Lots going on. As mentioned earlier, The Stove has re-signed in BC...also:
 

 and 

 

 

 

Edited November 23, 20232 yr by Noeller

 

 

They just pay the maximum in every signing. 
 

It is glorious (and understandable). Nobody takes anything less than the max to play there. 

It is just classic Farhan that he rarely gets into contract specifics when it involves the Lions - yet always seems to know the contract for every other team’s  signing. 

4 hours ago, Noeller said:

I was living off daquiri's w/excessive amounts of Dominican rum and "Caribbean Sunrise"/"Caribbean Sunset"'s for a week..... 

Would you say they were daquilicious?

10 hours ago, bluto said:

 

Is it weird to go 16-2 and then rebuild?

We so far have lost the league's best Cover LB, DB (and maybe the 2nd best as well), Kicker, Import RB and Returner...

Damn, FA hasn't even started yet... 

No kidding, 16-2 and then complete overhaul. 

I don't get it

21 minutes ago, Wanna-B-Fanboy said:

Damn, FA hasn't even started yet... 

No kidding, 16-2 and then complete overhaul. 

I don't get it

According to CFL Nation, Argos management has a plan. What the plan is nobody knows...

https://www.si.com/cfl/fannation/news/toronto-argonauts-offseason-strategy-anaylsis-prediction-free-agency-part-two

 

Edited February 7, 20241 yr by SpeedFlex27

17 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

According to CFL Nation, Argos management has a plan. What the plan is nobody knows...

https://www.si.com/cfl/fannation/news/toronto-argonauts-offseason-strategy-anaylsis-prediction-free-agency-part-two

 

Well, one thing that helps the argos is having John Murphy digging up players he is the CFL talent scout equivalent of a truffle pig. The guy is a tremendous talent scout, but has a personality of said truffle pig.  The argos will still bring in great talent into the league, they will be fine.

 

Side note... every time I see a pic of Murphy, I am ALWAYS reminded of Pvt. Lawrence's final scene in Full Metal Jacket.

1 hour ago, Wanna-B-Fanboy said:

Damn, FA hasn't even started yet... 

No kidding, 16-2 and then complete overhaul. 

I don't get it

Chad Kelly is making what, 400k more this season? Doesnt leave much money for other guys that are looking for raises.

 

6 hours ago, Wanna-B-Fanboy said:

Damn, FA hasn't even started yet... 

No kidding, 16-2 and then complete overhaul. 

I don't get it

Not difficult to have seen this outcome coming.

• We had lots of guys on first time contracts that were due a raise.
• We had several guys who were to be "best in category free agents".
• We had depth enough to field two teams and compete (which we did.

So with the realities of the cap upon us, Pinball/Magri/Russell have chosen to put their faith in their recruiting. They've been ridiculously good at it, so I can't even second guess them. But losing 5 defensive starters, 2 key offensive contributors and the best 2 ST guys in the league is a BIG ask.

Hendrix too. Hamilton is really loading up. Too bad for them BLM's shoulder retired after the 2019 season.

49 minutes ago, bluto said:

Not difficult to have seen this outcome coming.

• We had lots of guys on first time contracts that were due a raise.
• We had several guys who were to be "best in category free agents".
• We had depth enough to field two teams and compete (which we did.

So with the realities of the cap upon us, Pinball/Magri/Russell have chosen to put their faith in their recruiting. They've been ridiculously good at it, so I can't even second guess them. But losing 5 defensive starters, 2 key offensive contributors and the best 2 ST guys in the league is a BIG ask.

The recruitment better be very good because a boat load of talent just left. If you think you are filling those holes with first year recruits you are high. The Argos have to get to work in FA or they are going to be left behind. That being said, I have never seen a team built in FA do very well.

12 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

The recruitment better be very good because a boat load of talent just left. If you think you are filling those holes with first year recruits you are high. The Argos have to get to work in FA or they are going to be left behind. That being said, I have never seen a team built in FA do very well.

We pretty much were built by recruitment and free agency, so... There's reason to think we're still the team to beat in our division.

We have a star QB. All 7 of the best O-Line are back. We have very strong Canadian players and depth. All of the departed players (save one) had a backup that demonstrated over the final third of the season that they are starter calibre on a winning club.

Circle of life.

14 minutes ago, bluto said:

We pretty much were built by recruitment and free agency, so... There's reason to think we're still the team to beat in our division.

We have a star QB. All 7 of the best O-Line are back. We have very strong Canadian players and depth. All of the departed players (save one) had a backup that demonstrated over the final third of the season that they are starter calibre on a winning club.

Circle of life.

Until proven otherwise, Montreal is the team to beat in your division. Like it or not, they ultimately were the East`s best team last year. Don`t get me wrong, if playoffs were best of 3 it`s Winnipeg vs Toronto last year and we have our 3rd Grey Cup in 4 years...but the fact of the matter on any given Sunday for two straight games, Montreal was able to claim the title as the team to beat in the CFL. It belongs to them.

I do agree that FA, is a bit over rated in terms of measuring a teams competitiveness. Good teams lose players, bad teams get some, but at the end of the day the teams that recruit the best over time are usually at or near the top of the league.

Edited February 7, 20241 yr by GCn20

14 minutes ago, bluto said:

We pretty much were built by recruitment and free agency, so... There's reason to think we're still the team to beat in our division.

We have a star QB. All 7 of the best O-Line are back. We have very strong Canadian players and depth. All of the departed players (save one) had a backup that demonstrated over the final third of the season that they are starter calibre on a winning club.

Circle of life.

What’s your take on losing those interior DL? Is there enough depth there to replace 2 studs + possibly Oakman as well?

l see Ouelette as a huge loss as well, 
The announcers talked about Kelly but I saw the Argos running game as the harder aspect to deal with. No one was able to pin their ears back on the QB until the EF. 
I was actually really hoping to see him in blue & gold when it looked like Brady was gone. 

57 minutes ago, JohnnyAbonny said:

What’s your take on losing those interior DL? Is there enough depth there to replace 2 studs + possibly Oakman as well?

l see Ouelette as a huge loss as well, 
The announcers talked about Kelly but I saw the Argos running game as the harder aspect to deal with. No one was able to pin their ears back on the QB until the EF. 
I was actually really hoping to see him in blue & gold when it looked like Brady was gone. 

The 2024 season will be glorious if TO can't establish the run resulting in CK running for his life throwing up ducks sulking back to the sidelines standing alone arms crossed with that 'I'm a horrible teammate' glare of his.

Ahhhh one can dream.

TO still has a decent wr core. But I agree, AJ was a main piece of the puzzle for that o and their Defence likely won't be able to bail them out like they did so many times last year. 

Will be interesting to watch how Kelly deals with some regular adversity.

Edited February 7, 20241 yr by Bigblue204

1 hour ago, GCn20 said:

Until proven otherwise, Montreal is the team to beat in your division. Like it or not, they ultimately were the East`s best team last year. Don`t get me wrong, if playoffs were best of 3 it`s Winnipeg vs Toronto last year and we have our 3rd Grey Cup in 4 years...but the fact of the matter on any given Sunday for two straight games, Montreal was able to claim the title as the team to beat in the CFL. It belongs to them.

I do agree that FA, is a bit over rated in terms of measuring a teams competitiveness. Good teams lose players, bad teams get some, but at the end of the day the teams that recruit the best over time are usually at or near the top of the league.

It's fair to say they're the team to beat.

But if you're making a standing prediction, is it your honest opinion that Montreal will finish 1st in the East? Because it isn't mine. 

No concerns that Toronto will be able to put together a good roster if I’m an Argos fan. Will it gel this year in time? Impossible to say. But will they have talent in camp? I don’t know why anyone would assume otherwise. Great scouts over there, especially on defence and they still have a lot of solid pieces in place. 
 

Carnell, McManis, Jones, Ceresna, Metchie, Orimolade … they’ve got the makings of a solid D for sure.

Argo's certainly do not believe in continuity.....we do....I think our philosophy has produced a winner.....Can TO replace the talent they have lost so far ...big ask from any gm and or scouting system....Good luck to them, but as a fan of this league for many years, I've never seen a recovery or 'rebuild' ever happen overnight....Management jobs on the line in argoland for sure IF they don't

41 minutes ago, Jesse said:

It's fair to say they're the team to beat.

But if you're making a standing prediction, is it your honest opinion that Montreal will finish 1st in the East? Because it isn't mine. 

My Dark Horse prediction (in 4 months before the start of the season) for the East- ALLCAPS. That's where my money would go right now.

bahhhhhh........

 

2 hours ago, JohnnyAbonny said:

What’s your take on losing those interior DL? Is there enough depth there to replace 2 studs + possibly Oakman as well?

l see Ouelette as a huge loss as well, 
The announcers talked about Kelly but I saw the Argos running game as the harder aspect to deal with. No one was able to pin their ears back on the QB until the EF. 
I was actually really hoping to see him in blue & gold when it looked like Brady was gone. 

We have 3 interior DL studs under contract, so it'll be fine.

Like I said, the only sport that we didn't have a top quality backup was cover LB. So right now looking at our team, that position and its backup is our biggest hole.

53 minutes ago, Jesse said:

It's fair to say they're the team to beat.

But if you're making a standing prediction, is it your honest opinion that Montreal will finish 1st in the East? Because it isn't mine. 

I really don't have much of a read on the East right now to be honest. 

36 minutes ago, Mike said:

No concerns that Toronto will be able to put together a good roster if I’m an Argos fan. Will it gel this year in time? Impossible to say. But will they have talent in camp? I don’t know why anyone would assume otherwise. Great scouts over there, especially on defence and they still have a lot of solid pieces in place. 
 

Carnell, McManis, Jones, Ceresna, Metchie, Orimolade … they’ve got the makings of a solid D for sure.

Yea...doubtful TO goes 16-2 again, but they should be right up there in the East. 

54 minutes ago, Jesse said:

It's fair to say they're the team to beat.

But if you're making a standing prediction, is it your honest opinion that Montreal will finish 1st in the East? Because it isn't mine. 

That's where I am. 

Fair play to the Champions, but I don't see them as better than us in any way other than the result of the East Final.

36 minutes ago, Mike said:

No concerns that Toronto will be able to put together a good roster if I’m an Argos fan. Will it gel this year in time? Impossible to say. But will they have talent in camp? I don’t know why anyone would assume otherwise. Great scouts over there, especially on defence and they still have a lot of solid pieces in place. 
 

Carnell, McManis, Jones, Ceresna, Metchie, Orimolade … they’ve got the makings of a solid D for sure.

Yeah, that too.

And lets remember that Ouellette, Peters, Hendrix etc were unknown FAs just a year or two ago.