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

 

1 minute ago, wbbfan said:

Mitchell is a good one. It wouldn't be hard to come up with a list of guys who you aren't going to bring back, guys like kody should be on that list, announce the release of guys who are expiring and wont be given an offer. Then re tool the staff a bit. Say Hogan isn't back, maybe promote JY to ast hc, figure out if you/hall want to go another year. If he does, maybe promote him to be a QC to the oc as well. For me, I'd drop a bunch of vet names on that list, but you don't even need to go real deep with that. 

Even have someone talk to a CFL reporter like Hodge and say we intend to be aggressive in free agency. 

I am not impressed at all with Younger after this year either, Didn't like his zero pressure approach at all. The first year QBs couldn't adjust to everyone dropping out into coverage but now they just carve us up. These 3 man fronts just don't work if they are done excessively. Better to disguise it like Richie used to do.

1 hour ago, GCn20 said:

Hey, I'd love for all of this to be settled right now too. However, it is crazy to suggest change isn't coming because it hasn't been announced Dec. 1. I completely get what you are saying, and if media reports are any indication, we are working diligently to make change in our coaching staff. For now that is a good sign. On December 1st, we should be optimistic about these reports. If nothing has happened a month from now then yea...let's assume the worst.

They were apparently working diligently last year too but nothing got announced until February.  MOS had even claimed that they were ahead of the game last year as they had already been preparing for life after Buck when he got interviewed by other teams to be their HC. 

That being said, there are rumors that suggest a coach turned down our offer to be the OC and they had to go back to the drawing board and that's how we ended up with Hogan.  We also interviewed Makysmic but he took the Elks job instead so we could have missed out on 2 of our top choices which would understandably delay things a bit.  Hopefully they don't run into those issue again - could be a red flag if we keep missing out on our preferred choices.

26 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

I am not impressed at all with Younger after this year either, Didn't like his zero pressure approach at all. The first year QBs couldn't adjust to everyone dropping out into coverage but now they just carve us up. These 3 man fronts just don't work if they are done excessively. Better to disguise it like Richie used to do.

Funny how we had a bunch of pressure the game we dressed the all rookie defensive line eh?

35 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

Mitchell is a good one. It wouldn't be hard to come up with a list of guys who you aren't going to bring back, guys like kody should be on that list, announce the release of guys who are expiring and wont be given an offer. Then re tool the staff a bit. Say Hogan isn't back, maybe promote JY to ast hc, figure out if you/hall want to go another year. If he does, maybe promote him to be a QC to the oc as well. For me, I'd drop a bunch of vet names on that list, but you don't even need to go real deep with that. 

Even have someone talk to a CFL reporter like Hodge and say we intend to be aggressive in free agency. 

All of this you mention would be seen as being very 'proactive'     ......something foreign to this club it seems

19 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Funny how we had a bunch of pressure the game we dressed the all rookie defensive line eh?

Funny how we ran a primarily 4 man front that game too. Coincidence I think not.

16 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Funny how we ran a primarily 4 man front that game too. Coincidence I think not.

We used lots of 4 man fronts at other times too. When you handicap yourself with the geriatric brigade you can't expect pressure.

Willie lacks give a damn, Jake still has give.a man but he's toast after about a quarter. 

15 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Funny how we ran a primarily 4 man front that game too. Coincidence I think not.

I think the 2026 scheme should be predominant 4 man...Modified 3 man with a Jack....And also believe WJ has a lot of gas in tank and should be used as the rotational 55% rep end and allowed to just cut loose, with the other 3 "best" options at DE....Preferably 2 imports and Bailey the Global or a Canuck we can land via FA's or draft...Allows us to designate another import to DT and have 2 legit ball busters inside alomg with Lawson....Do that with 7 bodies who can play, and the secondary, almost regardless of who we employ get better...significantly...same with LB's

As I mentioned in another post while discussing dline with Gavin Walls he even said what he saw...and would have hated to do, was that we used our ends a lot...primarily WJ in a contain role and not as an attack end...and you could see a lot of times it was a take 2..3 steps...jab down and hold back and become a volleyball player at the net...and more often than not it looked like plays were being taking off...as basically we schemed him out of plays ourselves....or was flat footed alot and having to attack/pursue from a dead stop...pointless and stupid...and a waste

7 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

We used lots of 4 man fronts at other times too. When you handicap yourself with the geriatric brigade you can't expect pressure.

Willie lacks give a damn, Jake still has give.a man but he's toast after about a quarter. 

quarter of a quarter...the 1st quarter

How much do you pay Willie for a reduced role? Does he accept a salary cut?

1 hour ago, GCn20 said:

I am not impressed at all with Younger after this year either, Didn't like his zero pressure approach at all. The first year QBs couldn't adjust to everyone dropping out into coverage but now they just carve us up. These 3 man fronts just don't work if they are done excessively. Better to disguise it like Richie used to do.

As crappy as this was, Younger had a pathetic D-line and linebackers, so I think he ought to be given a mulligan for 2025.

1 hour ago, bigg jay said:

They were apparently working diligently last year too but nothing got announced until February.  MOS had even claimed that they were ahead of the game last year as they had already been preparing for life after Buck when he got interviewed by other teams to be their HC. 

That being said, there are rumors that suggest a coach turned down our offer to be the OC and they had to go back to the drawing board and that's how we ended up with Hogan.  We also interviewed Makysmic but he took the Elks job instead so we could have missed out on 2 of our top choices which would understandably delay things a bit.  Hopefully they don't run into those issue again - could be a red flag if we keep missing out on our preferred choices.

What self-respecting OC would want to come to the Bombers with O'Shea's favouritism and mule-headedness undercutting the decisions?

1 hour ago, Tracker said:

As crappy as this was, Younger had a pathetic D-line and linebackers, so I think he ought to be given a mulligan for 2025.

What self-respecting OC would want to come to the Bombers with O'Shea's favouritism and mule-headedness undercutting the decisions?

We're going to find out.

1 hour ago, rebusrankin said:

How much do you pay Willie for a reduced role? Does he accept a salary cut?

100k tops. Maybe incentives if he returns to form in production 

There's absolutely no way Willie plays for 100k. Almost nobody makes less than that now. Someone will offer him closer to 200 if we don't 

2 minutes ago, Noeller said:

Someone will offer him closer to 200 if we don't 

Let someone else do it then.

1 minute ago, Noeller said:

There's absolutely no way Willie plays for 100k. Almost nobody makes less than that now. Someone will offer him closer to 200 if we don't 

No chance he will get paid 200k by any one else. even his 2023 campaign was heavily padded by the first month of the season where he had 6 of his 11 sacks. Then he had 8 games with 0 sacks and 4 tackles mid season. And that is his best season in the last 5. 

1 hour ago, wbbfan said:

No chance he will get paid 200k by any one else. even his 2023 campaign was heavily padded by the first month of the season where he had 6 of his 11 sacks. Then he had 8 games with 0 sacks and 4 tackles mid season. And that is his best season in the last 5. 

My guess is the Bombers like WJ for his off field role with the club, sort of a win/win for both of them but not sure that offsets his salary and on field production.

 

9 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

My guess is the Bombers like WJ for his off field role with the club, sort of a win/win for both of them but not sure that offsets his salary and on field production.

 

Which is totally fine, if he's on a reasonable contract and in a more limited role. When he turns it on, he is still an absolute monster. He just doesn't have the ability to turn it on for a huge amount of snaps in a row. Especially if he sees any kind of double team. 

Pay him 100k base, with bonuses to go up 50k+ if he has a monster year. Make him a naturalized Canadian and rotate him as the 3rd end. He shouldn't play man run downs anyway. But in passing situations, let him go for 15-20 snaps a game at 100%. Hell, make use of him in in niche roles like when we tried to throw him the ball, or let him run off the edge and try to block kicks. Give him a guy to pair with who will take the brunt of the physical impact off on kick rushing etc. 

Reported that Elgersma is working out today for SF 49ers

Edited December 1, 2025Dec 1 by Tracker

1 minute ago, Tracker said:

Reported that Elgersma is working out today for SF 49ers

Off season thread...

 

 

2 hours ago, wbbfan said:

No chance he will get paid 200k by any one else. even his 2023 campaign was heavily padded by the first month of the season where he had 6 of his 11 sacks. Then he had 8 games with 0 sacks and 4 tackles mid season. And that is his best season in the last 5. 

I would not say "no chance" ,  he's still highly regarded in the league.    The lack of sacks also falls within how our D plays and him also having zero assistance from anyone else.    The disruption and containment that he still causes will get him easily over $170 000 from some team.   May not be our team but someone will pay him big for a season.  

9 hours ago, GCn20 said:

It's December 1st, the offseason is like a week old, step away from the ledge. If this drags out another month beyotch then, right now it's just way too early. You have created a timeline in your head that is wholly unrealistic.

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

1 hour ago, Brandon said:

I would not say "no chance" ,  he's still highly regarded in the league.    The lack of sacks also falls within how our D plays and him also having zero assistance from anyone else.    The disruption and containment that he still causes will get him easily over $170 000 from some team.   May not be our team but someone will pay him big for a season.  

I don’t think he is really, I think he’s viewed as a really niche player who used to be elite. 

 It’s not just sacks, his pressure stops etc all way way down. and basically every team has been abusing him on option plays for 2 plus years. 

He doesn’t disrupt, but he does make plays. He’s also not an even solid contain guy. Hes a malinger by the original los and hope for a low pass to scream by him 

2 hours ago, Brandon said:

will get him easily over $170 000 from some team.   May not be our team but someone will pay him big for a season.  

Whoever does will regret it.

11 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Whoever does will regret it.

Definitely possible but I really believe there are people around the league who still believe he's elite and worth a big payday. 

1 minute ago, Noeller said:

Definitely possible but I really believe there are people around the league who still believe he's elite and worth a big payday. 

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

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.