Blue Bombers - 2025 Regular Season - Discussion Thread

[JohnnyAbonny]

17 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

I can think of many times rookies won jobs out of camp. Try harder.

 

Of course out of camp. We were specifically talking about replacing established vets in season 

[Goalie]

14 minutes ago, JohnnyAbonny said:

Of course out of camp. We were specifically talking about replacing established vets in season 

Bombers have been winning. Winning teams don’t normally replace their established vets during the season unless injury. I mean were you wanting to replace Brady or Demski or lawler I suppose or Bryant Neufeld Zach Willie Kyrie Nichols holm cuz unless they were hurt, why would you. Bombers have been to the last 5 cups, despite the narrative, 5 straight cups is pretty ******* impressive. That don’t happen in salary cap era sports. Yeah they in the downfall and it began last year but all the guys I mentioned were and have been here  for the 5 in a row run basically and others like kolo Eli Jake Kramdi and some other Canadians but if you look at the roster from 2019 to now, lots has changed. Lots of new faces. Some very old ones now but lots of new ones also. 

im not sure if many teams move on from established players during the season unless injury honestly. And to move on from an established player that player needs to be sucking and the “depth” needs to outplay them every chance they get. I’m not sure the talent is here or on the PR honestly. Look at our PR, there’s really zero prospects. It’s all been there done that almost. Oh hey Cobb. OL mayers DL Bailey and OL Vibert are the only ones really to not play a cfl game. Where’s the talent. Cuz ok let’s replace Jake, he’s Canadian tho so your choices are Cobb Kelly Vibert or maybe a global (I’m not certain there). None of Cobb Kelly Vibert or the globals making a difference tho also. Those are your options tho if you want to bench Jake Thomas. 

Edited 8 hours ago by Goalie

[Slimy Sculpin]

A few post-game thoughts…

I was banished to the TV in the den after I swore up a storm when Streveler threw that first INT. The TSN talking heads suggested that Wilson missed an assignment on that one. I don’t know about that but I do know that injury, no injury or still recovering from an injury, Streveler is not the answer. He’s a deer-in-the-headlights, happy-footed, blinders on, can’t read a defense wannabe (used to be?) QB.

Quite a few Bombers were slipping like they were on banana peels last night, Lawson Jr. in particular but O. Wilson and even Oliveira. Was it the turf? Did the training staff bring the wrong shoes? I don’t think that Hamilton had the same problem although I could be wrong on that one.

We were lacking strength up the middle last night (most of the season?)….QB, C, the middle of the D-line (Lawson may turn out to be OK but Thomas and Kornelson, yikes!). Jones at MLB is adequate and Allen at S is still learning the position. I saw too many downs with two of those three Canucks on the field. And what the heck was Thomas doing on the field for that onside KO attempt?

Oliveira does amazingly well considering who are blocking for him. I thought Houston acquitted himself well for his first start in a while. However, Lawson Jr. should be the next guy to be shown the door. O. Wilson looks like he’s coming along, too. This Woodbey guy looked solid. Where has he been all season? Rhetorical question.

The still plenty of season to go but I’ve got a feeling that even with Collaros back, the playoffs are fading away. I wonder what Wade Miller is thinking right about now?

I’ll be there to the end but it’s getting harder and harder.

[Goalie]

Perhaps Wade is thinking cash cow.  I’d hope changes would be coming soon but how do I say this, I feel O’Shea was given a long long long rope, and Kyle and Wade are ok with O’Shea hanging himself with that rope this season. And you won’t really see any changes. Vets won’t be replaced, Streveler will get the reps, Wilson will dive into piles. Jake plays. Kolo plays. Bryant plays. Kyrie plays. All the vets will continue to play. Jake will play all 18. You know he will. unless injuries happen, there will be no changes. Shay and smith will get zero reps cuz those are Kyle’s guys. After the season is finally over at 7 and 11, and we sneak in the playoffs and lose, O’Shea will be fired, vets will be let go or not retained and or retire and 26 will be the retool. Walters as gm still but new head coach. Perhaps it’s Younger or Lapolice as coach next season. But I’d look at some outside the box candidates also. Perhaps former cfl QBs, gotta be a few around coaching somewhere not the nfl. 

Edited 7 hours ago by Goalie

[GCn20]

55 minutes ago, JohnnyAbonny said:

Of course out of camp. We were specifically talking about replacing established vets in season 

I can think of a few in that regard as well. Evan Holm, Redha Kramdi just off the top of my head got their jobs this way.

9 minutes ago, Goalie said:

Perhaps Wade is thinking cash cow.  I’d hope changes would be coming soon but how do I say this, I feel O’Shea was given a long long long rope, and Kyle and Wade are ok with O’Shea hanging himself with that rope this season. And you won’t really see any changes. Vets won’t be replaced, Streveler will get the reps, Wilson will dive into piles. Jake plays. Kolo plays. Bryant plays. Kyrie plays. All the vets will continue to play. Jake will play all 18. You know he will. unless injuries happen, there will be no changes. Shay and smith will get zero reps cuz those are Kyle’s guys. After the season is finally over at 7 and 11, and we sneak in the playoffs and lose, O’Shea will be fired, vets will be let go or not retained and or retire and 26 will be the retool. Walters as gm still but new head coach. Perhaps it’s Younger or Lapolice as coach next season. But I’d look at some outside the box candidates also. Perhaps former cfl QBs, gotta be a few around coaching somewhere not the nfl. 

Kyle Walters will be gone before O'Shea.

55 minutes ago, JohnnyAbonny said:

Of course out of camp. We were specifically talking about replacing established vets in season 

If you are replacing vets in season for poor play, it is because you are losing. Other than this year, when has that been the case. When you are winning you make the hard choices in the offseason. That's football management 101. Unless a vet has been terrible and the next man up is clearly better you won't see this happening on winning teams. That has not been the case around here in all but a few times. We've had vets lose their jobs to injury though.

Edited 7 hours ago by GCn20

[JohnnyAbonny]

2 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

I can think of a few in that regard as well. Evan Holm, Redha Kramdi just off the top of my head got their jobs this way.

Kramdi, right. He came in for Alden Darby or maybe Rutledge Jr? 
I wish historical depth charts were easier to find. 

[Goalie]

5 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

I can think of a few in that regard as well. Evan Holm, Redha Kramdi just off the top of my head got their jobs this way.

Kyle Walters will be gone before O'Shea.

I’m not sure. Part of me believes Wade and Kyle are letting Osh sink or swim. Perhaps he’s lost the plot. But people talk about how much we spend right, wouldn’t Kyle be told how much he can spend by Wade? Maybe Wade went discounting shopping this season cuz grey cup game plus multiple sellouts and it appears those will continue = massive profit. 

[GCn20]

Just now, JohnnyAbonny said:

Kramdi, right. He came in for Alden Darby or maybe Rutledge Jr? 
I wish historical depth charts were easier to find. 

Can't remember which one, Darby I think. A move that was heavily criticized by some beating the drum for changes now too.

[JohnnyAbonny]

1 minute ago, GCn20 said:

Can't remember which one, Darby I think. A move that was heavily criticized by some beating the drum for changes now too.

I remember Darby falling off the cliff that year and everyone wanted him off the roster. I think Rutledge hit a wall or something and he was a surprise mid-season cut as well. I can’t remember which one Kramdi replaced either.

I don’t mind Kramdi at all honestly, he’s serviceable, but to me more of a complimentary piece. I think the biggest problem on D is lacking any major impact player. It’s a bunch of lunchpail guys and 2-3 liabilities. 

That’s where I think we need to test out Connor Shay for one, he should at least be able to show flashes at this point. 

Jonathan Jones also isn’t an unknown, we know the guy can play MLB as well or better than what we have, we saw it when he was an Argo. 

 

[bigg jay]

17 minutes ago, JohnnyAbonny said:

Kramdi, right. He came in for Alden Darby or maybe Rutledge Jr? 
I wish historical depth charts were easier to find. 

Not sure about Kramdi but Holm certainly didn't beat anybody out - it was an injury that got him pencilled in as a starter.

In his case, he didn't start until September 17th in 2022.  Hallett and Taylor got hurt the week before, in the Banjo Bowl so Holm got bumped up (BA came off the IR as the other replacement).

[JuranBoldenRules]

3 minutes ago, JohnnyAbonny said:

I remember Darby falling off the cliff that year and everyone wanted him off the roster. I think Rutledge hit a wall or something and he was a surprise mid-season cut as well. I can’t remember which one Kramdi replaced either.

I don’t mind Kramdi at all honestly, he’s serviceable, but to me more of a complimentary piece. I think the biggest problem on D is lacking any major impact player. It’s a bunch of lunchpail guys and 2-3 liabilities. 

That’s where I think we need to test out Connor Shay for one, he should at least be able to show flashes at this point. 

Jonathan Jones also isn’t an unknown, we know the guy can play MLB as well or better than what we have, we saw it when he was an Argo. 

 

Jones played WIL primarily for Argos and lost his job by October in 2 of his 3 seasons there (earlier last year, came back as an injury replacement for a couple games), wasn't re-signed.

Looking at guys like that as being some kind of solution to a big problem is just a coping mechanism.  He's another average body out there as an American player in this league.  Not a difference maker, and we saw that when he was an Argo.  

[GCn20]

37 minutes ago, JohnnyAbonny said:

I remember Darby falling off the cliff that year and everyone wanted him off the roster. I think Rutledge hit a wall or something and he was a surprise mid-season cut as well. I can’t remember which one Kramdi replaced either.

I don’t mind Kramdi at all honestly, he’s serviceable, but to me more of a complimentary piece. I think the biggest problem on D is lacking any major impact player. It’s a bunch of lunchpail guys and 2-3 liabilities. 

That’s where I think we need to test out Connor Shay for one, he should at least be able to show flashes at this point. 

Jonathan Jones also isn’t an unknown, we know the guy can play MLB as well or better than what we have, we saw it when he was an Argo. 

 

We know what J. Jones did in an entirely different D Scheme. However, saying he is better than T. Jones is not a given. T. Jones has been playing some good football for us, as has Kyrie Wilson. Our LBing is not our problem. Changes need to be made but I think we need to make the right changes. Change for the sake of change does not make us better it just makes us different. We need upgrades at receiver, OL, DL, and secondary although that is kind of due to injury. With Collaros out a new QB is in order as well. These are our problems.

36 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

Jones played WIL primarily for Argos and lost his job by October in 2 of his 3 seasons there (earlier last year, came back as an injury replacement for a couple games), wasn't re-signed.

Looking at guys like that as being some kind of solution to a big problem is just a coping mechanism.  He's another average body out there as an American player in this league.  Not a difference maker, and we saw that when he was an Argo.  

Agreed. Tony Jones has been one of our better players on D this year and where everyone got this idea that J. Jones is some kind of stud from is baffling? He is literally a guy that played himself out of a job in Toronto.

[17to85]

Linebackers isn't a problem, but it's not an answer either. They make tackles but they don't make many plays.

[GCn20]

5 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Linebackers isn't a problem, but it's not an answer either. They make tackles but they don't make many plays.

Not making plays is what got J. Jones his ticket out of Toronto. If you are rebuilding a team do you mess with the one position group that has played decent football?  There is some kind of myth around here that we are not playing our best IMPs and that we are ignoring high calibre starters just sitting on our depth chart. That isn't the case. However, I can agree we need to try something to spark our team and shake things up, but putting lesser talent out at the one position group that is actually holding it's own is kind of backwards thinking. If we must mess with the roster let's do it at the position groupings we are sucking at which is quite extensive this year.

Edited 6 hours ago by GCn20

[17to85]

For what we're getting from Jones and Wilson we could easily swap one position to Canadian and use Americans else where... and j.jones may have lost his job i  Toronto (injury related if I recall), but Tony Jones lost his job in edmonton to a rookie so why bring that up? 

The point is status quo isn't doing anything, time to see what else we have and if it's better great if not then keep looking.

[wbbfan]

2nd 3 game losing streak of the year. Bcs win last night pulled them into a tie with us for the last spot in the west (we own the tie breaker) and bc has calgary next week. 

 If edmonton beats toronto they would also pull into a tie with us. 

We’ve sure put our self in a bad position this year. 

[Mike]

Who cares about five straight grey cups, we ******* suck this year to a pathetic degree 

[GCn20]

4 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

2nd 3 game losing streak of the year. Bcs win last night pulled them into a tie with us for the last spot in the west (we own the tie breaker) and bc has calgary next week. 

 If edmonton beats toronto they would also pull into a tie with us. 

We’ve sure put our self in a bad position this year. 

We suck and without a starting calibre QB it won't get better.

[Booch]

10 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Yeah, right. Go have another tequila. 

 

2 hours ago, GCn20 said:

You should while getting more educated on these injuries.

Yep. Not a good look. 

He is over 1000 yards already and is a strong contender for MOP

We have done that, results were not good.

Most of the guys turning up braced is mcl issues...you can play through that and it generally never requires surgery

 

2 hours ago, GCn20 said:

You should while getting more educated on these injuries.

Yep. Not a good look. 

He is over 1000 yards already and is a strong contender for MOP

We have done that, results were not good.

Who...when? I don't recall it with a player released of significance...

 

2 hours ago, GCn20 said:

I can think of many times rookies won jobs out of camp. Try harder.

Signing Lawler over Sterns/Mitchell is a no brainer

Only when guys left and there was a void/opening..or we had injury

I honestly can't think of an instance where a tenured vet with us..was cut for a rookie.

[GCn20]

Just now, Mike said:

Who cares about five straight grey cups, we ******* suck this year to a pathetic degree 

Yep, it's rebuild time on a big level and might as well start the airlift now and at least get some looks at guys for next year. Although I think our management and coaching staffs may be done for after this fiasco anyway.

[Booch]

1 hour ago, GCn20 said:

I can think of a few in that regard as well. Evan Holm, Redha Kramdi just off the top of my head got their jobs this way.

Kyle Walters will be gone before O'Shea.

If you are replacing vets in season for poor play, it is because you are losing. Other than this year, when has that been the case. When you are winning you make the hard choices in the offseason. That's football management 101. Unless a vet has been terrible and the next man up is clearly better you won't see this happening on winning teams. That has not been the case around here in all but a few times. We've had vets lose their jobs to injury though.

Holm replaced Parker who was hurt...who essentially was filling a void

When kramdi was handed sam...he wasn't a rookie...and really wasn't best option either

 

[GCn20]

19 minutes ago, Booch said:

Holm replaced Parker who was hurt...who essentially was filling a void

When kramdi was handed sam...he wasn't a rookie...and really wasn't best option either

 

Alden Darby for one, Marquis Bridges just this year. I'm not going to go through every depth chart ever but to say it's never happened is an exaggeration. Rarely happen? Sure. When you are winning 80% of the games you play coaches tend to like to stay with the same lineup.

Give me a list of players around the league in the past 2 years that were replaced by teams with winning records mid season not due to injury. You won't find many because it is generally an act of desperation to do so. It rarely works out well.

Unless a player is jumping off the page behind a vet they are unlikely to unseat that healthy vet unless that healthy vet has been struggling badly and even then 99% of coaches will still give that vet adequate time to turn it around. That's not something unique to MOS. That is the modus operandi of most coaches, and especially coaches who have poor depth behind their starters. Change for the sake of change almost never works out well.

Edited 5 hours ago by GCn20

[JuranBoldenRules]

This organization has taken an absolute dump on effectively scouting the USA for the past 4 years.

And that's what you're seeing on the field.

I can't believe McManus has kept his job since 2023.

[Booch]

5 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

This organization has taken an absolute dump on effectively scouting the USA for the past 4 years.

And that's what you're seeing on the field.

I can't believe McManus has kept his job since 2023.

A lot has to do with their rigid ratio allotment...no sense with anyone that if you have a better option as an an American...or a Canadian...switch it up

Also...just because you dont use say a Canadian WIL...but a stud one is available in free Agency...or  via trade

Go get it

We suffered at DE since we low balled Jeffcoat so he quit...Flo was available via trade and t.o obviously wanted him out west...if we such a destination why didnt we jump on that? Cause we obviously figured we were good

We self inflicted all our issues now

[Mark H.]

I find the quality of American OL being brought in especially disappointing. Bryant, Bond and Hardrick in their prime - those were the days.