Too soon?  Too many truly painful Grey Cup losses have taken the sting out of yesterday's loss already.

Time to look forward while we cope with the recent disappointment.  

Who do we keep?  Who do we let go?  Who do we go after?

Someone was going to start this thread at some point.

Just now, BBlink said:

Think I saw that Willie is at 225

I wonder how much is counting towards 2022? 
 

 

9 minutes ago, Nolby said:

I as well,Bighill has been taking contracts way below his potential, dude put team first.

Last year after his DPOY I think he had a decent contract boost. Maybe after a non-Grey Cup year he will take less again

Just now, Bubba Zanetti said:

I dont know about that. His stats were down across the board last season, and he was much more noticeable in a bad way. Hopefully im wrong. Was quietly hoping the Bombers would go out and get Sankey.

A guy who got beat to the sidelines by a 240 lb backup QB?

Yeah, no thanks 

I wonder if Jefferson looks better with a young DT in the mold of a Nevis or Stove and if Biggie looks better with an athletic young WIL in the mold of Wilson?

6 minutes ago, Bubba Zanetti said:

I dont know about that. His stats were down across the board last season, and he was much more noticeable in a bad way. Hopefully im wrong. Was quietly hoping the Bombers would go out and get Sankey.

Stats were down but he had his will lb out most of the year, a rookie at Sam for most of the season and a depleted defensive line... notn o mention the chaos in the secondary at times... I suspect with a healthier roster we see more of old bighill.

Just now, 17to85 said:

Stats were down but he had his will lb out most of the year, a rookie at Sam for most of the season and a depleted defensive line... notn o mention the chaos in the secondary at times... I suspect with a healthier roster we see more of old bighill.

He was also injured - shoulder injury early, doubt it ever got back to near 100%
 

I expect to see him more 2021 than 2022

Look how beat up our secondary and our line backing core was. At times he was playing back deeper then usual, I think it messed with his pursuit angles, but as soon as we started getting healthy Bighill was back playing at his exceptional level. This is so important to keep the core together not only for their play but what they bring in the locker room and community. 

Community and continuity....something Bighill brings to this club....This team would not be the same without the guy and I don't really see how you replace him....

1 hour ago, Jesse said:

Maybe not honest - but wouldn’t outright lie.

Fair enough. 

On 2022-11-27 at 12:50 PM, Nolby said:

What's going to be Lalwers offer this year? He was by far Edmontons best receiver but nowhere near 300k good. Got a feeling Lawler will want to come back and maybe for a discount.

He will easily get 200k and deserves 200k.  Good possibility he gets more.

56 minutes ago, Bubba Zanetti said:

I dont know about that. His stats were down across the board last season, and he was much more noticeable in a bad way. Hopefully im wrong. Was quietly hoping the Bombers would go out and get Sankey.

I am thankful we didn't go after Sankey. He has high tackle totals but take a look at rush yards surrendered by the Riders per game, and avg yards per rush. They ranked near the bottom of the league. When your MLB leads the league in tackles and you have those stat lines it means one thing, opposing offences chose to go after you because you are surrendering too many yards. Tackle totals are such a red herring sometimes. Also, Sankey does not have the game to go outside the box. He is completely one dimensional. Larry Dean absolutely saved Sankey from being completely exposed as the fraud he is.

Edited November 29, 20223 yr by GCn20

57 minutes ago, Geebrr said:

A guy who got beat to the sidelines by a 240 lb backup QB?

Yeah, no thanks 

Exactly. The guy has zero speed and zero ability in coverage. He can't even spy a QB. He got a crap load of tackles because he never vacated the box, and teams ran at him because you could count on good average doing so.

52 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

I wonder if Jefferson looks better with a young DT in the mold of a Nevis or Stove and if Biggie looks better with an athletic young WIL in the mold of Wilson?

Wilson will definitely help. He has DB speed at WIL and will narrow Biggie's coverage area. Look at what Dean did for Sankey this year, kept him from being totally exposed for his inability to go sideline to sideline. With Biggie, he can still go sideline to sideline but not having to do so will really open up ways for Hall to use him in the blitz or dropping into coverage and allow Biggie to zero in between the tackles on run plays.

Edited November 29, 20223 yr by GCn20

55 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Stats were down but he had his will lb out most of the year, a rookie at Sam for most of the season and a depleted defensive line... notn o mention the chaos in the secondary at times... I suspect with a healthier roster we see more of old bighill.

 

 

How could this be? Rider fans have assured me that since losing the GC all of our players were going to bolt to other teams and we couldn’t possibly re sign any of them. 
 

In all seriousness. Glad Biggie is back. Huge part of this team. He brings more than just hard hits. He’s the first guy and the last guy in the building each day. Loves this team and this city. Hopefully he can recover from his injuries and be back to his 2021 form which I suspect he will. 

Updated List (MBB Free Agent Tracker):

Bomber Free Agents:

Quarterback

Dakota Prukop (A)

Fullback

Mike Miller (N)

Receiver

Rasheed Bailey (A)

Nic Demski (N)

Greg Ellingson (A)

Janarion Grant (A)

Timothy Knuettel (G)

Greg McCrae (A)

Luke McMillan (N)

Offensive line

Stanley Bryant (A)

Michael Couture (N)

Jermarcus Hardrick (A)

Patrick Neufeld (N) Re-signed

Eric Lofton (A)

Tyler Witt (A)

Defensive line

Keion Adams (A)

Jackson Jeffcoat (A)

Willie Jefferson (A) Re-signed

Casey Sayles (A)

Jake Thomas (N)

Linebacker

Adam Bighill (A) Re-signed

Jesse Briggs (N)

Shayne Gauthier (N)

Les Maruo (G)

Kyrie Wilson (A)

DeJuan Cooper (A)

Defensive back

Alden Darby (A)

Desmond Lawrence (A)

Mercy Maston (A)

Winston Rose (A)

Nick Taylor (A)

Souleymane Karamoko (G)

Cedric Lavigne (N)

Donald Rutledge Jr. (A)

Kicker

Ali Mourtada (A)

Long snapper

Mike Benson (N)

Barring injury (taps forehead to knock on wood) I think we are going to have a lights out secondary next year.....like shades of 2021. The potential for it is there. 

1 minute ago, Noeller said:

Barring injury (taps forehead to knock on wood) I think we are going to have a lights out secondary next year.....like shades of 2021. The potential for it is there. 

I’ve been saying this all year. Expect a Houston like jump for the rookies who got thrown into the fire this year.

I'd love to see Demski back next on a 2-3 year deal.

31 minutes ago, Jesse said:

I’ve been saying this all year. Expect a Houston like jump for the rookies who got thrown into the fire this year.

Speaking of Houston as well as Nichols they've been on the team the past 2 years and should be coming off their rookie contracts, just wondering why are they not listed as F.A.'s?

2 hours ago, BBlink said:

Think I saw that Willie is at 225

He was before. Haven’t seen any numbers yet. I suspect the early signs will take a bit less. 
 

I hope we get the top ten paid by position articles from 3dn this year again. 

11 minutes ago, Fatty Liver said:

Speaking of Houston as well as Nichols they've been on the team the past 2 years and should be coming off their rookie contracts, just wondering why are they not listed as F.A.'s?

Nichols signed an extension last year through 2023 . 
 

Houston re-signed in December 2021

6 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

He was before. Haven’t seen any numbers yet. I suspect the early signs will take a bit less. 
 

I hope we get the top ten paid by position articles from 3dn this year again. 

From Ted Wyman "Jefferson, who is reportedly set to make $225,000 in 2023, said it’s easy for many players to choose to come back to the Bombers...."

2 hours ago, Bomber_fanaddict said:

How could this be? Rider fans have assured me that since losing the GC all of our players were going to bolt to other teams and we couldn’t possibly re sign any of them. 
 

 

According to them we are just signing a bunch of over the hill dudes and we will stink in 2023.

2 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

According to them we are just signing a bunch of over the hill dudes and we will stink in 2023.

I figured that was going to be the talking point....and it's not necessarily WRONG, but it's too early to tell just yet. And there's still lots of  young-ish guys yet to sign, that I believe will, it's just that the first ones off the board have been the old-and-possibly-too-old players...

Willie Jefferson would start on any team in this league 

I don't think all vets will be back. 

Guys I'd like to see 

BAILEY 

DEMSKI 

BRYANT 

Desjarlais 

Wilson 

Gauthier 

Jeffcoat 

Lawrence and Darby 

10 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

According to them we are just signing a bunch of over the hill dudes and we will stink in 2023.

Yep who needs players like Biggie, Neufeld, and Jefferson and eventually Bryant, and Hardrick. CFL all stars....who needs em.

7 minutes ago, Geebrr said:

Willie Jefferson would start on any team in this league 

That is not even debatable.  He is a top 5 player in this league outside of QB.

10 minutes ago, Noeller said:

I figured that was going to be the talking point....and it's not necessarily WRONG, but it's too early to tell just yet. And there's still lots of  young-ish guys yet to sign, that I believe will, it's just that the first ones off the board have been the old-and-possibly-too-old players...

Willie is in his prime, Neufeld and Bighill were CFLPA all stars. It's stupid commentary on their end. Even if they regress they are still better than most teams will field this year at those same positions.