2 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

basically their whole wr core lol. Im sure meyers will get an NFL look, but he'd be great to have. Aj allen too, that guy is hitting FA at the right time, and off a big year. 

Ya Allen is going to get paid. 

I've always liked/hated Emilus. He'd be a nice add.

55 minutes ago, bigg jay said:

Alexander has 4 seasons under his belt now - he was definitely groomed to take over.

39 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

Plus dru brown, and Rourke.  

You guys read that I said Alexander and Rourke?

I don't count Dru because the Redblack didn't groom him. 

5 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

Elgersma is basically our long-term hope at QB. But I do mean long term. He needs to be on the AR and getting some work in practice, but I don't see him jumping into starting. QBs do start sooner than ever, but it would be insane if he even kept pace with the line Rourke set. Where he showed promise as a starter in 21 after being drafted in 19, then was pretty bad in a fraction of a season 24, then really finally cemented him self this year as an elite starter. 

I will be very interested to see how Elgersma progresses, being a CIS kid who got a pre-season in the NFL, but didn't come up here for the end of year. If he had come here and gotten some grooming on the PR, maybe dressed late, that could've been a real career accelerator. But like Walters said, rookie TC is hard for a QB, and it is also the biggest opportunity for one. Unless he is our short yardage guy, I don't expect to see him take a regular season snap next year. 

 

Like every team in the league the long-term hope at QB is the neg list. 

Not a lot of teams are grooming back-ups to take over. That's why we're still watching Bo, Zach, Faj, and Harris play. Only recent success there is Alexander and Rouke. I guess Kelly too for one and bit seasons.

https://3downnation.com/2025/11/20/the-saskatchewan-roughriders-potential-2026-free-agent-list/

Quite the extensive list. I'm sure lots of guys will want to cash in on the championship success. 

Good luck keeping the band all together.

Why the hell are we arguing about the 2024 cup right now. 

Toronto's D came in hot and would have diced up whoever played at QB. It doesn't matter.

4 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Well it's a lot easier to fool yourself when you are first in the west and playing for the grey cup compared to 4th in the west and meekly bow out in the east semi-final.

Yup, making the grey cup is hard. Can see why they would delude themselves that everything was working. Especially when two of the loses were 1 play away from wins.

Kyle made a comment today that it is a lot easier to re-tool with 1 year contracts across the league. Maybe a sign we'll be players in free agency.

Walters presser:

Taylor Elgersma - sounds like he's waiting on an NFL futures contract for now. Window closes around Feb. Kyle expects if not then, then he will be expected up here.

2 minutes ago, Super Duper Negatron said:

Walters calling this a turning point for a new era has me hopeful that running it back is out of the question this year.

Ya he's acknowledged that last year wasn't good enough. 10 wins, but didn't beat most teams with their top QBs.  Didn't beat Trevor Harris, VA, Alexander. 

Saying easier to do a quick fix with all the 1 year contracts across the league. 

5 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

And you can maybe excuse them for playing collaros in 2022 with the bum ankle.... but leaving him in when he couldn't grip the ball in 2024... just inexcusable. And dressing 3 hurt receivers and a hurt bighill in 2023 is just inexcusable. 

Ya 2022 is very comparable to what the Als did this year. 

2023 was just a disgrace dressing all those injured players. 

2024 should have pulled him but I think we were pretty screwed either way with who the back ups were and how TO's D was playing. 

24 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

 

According to the bench boss, he and general manager Kyle Walters have barely talked about offseason plans for the team’s roster. He declined to disclose the contract status of any of his assistant coaches, leaving it unclear who will return.

 

Reading between the lines here, everyone won't be asked back. 

If they were all under contract and wanted back, he would have said so. 

58 minutes ago, Booch said:

Dobson got market value for 2nd yr deal for a Canadian Olineman....we could have easily kept him....Just look at what the the Human Ole' machine at center makes....drop his money...give it to Dobson....Same with what Thomas pulls in for his 18 games...prob top 3 in snaps on the dline for a grand total of 9 tackles...thats his stat line...18 games...9 tackles.....wow.....

 

I don't disagree that losing Dobson set us back but it is revisionist to say it was easy money to afford him. 

He was the 9th highest paid olineman and like 4th highest paid guard in the league. Everyone above him were proven league all-stars. He had had a couple decent seasons here.

1 hour ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

A lot of players leave here after their first contract. We refuse to pay. We spend money instead on retreads like Thomas & Kolokowski. The Canadian Mafia faves. 

Like who? Ford and Dobson? 

Ford signed for stupid money.

Dobson would have been nice to keep but he got a huge raise. 

Can't pay everyone to be the top at their position.

21 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

You gotta believe. Otherwise you just become miserable. 

I look forward to irrationally getting excited about anyone we sign in FA and all our draft picks.

36 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

Both walters and mos have been working off 1 years for a while. 

 

Nah.

Walters just came off a 2 year deal https://www.bluebombers.com/2023/11/28/blue-bombers-and-general-manager-kyle-walters-agree-to-terms-on-two-year-extension/

MOS off a 3 year deal he signed after 2022 https://www.bluebombers.com/2022/12/08/head-coach-mike-oshea-signs-three-year-contract-extension/

 https://www.bluebombers.com/2025/11/14/oshea-staying-put/#:~:text=The CFL's longest-serving head,season%2C prompting all the speculation.

The CFL’s longest-serving head coach, O’Shea was hired by the club on December 4th, 2013 and after signing a three-year extension to remain with the club in 2022, was working on an expiring contract this season, prompting all the speculation.

29 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

I am a big believer in momentum and the role it plays within a game... Montreal hangs onto that pick 6 early and gets the early touchdown as well I see the game going entirely differently. Instead sask answers the one td and never gives up momentum again... until late when the als do start to come back but that goal line fumble just killed it. Can not be so careless with the ball in that situation. 

For sure. There were a few potential turning point plays that went the Rider's way. Dropped pick 6, phantom PI on 3rd down, Als fumble on the goal line (looked like it was his own RB that clipped the ball too). Anyone of those going the other way and who knows how the game turns out. 

10 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

That game from the als looked an awful lot like a couple recent grey cups... offense just totally unable to string anything together because they're trotting out a guy who isn't at 100%

Yup looked just like it. A few brutal turnovers and add in a D that just couldn’t make enough plays and that’s it. 

7 minutes ago, deepsixemtoboyd said:
That said, you have to admit that Alexander’s throws in the first half bear a striking resemblance to many of the ducks that our QB put up this year.

Alexander is looking very much like ZC today 

1 hour ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Yeah, a raise & a long term contract (3 years is a lifetime in pro sports). I'll take a kick in the ass like that, too. 

 

Have terms been released? 

19 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Just askin' for a friend but how is a new contract (terms unknown for Osh) & 3 years for Walters a kick in the ass? Please explain. 

Hard to give them a kick in the ass if they don't work for you

I hope he's ready to make some changes. 

Hogan being one of them

Just now, SpeedFlex27 said:

Is that supposed to make feel better? Who cares? 

Who pissed in your cornflakes. 

1 hour ago, sportmentary2012 said:

I do not think it is silly. I believe it was one of the reasons they felt Lawler was expendable. Here is a quote from him about it .."But for that receiver room, I just wasn’t prepared to be able to do that for that amount of money.”

And link to the article https://3downnation.com/2025/02/13/blue-bombers-gm-kyle-walters-winnipeg-priced-out-on-free-agent-losses-lawler-dobson-ford/

They were priced out of the league's highest paid non-QB player.

Everyone thought that was an overpay at the time. This just happened to be the 1 year that Lawler didn't get hurt or suspended.

Not a long list of must sign guys in my opinion:

Running back

Brady Oliveira (N)

Receiver

Nic Demski (N)
 

OL

Stanley Bryant (A) - maybe if he's feeling good and doesn't want tons of $
Tui Eli (N) - not for starter money
 

Defensive line

Cameron Lawson (N) - not  huge money because he can't seem to stay that healthy
 

Defensive back

Michael Griffin II (A)
Evan Holm (A)
Deatrick Nichols (A)
 

Specialist

Sergio Castillo (A) - unless we can get a Cdn or global to stop using a DI spot
 

1 hour ago, sportmentary2012 said:

Fair point about Hardrick but they really have let the oline go. He may have needed the change of scenery.

Don't forget they chose to stay with an injury prone Shoen receiver over lawler. I will guess management knows something about lawler we mere posters Don't know.

This is silly. It wasn't an either/or choice. Schoen signed for like half of what Lawler got. 

If Montreal wins, that will mean every season since 2018 the Bombers either won the Cup or was knocked out by the team that won the Cup:

2018 - Calgary

2019, 2021 - Winnipeg

2022-24 lost the Cup

2025 - Mtl?

16 hours ago, Super Duper Negatron said:

And was on a better team. And had an amazing year.

He had a great year but ultimately won 1 more game than the bombers and is in the same place now.