Paul Friesen reporting he is taking a job outside of football.

39 minutes ago, Jpan85 said:

I think they really like what Sheppard can do.

He's inexperienced. He's depth for sure. A guy like Gurley can start.

Edited March 31, 20178 yr by SpeedFlex27

I too am hopeful they bring Gurley into the fold. Experienced and a big body.

For those still interested in what Smith's salary was...John Hodge (3DownNation) reports that Smith signed a 3-Year, $450,000 deal with the Bombers.
As to who might replace Smith, Hodge throws out the name...25 year old Devon Bailey, (6'5" - 200) who is still a Free Agent.
It's worth considering with the extra money...

 

I dont think we need another vet import receiver. Adams-Dressler-Denmark-Stafford is good as our starters. Of course, we need depth but let see what we have with our 2nd-years guys like Sheppard, Duncan and the new comers brought. 

If needed be we can always pickup some receivers than will shake up after TC. 

I would rather use the caps space gained by Smith's release to try sign Laing. That will definitely improve our D - which is more of a priority.

1 hour ago, Mr Dee said:

As to who might replace Smith, Hodge throws out the name...25 year old Devon Bailey, (6'5" - 200) who is still a Free Agent.
It's worth considering with the extra money...

 

I have trouble believing that signing Bailey is a money issue - he's averaged 150 yards a season.  Sign him, don't sign him, whatever, but don't be backing up the money truck for him.  All that means is he's the next guy everyone complains about not earning his salary.

10 hours ago, Jpan85 said:

Paul Friesen reporting he is taking a job outside of football.

The way this was worded I was hoping Paul Friesen was taking another job, no such luck

55 minutes ago, mbrg said:

I have trouble believing that signing Bailey is a money issue - he's averaged 150 yards a season.  Sign him, don't sign him, whatever, but don't be backing up the money truck for him.  All that means is he's the next guy everyone complains about not earning his salary.

If the receiver budget was already protected before Smith, his retirement just means that we do have extra allotment for receivers. If he was never in the picture for other reasons, then this talk is moot. If they feel Bailey is worth more than a complement to coffee, then this would be worth exploring. And don't worry, we have enough people (even on this board) who will find someone to diss, whether over coffee, or not.

1 hour ago, Mr Dee said:

If the receiver budget was already protected before Smith, his retirement just means that we do have extra allotment for receivers. If he was never in the picture for other reasons, then this talk is moot. If they feel Bailey is worth more than a complement to coffee, then this would be worth exploring. And don't worry, we have enough people (even on this board) who will find someone to diss, whether over coffee, or not.

Well, to be fair our record of drafting & developing Canadian receivers has been dreadful the past few years.

Good on Smith for leaving while his health was intact. He shouldn't be all that hard to replace and the Bombers seems to come up with good import receivers every year.

20 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Well, to be fair our record of drafting & developing Canadian receivers has been dreadful the past few years.

Sadly, I kinda agree with this. Here are the list of WR we drafted since 2010 

2010  Watson
2011  Etienne
          Mahoney 
2012  Aprile
2013  Fitzgerald (converted to FB)
          DiCroce
          Alli
2014 -
2015  Richards
2016  Vitt

Only Richards is with the Bombers currently and no significant distribution to show so far. Watson is the best we developed out of the 9 guys drafted.

Edited April 1, 20178 yr by M.O.A.B.

22 minutes ago, M.O.A.B. said:

Sadly, I kinda agree with this. Here are the list of WR we drafted since 2010 

2010  Watson
2011  Etienne
          Mahoney 
2012  Aprile
2013  Fitzgerald (converted to FB)
          DiCroce
          Alli
2014 -
2015  Richards
2016  Vitt

Only Richards is with the Bombers currently and no significant distribution to show so far. Watson is the best we developed out of the 9 guys drafted.

you forgot Poblah in 2011, supplemental draft is drafting

Forgot about Vitt... any chance he makes it to camp?

36 minutes ago, Floyd said:

Forgot about Vitt... any chance he makes it to camp?

Considering he was cut in camp last year... probably not?

20 minutes ago, Blueandgold said:

Considering he was cut in camp last year... probably not?

I thought he got hurt.  Don't remember him being in camp last year

 

1 hour ago, M.O.A.B. said:

Sadly, I kinda agree with this. Here are the list of WR we drafted since 2010 

2010  Watson
2011  Etienne
          Mahoney 
2012  Aprile
2013  Fitzgerald (converted to FB)
          DiCroce
          Alli
2014 -
2015  Richards
2016  Vitt

Only Richards is with the Bombers currently and no significant distribution to show so far. Watson is the best we developed out of the 9 guys drafted.

This is not a Bomber problem. No team in the CFL is drafting really productive Canadian receivers these days.  Check out this list of all the other receivers drafted in the top three rounds since 2013:

Haidara, Adjei, Plant, Bailey, MacDonnell, Pierzchalski, Bastien, Demski, Harty, Durant, B. Jones, Smith, Brescacin, M. Jones, Blaszko

Not a lot of production there.  Durant put up 400 yards last year.

Figure it takes a couple years for a CFL draftee to find their feet, we should be seeing receivers from the 2013..2015 classes start to make an impact, but for whatever reason, they're not.

Sinopoli and Gore were the last consistently good Canadian receivers to come through the draft, and they were drafted back in 2010/2011.  Sinopoli wasn't even drafted as a receiver, he was a QB when he arrived in Calgary and converted later.

Edited April 1, 20178 yr by johnzo

19 minutes ago, johnzo said:

This is not a Bomber problem. No team in the CFL is drafting really productive Canadian receivers these days.  Check out this list of all the other receivers drafted in the top three rounds since 2013:

Haidara, Adjei, Plant, Bailey, MacDonnell, Pierzchalski, Bastien, Demski,Harty,Durant,B. Jones, Smith, Brescacin,M. Jones, Blaszko

Not a lot of production there.

Sinopoli and Gore were the last consistently good Canadian receivers to come through the draft, and they were drafted back in 2010/2011.  Figure it takes a couple years for a CFL draftee to find their feet, we should be seeing receivers from the 2014/2015 class start to make an impact, but for whatever reason, they're not.

Here's for Cgy since 2010, for comparison

2010 -
2011  Anthony Parker*
          Brad Sinopoli (converted to WR) - a productive WR before he left for Ott
          Jared Manchulenko (TE)
2012 -
2013  Yannick Morin Plante
           Charlie Power* (converted to FB)
2014  Brian Marshall
2015  Lemar Durant*
2016  Juwan Brescacin*

*still with the team

better than what we have right now

Edited April 1, 20178 yr by M.O.A.B.

Solid argument not to pick receivers in the top two rounds...  here's the guys taken with the following pick...

Gascon-Nadon v. Aprile

D'Aguilar v. Haidara

Quinn Smith v. Bailey

Rights to Duv-Tardif v. Piercharski

Lochard v. Scott MacDonnell

Groulx v. Demski

Waud v. Richards

Vaiilancourt v. Brian Jones

Corney v. Tevaun Smith

19 hours ago, Throw Long Bannatyne said:

I wonder where the job opportunity is?   Wpg., Sask, N.D. ....anyone know where he spent his off-season working?

I'm guessing at Fargo as he tweeted about buying a home there.  

 

 

14 hours ago, mbrg said:

I have trouble believing that signing Bailey is a money issue - he's averaged 150 yards a season.  Sign him, don't sign him, whatever, but don't be backing up the money truck for him.  All that means is he's the next guy everyone complains about not earning his salary.

Ya you don't have to make room for a guy who'd sign for the minimum salary.

Also not worried about import receivers.  We didn't dress a single one last season that was unproductive.  Not too hard to find someone to compliment the veterans.

24 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

Ya you don't have to make room for a guy who'd sign for the minimum salary.

Also not worried about import receivers.  We didn't dress a single one last season that was unproductive.  Not too hard to find someone to compliment the veterans.

Pretty much everyone we dressed sans Denmark while Adams, Dressler and Smith were all hurt was unproductive. We also haven't recruited one single decent receiver with Walters as GM. 

Edited April 1, 20178 yr by Blueandgold

20 minutes ago, Blueandgold said:

Pretty much everyone we dressed sans Denmark while Adams, Dressler and Smith were all hurt was unproductive. We also haven't recruited one single decent receiver with Walters as GM. 

Kris Adams was the only one that wasn't at least average or good.  I don't expect a guy playing his first CFL game to be Dressler.

Not sure I remember Smith but at 5'7" I probably did not.

12 hours ago, Floyd said:

Forgot about Vitt... any chance he makes it to camp?

Anyone drafted in that bonus round is akin to either a Canadian qb with no chance of ever making it or a charity case if it's another position.

Edited April 1, 20178 yr by SpeedFlex27

15 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Anyone drafted in that bonus round is akin to either a Canadian qb with no chance of ever making it or a charity case if it's another position.

Or Frank Renaud and Brandon Tennant.

3 hours ago, Blueandgold said:

Pretty much everyone we dressed sans Denmark while Adams, Dressler and Smith were all hurt was unproductive. We also haven't recruited one single decent receiver with Walters as GM. 

We played three games last year without Adams / Dressler / Smith.  Mayo, not Denmark, was our most productive receiver in two of those games.

With about 300 yards in just five games, he was on a 1,000-yard pace last year.  Was a bummer to see him go.

Edited April 1, 20178 yr by johnzo