of Osh's love affairs...and if it's a saw off....the one who is younger and may have more upside within them...not the one who only has downside

48 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

Okay fair statement so quality depth is out of the question cuz we need to eat our cap to get quality starters. Yes?

not necessarily....our draft strategy was nit the best approach either.

35 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

What I also read ad nasuem here from a few select posters on this forum is our depth at most positions is not good enough to replace/sub-out certain starters (e.g., Nose tackle, QB1 etc.). 'It's the best we got and stop suggesting the back-ups to come in cuz they aren't worthy and if you suggest bringing in a back-up you don't know football'. Okay is it asking too much that we build a team with depth we are comfortable in bringing in when needed outside of injury to the starter or is that just a naive pipe dream?

Walters and Osh got too hung up on these draft guys who were ST demons in college, but didn't project to anything more than that, and didnt see past that and were too reliant on the belief that our starters were all top grade like in 2019....and didnt see where we may need coverage.

Any player basically can play ST's but not every player can contribute with reps on offence or defence....so draft the best projected player(s)overall who can push a starter, and actually succeed one or take reps....not the other way around

Case in point as just one example..Hallet can kill it on ST's and has made huge plays....but he kills us on defence and seeing him always in chase as guys rape him on the field is just sickening...I can not recall a single defensive impact play he has made...but recall a ton of bad ones...The fact we would put him in as the 7th...8th db in some our schemes when we didnt need to for ratio, and had better guys on the sidelines was just baffling...like why?

Part of what FIFO was here...was being key was a bog solid group of guys in prime...setting the tone and walking the walk and new guys coming in seen it...and fell in line...Premium guys kicking butt cause they earned it from play

Then it slowly eroded away....positions were given due to past history, and being a favorite...even if not warranted and guys busting their asses also seen it, and never got a chance and yes...it caused rifts and frustrated attitudes...and why wouldn't it?

Our younger up and coming guys who could have kept the dominance going walked for opp's elsewhere, or we wouldn't pay and cheaped out in order to keep far too long declining guys, and guys not good enough just because they were here from before and the HC liked them...all the while ignoring our actual true depth (having guts on roster isnt depth if you dont use them, or have faith they are good enough) eroded into league worst

The holdover's got complacent and too comfortable knowing that thy just had to show up and keep the narrative here and they were safe....and the coaching staff did jack all to advance and evolve as well...What have we seen from osh with a unique decision...gutsy or ballsy call to take a game over...Pulling a player mid game....or parking a vet for poor performance?...We havnt...but we saw a lor of deflection...smug attitude and a lot of perplexed almost lost looks on the sidelines when things were spiralling down hill and weren't working no more, and no ability to pull out of it...Just the old "we will watch the film...guys will figure out what went wrong and fix it"...and it never happened

Thats the condensed in a nutshell look at 2022 to now

12 hours ago, Bigblue204 said:

Yeah im not arguing that Elgersma will end up on a PR/Roster etc etc. Just that the rookie contracts give him (or any other player who seem to believe they'll catch on down south) little to no reason to come to the CFL.

thing is...he can sign with caveat he can request his release if a team kicks, or wants to kick the tires all the while getting his rookie salary and developing and getting pro exposure....There are bird dogs in stadiums up here all yr...at all times (practice and games) so would prob lend to more attention than sitting at home...making nothing

Dude has a good arm....not elite...and NFL QB height, tho even that stereotypical thing in this age isn't was it was

He had success in Canadian College ball...that is it...think about that...80 percent of rosters he played against at best are not even comparable to Prep School talent in the U.S let alone NCAA div 2 or 3 talent....so that success is pretty limited, and it has shown in that after his on flier h got from GB that he hasnt landed anywhere else...even with the big QB talent issues in the NFL after teams starters for most part.....he looked okay in the one pre-season but also was playing against guys who will never see another NFL camp again....Rourke has sucess against guys who are and where part of active rosters....and look what that got him....dickall...but he got wise and turned that into a big CFL deal

dealing him if he for whatever reason doesnt wanna be here...which I dont think is the case wont land a pile of talent or picks in return, as why would it?...he is all hype and hope and thats about it right now....He just getting bad guidance right now and reason he not up here actually bettering himself for another possible camp

3 hours ago, SectionKBlackout said:

from the 3 Down article posted on the last page. It was Collaros speaking about Clercius not the other way around.

Kevens Clercius and Joey Corcoran both started games at field-side wideout in 2025, though Clercius was publicly berated by Zach Collaros for a mistake late in the regular-season and subsequently benched for the playoffs.

pretty bad dynamics that a HC would succeed to another players bitching....and that sure doesnt sound FIFO 'sh to me of ZC....Maybe some players should have berated his crap play/errors and got him parked on bench...should go both ways ....no?....sad state that apparently is

3 hours ago, Bigblue204 said:

Its not about paying him because he deserves it. Its about being able to draw Canadians that are borderline guys to the CFL. Why would Elgersma sign in the CFL right now? The money just doesnt make sense. If it was double what it is now, im sure he'd have a much more difficult choice. And not just qbs either, there are more and more guys getting attention down south that will never actually play there. But $$ speaks, and right now the CFL rookie contracts are barely whispering.

3 hours ago, wbbfan said:

Nfl tc money is not the same as pr though.

Last year, players with less than 1 year service got 1850 a week. this year that goes up to 2k.

For a full camp, plus the pre season games, guys with less than a year service get around 11-15k. Which is in the range of 15-20k canadian, before taxes.

It only takes a couple weeks on a pr to out earn a cfl deal, but elgersma isn’t in that position. He as of yet hasn’t gotten a futures contract or camp invite even.

To get that, he will now have to beat out an entire new rookie crop. This based off a preseason appearance, and a cis resume.

He isn’t rourke, and rourke has basically no leverage and got barely a shot.

I understand chasing nfl pr money, but he isn’t making some easy, economically sound decision. He’s gambling for more money with a pretty small chance of wining.

The time to get a look now is counting down his nfl widow days after a cfl deal as well. If he kicks around for another year then comes up, he puts him self in a tight spot. He turns 25 next month, it’s going to be 2 years before he would get nfl consideration if he fast tracks to success. At that point he’s 28 for the next nfl camp, right at the end of his nfl window.

I get it, but it’s long term, short odds gambling. At this point, I’d be happy if we traded his rights and sold high on him.

yeah if he got a full 6 weeks....as his per diem and no PR after and waited around all yr...he made diddly compared to what a CFL rookie deal was

And as I mentioned before...if he gets a after TC call for a workout...he will be brought in on teams dime, and hiused/fed....but if he lingers for more than 48 hours he is paying for it out of pocket...team isnt anymore

I know the CFL rookie deal is bad, but if he came up last yr...he would have quadrupled his TC per diem....as he made no money chasing a PR spot, and could still have had his window again after seson to do what he did this off-season...which was basically nothing

1 hour ago, wbbfan said:

clercius is 26, and started for a bit over a year and a half. Stoddard was in the league 9 years and broke 500 yards twice. Clercius last year was better than 5 of stoddards 9 years in the league and on the heels of his 6th best year.

its a terrible comparison, if any thing corcoran is a poor man’s stoddard in a far better era for ni wrs.

Yeah clercius basically makes a play with his targets...and is a guy teams need to pay attention to, as has been seen in his very short time starting with several big plays

And hes just basically in early stages if his career and with more use..will put up more numbers

Not his fault hes never the primary guy...has a qb who tends to zero in and force most balls to his one or two favorites as other guys are running free...proper use and actual focused plays and he would get it done...dude has best hands on the team after Lawler left

Corcoran should be injury depth at most...has shown nothing really and if his game isnt elevated this camp he should be gone or on the PR..he can't up his metrics..is what he is and will basically just be a place holder in a group of 5..and be a 1 or 2 catch guy a game for 18 yards and really be no threat...Clercius can and has gotten yac..can run away from and run over guys as we have seen..feed him some balls...see the results

1 minute ago, Bigblue204 said:

Any actual proof?

Yeah...id like to see this as was first i heard of it...and in all honesty...ZC deserved a ton of criticism for a whack of throws....and the inability at times to even get a throw off due to his tunnel vision of his fav target and not seeing the other open guys

21 hours ago, SectionKBlackout said:

He criticized a Collaros throw and was benched for the playoffs.

And prob was justified criticism..as he had a ton of crap throws...grow a pair ZC and do better...u too Osh

17 hours ago, wbbfan said:

Clercius isn't slow. 4.5 speed, one of the fastest few in his draft year. Almost the same speed as Mital. He plays the spot he does because he's also outlier strong with great size and tremendous blocking skill.

And best hands on team

14 hours ago, Pete said:

Theres a reason he was only targeted 12 times. Very few of those were contested catches . For Corcoron to be effective he needs to learn how to block

And have ability to do some

57 minutes ago, Stickem said:

I can't remember the game but Dillon Mitchell was taken aside and dressed down for his effort....or should we say non-effort....Clercius being benched is a surprise BUT you either come to play or you ride the pine....Big boys playing a big boys game...I know they understand what's expected of them and if they don't deliver....and get chastised for it, team first kicks in and egos get checked at the door

Nothing after catch...hes a total non factor...but tries hard lol

4 hours ago, MOBomberFan said:

That John Hodge article included the quote:

"Kevens Clercius and Joey Corcoran both started games at field-side wideout in 2025, though Clercius was publicly berated by Zach Collaros for a mistake late in the regular-season and subsequently benched for the playoffs."

One mistake constitutes a benching...but other favs can just plain suck..and make mistakes and be exposed...yet are safe as safe can be...thats some good coaching right there...

57 minutes ago, Stickem said:

I can't remember the game but Dillon Mitchell was taken aside and dressed down for his effort....or should we say non-effort....Clercius being benched is a surprise BUT you either come to play or you ride the pine....Big boys playing a big boys game...I know they understand what's expected of them and if they don't deliver....and get chastised for it, team first kicks in and egos get checked at the door

Explain kolo..Thomas..amoung others...

21 hours ago, Bigblue204 said:

Uhhh what? First im hearing about this. What happened? And unless it was a very serious fight, that would be some bullshit reason to bench a guy.

Total bs reason to...guys bicker all the time and one princess' ego shouldn't trump talent...maybe in Osh world it does as his ego permeates stupid roster decisions

And for all ZC good...he can also be a lil biatch...suck it up buttercup

15 hours ago, Goalie said:

Elgersma is unproven and hasn’t played any pro football at all. None. Zero. Zilch. The pay is enough for a guy like Thorne or Perkins but not for the great Elgersma who has zero experience. Dude last threw a ball in a game that mattered almost 2 years ago now. I mean. Let’s not be ridiculous. Ppl pretend Canadian QBs draw or are gonna save the league but nope cuz we outdraw bc and rourke. Nobody cares about Elgersma except the ppl on this site right now and I think only 1 thinks he’s some stud already. He’s not tho. He’s got less pro experience than chase Artopoeous.

I could care less about a Canadian QB and the incessant push for it...and why it even matters...there are elite Canadians all over the CFL who should get the promoting..and if not for NFL politics could play on an NFL roster over most teams back half roster..but never gonna happen

The CFL media and fans should focus on best possible players period for Canadians and not push this stupid QB thing...cause in all honesty for every Rourke..which is historically rare and always will be...there's dozens of Shittier than Boltus Canadian QB's...and couldn't hold his jock. Media needs to let that one go

14 hours ago, wbbfan said:

He played nfl pre season and performed very well. That’s a lot more than chase did.

For a young qb, every snap matters. production in any area matters.

Also, an nfl tc and rookie camp is worth two cfl camps and a year on the pr. Much higher level coaching, higher level of competition.

Neither of those guys are gonna produce or should have any expectation this year. if elgersma is here and if chase is even here after rookie camp.

The arm talent is pretty close, id say elgersmas tool kit translates better to the cfl. Also his experience with the canadian game is incredibly value able.

Arm talent to compete in nfl camp plus experience in the canadian game is extremely valuable.

We don’t know what he’s really worth, because this isn’t some thing we’ve seen before.

Winning helps the most to draw. Outside of that, not much is worth sacrificing any thing on the field for.

Canadian qbs aren’t going to save the league, the next wave of qbs will save or sink the league. If things continue as is with qb talent in the cfl, you might start seeing more cis kids play. Not much further down for us to go once the old guys are gone.

He has raw skills...but at this point its all he has..and needs to develop it to see if he has any chance of being even moderately successful...doing the dance he is won't get that for him..and if he lands on a PR...even that won't...but on a roster here...getting some reps be it short yardage...special packages..whatever...gets you film..and eyes...look at Ford here...one game as a starter essentially got him a look...it wasn't his ST work as there are literally a 1000 Fords in the U.S with same or better skillset who can be teams guys...he showed something in his start and that alone was the bump he needed to get a shot...game film...Elgersma has none...and won't get any

tookie deals should have a range ...a minimum salary and a max for yr one at say 150K can increase by 10k per yr for first deal

It be up to the teams as to how and who gets the higher amount

1 hour ago, Bigblue204 said:

100% but again...he has produced when needed. I think they can and should find a more adequate depth piece....but Corcoran is taking unnecessary shots

he was horrible in the blocking and run aspect of his role tho...also did nothing after the catch...and really scared nobody...If we going 3 Nats he cant be one of them...We'd be better off using MCI as a fulltime FB/TE type guy.....and actually I wish we do....He'd offer wayyyyyy more and would have to garner attention...Corcoran would garner as much as one of the posters here out there running routes...I bet there are some faster

This just another case of Osh and Walter's by extension trying to make some marginal player they love to be something....Like Fetch.....hahaha.....he is now known as Fetch

4 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

Corcoran as your depth, 5th or 6th NI receiver is ok but as a starter no. @Noeller , go back and look at the pre season game box scores, he didn't do much in either. He just seems to be another guy that works hard with lesser talent that Osh fixates on.

he scares nobody and garners even less attention out there...as after the catch he does absolutely nothing....I'm sure he tries hard...guys like him...the usual drivel we fed but at this level and as a pro on a roster you should be trying hard, and relatively liked...or why the **** u even here??

1 hour ago, GCn20 said:

I don't blame Elgersma one bit. The insane NAT draftee 3 year entry level deal is a joke.

Yeah that needs to be revamped

36 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

Do not like how he lumped Corcoran in with Clericius. Clercius is a wr with tremendous raw tools who has caught everything thrown his way. Corcoran is like Wade Miller on a low-battery mobility scooter.

Yeah Corcoran shouldn't even be in discussion as a starter option..depth on the PR if one of Demski..Neild..Clercius or Cobb (who should be the main backup on roster as he fils multiple roles) gets hurt

22 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Careful, I said the same thing a few weeks ago & got piled on for criticizing someone chasing his dreams.

lol....I recall....I can take it....and dream chasing is good ...until it's not....he's in the its not territory now

Let him rot then....for a guy who\s proven nothing other than some success in CIS ball...he sure seems to think he\s somerhing special....and has poor representation....he was gonna have zero bearing on this season anyway so he is really just a big meh

Shane Richards as well may be worth a roll of the fuzzy dice too on the oline as a versatile depth piece and a guy who could start if need be...I bet Costello here could get the best outtta him

Now here's a question as a flier who could be had on a very affordable deal, and if not showing former ability easily cut

Malik Henry...still young at 29...was just coming into his own and should be totally healed now from the Achilles (2 yrs post surgery looked good on Hatcher) and the patellar injury isn't a career ender by any means.....is a legit returner as well.

Taking a flier on him could be a huge win, on a legit big play guy, and if he looks damaged still.....you cut him...

30 minutes ago, Arnold_Palmer said:

I don’t think he’s a thousand yard guy. He’s a deep threat receiver who has a hard time tracking the ball, he’s going to be responsible for just as many interceptions as he does for big plays, I mean hey Hamilton is a good place for him to go to but he had every opportunity to take his game to the next level here and simply couldn’t.

BUT....who was chucking to him...and who was drawing up scheme?...he did put up 655 yards in a neutered offence...on 16 games...a couple of which we threw the ball what less than 15 times?...and had horrible QB play all darn yr.....I can see him getting 1000 in the Hammer

And who took any of their game to next level last yr in our offence?...he was a yr 2 player....not like he been languishing around for yrs

5 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

That would be sick, I'm hoping we go 3 canadians. And hoping that the last game demotion of clercius wasn't us getting stupid with the roster again. If Corcoran ever starts again %^&$ should hit the fan.

The old Rod Black-Out.

Yep. And the good news is, currently, we look to be better at every single position group save for QB and RB. And we might end up better at QB once camp rolls by. Rb, well, it would be damn hard to improve on that. If MCI starts putting it together, though, watch out. If he had like a 400-500 yards rushing at 5 per and 100-ish receiving yards, with his size, athleticism, and already much improved blocking, he would be NFL-bound.

yeah....dont understand the Clercius deal...maybe he was hurt....but he did nothing wrong to get demoted, and his work outside of catching balls cant be discounted....If we just go 2 Cdn recievers there no way Corcoran should be on roster with Demski..Clercius..Neild...Cobb....and if he is...Osh needs a good swift kick to the plums...as he does zippo on teams...cant return...and sucked ass in the role that Clercius and Woli before him did

MCI as well is an ace in the hole...legit as legit can be for talent and athleticism....but wayyyyy under used...dare I say not used

Maybe a good thing cause if the 3 stooges from the RIder's got looks (KSB/Lenius/Ajou) then MCI with any tape would have too...and likely stuck...Those 3 got a look cause how they "looked"...MCI looks even more the part...and his measurables blew all 3 of them right out of the water and wasnt even close

Hopefully this yr Condell see's the benefits of his use.

Wheatfall no longer fit here....But he's a good signing and can see him having a solid yr there...I bet he a 1000 yard guy this yr

If anyone was to critique our squad last yr on offence and who we rostered/played and how we used them and didnt know any better re: the history of our guys and team....I bet the consensus would be that save for BO and maybe Demski....the whole unit would be considered crap....as it pretty much was