Now that the other shoe has finally dropped with the signing of Hall, what does Walters have to get done in the next month before the free agency lottery starts?

Which Bombers have decided to test the NFL possibilities?

Which Bombers are just trying to maximize their negotiating power?

Is Heenan really available?

Is Brohm gone?

Which veterans are lurking out there for us?

I think we will re-sign Sears but lose Wild. I think Brohm gets another NFL look....as crazy as I know that sounds. I think Heenan really is available but will be hugely expensive if he is to leave Regina. I think Romby is a goner.

 

Players I would pursue outside of the OL, are Ernest Jackson and Sam Hurl. I don't think we need a Brackenridge, but if we have the money to spend because we have come up empty in other pursuits he would be a gooder. Really is hard to say who we will target because it's hard to say how much cap room we have. I feel we will be very aggressive though.

Still think Hickman ends up here - don't think peach is a Richie hall starter

Maybe Holmes and chiles, think we sign Jonathan Williams too

Don't see any of our fa as must signings - Sears would be if he wasn't injured so often

i do not think anyone will sign Williams right now, did he not blow his knee out near the end of the yr, so he will not be able to play until sept or oct of this year, if at all

to much of a risk right now

i do not think anyone will sign Williams right now, did he not blow his knee out near the end of the yr, so he will not be able to play until sept or oct of this year, if at all

to much of a risk right now

 

Agreed....not really a priority either.

Didn't hear about the knee.... but I would say signing a powerback that fits with Bellefuile's offence is a huge priority if we want Willy to survive the season.

Don't forget they have Cameron Marshall who is a bigger power type back too

I doubt we land Heenan... I think Holmes is more likely, but I'm starting to doubt that as well....

 

Wouldn't mind Ellingson and getting Marty Bowman back.

 

Maybe Wojt if he's healthy.

I doubt we land Heenan... I think Holmes is more likely, but I'm starting to doubt that as well....

 

Wouldn't mind Ellingson and getting Marty Bowman back.

 

Maybe Wojt if he's healthy.

 

Maybe not....but I think we are going to be in the thick of things and not just kicking the tires on him. Marty is a good player....for the right price, I'd think about him for WIL if I were the Bombers.

It's easy to say that we won't land Heenan because the Bombers are historically cheap asses, and because the Riders love keeping their homegrowns.

 

The reality is that the new regime's #1 focus is on improving the WBB's CanCon, and #1b is on fixing the OL.  With Heenan, that's 2 birds with one stone, and I really think they'll spend to the cap to do it for a marquee NI lineman.  The other reality is that with Heenan expected to draw top-of-market offers for an OL... there's only so much cap magic the Riders can weave. 

I loved Bowman when he was here. No clue how he played last year after that bad injury, but if he can play bring him on back. Great team guy.

Hope the Bombers don't waste money pursuing a receiver in F.A..  The price being paid in the CFL has gotten out of hand lately in that dept. and there is a hefty supply of them available every year.  Just need to bring 5 or 6 good candidates to camp and chances are decent that one could be a diamond.  Plus I don't see this as being a weak point on the current squad, other problems run deeper.  I hope to see a re-newed and improved Drew Willy demonstrating that he actually  learned something from his 2014 beat down.

Hope the Bombers don't waste money pursuing a receiver in F.A..  The price being paid in the CFL has gotten out of hand lately in that dept. and there is a hefty supply of them available every year.  Just need to bring 5 or 6 good candidates to camp and chances are decent that one could be a diamond.  Plus I don't see this as being a weak point on the current squad, other problems run deeper.  I hope to see a re-newed and improved Drew Willy demonstrating that he actually  learned something from his 2014 beat down.

 

No way we sink money into another receiver. We needed to make a big splash last off season to prove to players/agents we would spend money. We tried going after Butler but lost out, Moore was an awesome consolation prize who tragically ended up being injured most of the season.

 

We're going to go hard after Heenan for sure, and probably check the potential of Holmes and Bryant as well.

 

Hope the Bombers don't waste money pursuing a receiver in F.A..  The price being paid in the CFL has gotten out of hand lately in that dept. and there is a hefty supply of them available every year.  Just need to bring 5 or 6 good candidates to camp and chances are decent that one could be a diamond.  Plus I don't see this as being a weak point on the current squad, other problems run deeper.  I hope to see a re-newed and improved Drew Willy demonstrating that he actually  learned something from his 2014 beat down.

 

No way we sink money into another receiver. We needed to make a big splash last off season to prove to players/agents we would spend money. We tried going after Butler but lost out, Moore was an awesome consolation prize who tragically ended up being injured most of the season.

 

We're going to go hard after Heenan for sure, and probably check the potential of Holmes and Bryant as well.

 

 

I hope the Bombers will go hard after Ernest Jackson.

 

 

Hope the Bombers don't waste money pursuing a receiver in F.A..  The price being paid in the CFL has gotten out of hand lately in that dept. and there is a hefty supply of them available every year.  Just need to bring 5 or 6 good candidates to camp and chances are decent that one could be a diamond.  Plus I don't see this as being a weak point on the current squad, other problems run deeper.  I hope to see a re-newed and improved Drew Willy demonstrating that he actually  learned something from his 2014 beat down.

 

No way we sink money into another receiver. We needed to make a big splash last off season to prove to players/agents we would spend money. We tried going after Butler but lost out, Moore was an awesome consolation prize who tragically ended up being injured most of the season.

 

We're going to go hard after Heenan for sure, and probably check the potential of Holmes and Bryant as well.

 

 

I hope the Bombers will go hard after Ernest Jackson.

 

 

From an SMS perspective he may give us the most bang for the buck.

 

 

 

Hope the Bombers don't waste money pursuing a receiver in F.A..  The price being paid in the CFL has gotten out of hand lately in that dept. and there is a hefty supply of them available every year.  Just need to bring 5 or 6 good candidates to camp and chances are decent that one could be a diamond.  Plus I don't see this as being a weak point on the current squad, other problems run deeper.  I hope to see a re-newed and improved Drew Willy demonstrating that he actually  learned something from his 2014 beat down.

 

No way we sink money into another receiver. We needed to make a big splash last off season to prove to players/agents we would spend money. We tried going after Butler but lost out, Moore was an awesome consolation prize who tragically ended up being injured most of the season.

 

We're going to go hard after Heenan for sure, and probably check the potential of Holmes and Bryant as well.

 

 

I hope the Bombers will go hard after Ernest Jackson.

 

 

From an SMS perspective he may give us the most bang for the buck.

 

 

Willy can't complete passes to even the best route runners if he has no time to throw the ball.  Fix the OL and CanCon first, and Moore, Denmark, Watson, and whoever else they field will be more than dangerous enough that we don't need to add a receiver.

It's easy to say that we won't land Heenan because the Bombers are historically cheap asses, and because the Riders love keeping their homegrowns.

 

The reality is that the new regime's #1 focus is on improving the WBB's CanCon, and #1b is on fixing the OL.  With Heenan, that's 2 birds with one stone, and I really think they'll spend to the cap to do it for a marquee NI lineman.  The other reality is that with Heenan expected to draw top-of-market offers for an OL... there's only so much cap magic the Riders can weave. 

They dropped Picard. That should free up some cash.

Hope the Bombers don't waste money pursuing a receiver in F.A.. The price being paid in the CFL has gotten out of hand lately in that dept. and there is a hefty supply of them available every year. Just need to bring 5 or 6 good candidates to camp and chances are decent that one could be a diamond. Plus I don't see this as being a weak point on the current squad, other problems run deeper. I hope to see a re-newed and improved Drew Willy demonstrating that he actually learned something from his 2014 beat down.

No way we sink money into another receiver. We needed to make a big splash last off season to prove to players/agents we would spend money. We tried going after Butler but lost out, Moore was an awesome consolation prize who tragically ended up being injured most of the season.

We're going to go hard after Heenan for sure, and probably check the potential of Holmes and Bryant as well.

I hope the Bombers will go hard after Ernest Jackson.

From an SMS perspective he may give us the most bang for the buck.

Jackson will not be cheap

Chiles and watt are probably the only deals out there

 

 

 

 

Hope the Bombers don't waste money pursuing a receiver in F.A.. The price being paid in the CFL has gotten out of hand lately in that dept. and there is a hefty supply of them available every year. Just need to bring 5 or 6 good candidates to camp and chances are decent that one could be a diamond. Plus I don't see this as being a weak point on the current squad, other problems run deeper. I hope to see a re-newed and improved Drew Willy demonstrating that he actually learned something from his 2014 beat down.

No way we sink money into another receiver. We needed to make a big splash last off season to prove to players/agents we would spend money. We tried going after Butler but lost out, Moore was an awesome consolation prize who tragically ended up being injured most of the season.

We're going to go hard after Heenan for sure, and probably check the potential of Holmes and Bryant as well.

I hope the Bombers will go hard after Ernest Jackson.

From an SMS perspective he may give us the most bang for the buck.

Jackson will not be cheap

Chiles and watt are probably the only deals out there

 

 

Agree Jackson will not be cheap but I don't think he will get the same $$$ as SJ Green and Dressler will command.

True but he still probably gets 200k this year

Sinopoli starting to look like the best value signing imo

 

 

 

 

Hope the Bombers don't waste money pursuing a receiver in F.A..  The price being paid in the CFL has gotten out of hand lately in that dept. and there is a hefty supply of them available every year.  Just need to bring 5 or 6 good candidates to camp and chances are decent that one could be a diamond.  Plus I don't see this as being a weak point on the current squad, other problems run deeper.  I hope to see a re-newed and improved Drew Willy demonstrating that he actually  learned something from his 2014 beat down.

 

No way we sink money into another receiver. We needed to make a big splash last off season to prove to players/agents we would spend money. We tried going after Butler but lost out, Moore was an awesome consolation prize who tragically ended up being injured most of the season.

 

We're going to go hard after Heenan for sure, and probably check the potential of Holmes and Bryant as well.

 

 

I hope the Bombers will go hard after Ernest Jackson.

 

 

From an SMS perspective he may give us the most bang for the buck.

 

 

Willy can't complete passes to even the best route runners if he has no time to throw the ball.  Fix the OL and CanCon first, and Moore, Denmark, Watson, and whoever else they field will be more than dangerous enough that we don't need to add a receiver.

 

 

The best laid plans...

 

Just because we want Heenan and Holmes does not mean we will get Heenan and Holmes.  Even if Walters does everything right.  Free agency is the rare time players have the power.  There will be 9 teams interested in these guys, and maybe outside of Montreal and Calgary, they will all be offering buckets of cash.

 

And seemingly lost on the internet, players are actually humans, not just commodities.  Maybe Holmes has been anxiously waiting his rookie contract out so he can finally move home to Ottawa and be closer to his sick grandmother or something like that.  Maybe Heenan is sick of the prairies after living here his whole life and doesn't want to move just one province over, maybe he wants to live in Vancouver and spend his winters skiing, cause why not do it while he's young, these opportunities come around once or twice in a lifetime?  Free agency isn't just an auction with players going to the highest bidder.

 

So anyways, say we set aside approx half a million just to go after those guys and land neither, then what?  Have a money bonfire?  Sign Hurl for $400,000 just because he's a NI who kinda sorta could start, or if nothing else has totally bitchin hair?

 

Of course plan A and B should be chasing after NI Olinemen, but if plan A and B don't work out through no fault of our own, is having a plan C that includes bringing in another premier receiver for our young QB to target such a terrible idea?  I don't think it is.

 

And the notion that we can't bring in a top grade receiver AND a guy like Heenan is nonsense.  Josh Bourke isn't making chicken feed in Montreal, or Perrette and the rest of that Oline, and Popp said they offered SJ Green enough money to make him the highest non-QB player in the league.  There is room in the salary cap to afford lots of talented players on the same team.

True but he still probably gets 200k this year

Sinopoli starting to look like the best value signing imo

 

Can't see Jackson commanding that kind of coin.  I'd be surprised if he got anything north of $175,00 and that's even a stretch.

With regard to Heenan signing here...He works a farm in Sask. and is very family oriented. Moving one province over would be an advantage, other than living in Sask. itself.  Seeing as Cal. will most likely not be in the running for an o lineman, we will be certainly a consideration. I think if Heenan doesn't make it in the nfl and Walters can come up with the right cash, I can see Ben being very interested in signing here.  We shall see in about 19 days.

True but he still probably gets 200k this year

Sinopoli starting to look like the best value signing imo

 

there's absolutely no way. zero

With regard to Heenan signing here...He works a farm in Sask. and is very family oriented. Moving one province over would be an advantage, other than living in Sask. itself.  Seeing as Cal. will most likely not be in the running for an o lineman, we will be certainly a consideration. I think if Heenan doesn't make it in the nfl and Walters can come up with the right cash, I can see Ben being very interested in signing here.  We shall see in about 19 days.

 

I agree with you, and not just because it's written in italics, but because you're looking at the player as a human.

 

 

And the italics.

Everyone seems so unsure of what the market for American receivers is going to be. 200k seems to be a nice round number that people have picked out, but the reality is the benchmark for the new rate with the SMS hike has already been set when Denmark signed his new deal. He became a top 10 paid receiver in the league with that deal and he's not making 200k. He's making a bit less than Nick Moore, if I remember correctly.

 

So a guy like EJax (or Ellingson or Chiles, who I'd use as comps) will not make anywhere near that.

 

My take on free agency is this.

 

We'll be in on SirVincent Rogers / Stanley Bryant with the hopes of getting one of them.

We'll be in on Tyler Holmes / Ben Heenan with the hopes of getting both of them.

We'll be in on a receiver IF the market is reasonable and I bet it'd be one of our later signings.

We'll be in on Canadian talents (Watt, Tonye-Tonye, Hurl, Sinopoli, Rwabukamba, MacDougall) if we feel those guys are a fair upgrade-to-dollar value deal.

 

The last thing we MAY target is a MLB, but I feel like if they aren't able to land Taylor Reed, they'll go to camp with an open competition.

 

My prediction?

 

We get one of Holmes/Heenan, one of Rogers/Bryant and end up making one or two other signings, one of which will likely be a "fly under the radar" type like Dan DePalma.