Drew Willy had a media availability today.  Some highlights:

 

• He's really excited about the new OLs we've signed, especially Bryant and Picard
• Says he expects to get some offseason workouts in with Nick Moore and Clarence Denmark in Florida
• Him and Bellefeuille have spoken and they expect to move Willy around in the pocket more this season (love to hear this!)
• Says he's now fully healthy
• Was a little evasive when asked about a contract extension with the Bombers, as he is now going into his option year. 

Here's the full video:  http://www.bluebombers.com/video/index/id/108597. 

Drew Willy had a media availability today.  Some highlights:

 

• He's really excited about the new OLs we've signed, especially Bryant and Picard
• Says he expects to get some offseason workouts in with Nick Moore and Clarence Denmark in Florida
• Him and Bellefeuille have spoken and they expect to move Willy around in the pocket more this season (love to hear this!)
• Says he's now fully healthy
• Was a little evasive when asked about a contract extension with the Bombers, as he is now going into his option year. 

Here's the full video:  http://www.bluebombers.com/video/index/id/108597. 

It would be premature for Bombers to extend him now.

He has shown he can be tough but not a whole lot else.

His 2014 QB passer rating was ahead of Burris but behind Crompton.

TD to INT ratio not that great.

It`s obvious he works hard and is a student of the game.

The woes of the O in 2014 were not all on him.

But in a way, because he`s the QB, they are all on him.

Hopefully he stays healthy and lights it up in 2015.

Then there will be something to talk about.

If he can start making faster reads he'll be leagues better then last year.

Drew Willy had a media availability today. Some highlights:

• He's really excited about the new OLs we've signed, especially Bryant and Picard
• Says he expects to get some offseason workouts in with Nick Moore and Clarence Denmark in Florida
• Him and Bellefeuille have spoken and they expect to move Willy around in the pocket more this season (love to hear this!)
• Says he's now fully healthy
• Was a little evasive when asked about a contract extension with the Bombers, as he is now going into his option year.

Here's the full video: http://www.bluebombers.com/video/index/id/108597.

It would be premature for Bombers to extend him now.

He has shown he can be tough but not a whole lot else.

His 2014 QB passer rating was ahead of Burris but behind Crompton.

TD to INT ratio not that great.

It`s obvious he works hard and is a student of the game.

The woes of the O in 2014 were not all on him.

But in a way, because he`s the QB, they are all on him.

Hopefully he stays healthy and lights it up in 2015.

Then there will be something to talk about.

Man people here make me laugh.. First season as a starter with zero run game and a porous o-line and playing dinged all year long.. And it's wait and see? He has performed very well IMO all things considered.. Well enough to work on an extension at the very least..

Honestly I'd extend him now rather than waiting. If he fixes some of the issues he has he might drop a big season on the CFL and demand way more cash. Extending him early has a possibility of a slight discount. 

I'd have no qualms about them locking him down until 2018 today.

if his stats are not great, then this is the perfect time to extend him.  Should he light it up in 2015, the extension gets a lot more expensive.

I want them to Extend Drew just so the headline on the Sun would read...."Bombers Extend Willy"

I'm in the same boat as you guys.  I'd bet money that Walters is too. 

 

Drew Willy and his agent on the other hand?  I'm sure they're looking at the OL signings, and the fact that Willy's healthy and has a full year as a CFL starter under his belt, and taking an educated gamble on playing out at least a 1/3 of the season before talking contract.  Could be the difference between extending at $250k and extending at $350k.

I want them to Extend Drew just so the headline on the Sun would read...."Bombers Extend Willy"

Or, if that doesn't come to pass, "Willy Cut"

How about a headline of: "Kyle Walters extends his Willy".

"This off season Kyle Walters got better protection for his Willy"

I want them to Extend Drew just so the headline on the Sun would read...."Bombers Extend Willy"

Yes, a mildly amusing headline would be the best thing about extending his contract.

hard to imagine how many times he's heard these jokes. 

 

He proved one thing for sure, he is tough as nails. 

 

and he made some spectacular passes first part of the season, theres on reason he can't do that again.

I would think both parties would consider this time of the year to be a good time to work out an extension for Drew Willy.

Each party is in the same position…anxious, and without a real good reason not to sign. The Bombers want to believe that Willy is the guy, so they are anxious.

Willy's play has provided some insight as to what we can expect, but they must be a little anxious too, because Willy did show a down side last year.

I think they're working towards a deal because, quite simply, this is the best time.

• Was a little evasive when asked about a contract extension with the Bombers, as he is now going into his option year. 

 

Probably means it's something they are actively working towards right now.

Hope last year didn't ruin him. He played very well at the start of the year despite the guys he had in front of him, but just couldn't keep it up due to injury(fear?).

I'm in the same boat as you guys.  I'd bet money that Walters is too. 

 

Drew Willy and his agent on the other hand?  I'm sure they're looking at the OL signings, and the fact that Willy's healthy and has a full year as a CFL starter under his belt, and taking an educated gamble on playing out at least a 1/3 of the season before talking contract.  Could be the difference between extending at $250k and extending at $350k.

 

If Drew's agent is telling Drew to wait, he's not a very smart agent.

hard to imagine how many times he's heard these jokes. 

 

He proved one thing for sure, he is tough as nails. 

 

and he made some spectacular passes first part of the season, theres on reason he can't do that again.

Certainly with jokes like that Willy must have thick skin.

 

Willy isn't soft, thats for sure.

This is total speculation but I wonder if Willy's reluctant to sign on long term with Bellefeuille running the offense?

MB's coaching and our OL play nearly got him killed last year, maybe he's waiting to see if that's going to improve.

This is total speculation but I wonder if Willy's reluctant to sign on long term with Bellefeuille running the offense?

MB's coaching and our OL play nearly got him killed last year, maybe he's waiting to see if that's going to improve.

Moreso our o-line play and running back play in my opinion. Spending 3/4 of the season in second and long is a d-lineman's dream. By the team the change was made Willy was already shot health wise that it didn't matter. Looking forward greatly to year two.

Will never understand why they didn't do more, early in the season, to make an effort to improve the running game .. best friend of a young quarterback is a solid running game .. takes pressure off of him and keeps him from taking unnecessary shots.

His contract isn't guaranteed....extend him.

I'd lock him down for another three or four years.

Willy might be betting on himself, which is something you will often see athletes do.  If he has a big year, he gets $375,000 per season on his new contract.  But a similar year to last season and he probably gets the same contract, at $250,000.  As a fan though, I'd be more comfortable if we locked him up before the season.  I wouldn't want to see him have a big year then have him bolt and sign with the Riders. 

One thing that Willy did not do particularly well last year was throw on the run.  Hopefully he has upgraded that skill in the off-season and is able to use roll-outs to buy more time.  In lieu of this ability Willy took to running more in the second half of the season which did not go particularly well and may have contributed to his on-going injury problems.

 

Improving the O-line will help but it will not alleviate the pressure placed on a pure pocket passer (see Tino Sunseri) as pressure is exerted from multiple sources to counter better protection.  Upgraded receivers will also help if they can find space quickly and add YAC yards to their receptions.  The more I think about it the better I see Willy fitting into a Ricky Ray style offence.  Wonder if that's the plan?

I actually thought Willy threw fine when on the run. Problem is that Bellefeuille never moved him around much in the pocket. Willy said in his presser that'll change this season.