bearpants

White is a good signing... gives us a nice top 3 in Pokey-Demski-White (in whatever order you choose)... as others have mentioned... I would also like to see an under-the-radar/under utilized guy like Shamar Bridges or Joe Robustetelli added to the group... maybe given more opportunities, one of those guys could emerge as the "next guy"....

to me, it's one of two things... either the Eli boosters here are just wrong... or maybe he is a better C but the team valued his ability as the sixth man higher because Kolo would be even more useless if he was anything other than C...

Not to mention Ayers and Woodbey... I hate this signing... not that I don't like Kyrie Wilson... because he has given us some really quality years.... I just hate the idea of playing a 33 year old (let's be honest, he's starting at WIL) on the down side of his career when we have multiple ealry to mid 20s guys ready to play and needing reps... just doesn't make any sense to me

I agree there are a few players that would be OK to bring back... but none are "must sign" in my opinion.

At this point, I think we've brought back the right vets and released/not signed the right players... looking at our list of FAs, there aren't any more "must signs" on the list... Makonzo is an intriguing player that I would like to actually see play... but other than him, no one on that list needs to be back

agreed... I still think Willie and Big Stan will be back... please give me one big addition to the OL and DL in FA... but otherwise we've signed the guys that needed to be signed and released the guys that need to be released... so far, so good.

Good news on Castillo... I don't mind Sheehan though I'd like to see some legitimate competition for that job...

Is Pokey really the only American vet receiver we have on the roster right now?... I was thinking about Schoen recently... I wonder if the team would try to bring him back on a cheap deal... he sits on the 6-game for likely 2/3 of the season... worst case scenario, rehab doesn't go too well, he doesn't play, doesn't cost the team much.... best case scenario, his recovery goes well, he's ready to play around Labour day, and we've added a weapon for the stretch drive... seems like a win-win to me...

nothing wrong with this one... if we can add a FA or draft that can help our depth or starters... should be a solid group.

completely agree... was kinda hoping we would do that with Bighill last year...

these all sounds like positives, lol

I think it has to do with the fact that a DE can take on a lesser role... when you're talking about aging vets at S, LT, MLB, and QB... those are guys taking 100% of snaps... an aging DE can be employed in a lesser role as a rotational player... I believe that's where most of us see him now... This is probably nothing more than a gut feeling... but Jake strikes me as exactly the kind of guy that was an average/below average player but will make a great coach... Also, O'Shea did go straight into coaching... I believe he was in a sales gig when Toronto brought him in to coach ST.... but point still stands I'm confused.... do you genuinely think this is true?... there's literally dozens, if not hundreds, of examples of bad players who have made great coaches...

I agree that things are going well so far in the internal offseason.... All the re-signings have been good players... all the releases have been the right players... when it come to the old guys debate - Neufeld, Big Stan, Willie, and Wilson - I think Wilson should be the only obvious cut... the other three still have a place at the right price... some quality up-and-comers on D like Smith, Shay, Woodbey, Allen and a quality DL addition in FA would be the one big thing I'm hoping for..... we need that force in the middle we've been missing since Stove...

Belated Merry Christmas to all So far, I like where this offseason has gone... Oliveria and Demski were great re-signings... Condell (while not my favourite choice) is a clear upgrade at OC... Jake moving to coaching is interesting... it'll certainly be addition by subtraction on the field... and he's a well-respected and smart guy, so who knows, maybe he'll make a better coach than player... I'd still like to see one big upgrade on the DL and the OL... the lines were our biggest downfall last year and I don't see any improvement there yet... though, obviously, it's too early for full assessments... It would be nice to get Elgersma here too, once his NFL opportunities dry up

definitely a lot of interesting players on this list... but I won't get too excited about anyone until we see what the actual list is going to look like in Feb... 75% of these guys will be resigned or have NFL opportunities...

curious if you could elaborate on that?... I don't know anything, but I've heard only good things about Miller...

Tommy Condell was supposed to be the "next great coach" a few years back... and then never seemed to materialize... hiring him feels like we'd just be trying to optimize Zach for one year instead of optimizing the offense as a whole... I was on the Mike Miller train last year and I'm back on it again... Also interesting times in Toronto... O'Shea and Mace (and essentially Dinwiddie) have all turned them down this offseason.... https://3downnation.com/2025/11/24/saskatchewan-roughriders-head-coach-corey-mace-declines-interview-with-toronto-argonauts-report/

It's not just about free agency... but it will be important... the biggest question is will new additions, including rookies... actually get a shot to compete for jobs?... or will the incumbents just automatically be the starters... that's a change I want to see

I think what he meant was "high up-side" players... and there certainly were some that didn't (or took forever to) get a fair look... For example Shay, Smith, Cam Allen, Woodbey, Munier-Bailey, Jawarski, Jenkins,... I know those last two were added late but showed enough that one should've been rostered for the playoff game... flip the ratio to reinforce the OL... instead of vets having their spots carved in stone (to steal a saying someone else used here)... there should be a competition and let the best players play... and if the team isn't good enough... start bringing in reinforcements, until the team is good enough The riders started 4 Canadian receivers and 4 American OL last night... they adjusted their ratio to give them the best chance... they weren't sporting the best receiving group you can imagine... but Trevor Harris had time for a coffee break after every snap and had no problem distributing the ball... why not both??

Technically he's earned exactly half of what O'Shea has... in terms of GCs...

100 agree... I'm happy he's staying... but nervous about who he wants to stay with him... please, please, please no Jake and Kolo... and as much as I still see a role for Willie (and even Vaughters)... If I had to choose those two or the two raw rookies we saw in game 18... I'll take the rookies

just for fun... bolded my hopeful returnees... some have some caveats attached... others are obvious Quarterback Chris Streveler (A) Running back Brady Oliveira (N) Receiver Kody Case (A) Nic Demski (N) Dillon Mitchell (A) Dalton Schoen (A) Jerreth Sterns (A) Keric Wheatfall (A) - can't get rid of everyone but he should be fighting for a job OL Stanley Bryant (A) - at the right price and if he's still up for it Tui Eli (N) Chris Kolankowski (N) Eric Lofton (A) Patrick Neufeld (N) - shouldn't be handed a job, would make a nice 6th man Defensive line Willie Jefferson (A) - should have more DEs on the roster leading to reduced snaps (and reduced money) Cameron Lawson (N) Tanner Schmekel (N) Jake Thomas (N) James Vaughters (A) - same as Jefferson Jamal Woods (A) Linebacker Tanner Cadwallader (N) - still need some ST specialists, he's one of the good ones Shayne Gauthier (N) Kyrie Wilson (A) Defensive back Terrell Bonds (A) - was his 2024 season an anomaly... or was he just hurt in 2025? Michael Griffin II (A) Nick Hallett (N) Evan Holm (A) Demerio Houston (A) Redha Kramdi (N) - maybe not at a superstar contract... but versatile, talented Canadians are always valuable. Enock Makonzo (N) - sat on IR all year... assuming he can play like some have said Deatrick Nichols (A) Jamal Parker (A) Specialist Sergio Castillo (A) Jamieson Sheahan (G) - I'm fine with him but I would bring in another Cdn or Glb punter for a real competition

I'm still going to go but... bluh, gross is right... I guess I'll cheer from Mtl... as much as I hate that I'll never cheer for the riders...

Yeah I read up on him a bit and seems like an interesting guy... there's a lot of interesting candidates but my biggest concern would be if any are a significant upgrade... the one guy I would've wanted is off the table now

I think he's dead... if I recall correctly, Bridget shot him and Ray took the fall.... could be misremembering...