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2 Weeks to FA - Atomic Top 5 NI Free Agents


Atomic

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If we were to go crazy in FA, I don't think all 3 of Heenan, Wojt and Don O would be impossible.

 

Im not crazy about Watt, though I do respect his ability, and think its very possibly O'Shea and Walters are targeting him.... but we could be getting a good prospect in Groodrich, and I'm a firm believer that you should always build the foundation of your football team in the trenches... and that's our weakest link right now

 

I think history has shown that going crazy in FA isn't always the best idea (see Hamilton). That said, if we could pick up Heenan, I would be pretty darn happy.

 

 

Oh boy... I've always been of this mindset as well, but either Heenan/Holmes paired with a good OL prospect in the draft would go a long way to way towards fixing both the OL and Canadian skill/depth issues.

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I would rather see if you can get Bryant and Heenan if you had a line of Bryant Greaves Picard Neufeld Heenan that would be big improvement.

Yep that's my dream. That line would be dominant.

 

Dominant's a stretch for sure... Neufeld and Greaves are far from dominant Gaurds...

 

Wojt would be a big upgrade if he's healthy. 

 

 

The Picard add says to me that the Bombers want to fix the OL in short order.  Also says they believe that Goossen might be better off stepping in at guard when he's ready to crack the lineup.

 

While Wojt's a good CDN guard, Walters' actions in signing Picard say to me that I don't think he's too high of a priority, even if we do whiff on both Heenan and Holmes.

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i think u see alot dif mr willy this yr, he will get rid of the ball alot quicker, and that will help our oline a great deal, we can not be any worse, we did run the ball better at the end of the yr, so with or with out a high ticket free agent we will be better

 

I agree we'll get a fresh, healthy Willy intent on playing QB the way he did in the first half of 2014. 

 

But more predictable and reliable protection and a little longer to survey the field will only help him develop.  I think he's got decent weapons in Moore, Denmark, Watson, and Kohlert/JFG.  A 3rd import receiver doesn't need to be a big ticket FA... if Willy's got time and reliable protection, a young recruit can develop into a star with Willy if he can get open and catch the ball.

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I would rather see if you can get Bryant and Heenan if you had a line of Bryant Greaves Picard Neufeld Heenan that would be big improvement.

Yep that's my dream. That line would be dominant.

Dominant's a stretch for sure... Neufeld and Greaves are far from dominant Gaurds...

 

Wojt would be a big upgrade if he's healthy.

 

The Picard add says to me that the Bombers want to fix the OL in short order.  Also says they believe that Goossen might be better off stepping in at guard when he's ready to crack the lineup.

 

While Wojt's a good CDN guard, Walters' actions in signing Picard say to me that I don't think he's too high of a priority, even if we do whiff on both Heenan and Holmes.

Why would signing a center stop Walters from signing a former all star Canadian Gaurd who was his teams nominee for most outstanding lineman the last season he was healthy in 2013?

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When he's healthy, I'd say Neufeld is pretty close to dominant. People are looking at "he's injured again" as "he's a bad OL"......

I really like Neufeld, and individually, I think he's an average to slightly above average OL. But he could certainly form part of a dominant OL, because like I said earlier, a dominant OL doesn't mean each individual on the OL needs to be dominant.

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I would rather see if you can get Bryant and Heenan if you had a line of Bryant Greaves Picard Neufeld Heenan that would be big improvement.

Yep that's my dream. That line would be dominant.
Dominant's a stretch for sure... Neufeld and Greaves are far from dominant Gaurds...

 

Wojt would be a big upgrade if he's healthy.

 

The Picard add says to me that the Bombers want to fix the OL in short order.  Also says they believe that Goossen might be better off stepping in at guard when he's ready to crack the lineup.

 

While Wojt's a good CDN guard, Walters' actions in signing Picard say to me that I don't think he's too high of a priority, even if we do whiff on both Heenan and Holmes.

Why would signing a center stop Walters from signing a former all star Canadian Gaurd who was his teams nominee for most outstanding lineman the last season he was healthy in 2013?

 

 

Because Goossen was a 2nd overall draft pick, and I'd think the Bomber brass would believe he's ready to step in at some point this year.  Signing Wojt as an FA would thrust him into a starting role, making one of Greaves/Neufeld the 6th OL, and Goossen/Morley the 7th.  We'll be able to stash a draft pick on the PR, but I doubt we'd be able to keep around 3 more CDN guys on the active or practice roster.  That'll be a fair bit of cash tied up off the active roster.

 

I'd only consider Wojt an option for the WBB if we get neither of Heenan/Holmes.

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May be far fetched, but....

Any chance the reason it took so long to officially sign Ritchie Hall is because he was communicating with Heenan for Walters that way he could avoid being accused of tampering?

An intriguing thought, but there is no freaking way Heenan is leaving Regina. How often do you get a hometown athlete who is dominant?

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He's not dominant yet, darn good but has his blemishes

 

and money talks...especially when on average a football career isn't that long and can end in an instant.

 

We also have an advantage that most other teams do as well, in that we are a short drive away from Saskatchewan and if he is hedging on not wanting to leave, but we offer something too good to pass up, well being 6 or so short hours from home isn't that big a deal

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May be far fetched, but....

Any chance the reason it took so long to officially sign Ritchie Hall is because he was communicating with Heenan for Walters that way he could avoid being accused of tampering?

An intriguing thought, but there is no freaking way Heenan is leaving Regina. How often do you get a hometown athlete who is dominant?

 

 

And totally unnecessary.  The only reason Heenan wouldn't be aware of the Bombers interest by now is if the Bombers actually weren't interested.

 

Heenan will already know who the interested parties are going to be in FA.  His agent will also rep other players around the league and have regular communications with all the GMs, and all the hypothetical terms and salaries for Heenan will have been discussed.  Tampering is a constant in the CFL, and no one really cares.  You just have to be not so stupid as to register your contract with the player 4 minutes after the start of free agency - ie Odell Willis.  All that's needed is the appearance of things possibly being done on the up-and-up, and that's good enough for the CFL to wash it's hands of investigating or even caring about tampering.

 

I agree Heenan leaving seems unlikely given all the reasons he has to stay, but if there is any GM who knows which way Heenan is leaning right now it's Taman, and a lot of his recent moves have a certain we're-moving-on nature to them.

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I think a lot of fans are speculating about Heenan not wanting to leave SASK. He might not really want too but he hasn't exactly come out and said that, maybe rider fans are just trying to tell themselves that he won't leave, he couldn't leave, he's a local boy who loves the riders... He might love the riders and the color green but... you know what else is green in color? CASH and i'll bet he likes that green more than the rider green. Someone offers him big money and my guess is he leaves in a second. 

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The FA list is shrinking. So as of now (Feb 3) only Argos WR Spencer Watt and and Ham OG Greg Wojt from Atomic's original list are still heading toward FA status.

Heenan has been released to test NFL and Holmes and Donny O are re-signed-extended.

If I am Walters & Co. I would not pursue Wojt as the need is for an OT and he is an OG.

I could choose between Spencer Watt and Brad Sinopoli - all things being equal - I would try to sign Sinopoli as 4th QB. But he will likely end up in Ottawa.

What about Jarome Messam? He surprised me for a few games both with Esks and Riders. He can be effective as a blocker and power back on 1st and Goal.

If we acquired Messam, I'd look at moving Volny from RB to SB.

Oh and for non-Canadian FA's my top target would be Stanley Bryant.

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