Blue Bombers -- 2025/26 Offseason -- Discussion Thread

[Piggy 1]

23 minutes ago, BomberBall. said:

Is O’Shea ever in a rush when hiring coaches?

JJ quit??? 

[Goalie]

14 minutes ago, Piggy 1 said:

JJ quit??? 

He’s QB coach in Calgary now. Sounds like it was a mutual decision to move on. Unfortunately last year it sounds like maybe his mind was elsewhere. And rightfully so. 

Edited 6 hours ago by Goalie

[Goalie]

You gotta wonder what type of coach O’Shea is looking to bring in. O or D? Maybe a bit of both? Cuz the staff is pretty full now it seems. We have a QB coach a RB coach. OL coach. DL. LB. DC. Sp teams. I mean am I missing 1 even. Like do we really need another positional coach? 

[wbbfan]

16 hours ago, Noeller said:

No problems here with bringing those boys back. You need some continuity in an OL. As mentioned many times, a quality C is going to make all the difference with this line. Thought the RT was quietly very solid all last year and if the behemoth at LG takes another step in his development, things are looking really good....

Agree. I think Rando would've been a league all-star on most any other playoff team. 

15 hours ago, HardCoreBlue said:

I really like the last half of your last sentence. I’m hoping that’s the mantra of the upcoming 2026 TC and for the season, highly competitive no vet cards club med passes being given out this year. Set the tone and high expectations early for season play. In it to win it and if not consistently producing next man up.

Yeah, that is what im really hoping for. That more important than having an impactfull free agency, and that is pretty important. This camp needs to be the scrapiest in ages. 

 

6 hours ago, Booch said:

yeah agreed....they played fine and realistically if we improve at center....it will benefit the whole line.....Vets on oline are huge...especially ones who been in same system forever....and i doubt both will ask for the moon.

And thats what camp is for....to see who has the ability, as they can always be cut 

 

Any one with the age/wear of bryant/neuf should be going into camp under heavy scrutiny. But they are much better positioned to excel than they have been for a couple years. If both are as healthy as they can be going into camp, I expect the OL battle to be a real war. 

We've seen so many guys elevate them self to elite status from intense camp battles. Lawler, schoen, stove, desjarlais etc. So many times we've broken through a new star player, it's been because while they were great in camp, they had a real dog fight in camp too. 

 

On the Ol we have some real sleepers and interesting depth built up. Returning guys (to us, or the league) Vanterpool, Stewart, Dooley, Elsbury, Wallace, Eli, Vibert, and Poncius are all well poised going into camp this year. They've all been on Prs and or in TCs up here previously. They should be well-adjusted and understand a good chunk of the league's nuance. The game should be slowed down for them in camp this year. They all have significant upside. The Canadians and Vanterpool have high floors as well. If 1 Canadian and 1 imp from that list take the next step, our OL will be in a great spot. 

Plus, we already have imp rookies like Lindsay and Williams with tremendous upside. 

We should hit free agency for a guy, draft another depth piece, and sign a couple more good prospects. But a lot of heavy lifting is done on the OL, including the most critical addition by subtraction. 

[wbbfan]

2 hours ago, Piggy 1 said:

JJ quit??? 

 

2 hours ago, Goalie said:

He’s QB coach in Calgary now. Sounds like it was a mutual decision to move on. Unfortunately last year it sounds like maybe his mind was elsewhere. And rightfully so. 

Yep, took a lateral job. Kind of wild we kept Hogan and let Jackson go. But from what I saw late in the season, when Jackson was clearly running our play call, the fit wasn't right here anyway. Shame, but wish him well.

Did we ever find out what the personal business was that kept him away? I imagine it must've been something rough. 

2 hours ago, Goalie said:

You gotta wonder what type of coach O’Shea is looking to bring in. O or D? Maybe a bit of both? Cuz the staff is pretty full now it seems. We have a QB coach a RB coach. OL coach. DL. LB. DC. Sp teams. I mean am I missing 1 even. Like do we really need another positional coach? 

WR coach would be the prominent spot left open. We also have 3 offensive coaches, including the CO. On D, we have 4, including the co and an ast co. I could see a WR coach who is also a special assistant to Condell. Either a stats guy, or a guy with a specific skill set like running game co. I could also see that spot doing double duties replacing a scout/agm from brocks departure. Maybe they call a guy like Darvin adams or Sheed to see if they want to come in for a developmental offensive coach as well. 

[Tracker]

48 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

Agree. I think Rando would've been a league all-star on most any other playoff team. 

Yeah, that is what im really hoping for. That more important than having an impactfull free agency, and that is pretty important. This camp needs to be the scrapiest in ages. 

 

Any one with the age/wear of bryant/neuf should be going into camp under heavy scrutiny. But they are much better positioned to excel than they have been for a couple years. If both are as healthy as they can be going into camp, I expect the OL battle to be a real war. 

We've seen so many guys elevate them self to elite status from intense camp battles. Lawler, schoen, stove, desjarlais etc. So many times we've broken through a new star player, it's been because while they were great in camp, they had a real dog fight in camp too. 

 

On the Ol we have some real sleepers and interesting depth built up. Returning guys (to us, or the league) Vanterpool, Stewart, Dooley, Elsbury, Wallace, Eli, Vibert, and Poncius are all well poised going into camp this year. They've all been on Prs and or in TCs up here previously. They should be well-adjusted and understand a good chunk of the league's nuance. The game should be slowed down for them in camp this year. They all have significant upside. The Canadians and Vanterpool have high floors as well. If 1 Canadian and 1 imp from that list take the next step, our OL will be in a great spot. 

Plus, we already have imp rookies like Lindsay and Williams with tremendous upside. 

We should hit free agency for a guy, draft another depth piece, and sign a couple more good prospects. But a lot of heavy lifting is done on the OL, including the most critical addition by subtraction. 

Given the three-year downward spiral of the team, every player ought to be fighting to earn his spot. As has been repeaed, this has not been the case, and has produced the situation we find ourselves in. Since the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour, there is ample reason to doubt that O'Shea will change his spots and mandate competition.

[wbbfan]

55 minutes ago, Tracker said:

Given the three-year downward spiral of the team, every player ought to be fighting to earn his spot. As has been repeaed, this has not been the case, and has produced the situation we find ourselves in. Since the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour, there is ample reason to doubt that O'Shea will change his spots and mandate competition.

It should always be the case that you need to win your spot in camp. After a run like we've had the past few years, we have to bring in league free agents who will compete for spots. And be willing to cut them if they get trounced in performance, like Vaval/Logan. 

On that note, how has Vaval not gotten an NFL deal yet?

[sweep the leg]

3 hours ago, wbbfan said:

 

 

On the Ol we have some real sleepers and interesting depth built up. Returning guys (to us, or the league) Vanterpool, Stewart, Dooley, Elsbury, Wallace, Eli, Vibert, and Poncius are all well poised going into camp this year. They've all been on Prs and or in TCs up here previously. They should be well-adjusted and understand a good chunk of the league's nuance. The game should be slowed down for them in camp this year. They all have significant upside. The Canadians and Vanterpool have high floors as well. If 1 Canadian and 1 imp from that list take the next step, our OL will be in a great spot. 

 

I have high hopes for Dooley. Boise State is a decent program and he’s obviously a good run blocker. 

[GCn20]

22 hours ago, Piggy 1 said:

I think Big Stan would be awesome inside for at least a couple years , because of how hes taken care 

That makes zero sense. Stan is a natural OT. Inside is more physical. You don't convert an OT inside at age 40 unless you want to end his career

Edited 26 minutes ago by GCn20

[Piggy 1]

7 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

That makes zero sense. Stan is a natural OT. Inside is more physical. You don't convert an OT inside at age 40 unless you want to end his career

The people on here that actually know something about football beg to differ............

[SpeedFlex27]

6 hours ago, BomberBall. said:

Is O’Shea ever in a rush when hiring coaches?

No sense of urgency to win with this guy. It's like coaching is a hobby. 

[johnzo]

17 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

That makes zero sense. Stan is a natural OT. Inside is more physical. You don't convert an OT inside at age 40 unless you want to end his career

Moe Elewonibi converted to center for us in his late thirties.

 

[SpeedFlex27]

1 hour ago, wbbfan said:

It should always be the case that you need to win your spot in camp. After a run like we've had the past few years, we have to bring in league free agents who will compete for spots. And be willing to cut them if they get trounced in performance, like Vaval/Logan. 

On that note, how has Vaval not gotten an NFL deal yet?

There's 3 weeks to go in the window. Lots can change. 

21 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

That makes zero sense. Stan is a natural OT. Inside is more physical. You don't convert an OT inside at age 40 unless you want to end his career

It's a lot easier for a tackle to move inside then for an interior OL to move outside. Center calls all the blocking schemes. Stan understands that & wouldn't have any problem adjusting to Center. Neither would Neufeld if they went that route. 

[johnzo]

3 hours ago, wbbfan said:

Maybe they call a guy like Darvin adams or Sheed to see if they want to come in for a developmental offensive coach as well. 

as a fan, would love to see this -- hated how it ended with Sheed.