25/26 CFL (Non Bombers) Off Season Thread

[wbbfan]

3 hours ago, Noeller said:

Do we want Woodmansey? Apparently he started out as a C but was shitty so they moved him to G where he was a bit better. 

It’s backwards. He was drafted as and started out his career at G. He was in and out of the line up and bounced between g and c. But he played much better at c and was at C most of year and maybe the best C in the league. The previous year he was at g the whole year. 

 the cats ol prior to last year was pretty bleh and they didn’t run balanced play call. he’s an excellent run blocker and good in pass pro. he’d fit us brilliantly. 

 I don’t think we will be in the market to pay that though. 

[Noeller]

29 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

It’s backwards. He was drafted as and started out his career at G. He was in and out of the line up and bounced between g and c. But he played much better at c and was at C most of year and maybe the best C in the league. The previous year he was at g the whole year. 

 the cats ol prior to last year was pretty bleh and they didn’t run balanced play call. he’s an excellent run blocker and good in pass pro. he’d fit us brilliantly. 

 I don’t think we will be in the market to pay that though. 

Was just basing it on this, which said he couldn't snap so they moved him to G...

 

[Pete Catan's Ghost]

6 hours ago, Tracker said:

I seem to recall that he is from the Hamilton area, so its a good fit for him if so.

I met a bunch of his family at McGill a couple of years ago. Some were wearing Als - Kolankowski jerseys....which seemed kind of weird since there was no apparent connection.

[rebusrankin]

I'd love to see how much Campbell got from the Riders and how much Sayles got from BC.

Hamilton loses Veresuk to the NFL. That's rough.

[GCn20]

12 hours ago, wbbfan said:

It’s backwards. He was drafted as and started out his career at G. He was in and out of the line up and bounced between g and c. But he played much better at c and was at C most of year and maybe the best C in the league. The previous year he was at g the whole year. 

 the cats ol prior to last year was pretty bleh and they didn’t run balanced play call. he’s an excellent run blocker and good in pass pro. he’d fit us brilliantly. 

 I don’t think we will be in the market to pay that though. 

I would take him in a heartbeat. Christ we have people here suggesting we move Stan to C. Let's get a real centre so that we can end ridiculousness like that. It seems we are pretty desperate or at least the fans are. Or we can put the goat at a position he has never played, get him injured by the big men in the middle while learning how to snap at age 40. I could barely type that last sentence.

Edited 6 hours ago by GCn20

[wbbfan]

12 hours ago, Noeller said:

Was just basing it on this, which said he couldn't snap so they moved him to G...

 

Idk who that is, but that didn't happen either. The eastern final had Woodmansey at C. Revenberg and Dobson played and started every game for the cats at G from week 1 through the eastern final. The depthchart for that game is at the bottom. 

https://www.ticats.ca/2025/11/07/tiger-cats-set-for-high-stakes-eastern-final-against-alouettes/

Edited 5 hours ago by wbbfan

[wbbfan]

30 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

I would take him in a heartbeat. Christ we have people here suggesting we move Stan to C. Let's get a real centre so that we can end ridiculousness like that. It seems we are pretty desperate or at least the fans are. Or we can put the goat at a position he has never played, get him injured by the big men in the middle while learning how to snap at age 40. I could barely type that last sentence.

Woodmansey just completed his first full season at C, he played it off and on the two previous years so he isn't like a true blue centre. But he's damned good and still 28. He's played 82 games, but he's also been pretty healthy through his time in the league. He's got excellent size and build for C as well as athleticism. 

 I dont know how much he will get, but a steal like that in free agency is worth being spend happy on. 

I do like Eli and am comfortable with Vibert as the backup. He was also solid in the work we gave him at C last camp/pre-season. But there are other options as it stands right now;

Woodmansey, an excellent centre in his prime. He will command a premium price. With marty coaching him, I think he only goes up from last year.

Mcewen, the riders prized free agent from last year but ended up getting hurt and missing the year. Turns 33, I wouldve loved him last year. This year, he'd be solid at a reasonable pay day.

Further to the scrap pile, Sceviour is also a free agent. He is a natural C that has played as much G in the cfl as C. Again, solid pick up if he is on a reasonable deal. 

Then in the depths of the scrap heap, Starczala. He's a warm body who has started at C, and is likely a 6th ol at best on a good team, if hes healthy. At that point I'd rather take a developmental kid in the draft. 

[CrazyCanuck89]

14 hours ago, wbbfan said:

It’s backwards. He was drafted as and started out his career at G. He was in and out of the line up and bounced between g and c. But he played much better at c and was at C most of year and maybe the best C in the league. The previous year he was at g the whole year. 

 the cats ol prior to last year was pretty bleh and they didn’t run balanced play call. he’s an excellent run blocker and good in pass pro. he’d fit us brilliantly. 

 I don’t think we will be in the market to pay that though. 

He was a good centre this past season, except for the snapping issues.  If he can clean those up, he can be a great centre.

[wbbfan]

5 minutes ago, CrazyCanuck89 said:

He was a good centre this past season, except for the snapping issues.  If he can clean those up, he can be a great centre.

I do remember 1-2 errant snaps in games against us, snapping is certainly not his greatest strength. With the Pistol and alignment nature of cfl offences, I don't think the snap is as critical as it was when everyone was in run and gun from the shotgun. I think a good coach should be able to tighten up snaps with in a year or so in the cfl. 

 But I also think we could have had some outlier issue last year. Kola was always a snapping specialist; that was the one thing he did really well. But last year he was close to a wild snap a game. And most games in the league now that I think back had some bad snaps. I wonder if this is an issue of wear on artificial turf, causing something to rub off on balls, or a wipe down procedure change or some thing. 

I kind of want to go back and look at the ball handling in a game or two now. It could all be a coincidence, or it could be some odd root problem. 

[CrazyCanuck89]

I don't understand why some teams just won't just draft pure centres.  I know the Lions drafted the UWO centre to hopefully take over one day.  Their is a kid at Maine, but he still has eligibility left.

[GCn20]

1 hour ago, wbbfan said:

Woodmansey just completed his first full season at C, he played it off and on the two previous years so he isn't like a true blue centre. But he's damned good and still 28. He's played 82 games, but he's also been pretty healthy through his time in the league. He's got excellent size and build for C as well as athleticism. 

 I dont know how much he will get, but a steal like that in free agency is worth being spend happy on. 

I do like Eli and am comfortable with Vibert as the backup. He was also solid in the work we gave him at C last camp/pre-season. But there are other options as it stands right now;

Woodmansey, an excellent centre in his prime. He will command a premium price. With marty coaching him, I think he only goes up from last year.

Mcewen, the riders prized free agent from last year but ended up getting hurt and missing the year. Turns 33, I wouldve loved him last year. This year, he'd be solid at a reasonable pay day.

Further to the scrap pile, Sceviour is also a free agent. He is a natural C that has played as much G in the cfl as C. Again, solid pick up if he is on a reasonable deal. 

Then in the depths of the scrap heap, Starczala. He's a warm body who has started at C, and is likely a 6th ol at best on a good team, if hes healthy. At that point I'd rather take a developmental kid in the draft. 

I would take either Woodmansey, or McEwen. They would represent a massive upgrade over Kola, Eli, or Vibert. We need a bonafide centre not a scrap heap plan.

1 hour ago, wbbfan said:

I do remember 1-2 errant snaps in games against us, snapping is certainly not his greatest strength. With the Pistol and alignment nature of cfl offences, I don't think the snap is as critical as it was when everyone was in run and gun from the shotgun. I think a good coach should be able to tighten up snaps with in a year or so in the cfl. 

 But I also think we could have had some outlier issue last year. Kola was always a snapping specialist; that was the one thing he did really well. But last year he was close to a wild snap a game. And most games in the league now that I think back had some bad snaps. I wonder if this is an issue of wear on artificial turf, causing something to rub off on balls, or a wipe down procedure change or some thing. 

I kind of want to go back and look at the ball handling in a game or two now. It could all be a coincidence, or it could be some odd root problem. 

Could very well be a change to the footballs themselves. Different cowhide or pebbling etc. I remember when I was playing we had the J5Vs and every year they were a little different than the year before.

[bryan35]

11 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

I would take either Woodmansey, or McEwen. They would represent a massive upgrade over Kola, Eli, or Vibert. We need a bonafide centre not a scrap heap plan.

Could very well be a change to the footballs themselves. Different cowhide or pebbling etc. I remember when I was playing we had the J5Vs and every year they were a little different than the year before.

Think most teams offence's  condition a number of balls per game. They should be pretty consistent.

[wbbfan]

40 minutes ago, CrazyCanuck89 said:

I don't understand why some teams just won't just draft pure centres.  I know the Lions drafted the UWO centre to hopefully take over one day.  Their is a kid at Maine, but he still has eligibility left.

The big obstacle I see is that most pure centres are CIS kids, and they stick at C because they are undersized. So we see a ton of undersized kids at C.

Now we have had a tremendous history of success in taking undersized kids at C and turning them into monsters. I hope we go back to scooping up kids like this. 

I think last year's draft had a good chunk of kids worth developing. Pyle, Klassen, Hocevar, Piazza, Berwick, and Horth. Not all of those guys are the traditional undersized type of project, but they are all worth sitting on for a couple of years to polish. I think those types of guys also bring a high floor as a heavy-set specialist in all 3 phases. If you take any of those guys, and refine 1 weakness into a strength or at least to be pro solid, you have a massive win. 

[JohnnyAbonny]

So anyone think there’s a chance we sign Pickett? 

[JuranBoldenRules]

2 hours ago, CrazyCanuck89 said:

I don't understand why some teams just won't just draft pure centres.  I know the Lions drafted the UWO centre to hopefully take over one day.  Their is a kid at Maine, but he still has eligibility left.

Because they have to matchup athletically with guys they have to block in pro football.  If they can't get their hands on the guys they need to block, they can't really play at this level.

There's a major disparity in general in this league on talent level of OL vs talent level of DL.

You think too most U Sports teams or even NCAA teams have 1 or maybe 2 OL who could be pro prospects and where do the best guys usually play?  Depending on scheme it's going to be tackle or guard spot.  Your best athlete on OL isn't going to be at C unless you have major problems with reliability.

Edited 2 hours ago by JuranBoldenRules

[wbbfan]

1 hour ago, GCn20 said:

I would take either Woodmansey, or McEwen. They would represent a massive upgrade over Kola, Eli, or Vibert. We need a bonafide centre not a scrap heap plan.

Could very well be a change to the footballs themselves. Different cowhide or pebbling etc. I remember when I was playing we had the J5Vs and every year they were a little different than the year before.

My only concern with Mcewen is health/age. I do think either of those two at 100% is a big upgrade. Eli would be an instant and drastic improvement in the run game. But his lateral work at guard in pass pro was very subpar. He might be one of those rare guys who struggle at guard vs a natural position, like Hardrick. He might also be a guy who struggles head up, and is more of a bully C. Which is fine, again, teams played a nose on Kola once he was exposed. Teams aren't going to start out challenging Eli like that. He's a mauler. He might not win, especially against speedy, talented 3-techs, but he will give you a battle. 

Yeah, that would make a ton of sense. I didn't hear any changes to the football, but if they did, I wouldn't be surprised in the least. I thought the J5Vs were awful when brand new. Most of the time, if you could beat 'em up and get some wear on them, they played a lot better. I remember playing a game in real sloppy conditions with brand new ones, and it was like a 3 stooges bit for the first half. At halftime, they put them in bags with gravel from the parking lot, and we shook them the whole half. After that, it was manageable. 

[sweep the leg]

4 minutes ago, JohnnyAbonny said:

So anyone think there’s a chance we sign Pickett? 

No. We already have a lot of money tied up in the secondary.

[wbbfan]

1 hour ago, bryan35 said:

Think most teams offence's  condition a number of balls per game. They should be pretty consistent.

Normally yes. They pick from a bag of a few and break them in. But we've seen crazy stuff like that in the past. Like when the NBA tried new balls, or when baseball went to more deadened balls after 2019. I would think if that happened, we would have heard about it, though, especially from QBs/wrs. But in this era and league, anything is possible. 

[HardCoreBlue]

6 minutes ago, sweep the leg said:

No. We already have a lot of money tied up in the secondary.

I was chatting with KW (no I wasn't) and money is no object. Let's take the New York Yankee approach and just pay the fine at the end of the year.

[wbbfan]

1 minute ago, sweep the leg said:

No. We already have a lot of money tied up in the secondary.

That is what I suspect, too. I don't imagine his value would drop that badly.

But the fit would also not really work imo. We've got Kramdi, Allen, Woodbey, Shay/Smith, and hopefully Griffin comes back.  

 Pickett is a monster at sam, wil or S. He would certainly be an upgrade at those spots. But we aren't going to boot Kramdi for him; Griffin, Woodbey, and Allen are all much cheaper and younger with tons of upside. The same goes for the Canadians. 

 I would love Pickett. I think he will come back to be the premier defender he has always been. I think every team save ott should talk to him and make an offer. But I don't see us being competitive in that market. He's too expensive, the secondary is already expensive as hell, and the risk/reward vs those young guys is not ideal for this kind of upgrade. Not when we have positions where a clear upgrade is badly needed, like DL, OL, and WR.

 

 

Just now, HardCoreBlue said:

I was chatting with KW (no I wasn't) and money is no object. Let's take the New York Yankee approach and just pay the fine at the end of the year.

I think thats the dodgers approach now. 

[GCn20]

10 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

My only concern with Mcewen is health/age. I do think either of those two at 100% is a big upgrade. Eli would be an instant and drastic improvement in the run game. But his lateral work at guard in pass pro was very subpar. He might be one of those rare guys who struggle at guard vs a natural position, like Hardrick. He might also be a guy who struggles head up, and is more of a bully C. Which is fine, again, teams played a nose on Kola once he was exposed. Teams aren't going to start out challenging Eli like that. He's a mauler. He might not win, especially against speedy, talented 3-techs, but he will give you a battle. 

Yeah, that would make a ton of sense. I didn't hear any changes to the football, but if they did, I wouldn't be surprised in the least. I thought the J5Vs were awful when brand new. Most of the time, if you could beat 'em up and get some wear on them, they played a lot better. I remember playing a game in real sloppy conditions with brand new ones, and it was like a 3 stooges bit for the first half. At halftime, they put them in bags with gravel from the parking lot, and we shook them the whole half. After that, it was manageable. 

The year that J5V changed from Spalding to Wilson was a dramatic difference. I remember the kickers and QBs having fits with the new ones.

11 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

Normally yes. They pick from a bag of a few and break them in. But we've seen crazy stuff like that in the past. Like when the NBA tried new balls, or when baseball went to more deadened balls after 2019. I would think if that happened, we would have heard about it, though, especially from QBs/wrs. But in this era and league, anything is possible. 

Not necessarily a change on purpose. Could be as simple as a new supplier of their rawhide.

[wbbfan]

@DTonOB Made a great point on I believe twitter today. I'm paraphrasing here, but this is the gist. 

In the last 8 seasons, the CFL has seen 2 ties. 4 total since the 2010 season. But with the field changes in 2027, field goals will be greatly diminished, making ties far less likely. 

https://x.com/DTonOB Here's a good link to his account, if you're the instatwitterbook type hes well deserving of the follow. 

 

On the surface, I don't like ties. But he is absolutely right. With the changes coming to FGs, this is not really needed. 

On a personal note, I hate the revolving attempts from the 3-yard line. Going play-to-play switches in possession will be a fiasco as well. Especially when half the unit for shortyardage will be the same guys. 

 

https://3downnation.com/2026/01/14/cfl-rules-committee-recommends-leaving-late-half-clock-unchanged-eliminating-ties-in-overtime/

 

[Noeller]

It's a no to a US draft....