2024/2025 Blue Bombers Off-Season Thread

[Goalie]

6 minutes ago, Colin Unger said:

Is it better to stash him and get little to no reps in practice and eat a year of his entry level deal or have him absorb everything in training camp and send back to College.  My understanding is he's a recent convert to the QB position and the extra playing time might serve him well.

Stash him for a year. He can still learn. Dudes not gonna be learning how to play pro in the CIS. You PR him or put him on the 1 game where he can be around the team learning to be a pro. Sending a QB back to college when he’s learning nothing new in college is crazy talk. Why take him at 17 or wherever if they plan on sending him back to not learn to be a pro. I think learning from pro coaches and a guy like Zach is way better than going back to school. If he even can, do most invites to the senior bowl go back to school? Seems kinda counterproductive to the name senior if they do. 

Edited Wednesday at 02:04 PM by Goalie

[Bigblue204]

7 minutes ago, Goalie said:

Stash him for a year. He can still learn. Dudes not gonna be learning how to play pro in the CIS. You PR him or put him on the 1 game where he can be around the team learning to be a pro. Sending a QB back to college when he’s learning nothing new in college is crazy talk. Why take him at 17 or wherever if they plan on sending him back to not learn to be a pro. I think learning from pro coaches and a guy like Zach is way better than going back to school. If he even can, do most invites to the senior bowl go back to school? Seems kinda counterproductive to the name senior if they do. 

He's currently doing the work out tour for NFL teams. I don't think he's going back to school, but I don't think he's looking to join the CFL immediately either.

[3rdand1.5]

12 minutes ago, Colin Unger said:

With the new Canadian linebacker talent we have we are probably in a position to carry fewer American DI's at linebacker and more on the defensive line now which really mitigates some of the concerns i had last year.  I think we'll be able to dress 4 import defensive lineman, 3 Canadians, and 1 global week in week out this season.  

I didn't think of this angle, but I like it. Simply put IMO our D-line was not good enough the last two seasons

[JuranBoldenRules]

9 hours ago, Jets said:

Yeah I don't hate the guys we took, but it felt like Findlay or Shand would've been a higher upside play at positions that made a bit more sense (Canadian Safety or DL) instead of Smith.   And at our first pick I also like Newell as a better fit or ideally, move up a slot or two to get Shanks - who is probably the only real top end difference maker OL of the group.    

I don't think we reached or outsmarted ourselves with the picks we made, just the guys were both safer picks at positions that we don't necessarily need anymore Canadian depth (or future Canadian starter).  I do agree that Shay could end up being one of the best players from this draft though, its just interesting to see how he fits given our recent glut of American LBs.

I don't think we really have a glut of American LB's.  We ended last year starting a guy we signed off the street and using Gauthier in a ton of packages as a true B to B style middle LB.

Even just bumping Shay into the mix where Gauthier was and dropping Gauthier down to almost entirely special teams is a strong move.  Then in the 2 LB spots you have Shay and the two Jones'.  Depending how the roster shakes out, maybe you DI another American LB, but they have a lot of flexibility as to where guys fit, especially if the British rush end can play a little bit.  A lot of that bottom 1/3 of the roster decision making will depend on who Mike Miller wants on special teams.

Could have done something similar with Newell, minus the special teams.

We basically need 2 Canadians on the field on D at all times likely, could maybe push that to 3 if they are healthy and get Logan or another American receiver more active on O.

Receiver is a real area of concern for me.  We'll have to see what Corcoran looks like.  OL as well, but I don't believe there was much in this draft for OL.  Even Shanks and Anderson it's a bit of a gamble that they can move inside or remain viable having to block on an island against the level of pass rush they will see in the CFL.  Vibert is fine, maybe get on as 6th guy at some point this year but hopefully we don't need him and he can just develop.

1 hour ago, Mike said:

I think we’re a bit thrown off by what this draft might do to our ratio and I would’ve taken Findlay over Jaylen Smith too but if I really sit down and think about it, the idea of playing Brady, Demski, Clercius, 2 OL and then having two Canadians flying around at all times is something I like the sound of.

Kramdi, Shay, Smith has some real signs of versatility written all over it. Can do a lot with that and Lawson in the middle. Truly. 

And Kelly and the British DE if he can play.  We could have a 8 man deep DL and 5-6 American DB's on the roster.

I think effectively Shay opens up a DI spot to play around with for someone who comes into camp and wows them on either side of the ball, most likely receiver, DB.

[Rich]

1 hour ago, GCn20 said:

Wow that's strangely gracious and lucid coming from Ballsy. Maybe his wife got on his SM?

At the end of the day, put yourself in his shoes.  His son just got drafted into the CFL.  How proud would you be?  I'd dare bet most people here would even cheer for Saskatchewan if their son were drafted by the Riders.

[GCn20]

35 minutes ago, Rich said:

At the end of the day, put yourself in his shoes.  His son just got drafted into the CFL.  How proud would you be?  I'd dare bet most people here would even cheer for Saskatchewan if their son were drafted by the Riders.

I totally agree. However, after some of the outright outrageous statements he has gone on public record with concerning our organization I am still a little suprised by the sudden turn.

1 hour ago, Goalie said:

Stash him for a year. He can still learn. Dudes not gonna be learning how to play pro in the CIS. You PR him or put him on the 1 game where he can be around the team learning to be a pro. Sending a QB back to college when he’s learning nothing new in college is crazy talk. Why take him at 17 or wherever if they plan on sending him back to not learn to be a pro. I think learning from pro coaches and a guy like Zach is way better than going back to school. If he even can, do most invites to the senior bowl go back to school? Seems kinda counterproductive to the name senior if they do. 

I agree. There is this misconception that playing time automatically makes a QB better. That is not necessarily true. Being ready for playing time is the priority. A QB only gets better with playing time once he is ready. You put a QB in that isn't ready and you destroy them, and the very best way for Elgersma to be pro ready is to be professionally developed.

[wbbfan]

2 hours ago, blue85gold said:

23 from everything I see. 

 

That’s good, I thought he was some super senior. I saw 97 some place but I don’t see any ones ages clearly listed in any of the draft stuff. 

2 hours ago, Colin Unger said:

I think Streveler might be in trouble.  At his size Elgersma can fill the role of short yardage QB for this season and that gives us a significant cap savings vs one of our american vets. So Streveler is going to have to demonstrate he's the best option at QB1 if Zach goes down. Personally, I think Patterson is a better passer than Streveler. And then there's the injury history of Streveler. If he get injured again then it's basically just Zach and the canadian kid and whatever is available on the free agent market at the time.  I imagine they might consider healthy scratching Elgersma this season unless needed or sending him back to college for more seasoning after getting a training camp under his belt. But, i just don't think they drafted him not to have him on the roster this season.  Thoughts?
 

Don’t think so. Next year likely needs to take a roster spot from some one. 

[wbbfan]

2 hours ago, Goalie said:

Dolegala and Patterson better come to camp prepared. I think they are most at risk of being let go. Streveler if nothing else is a vet presence the boys all love and that matters. When it comes down to it, you keep the vet and let go of the 2 guys who really have no business being on a cfl roster. I guarantee it’s 1. Zach 2. Strev and 3 will be Wilson or Elgersma although I think they stash him for a year first to learn behind Zach. If being honest tho maybe it’s 1. Zach and 2 and 3 are yet to be determined cuz if we being real Strev dole patt and terry have all not done much in the league recently. Strev had a moment a few years ago now. 

I would cut one qb asap and bring in a rookie flyer. Those two don’t offer much. 

 

1 hour ago, Colin Unger said:

How good is the global DE we acquired in the Global draft?  He should help us with the issue we had last year of almost literally running out of defensive lineman as a global roster spot is basically additive to the Canadians and Americans. This is likely why they made the trade. 

With the new Canadian linebacker talent we have we are probably in a position to carry fewer American DI's at linebacker and more on the defensive line now which really mitigates some of the concerns i had last year.  I think we'll be able to dress 4 import defensive lineman, 3 Canadians, and 1 global week in week out this season.  

Wouldn’t have been my top pick, but would make the league as an imp. 12 games last year 31 tackles 18.5 tfl 9 sacks 9 qb hits 2 pkd fcs all American all big sky etc etc. He is very well poised to be on our ar in place of a di imp. 

[wbbfan]

2 hours ago, Goalie said:

He’s gonna sit and learn a year. They ain’t gonna rush him. 

Lawson Thomas schmeckle Kornelson are our options. Not sure I’d want 3 of those guys on the AR. Besides doesn’t the DC run the argos kinda wildcat D where we don’t really run a traditional DL. ? I could see 3 DL and 5 LBs on the field at times. We don’t need to dress 8 on the DL. They ain’t used like that. 

Those are not our best options, none of those 3 can play end and they can all just play 3t. Schmek is the only one useful on teams. 
 Bailey is an athletic tweener who could take snaps at lber, rush hand up or down and play teams. He’s likely just up against gowanlok. 
We are likely to Carry 6 dl now with more lbers. with cam and Jake (unfortunately) pencilled in it’s gonna be hard to even roster one of schmekel and Korny out side of the pr.

Tentatively right now I’d expect Wj Lawson woods vaughters with Jake, and Bailey. Adam’s is likely going to have to steal a job. 

Lber I think we will end up with 2 of kyrie, jones, jones and ayers. And the 2 rookies. I hope Ayers and Jonathon jones. Along with cadwallader and Gauthier. 

[rebusrankin]

I suspect we see 3 on D (1 DL (Lawson or Jake), 1 coverage LB (Kramdi) and one rotational canadian (Kelly/Shay/etc)

[Booch]

3 hours ago, GCn20 said:

Scouting report on him is that he is good in the run block and a little slow in setting his feet in pass pro. Teachable stuff. Great attitude and physicality, that's not teachable. I like how the Bombers value the intangibles over the teachables along their lines.  It has mostly served us well.

Pro coaching will fix footwork issue and technical stuff...interesting pick that could actually land on roster if we go 7 giys again....which I hope we dont as it's a waste and takes away a guy of value on teams and for sporadic reps in an area of usefulness

3 hours ago, GCn20 said:

My 2 cents on the draft overall is that I think we got two players that could turn this into a fantastic draft down the line in Shay and Elgersma. After that it's all about guys reaching their potential with not much in the sure thing department. All in all I give it a solid B....mainly because I really like Shay.

yeah....I like the 2 LB picks...I think Jaylen is gonna project well as a multi tool guy for us....Shay definately knows his pursuit angles well and has the instictive ability to read a play quickly....

3 hours ago, GCn20 said:

The fact that Sheehan is a below average punter in our league led me to the conclusion he is not safe long before we drafted a decent punter. Now, I think he should be very worried.

thanks god

3 hours ago, Mike said:

I think we’re a bit thrown off by what this draft might do to our ratio and I would’ve taken Findlay over Jaylen Smith too but if I really sit down and think about it, the idea of playing Brady, Demski, Clercius, 2 OL and then having two Canadians flying around at all times is something I like the sound of.

Kramdi, Shay, Smith has some real signs of versatility written all over it. Can do a lot with that and Lawson in the middle. Truly. 

you forgetting about Kelly and the real diamond in the rough with Makonzo....crazy good add and if I was Kramdi i'd be worried....we definitely morphing what we wanna do on defence in Youngers vison of a fast athletic group who can play multiple roles

3 hours ago, wbbfan said:

Yeah. Athletic imp ish lbers are common at the top of the draft. Athletic imp ish dbs aren’t and it’s kind of a bitter pill to swallow missing out on a few guys like that. 

Kelly's yr to take the step...ready for prime time now as opposed to a rook....and I think forward looking he is the better long term player....Kid should have been an every down starter last yr already

2 hours ago, Colin Unger said:

I think Streveler might be in trouble.  At his size Elgersma can fill the role of short yardage QB for this season and that gives us a significant cap savings vs one of our american vets. So Streveler is going to have to demonstrate he's the best option at QB1 if Zach goes down. Personally, I think Patterson is a better passer than Streveler. And then there's the injury history of Streveler. If he get injured again then it's basically just Zach and the canadian kid and whatever is available on the free agent market at the time.  I imagine they might consider healthy scratching Elgersma this season unless needed or sending him back to college for more seasoning after getting a training camp under his belt. But, i just don't think they drafted him not to have him on the roster this season.  Thoughts?
 

Strev is as safe as ZC....If not safer....Banana and Paterson are what basically amounts to camp arms and if one of them rosters over Wilson or Strev...major step backwards

 

32 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

Those are not our best options, none of those 3 can play end and they can all just play 3t. Schmek is the only one useful on teams. 
 Bailey is an athletic tweener who could take snaps at lber, rush hand up or down and play teams. He’s likely just up against gowanlok. 
We are likely to Carry 6 dl now with more lbers. with cam and Jake (unfortunately) pencilled in it’s gonna be hard to even roster one of schmekel and Korny out side of the pr.

Tentatively right now I’d expect Wj Lawson woods vaughters with Jake, and Bailey. Adam’s is likely going to have to steal a job. 

Lber I think we will end up with 2 of kyrie, jones, jones and ayers. And the 2 rookies. I hope Ayers and Jonathon jones. Along with cadwallader and Gauthier. 

yet....how many times did we see Thomas used as an end?/....good grief

[Bomber_fanaddict]

4 hours ago, Rich said:

 

Thy enemy becomes thy ally…. He is going to be nauseating to listen too. 

[rebusrankin]

The comment somebody here made about QBs and NIL $ was interesting. If you've made a million a year (which is low in many cases), do you come up here to play for 75k?

[Arnold_Palmer]

8 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

The comment somebody here made about QBs and NIL $ was interesting. If you've made a million a year (which is low in many cases), do you come up here to play for 75k?

Well when the money runs out because you’re not in college anymore and you want to make it to the pros that’s a decision they’re going to have to make if they want to continue playing football. Most Americans don’t come up here to make a living at first, it’s because they want to get back to the NFL.

[Colin Unger]

7 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

The comment somebody here made about QBs and NIL $ was interesting. If you've made a million a year (which is low in many cases), do you come up here to play for 75k?

I believe that once a canadian player has dressed for an NFL game they are free to sign in the CFL for whatever they can negotiate. The value being brought by Rourke is just in perhaps the increased likelihood that he will be successful versus other US college players.  It kind of sucks because if he does wash out of the NFL he's going to expect the Riders to pay him a lot of money. I think they'll have to pay him like a starter and hope he can instantly have success.

[Noeller]

15 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

The comment somebody here made about QBs and NIL $ was interesting. If you've made a million a year (which is low in many cases), do you come up here to play for 75k?

Just for the record, the post was stolen from the broadcast last night where the TSN panel spent about 15 minutes talking about this. There are guys making more money in college than NFL because of NIL, and it's tough to convince them to come north for under 100k, but Barker made the good point about "what happens when you graduate and that money is done?" 

[Fatty Liver]

3 hours ago, 3rdand1.5 said:

I didn't think of this angle, but I like it. Simply put IMO our D-line was not good enough the last two seasons

The D-line worked pretty well up until Jeffcoat left.

[Fatty Liver]

31 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

The comment somebody here made about QBs and NIL $ was interesting. If you've made a million a year (which is low in many cases), do you come up here to play for 75k?

I think this is a distortion of reality, the vast majority of US College players are receiving very little NIL money, the ones making big money from the program would likely be early draft picks that would never come to the CFL anyway. 

[wbbfan]

3 minutes ago, Fatty Liver said:

I think this is a distortion of reality, the vast majority of US College players are receiving very little NIL money, the ones making big money from the program would likely be early draft picks that would never come to the CFL anyway. 

Yep. And we’ve seen guys who mad a million plus come up north from the nfl. Manziel to bishop. 

[M.O.A.B.]

23 minutes ago, Fatty Liver said:

The D-line worked pretty well up until Jeffcoat left.

Jeffcoat and Hansen. 

[Goalie]

Walters say anything today or is the 1 minute 43 second interview from last night all so far? 

1 hour ago, wbbfan said:

Yep. And we’ve seen guys who mad a million plus come up north from the nfl. Manziel to bishop. 

Something other than NIL has changed also tho. We aren’t allowed to talk about that on here tho anymore. That might play a bigger role than people think. But all it takes really is for cfl guys to keep getting chances in the nfl and people will likely still come. It’s about playing football and outside the nfl and is it UFL? Whatever their spring league is, it’s the cfl. That’s the options really for ppl who want to continue playing. 

Edited Wednesday at 08:03 PM by Goalie

[Stickem]

Thinking a lot about the Elgersma pick....It was an extra thrown our way in any event and looking at our current qb. situation it 'could' bode very well for the future.....IF the kid signs here (it's an 'if' cuz he's getting a lot of looks down south) what better way to start off your career, that being mentored by a guy like Zack.....Once in awhile you get a player who has loads of talent and are viewed as somewhat extra special...Hard to pass on those especially when they are waved under your nose and obtainable....A quaterback by the name of Jim Van Pelt came our way back in the day....He was that kind of extra special player....a phenom that Bud Grant couldn't/wouldn't cut ...in fact he made him the starter when he first showed up, over a pretty good qb. on our roster, by the name of Kenny Ploen....It happens once in awhile...rare though, and I'm not saying Elgersma is that player.... BUT I say we give this kid every opportunity to succeed and see how this all shakes out...Here's hopin' we found something special

[Noeller]

18 minutes ago, Stickem said:

Thinking a lot about the Elgersma pick....It was an extra thrown our way in any event and looking at our current qb. situation it 'could' bode very well for the future.....IF the kid signs here (it's an 'if' cuz he's getting a lot of looks down south) what better way to start off your career, that being mentored by a guy like Zack.....Once in awhile you get a player who has loads of talent and are viewed as somewhat extra special...Hard to pass on those especially when they are waved under your nose and obtainable....A quaterback by the name of Jim Van Pelt came our way back in the day....He was that kind of extra special player....a phenom that Bud Grant couldn't/wouldn't cut ...in fact he made him the starter when he first showed up, over a pretty good qb. on our roster, by the name of Kenny Ploen....It happens once in awhile...rare though, and I'm not saying Elgersma is that player.... BUT I say we give this kid every opportunity to succeed and see how this all shakes out...Here's hopin' we found something special

I just can't wrap my head around a CIS QB actually becoming a good Pro QB. I still haven't bought any Nathan Rourke stock, and he's not even a CIS guy. 

Until I see otherwise, it really feels like a wasted pick... Or at least a wildly unnecessary reach. 

[Tracker]

2 hours ago, Fatty Liver said:

The D-line worked pretty well up until Jeffcoat left.

Agreed,  But Jake got older and even slower and then we had a rotating number of d-linemen which was never really settled.

[blue85gold]

https://www.bluebombers.com/2025/04/30/elgersma-this-is-something-ive-dreamed-of-for-a-long-time-getting-a-chance-to-be-a-professional-quarterback/

Tait with some more info on Elgersma