Is this ever a guy we should take a run at? I really like Pokey as a receiver but not sure he's a 1A Superstar guy... Would you ever take a run at Hatcher as your #1 and then have Pokey and Demski as 2/3?

 

 

Nobody left out there is really worth bringing in. Wilson at least has two years of practice reps and some starters reps... I'd just as soon go with him as "experience" over what's out there....

1 hour ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

You'll be the first to complain if we lose a season because we threw a rookie to the wolves. I've seen teams do that & the backup is the most popular player in town with the fans until he plays & stinks,Then he isn't & gets pretty ugly. You want examples of teams that crapped out after their starter went down?? I can give you plenty. If you disagree, then let's talk. Come on, you can do better.

I’m just yanking your chain.

I agree with you.

1 hour ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

It could be a lot of things. The system, coaching or just not fitting in. I'd still take my chances as a 1 year backup with the guy.

Fair comment. Seems like management wants to win now, so maybe they're looking in that direction.

14 hours ago, HardCoreBlue said:

I’m just yanking your chain.

I agree with you.

14 hours ago, HardCoreBlue said:

I’m just yanking your chain.

I agree with you.

14 hours ago, Noeller said:

Nobody left out there is really worth bringing in. Wilson at least has two years of practice reps and some starters reps... I'd just as soon go with him as "experience" over what's out there....

Two years of LIMITED practice reps bouncing between 2nd & 3rd string with the knee injuries to Streveler the past 2 seasons. Wilson with a bit of game experience certainly didn't light it up when he did play. Artoepus one season of virtually no reps as the third & fourth stringer. The other 2 qbs have nver set foot on a CFL practice field let alone a game field. All of them behind Collaros could be cut & never missed. Yeah... okay. Great take said no one ever.

Artopeous is an interesting signing....He's been hanging around year after year but never really getting a shot at any kind of action....We don't hear about his practice time much....Is he some sort of secret weapon we're keeping under wraps?? I think we're either going to fish or cut bait with the guy in tc this year UNLESS the other qb we've signed this offseason,Perkins, turns out to be a bum.....Quarterbacking definitely has to be a high priority considering it's current state...We shall see in tc

16 hours ago, Noeller said:

Nobody left out there is really worth bringing in. Wilson at least has two years of practice reps and some starters reps... I'd just as soon go with him as "experience" over what's out there....

the only experience wilson has is holding a clipboard and taking coffee orders. that’s the point. Plenty of value in bringing in a guy with actual experience like I listed. i’d be as inclined to not bring wilson back at all

44 minutes ago, Stickem said:

Artopeous is an interesting signing....He's been hanging around year after year but never really getting a shot at any kind of action....We don't hear about his practice time much....Is he some sort of secret weapon we're keeping under wraps?? I think we're either going to fish or cut bait with the guy in tc this year UNLESS the other qb we've signed this offseason,Perkins, turns out to be a bum.....Quarterbacking definitely has to be a high priority considering it's current state...We shall see in tc

just last year, that was his only year in the pros.

59 minutes ago, Stickem said:

Artopeous is an interesting signing....He's been hanging around year after year but never really getting a shot at any kind of action....We don't hear about his practice time much....Is he some sort of secret weapon we're keeping under wraps?? I think we're either going to fish or cut bait with the guy in tc this year UNLESS the other qb we've signed this offseason,Perkins, turns out to be a bum.....Quarterbacking definitely has to be a high priority considering it's current state...We shall see in tc

I expect us to bring in a retread with experience. Retread vs. Perkins to be our #2 and SY guy.

The other 3 will compete for the chance to join the PR. I would not be surprised if one of Wilson and/or Artopeous didn't even make it to camp.

How do MBT ancestors feel about Winnipeg?

15 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

How do MBT ancestors feel about Winnipeg?

Live shot of me waiting for @SpeedFlex27 to react:

Speaking for myself....MBT has a fairly good arm and that's about it....His penchant for drifting into some 'other world' in his conversations is quite amusing ...The only trouble with that is he seems dead serious in that world...His latest about talking to former players who have left us, has an 'occult' ring to it...If he would just stick to football and the 'living,' he might be acceptable...otherwise I don't know how he would fit in here

I'm just gonna say that would be up to Osh. Other than that, if they think Bethell-Thompson can still play then sign him. If not, find somebody else. We need a veteran. Someone who gives us a chance if Collaros goes down.

4 hours ago, Stickem said:

Artopeous is an interesting signing....He's been hanging around year after year but never really getting a shot at any kind of action....We don't hear about his practice time much....Is he some sort of secret weapon we're keeping under wraps?? I think we're either going to fish or cut bait with the guy in tc this year UNLESS the other qb we've signed this offseason,Perkins, turns out to be a bum.....Quarterbacking definitely has to be a high priority considering it's current state...We shall see in tc

He's been hanging around year.

8 hours ago, rebusrankin said:

How do MBT ancestors feel about Winnipeg?

They knew it was flood prone and would have hockey teams that no one wanted to play for. We should have listened.

16 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

I'm just gonna say that would be up to Osh. Other than that, if they think Bethell-Thompson can still play then sign him. If not, find somebody else. We need a veteran. Someone who gives us a chance if Collaros goes down.

He's been hanging around year.

He been around a yr...and not sure why so many think he's a legit option....nothing I have seen tells me that....yeah he has had no shot in any reg season games....but also thee a reason too....well nobody here gets a shot with Osh as the HC unless there no other option but even then he will run a less than healthy guy out there before a backup

After this yrs TC the greek QB will be just a fart in the wind and gone

3 hours ago, Booch said:

He been around a yr...and not sure why so many think he's a legit option....nothing I have seen tells me that....yeah he has had no shot in any reg season games....but also thee a reason too....well nobody here gets a shot with Osh as the HC unless there no other option but even then he will run a less than healthy guy out there before a backup

After this yrs TC the greek QB will be just a fart in the wind and gone

Certainly seems that way.....and I'll say OOOOPA to that...He just seemed a waste of space and time

2 hours ago, Stickem said:

Certainly seems that way.....and I'll say OOOOPA to that...He just seemed a waste of space and time

Most of these young, unknown & never have played qbs on a CFL roster are just that. Waste of time & money. Come & go like head colds. If they can't do short yardage they never see the field. And change from year to year.

Mauldin just wasted his time playing in Ottawa. Never won a Grey Cup. Did he even win a single playoff game during his time in Ottawa? Yet there he was. The best DL in the CFL playing on the worst team in the CFL his entire career. He never took advantage of the leverage he had. He could have signed for more money & a real shot at a championship somewhere else.

I can understand all star players from the past who were stuck on bad teams their entire careers because free agency never existed at the time. Guys like Long Gone Jim Thomas, Greg Pipes, Ken Nielsen, Dave Raimey, John Lagrone, George Dixon, Ken Sugarman, Jim Young, D i c k Shatto & Don Luzzi. They had no choice. Teams wouldn't trade or lose them to free agency. They were in effect, trapped. Stuck on teams they couldn't leave. They could "play out their option" after their contract expired for a 20% reduction in pay based on the expied contract & then could sign elsewhere the following season. So, in effect a 3 year deal actually was a 4 year deal with the reserve clause.

If they did all that & still left their team then they were labelled as troublemakers. CFL General Managers weren't quick to sign them. It was a "you scratch my back & I'll scratch yours" type of situation in the 1960's & 70's. GMs knew if they had a problem with a player, they could count on their fellow GMs not to sign them as the next time it could be another one of them with a problem player. So collusion did happen & teams worked together to keep salaries down. For most players it wasn't worth the hassle so they didn't do that. They just signed a new deal & stayed put.

In today's CFL, players have total freedom. They can sign 1 year deals & then leave. Mauldin chose not to. Strange decision. He would have made more money & might have been a Grey Cup Champion somewhere else.

Edited 4 hours ago4 hr by SpeedFlex27

Would he have been paid more elsewhere? Dude got his bag playing in the NFL, then two grey cup appearances with Hamilton, moved to Ottawa, Won MODP in 2022 and got paid, down season in 2023, bounced back in 2024 and then whatever happened last year.

There was really no one for him to sign and be guaranteed a grey cup... He was never going to fit in here and Argos and Montreal were the only other reasonable teams in the East and who knows had he fit there. He was one of the highest paid defensive ends year over year after his MODP campaign.

When Mauldin was in his prime? You kidding? He would have been the #1 free agent out there iin 2021-23. Of course, he'd have been paid.

1 hour ago, ShyGuy said:

Would he have been paid more elsewhere? Dude got his bag playing in the NFL, then two grey cup appearances with Hamilton, moved to Ottawa, Won MODP in 2022 and got paid, down season in 2023, bounced back in 2024 and then whatever happened last year.

There was really no one for him to sign and be guaranteed a grey cup... He was never going to fit in here and Argos and Montreal were the only other reasonable teams in the East and who knows had he fit there. He was one of the highest paid defensive ends year over year after his MODP campaign.

So tell me, why wouldn't Mauldin have fit in anywhere else? Was he a cancer in the dressing room? Was he uncoachable? Was he a selfish? A "Me First" player? From everything I have ever heard he was great team player. Had he wanted to leave Ottawa even 3 years ago, there would have been 8 other teams that would have tried to sign him.

2 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

So tell me, why wouldn't Mauldin have fit in anywhere else? Was he a cancer in the dressing room? Was he uncoachable? Was he a selfish? A "Me First" player? From everything I have ever heard he was great team player. Had he wanted to leave Ottawa even 3 years ago, there would have been 8 other teams that would have tried to sign him.

Mauldin played for Hamilton in 2021 and had 5 sacks in 6 games in the COVID shortened season.

He signed with Ottawa and wasn't among the top 10 highest paid defensive ends.

He won MODP in 2022, and his contract was 200K in 2023 after he re-signed and he was the second highest paid defensive end. He was also 30 at this point. He did sign before the window opened (Jan 18th)... maybe Calgary would have signed him to replace Orimolade, maybe the Argos could have signed him instead of Orimolade.

But you can't get much higher paid than the second most salary at your position.

He had a down year in 2023 and his salary in 2024 reflected that, but he was still top 10 paid. He bounced backed in 2024 and was almost 200K again in 2025 and that didn't go super great for all involved.

If he wanted a better shot at winning a championship, it would been in the East, the Bombers didn't have room on those teams (as constructed) for another 30+ year old d-lineman making 200k, I don't think he would have pushed any of the West teams over the Bombers.

Maybe he could have taken a deep discount to get onto another team but that is not a thing that happens very much tbh.

The problem really was that he broke out at the time where he was on the wrong end of the aging curve... and really his production showed that and teams aren't dumb so good call.

You can point to Willie Jefferson as an argument against the DE aging curve... but he has a very specific skill that makes him a bit of a unicorn and the Bombers deploy him as such