Blue Bombers - 2025 Regular Season - Discussion Thread

[bigg jay]

It's not just this year though - he disappeared for the last third of the season in 2024 before having himself a hell of a GC.  Is a team going to spend big money based on one great game 2 seasons ago? 

There are only  2 ways I can see him get that kind of money at this point of his career - a bonus heavy contract or one loaded with marketing money.

[Goalie]

Look at the jets. Old and slow. Time for the bombers to move on from old and slow players past their best before date. Shouldn’t be hard to find an end to replace Willie with. 

[GCn20]

15 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Funny how the same thing happned last year. It was February 4th  before Osh named Hogan as OC. 

Great...let's wait until then to declare he is doing the same thing.

12 hours ago, Mark H. said:

I agree. And they'll also look at who he was playing with this year.

More importantly what we were asking him to do. We are all blaming WJ for playing the defensive role his DC asked of him. We were using WJ as a DE/LBer hybrid in pretty much every 4 man front we ran and then asking him to take on every double team in a 3 man front. There was little chance he was going to do the things a DE gets recognition for. It's fine to drop him out on occasion to keep the offence off balance but we were doing it almost every play and then he just becomes an oversized and slow (by LBer standards) glorified LBer.

Edited 4 hours ago by GCn20

[wbbfan]

10 hours ago, bigg jay said:

It's not just this year though - he disappeared for the last third of the season in 2024 before having himself a hell of a GC.  Is a team going to spend big money based on one great game 2 seasons ago? 

There are only  2 ways I can see him get that kind of money at this point of his career - a bonus heavy contract or one loaded with marketing money.

Since 21, we've only seen rare glimmers of who he used to be. And the D in 21 was stacked. 

 He's also going to turn 35 next year. Even if you surround him with a stellar line up, prime wj isn't coming back. Wj who excels playing a starters volume of reps isn't coming back either. 

[Booch]

150k salary...rotational/situational leadership role id be fine with

He still has juice and value..but has to be in a platoon role type thing...and used to best capitalize his skill

We need to prioritize a couple legit inside presence guys who possess multiple technique...and the ends will look substantially better...and we need to abolish and go as far away as we can with the loyalty and favoritism plan of having guys inside who are for lack of better word...useless 95% of their snaps...

[HardCoreBlue]

1 hour ago, GCn20 said:

Great...let's wait until then to declare he is doing the same thing.

More importantly what we were asking him to do. We are all blaming WJ for playing the defensive role his DC asked of him. We were using WJ as a DE/LBer hybrid in pretty much every 4 man front we ran and then asking him to take on every double team in a 3 man front. There was little chance he was going to do the things a DE gets recognition for. It's fine to drop him out on occasion to keep the offence off balance but we were doing it almost every play and then he just becomes an oversized and slow (by LBer standards) glorified LBer.

Teetering on being a spectator and not an engaged player. So when JT is on, we're basically playing with 10 players.

Really feels like trying to force players without the skill sets to fit into a favored defensive scheme versus customizing a defensive scheme with the talent you have available.

[Booch]

10 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

Teetering on being a spectator and not an engaged player. So when JT is on, we're basically playing with 10 players.

Really feels like trying to force players without the skill sets to fit into a favored defensive scheme versus customizing a defensive scheme with the talent you have available.

yeah...we need to scrap the rigid ratio constraints...the rigid scheme based on...I not even sure these days and allow the best players to actually compete for jobs....and then select you best 24 where you have actual adequate back-up...the key part and then determine the ratio and who makes best sense scheme wise to suit their, and the units best ability

Not this pre-determined Player X is the starter regardless of injury in camp or outperformed...Position A is a Canadian position regardless if we have better options with an Import....playing sub par guys (Can or American) cause they were loyal foot soldiers in yrs gone past, or just tickle Osh's fancy....

That in a nutshell is what we have done for half a decade now....time to switch things up

[HardCoreBlue]

1 minute ago, Booch said:

yeah...we need to scrap the rigid ratio constraints...the rigid scheme based on...I not even sure these days and allow the best players to actually compete for jobs....and then select you best 24 where you have actual adequate back-up...the key part and then determine the ratio and who makes best sense scheme wise to suit their, and the units best ability

Not this pre-determined Player X is the starter regardless of injury in camp or outperformed...Position A is a Canadian position regardless if we have better options with an Import....playing sub par guys (Can or American) cause they were loyal foot soldiers in yrs gone past, or just tickle Osh's fancy....

That in a nutshell is what we have done for half a decade now....time to switch things up

Even to the most hardcore defenders of trust the process with our coaches can't argue this one.

[17to85]

2 hours ago, GCn20 said:

More importantly what we were asking him to do. We are all blaming WJ for playing the defensive role his DC asked of him. We were using WJ as a DE/LBer hybrid in pretty much every 4 man front we ran and then asking him to take on every double team in a 3 man front. There was little chance he was going to do the things a DE gets recognition for. It's fine to drop him out on occasion to keep the offence off balance but we were doing it almost every play and then he just becomes an oversized and slow (by LBer standards) glorified LBer.

What if they're asking him to do that because that is all he can do anymore? 

We saw him go off in the grey cup 2 seasons ago which did not happen during the season or since... so the logical interpretation is that Willie is old and can't be an every down impact player anymore but he plays every down so they try and save him and let him knock passes down. 

Too much country club where tenured vets get to play no matter what.

[wbbfan]

4 hours ago, GCn20 said:

Great...let's wait until then to declare he is doing the same thing.

More importantly what we were asking him to do. We are all blaming WJ for playing the defensive role his DC asked of him. We were using WJ as a DE/LBer hybrid in pretty much every 4 man front we ran and then asking him to take on every double team in a 3 man front. There was little chance he was going to do the things a DE gets recognition for. It's fine to drop him out on occasion to keep the offence off balance but we were doing it almost every play and then he just becomes an oversized and slow (by LBer standards) glorified LBer.

Have to clarify, WJ didn't play a Lber hybrid or jack role. He hasn't had a straight drop back to even shallow LBer depth in many years here. (Remember when he used to do that and really disrupt passing lanes?) 

 He's basically been spying the QB on inside pass lanes. Idk if that has ever in football been a thing out side of the last few years with WJ. He doesn't spy qb for contain, and he doesn't play both passing lanes. Like a man-to-man shot blocker in basketball. Not the weak side guy rotating over to get a block, he gets tall keeps his feet and tries to get in the way of the ball going right at him. 

1 hour ago, 17to85 said:

What if they're asking him to do that because that is all he can do anymore? 

We saw him go off in the grey cup 2 seasons ago which did not happen during the season or since... so the logical interpretation is that Willie is old and can't be an every down impact player anymore but he plays every down so they try and save him and let him knock passes down. 

Too much country club where tenured vets get to play no matter what.

If he could do a lot more with any kind of regularity, we would see him jumping pass lanes from the back side of pursuit on roll outs, getting to the outside shoulder of his ol and batting down backfield pass attempts from the pocket, and frankly getting off the initial block significantly more. Even when he turns it on in the games he excels in now, he is beating his blocker with moves and cuts. He isn't blowing by guys around the edge or any thing.