2024/2025 CFL (non-Bomber) Off-Season Thread

[SpeedFlex27]

On 2025-05-20 at 8:54 PM, Booch said:

Yeah he was particularly good at destroying a teams cohesiveness and robbing from Peter to pay Paul and sacrificing a total team

Jones was just an awful individual when it came to a lot of things but let's face it, you reward loyalty if you can still play effectively. You don't create loyalty by playing guys who can't do the things they used to do as well anymore just because of longevity. 

What does that do for the morale of the younger guys forced to sit it out on the sidelines while an aging & fading veteran still gets the majority of playing time? Where the loyalty there? Where the development? Where's the continuity of replacements when it's time? Lots of frustration from the younger players & that could explain why we can't seem to keep our guys for their second contract. 

Wally never did this. Neither did Huff. Don Matthews from all accounts was a great coach to play for. The veterans loved him but if individual performances of some of those veterans began to slide, those players were gone. That's how it should be. Someone like Jake Thomas should be told it's time to go. Give Jake a nice send off during the season but otherwise sayonara, goodbye.

[Booch]

3 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Jones was just an awful individual when it came to a lot of things but let's face it, you reward loyalty if you can still play effectively. You don't create loyalty by playing guys who can't do the things they used to do as well anymore just because of longevity. 

What does that do for the morale of the younger guys forced to sit it out on the sidelines while an aging & fading veteran still gets the majority of playing time? Where the loyalty there? Where the development? Where's the continuity of replacements when it's time? Lots of frustration from the younger players & that could explain why we can't seem to keep our guys for their second contract. 

Wally never did this. Neither did Huff. Don Matthews from all accounts was a great coach to play for. The veterans loved him but if individual performances of some of those veterans began to slide, those players were gone. That's how it should be. Someone like Jake Thomas should be told it's time to go. Give Jake a nice send off during the season but otherwise sayonara, goodbye.

we a vet team as it is so his "vet leadership" is neither here nor there.....he should be looked at by coaching staff in the light of, what does he offer us right now, and next yr.....and can that same minimal contribution be replaced with a younger player...one with upside...or possible upside and at a lesser cost....especially with how we construct our ratio in that a National DT isn't really a need...and this should have been done 2...3 yrs ago already

It's not a knock on Jake as a guy....moreso Jake the player now...this is pro sports and thats the nature of the beast...It's not charity

[GCn20]

2 hours ago, Booch said:

we a vet team as it is so his "vet leadership" is neither here nor there.....he should be looked at by coaching staff in the light of, what does he offer us right now, and next yr.....and can that same minimal contribution be replaced with a younger player...one with upside...or possible upside and at a lesser cost....especially with how we construct our ratio in that a National DT isn't really a need...and this should have been done 2...3 yrs ago already

It's not a knock on Jake as a guy....moreso Jake the player now...this is pro sports and thats the nature of the beast...It's not charity

I don't agree that Jake has no use to us as a player, but I do agree that the amount of reps he got last year were way too many. He shouldn't be taking more than 10 snaps a game to give someone else a quick breather. That is how he could be an effective player and leader on our team. Of course, last year's usage was dramatically impacted by Lawson's injury, but I totally agree that his reps need to drastically reduced. In a perfect world we wouldn't have a coaching cap and he could come in as an assistant position coach instead...but c'est la vie.

[Bigblue204]

I need some Friday night football back in my life

[HardCoreBlue]

37 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

I don't agree that Jake has no use to us as a player, but I do agree that the amount of reps he got last year were way too many. He shouldn't be taking more than 10 snaps a game to give someone else a quick breather. That is how he could be an effective player and leader on our team. Of course, last year's usage was dramatically impacted by Lawson's injury, but I totally agree that his reps need to drastically reduced. In a perfect world we wouldn't have a coaching cap and he could come in as an assistant position coach instead...but c'est la vie.

Genuine question: whether its 1 rep or 30, is JT performing at the level that's required?

Because when I'm focused on him when watching our Blue play, he seems to get washed out more times than not no matter what rep it is.

Edited 6 hours ago by HardCoreBlue

[rebusrankin]

1 hour ago, GCn20 said:

I don't agree that Jake has no use to us as a player, but I do agree that the amount of reps he got last year were way too many. He shouldn't be taking more than 10 snaps a game to give someone else a quick breather. That is how he could be an effective player and leader on our team. Of course, last year's usage was dramatically impacted by Lawson's injury, but I totally agree that his reps need to drastically reduced. In a perfect world we wouldn't have a coaching cap and he could come in as an assistant position coach instead...but c'est la vie.

What makes you think he'd be a good coach?

[Noeller]

1 hour ago, HardCoreBlue said:

Genuine question: whether its 1 rep or 30, is JT performing at the level that's required?

Because when I'm focused on him when watching our Blue play, he seems to get washed out more times than not no matter what rep it is.

He can definitely be effective when used in very small doses. And, fwiw, it looks like he's lost a fair bit of weight this year, which will hopefully help. Still want Lawson taking the majority of reps if we're insistent upon having a starting NI DT...

[HardCoreBlue]

4 minutes ago, Noeller said:

He can definitely be effective when used in very small doses. And, fwiw, it looks like he's lost a fair bit of weight this year, which will hopefully help. Still want Lawson taking the majority of reps if we're insistent upon having a starting NI DT...

Like I said I'm not seeing it but hey I'm not the technical expert so when game tape review happens by the experts, that is where fact can be found.

Edited 5 hours ago by HardCoreBlue

[GCn20]

40 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

What makes you think he'd be a good coach?

Just a hunch. 

1 hour ago, HardCoreBlue said:

Genuine question: whether its 1 rep or 30, is JT performing at the level that's required?

Because when I'm focused on him when watching our Blue play, he seems to get washed out more times than not no matter what rep it is.

Jake can be effective in limited situational reps. I get what you are saying, but he is effective early in his rep cycle with diminishing returns as he gasses out.

[HardCoreBlue]

8 minutes ago, Noeller said:

He can definitely be effective when used in very small doses. And, fwiw, it looks like he's lost a fair bit of weight this year, which will hopefully help. Still want Lawson taking the majority of reps if we're insistent upon having a starting NI DT...

Hey if that results in him lighting it up this year, fantastic. But if it doesn't and he continues to get reps, not sure how that fits with MOS's vision for the team.

[GCn20]

8 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Jones was just an awful individual when it came to a lot of things but let's face it, you reward loyalty if you can still play effectively. You don't create loyalty by playing guys who can't do the things they used to do as well anymore just because of longevity. 

What does that do for the morale of the younger guys forced to sit it out on the sidelines while an aging & fading veteran still gets the majority of playing time? Where the loyalty there? Where the development? Where's the continuity of replacements when it's time? Lots of frustration from the younger players & that could explain why we can't seem to keep our guys for their second contract. 

Wally never did this. Neither did Huff. Don Matthews from all accounts was a great coach to play for. The veterans loved him but if individual performances of some of those veterans began to slide, those players were gone. That's how it should be. Someone like Jake Thomas should be told it's time to go. Give Jake a nice send off during the season but otherwise sayonara, goodbye.

What does it do for morale when vets are churned out like day old bread? You won't get buy in without loyalty being a two way street. Of course, I agree that it can't go over the top to either degree. I mean it's not like we haven't moved on from vets in our organization. I think it is ridiculous that people say the team never moves on when just this year we will not be seeing Bighill or Alexander for instance. But that doesn't match the narrative being driven on this forum so let's forget about all the vets we've moved on from in just the past couple years and focus solely on one player named Jake Thomas. SMH. What guys are we not keeping for our second contract that we would have loved to keep? Name one. 

I honestly can't believe how much the narrative around here is driven by Jake Thomas? Makes no sense whatsoever. Yea, he probably should be put out to pasture but it is complete nonsense to suggest that we are a team that never moves on from players. Adam Bighill and Brandon Alexander would disagree vehemently with that take. Also this narrative that our roster is too veteran heavy is also nonsense. Our starting 24 last year had the 3rd most amount of rookie/sophmore players in the entire league.

Edited 5 hours ago by GCn20

[HardCoreBlue]

7 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Just a hunch. 

Jake can be effective in limited situational reps. I get what you are saying, but he is effective early in his rep cycle with diminishing returns as he gasses out.

Like I responded to Noeller, I'm not seeing it, but if the technical experts agree with your statement in bold after game tape review than I stand corrected.

[rebusrankin]

If Jake is best as a 10 rep rotational guy, is he worth keeping with a higher vet salary? Sounds like a job for a cheaper, younger player does it not?

[Booch]

51 minutes ago, Noeller said:

He can definitely be effective when used in very small doses. And, fwiw, it looks like he's lost a fair bit of weight this year, which will hopefully help. Still want Lawson taking the majority of reps if we're insistent upon having a starting NI DT...

he will just get moved more easily now...His only real use was sometimes getting in the way....now he can be washed away even easier if he is lighter...and define effective?...I dont see it,

1 minute ago, rebusrankin said:

If Jake is best as a 10 rep rotational guy, is he worth keeping with a higher vet salary? Sounds like a job for a cheaper, younger player does it not?

exactly my point last few seasons....if thats all he good for...and a stretch at that...use those reps...time and lesser salary developing a younger guy with upside and ability...why delay the process when everyone here can agree with...that JT is in no way shape or form the future...nor should be even considered as such

 

45 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

Hey if that results in him lighting it up this year, fantastic. But if it doesn't and he continues to get reps, not sure how that fits with MOS's vision for the team.

his vison...Fav's of his will play be damned...

[M.O.A.B.]

Edmonton Elks release Canadian DL Sam Acheampong, sign two others - 3DownNation