First practice of the regular season is today. Out with the old and in with the new. Time to get it started.

 

3 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Who was that rookie Defensive End I believe from Florida or Florida State who sacked Bethel-Thompson a few times in our last home game? 

We only got 2 sacks in that game - both by rookies.  Matt Jaworski (Fordham University) had one & so did Kydran Jenkins (Purdue - where he was teammates with Cam Allen) .  

16 hours ago, wbbfan said:

yep, he also said he has options, so maybe it means he is willing to be waived/opt out etc 

not sure what his options are or would be....

 

16 hours ago, wbbfan said:

I’d take any of those out comes over running it back yet again. 

As far as trading Id prefer to include manu than elgersma. I love manu, but I’d rather stack it up at qb right now. 

Retiring, Idk who to we would pivot to. I just hope not the pest from toronto 

yeah....I'd rather trade a flier guy than A QB who will most definately will be here....and it would be just like us to dump a QB who turned out to be the next legit one

We need to can OC guy ASAP tho as no FA in right mind will wannna play under that dolt

12 hours ago, wbbfan said:

“(In training camp) we repped a lot of things that we didn’t rep during the season. I didn’t get a lot of reps with the guys who were playing. My situation put us in jeopardy there with the suspension and trying to manage that. I think it’s getting reps — reps with the players, reps with what concepts do we like? On second-and-six, second-and-five with the game on the line, what are we going to call because we know we can execute the play? I don’t know if we had that this year, so getting good at something, I think, matters

https://3downnation.com/2025/11/02/zach-collaros-frustrated-by-2025-season-but-plans-to-play-for-winnipeg-blue-bombers-in-2026/

 

That all tracks, but boy is that a pile of red flags. No wonder our go tos ended up being old holdovers from lapo/buck and why zach couldn’t build a repoire with any one this year. And yeah as has been said ad nauseam, the concepts we ran were trash. 

yeah....just shook my head on one route scheme saturdy....Pokey and I cant recall who but ran crossers....same level from opposite sides of the field and almost ran right into each other....hows a QB to pick up the free guy in tht mess...like wtf....was wen we were goinf left to right on TV screen...will have to rewatch but havnt had the stomach to yet

8 minutes ago, bigg jay said:

We only got 2 sacks in that game - both by rookies.  Matt Jaworski (Fordham University) had one & so did Kydran Jenkins (Purdue - where he was teammates with Cam Allen) .  

Bailey got a few clean shots too after the throw....and then we went to the ESF and played the let him stand around with not a worry in the world scheme and pick us apart for 500+ net yards

IMO these are the offseason steps that need to be taken, difficult as some may be. Jefferson(age/invisible most games), Thomas(age/useless pylon), Vaughters(age/invisible most games), Wilson(age/injury prone), Kolankowski(old/useless pylon), Schoen(injury prone), and Streveler(not a quarterback/injury prone) should all be let go/not re-signed. I'd honestly be ok with letting Collaros go too if they can get Elgersma signed. Bring in a guy like Crumb as your backup QB. Rebuild your d-line with FA's and young guys. Fire Hogan. And if O'Shea isnt on board with the changes he can GTFO too. Time to start fresh. The team is old and stale.

Edited November 3, 2025Nov 3 by Bubba Zanetti

Fire Hogan, replace key personnel on both lines. Get some fire. Learn to tackle. 

2 minutes ago, Blue28 said:

Fire Hogan, replace key personnel on both lines. Get some fire. Learn to tackle. 

Basically football 101

And dont hire from within in the old boys country club stand pat and be complacent thinking things will just work out again mode....actually put the work in and coach....plan....look forward and project...there's an idea...again....football 101

20 hours ago, wbbfan said:

Awesome list thanks! 
Was holms new deal only 1 year or was that 2 years ago already? 

The lists are soo massive these days. You really have to act quickly and decisively to prevent torpedoing your off season. 

3DN has pretty much confirmed most of this list with a few differences: The Winnipeg Blue Bombers' potential 2026 free agents list - 3DownNation 

 

Not on the 3DN list (some of these guys may have re-signed at some point or they weren't on a standard deal):

Ayers - signed for the 2024 season with team option for 2025.

Cobb - confirmed to have signed a 1 year deal for 2025.

Kelly - signed his rookie deal in 2023 so it expires after this season.

Randolph - signed for the 2024 season with team option for 2025.

Vanterpool - signed for the 2024 season with team option for 2025.

T. Wilson - signed for the 2024 season with team option for 2025.

They also have Houston listed but I haven't seen it specifically listed anywhere that he came back on a 1 year deal but it's very possible\probable. 

1 hour ago, Booch said:

Basically football 101

And dont hire from within in the old boys country club stand pat and be complacent thinking things will just work out again mode....actually put the work in and coach....plan....look forward and project...there's an idea...again....football 101

This dynasty was built by placing maximum value on the trenches (OL/DL) and for some reason that just stopped.

22 hours ago, Tracker said:

Agree on almost all points, but Kyrie Wilson had a good year and ought to be allowed to compete for a starting job next year. T. Jones was often out of position and Kyrie may have had to try to compensate.

The problem I have with this idea is if O'Shea is the coach... and Kyrie resigns... there's no competition... Kyrie is the starter in pen

21 hours ago, 17to85 said:

There's a whole lot of complacency around this team that needs to get gone. Preseason next year better be an absolute dog fight for spots.

This would be my only condition for bringing back guys like Kyrie, Willie, Vaughnters, and even Neufeld... you have to earn your spot... I don't trust our coaching staff to do that 

On Kyrie, you have two young Canadians in Shay and Smith. If Kyrie is back, do those two sit for another year?

3 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

On Kyrie, you have two young Canadians in Shay and Smith. If Kyrie is back, do those two sit for another year?

How do you justify bringing Kyrie back (at 33 years old) when you have Shay, Smith, Woodbey, and Ayers all potentially on the roster...

Love what Kyrie brought in his prime... he was arguably the MODP front runner in 2022 before getting hurt... and of course we'll never forget the scoop from Rose for the 2021 GC clinching int... but it's time to move on

23 minutes ago, Super Duper Negatron said:

This dynasty was built by placing maximum value on the trenches (OL/DL) and for some reason that just stopped.

I agree. Its truly shocking how Walters just stopped giving a s**t about the lines. Vaughters was his solution after multiple years of declining d-line play.

Edited November 3, 2025Nov 3 by Bubba Zanetti

Just now, bearpants said:

How do you justify bringing Kyrie back (at 33 years old) when you have Shay, Smith, Woodbey, and Ayers all potentially on the roster...

Love what Kyrie brought in his prime... he was arguably the MODP front runner in 2022 before getting hurt... and of course we'll never forget the scoop from Rose for the 2021 GC clinching int... but it's time to move on

Yeah...can't live in past...no reason for his return especially if you have youth...or if someone in FA comes available 

T.Jones too...misleading stats...not outstanding in any aspect...but a great DA to augment the game day roster...no way shape or form should he be pencilled in as a returnerning starter...and only way he won't be is if Osh is removed...history and track record tells us so

19 minutes ago, Super Duper Negatron said:

This dynasty was built by placing maximum value on the trenches (OL/DL) and for some reason that just stopped.

And it started with the lowballing of Jeffcoat...and refusal to pay Sayles and Stove and Kongbo...but keep slop like Thomas..Schmeck...Korn...

We have never recovered...same can be said with center...we coulda retained Couture...or signed a FA center if for anything to compete...or tried Eli..who has never got a real opportunity...but chose to roll with an undersized..under skilled scrap heap guy nobody wanted for 2 yrs on the street cause Osh liked whatever it is about him...and its not talent 

 

Just now, Bubba Zanetti said:

I agree. Its truly shocking how Walters just stopped giving a s**t about the lines. Vaughters was his solution after multiple years of declining play.

Was it that his HC didnt request dline upgrades...lost in all the finger pointing is that generally a HC will parlay what he feels he needs...and wants...and kind of skill set he values...and the scouting teams tries to accommodate this...sure there are guys they bring in their own assessments but they for most part are looking for what is requested

I also truly believe Osh is a piss poor evaluator of talent...or all the intangibles of what makes a player great...as opposed to adequate and in several instances...sub par...we've seen it here more often than not

A lot of what he values doesn't translate to succes on the field.  Sure a few of his intangible guys he likes are fine...but not a roster littered with them...talent always trumps intangibles in football

27 minutes ago, Super Duper Negatron said:

This dynasty was built by placing maximum value on the trenches (OL/DL) and for some reason that just stopped.

A few things happened. 

We stopped trying to retain Canadian OL in free agency with Suhk. Which wasn't a bad move to let him go, but we just hemorrhaged Canadian OL for years. That created a situation where it was only a matter of time before the NI Ol pipeline dried up.

It dried up in part because of misses on the OL, but also because we shifted our drafting philosophy. We went from taking guys who topped out as teams players in the bottom of the draft, to pushing them up to the half way point and higher. 

19 was an insane bumper crop of talent, and it was guaranteed we would not continue to replicate that. 21 in general was not a great draft, so that hastened the downturn. Then in 22 we ended up with only 1 pick in the top 4 rounds, Ford who had 1 really good year here then was gone. Then, 2023 was a bad draft for us. 

Even that great 19 draft, we lost Kongbo and Desjarlais pretty fast. 

So even when the influx of talent from the draft was very good, it wasn't here long. So we got left being married to scrap heap players. 

Now we've had strong drafts again in 24 and 25. We need to have another strong draft this year coming, but we also need to stop the loss of NI talent, and maybe find some in free agency. 

 

11 minutes ago, Booch said:

Was it that his HC didnt request dline upgrades...lost in all the finger pointing is that generally a HC will parlay what he feels he needs...and wants...and kind of skill set he values...and the scouting teams tries to accommodate this...sure there are guys they bring in their own assessments but they for most part are looking for what is requested

I also truly believe Osh is a piss poor evaluator of talent...or all the intangibles of what makes a player great...as opposed to adequate and in several instances...sub par...we've seen it here more often than not

A lot of what he values doesn't translate to succes on the field.  Sure a few of his intangible guys he likes are fine...but not a roster littered with them...talent always trumps intangibles in football

In the draft stuff the bombers showed, they clearly said the aim of this last draft was to pick up guys for miller on special teams. Luckily, two of those guys who were the best teams options were also the best defensive options with tons of up side. 

Now if we never actually give them a shot it will be yet another loss, as you can be sure those guys aren't up here to be lifers on teams. 

1 minute ago, wbbfan said:

A few things happened. 

We stopped trying to retain Canadian OL in free agency with Suhk. Which wasn't a bad move to let him go, but we just hemorrhaged Canadian OL for years. That created a situation where it was only a matter of time before the NI Ol pipeline dried up.

It dried up in part because of misses on the OL, but also because we shifted our drafting philosophy. We went from taking guys who topped out as teams players in the bottom of the draft, to pushing them up to the half way point and higher. 

19 was an insane bumper crop of talent, and it was guaranteed we would not continue to replicate that. 21 in general was not a great draft, so that hastened the downturn. Then in 22 we ended up with only 1 pick in the top 4 rounds, Ford who had 1 really good year here then was gone. Then, 2023 was a bad draft for us. 

Even that great 19 draft, we lost Kongbo and Desjarlais pretty fast. 

So even when the influx of talent from the draft was very good, it wasn't here long. So we got left being married to scrap heap players. 

Now we've had strong drafts again in 24 and 25. We need to have another strong draft this year coming, but we also need to stop the loss of NI talent, and maybe find some in free agency. 

 

Yup...and that also leads back to the ratio issue.. fit the ratio to the best talent available to you be it in FA..draft..yiur own recruitment or with whom has been developing on your roster...which we fail at and miss out on a lot of talent because we havnt tweaked the ratio allotment since the 2019 cup

13 minutes ago, Booch said:

Yup...and that also leads back to the ratio issue.. fit the ratio to the best talent available to you be it in FA..draft..yiur own recruitment or with whom has been developing on your roster...which we fail at and miss out on a lot of talent because we havnt tweaked the ratio allotment since the 2019 cup

Yep. 

Platooning Smith and Shay (Shay starting and taking the largest portion of snaps) at one Lber spot would benefit us in soo many ways. Then the amount we played woodbey as well, making him our go to wil would only make sense. You can trade Jones for some asset, save salary cap over both jones and kyrie, gain a starting canadian on the ratio, and then you can have 2 lbers capable of picking up a wr in coverage or dropping back into a deep zone. It's like having 2 prime biggies in pass cover out of the 2nd level. 

We need a 2nd Canadian DL who can actually play. With that, we would have the flexibility to do any thing we want else where. We could go 3 full time imps on the OL with ease. 

8 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

Yep. 

Platooning Smith and Shay (Shay starting and taking the largest portion of snaps) at one Lber spot would benefit us in soo many ways. Then the amount we played woodbey as well, making him our go to wil would only make sense. You can trade Jones for some asset, save salary cap over both jones and kyrie, gain a starting canadian on the ratio, and then you can have 2 lbers capable of picking up a wr in coverage or dropping back into a deep zone. It's like having 2 prime biggies in pass cover out of the 2nd level. 

We need a 2nd Canadian DL who can actually play. With that, we would have the flexibility to do any thing we want else where. We could go 3 full time imps on the OL with ease. 

Please send your resume to Wade.

1 hour ago, rebusrankin said:

On Kyrie, you have two young Canadians in Shay and Smith. If Kyrie is back, do those two sit for another year?

Non factor on that decision (Canadian vs American) IMO.  You need someone to be an impact player in the first two levels of D and WIL is an easy spot to put that kind of player that is maybe a bit less refined in a normal D but just pure motor.  No way we should be paying guys in their 30's who are just plugs and doing nothing exceptional.  

9 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

Non factor on that decision (Canadian vs American) IMO.  You need someone to be an impact player in the first two levels of D and WIL is an easy spot to put that kind of player that is maybe a bit less refined in a normal D but just pure motor.  No way we should be paying guys in their 30's who are just plugs and doing nothing exceptional.  

Yup. No impact players on the DL or LB other than the occasional Willie knockdown and a few flashes from Woodbey. 

No reason for Kyrie to be brought back. 

Does Miller sit down with Walters and MOS and explain things need to change? Will MOS change? Will Walters?

Realistically we can't get rid of all our veteran leadership. Osh does give his leaders much responsibility, and we run a really unique defensive scheme....in saying that some of these guys need to be looked at under a microscope and an honest evaluation needs to be done on not just play or intangibles but the whole picture including return on investment...

Some defensive examples may be, and these are all FA so "easy" to cut bait with if we choose...note we have some special teamers deeper back-ups like Gauthier and Cadwalader and a bunch of DB's..but DB's are something we seem to do such a good job with, I won't get into them...but here are some LB and DL question marks

Kramdi he is one of the smartest guys out there and is pretty good player with versatility....but is he worth what his next contract will be worth....

Griffen...how do we view him can he be a main stay....

Wilson injury prone, a year older looked really good this year, is the risk of him being healthy worth it, and as mentioned what about what is behind him, can we save some money here, maybe flip it a CDN spot...

Willy, one of the best that has been, adds tons of leadership and voice, but is that still worth what his next contract will pay him...

Vaughters, he was good, solid dependable, but is that really what we need opposite of Willy...maybe, but did the few flashes from some other guys make him expendable...

Schmekel, the guy looked light years better before injury, he is a FA does he have a future behind Lawson...

Lawson...he won't be cheap, he has injury concerns...

Thomas...will he retire....he has tons of experience and knowledge of this team, is as reliable as time itself but is he really the future, is he really a starter....

Woods...Some flashes, he is a FA so he won't be on a cheap deal anymore, is he a guy that can solidify the middle?

 

We can't or shouldn't sign them all, nor should we cut bait with them all....

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

Does Miller sit down with Walters and MOS and explain things need to change? Will MOS change? Will Walters?

With both walters and mos contracts' up, I am sure the process will be Wade meets with both, then walters meets with mos before the deals run out. Walters deal would come from wade and mos from walters. 

Will any of them step up and demand change? I honestly don't have a clue. I can only hope so. 

 

2 minutes ago, 3rdand1.5 said:

Realistically we can't get rid of all our veteran leadership. Osh does give his leaders much responsibility, and we run a really unique defensive scheme....in saying that some of these guys need to be looked at under a microscope and an honest evaluation needs to be done on not just play or intangibles but the whole picture including return on investment...

Some defensive examples may be, and these are all FA so "easy" to cut bait with if we choose...note we have some special teamers deeper back-ups like Gauthier and Cadwalader and a bunch of DB's..but DB's are something we seem to do such a good job with, I won't get into them...but here are some LB and DL question marks

Kramdi he is one of the smartest guys out there and is pretty good player with versatility....but is he worth what his next contract will be worth....

Griffen...how do we view him can he be a main stay....

Wilson injury prone, a year older looked really good this year, is the risk of him being healthy worth it, and as mentioned what about what is behind him, can we save some money here, maybe flip it a CDN spot...

Willy, one of the best that has been, adds tons of leadership and voice, but is that still worth what his next contract will pay him...

Vaughters, he was good, solid dependable, but is that really what we need opposite of Willy...maybe, but did the few flashes from some other guys make him expendable...

Schmekel, the guy looked light years better before injury, he is a FA does he have a future behind Lawson...

Lawson...he won't be cheap, he has injury concerns...

Thomas...will he retire....he has tons of experience and knowledge of this team, is as reliable as time itself but is he really the future, is he really a starter....

Woods...Some flashes, he is a FA so he won't be on a cheap deal anymore, is he a guy that can solidify the middle?

 

We can't or shouldn't sign them all, nor should we cut bait with them all....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Which veteran players are actually providing irreplaceable leadership? Probably zach, demski, nichols, and brady.

i don't think any of the long in the tooth gang, especially wj, is actually providing leadership. You can't lead on or off the field and put in that low an effort for much of the game. You can't coast, you can't sleep walk through quarters, continually fail to finish plays/tackle and command respect and leadership. I think that is one of the biggest problems we have. We don't actually have that strong locker room leadership we used to. 

The guys like Yoshi, kongbo, Adams, Bailey, and BA that did the job are gone. 

Wilson was solid, but flashed maybe half a game of the top-level play we used to see for a month or two. Even when healthy, I don't think he has enough to offer to keep bringing back at any salary.  The upside just isn't worth much risk, or bottle necking young guys who are probably as good as him already. 

Willy is a lot of talk and not a lot else. I love the guy, but he's miles past where JJ was when we wrote him off. In fact, I would take JJ today over WJ. he might not be great ever again, but atleast he would get his ass upfield and after the qb on every snap and finish plays where he gets both hands on the qb. Forget the 200k+ he's been getting. For 100k, and to be the 3rd end as the nat imp it only makes sense if we get a premiere end to be the first guy. 

 I agree on Vaughters, he was solid if not spectactular. he's the 2nd end in a 3 man end rotation. We need the first, and it isn't wj. Cant be married to him but wouldn't be the worst guy to bring back. 

I'm still not sure schmeks career is on the defensive side of the ball. But for the low price he will get, he brings a ton of value as the extra big body on the end of the roster. 

Lawson at most would get the same starting money we already gave him. he isn't due any raise. Maybe a couple grand less. I love what the guy can do, but he is still the 3rd dt in a good front. 

Thomas I don't think will ever quit. He is the kind of guy who has to be told it's over. Idk if we will but we sure as hell need to. 

Wood and Adams are guys I would like back in camp. Adams is too rare a combination of size and athleticism to give up on in relatively few snaps. Not to mention his versatility covering kicks, on teams, backing up the p/k, and playing inside out. One of those two nees to step up and be the no2 dt. And at that, I think we need a Ceressna type to be the straw who turns the drink, or a stove. 

 

Other guys to look long and hard at; 

Eli. if we aren't gonna give him a chance to start we need to move younger. If the guy won't get the look over kola we need to tear down the entire interior of the OL and start over. Rebuilding a Line involving the Ts is hard, when you have the tackles and can go imp at G it's easy. 

Kola 15 minutes were up a couple years ago. 

Bryant. It's time for him to hang em up. I love the guy, he is such a great pro maintaining him self but it's time. 

Lofton, Rando, and Vanterpool should fight it out for T spot. I wouldn't mind bringing in a top end guy and pushing lofton out. Or sliding Vanterpool inside to play G full time. 

Neufeld, should be time to go, but if he wants to 1) move to centre, or 2) be the 6th ol you can easily keep him around for leadership and limited use. 

Parker, Bonds, Mitchell, Logan, Strev, Lawson jr, and Kody can all go.

No need to be married to older DBs on this team when we can so easily find guys who plug and play at a high level. I love nichols, but I wouldn't be married to any of our dbs right now. 

From wrs, the last thing we need is more mediocrity. None of these guys will or should have the same opportunity to step up and be a no1 or no2 again here or other wise. Sterns was solid but unspectactular. Wheatfall was very seldom brilliant and other wise largely invisible. We can't built our WR from the bottom up and wait for the great wr1 to emerge or return. We gotta go out and get top guys and fill the bottom with young guns. If that ends up being either sterns or wheatfall that's fine. But they should be only signed after we do some thing impactful. Other wise it'll be the same thing over again next year, and we can replace those guys easily. 

If zach comes back, I wouldn't bring back Wilson. Even with out Elgersma factored in, we need to go out and get a real qb2, and have it be a battle for that spot. We can't run out a qb3 who we won't play late in blow outs that qb2 started. 

 

So other than Brady.... is there anyone we'd be super disappointed to lose?

4 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

So other than Brady.... is there anyone we'd be super disappointed to lose?

I'll be sad when vaval goes to the NFL and we have to go back to finding a KR lol

Personally, I wouldn't be married to any vet. Maybe sergio?