Leaderboard

Just move on already

This seems like a not good move when you've got Shay and Smith needing reps....

History is on your side

Not to mention Ayers and Woodbey... I hate this signing... not that I don't like Kyrie Wilson... because he has given us some really quality years.... I just hate the idea of playing a 33 year old (let's be honest, he's starting at WIL) on the down side of his career when we have multiple ealry to mid 20s guys ready to play and needing reps... just doesn't make any sense to me

Running back the core of a roster that *clearly* wasn't good enough last season ... what could go wrong?

I am increasingly concerned that roster management and poor decision making will continue. Camp better not be a summer camp - and the Bombers better be prepared to move on from players during camp. Worse than 50/50 they wont.

But why...

womp wooomp

I can’t see us going this way at all We have Lawson and Kramdi on defense and even if you’re not a believer in Kramdi, we’ve invested draft capital into Shay/Smith who should see a greater opportunity this season. There’s no way we don’t play 2 Canadians on D, in my opinion.

Yeah this is where I'm at. Wilson was really good at one point, but given a lengthy injury history and his age it's the perfect spot to move on and go younger at.

Honestly wouldn't rate a single Canadian OL about to hit free agency as starter quality. Woodmansey can't snap consistently enough to play centre and can't block well enough to be good at guard. He's the only one approaching being a good CFL player at this point in their careers. It's pure desperation and injuries that keep some of these guys playing. If I was running a team I'd start with the idea I probably have to play 4 American OL to have a strong offense and if you can find Canadians to take those spots it's a bonus. Way more options that don't harm your ability to win to play Canadians at receiver/RB or on D than locking in OL spots these days. I'm hopeful we're bringing up more American OL who aren't just tackles.

Well, this is the first move I don't like......I like Kyrie, but IMo his time here should have been up. Just the harsh realities of the game...younger healthier guys ready to take over.....

I have the same concern right from the extension of Osh....Walter's got rid of some the dead weight and garbage....but Osh also still has control of roster after that...and He runs camp...and picks his roster, and how it's used...Not sold on anything being different until I see it, and sadly right now not holding my breath on it

I want KeeSean, Mack and Rambo in that order

See what I mean?

You don't think that Osh is in Walters ear continually.....lol....don't be so naive....It looks to me sometimes that they've been together so long they work on on one brain

Keeping Kyrie smacks of the ol Thomas routine....'hanging on way too long' when the best before date has come and gone....Why do we do it??? partly because Osh likes the old vets and is partial to keeping them when it's prudent to part ways...Having said that I liked the Bryant signing because I believe he still has lots of game left....Just can't say the same for Wilson....

At TC, we ride! lol Honestly, I could see taking Kyrie over Jones in a situation we would never entertain. You use Kyrie as the naturalized import. You start Shay/Smith at Mac, Woodbey at Wil. (Kramdi goes to S, Allen to the corner.) Then Kyrie can play special teams, sub in situationally for the run and pass as needed for either LBER, including a half of the Canadians' snaps if they are struggling, or if you go to a 30 front, you can put Kyrie in and kick Woodbey out to dime. Jones would have been in the league long enough to qualify as a naturalized player the following year, and with us to qualify. Jones is awful in pass cover, kyrie like wj I could see being more effective if used in fewer reps. Of course, we aren't going to use the naturalized American rule, or Kyrie in that role, or move on from Jones. I expect, if Kyrie is healthy out of camp, he will be the starter no matter how any one else plays.

he's better than KOLO....but thats a low bar...TBD on Eli but I bet you all will be impressed this yr if given the job and the rope the human ole machine got for 3 yrs...allow him to settle in and we roll...

Mediocre linebacking crew back for 2026!

I'm not offended. But Winnipeg had talented laden rosters before O'Shea, who did not win championships. You do have to credit him with keeping his team focussed when it mattered most.

me too lol In all honesty...he has never been givin a legit chance to settle in..work out the kinks I not saying I the know all be all, but have worked with and seen a lot of guys in my time...He has the legit talent and athleticism to thrive...But was saddled with a knucklehead of a HC....SORRY of offended some you he cant do no wrong crowd...but varying success aside...he is, and too much credit praise was heaped on him...One man wasnt the rason we were...key word..were the creme de la creme

There's nothing wrong with a gm bringing vets to camp... but it's up to the head coach to assess camp and decide the vet has lost his job.

He would be the best pass blocker of the 3 from last year's play, but the worst run blocker of the 3. Eli is better overall and needs to step up in the pass game from his guard play to take the job. He should easily be able to do that. Id say Ciraco in pass pro is the bare minimum for what we need at C, and Eli run blocking is the minimum on that side. We haven't seen significant snaps from Eli at C in ages. It looked to me that he struggled out of position at Guard, which is not common but does happen (Yoshi is the biggest example). And that he, like everyone else, struggled with kola at C. I expect to see a significant improvement from him going back to his natural position full-time. If not, I'd cut him. I would expect to see that increase in the level of play before the first preseason game. Ciraco would be the backup plan imo. If we missed out on Woodmansey, I'd take flyers on guys like McEwen. Failing that, I'd try to target a C in the draft if possible. Ciraco would be the guy I would look to bring in during camp, if Eli fails, we don't get another FA, and Vibert doesn't step up. Basically, the contingency plan is the backup plan. He's a good pass blocker, but he fits our system really poorly. We'd have to give up on our zone run scheme, and even then, he isn't a guy who is going to feast in any run scheme. I believe in Eli, and I also really like Vibert. But I would bring in a plan A, and look long and hard at Cs in the draft.

Signing Wilson is a waste of many and it likely blocks Smith and Shay from getting needed reps. Bet both leave when they can. Why stay when you can sit behind declining aging vets. #OldBoysClubForever

Looks like were rounding up the gang for one last ride

of 2 of the 3 block Woodbey and the Canucks...yup...Also Woodbey and or Griffin is the better(best) option at SAM too....but we already are saddled with Kramalama and his crap contract....a Kyrie..Jones..Kramdi 3some again for 2026....is worst in league...and immenent

And the arsonists-extortionists have been arrested. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/01/26/five-charged-with-extortion-of-core-area-convenience-stores

Are you willing to go Demski/Clercuis/Cobb with Corcoran backing up because that's who we have now?

Yeah i think we done on the retention, tho id like Makonzo As said I figured once we locked in what we felt necessary...have our budget put away for FA targets that Big Stan and WJ would be finally announced when we knew exactly where we'd be willing to go salary wise and neither was gonna hold our feet to the fire...just be fair Woodbey basically supplanted what they i think envisioned for Ayers...that being said he was hardly given a true chance either

Great Tedtalk in how not to aplogize. 🙂

I agree they have done a great job of moving on from the right guys and locking up the right ones as well. The remaining guys aren't make or break, but it would be nice to have Makonzo back (as you said), Sterns, I'd take Lofton to battle at guard and push Vanterpool, as others have stated, I'd take Strevy back on a full-year IR-type deal to be a player-coach, and that's about it. I think you keep the phone handy for a guy like Bonds when he's healthy. If you end up in need of a DB, he's been good here in the past, and maybe Houston. But the internal work is basically done. Maybe you kick around extension offers to guys like Novak, Shay, Smith, Peterson, MCI, Clercius, etc. See if you can get a young guy to lock up cheap. Maybe you give the early trip to fa to guys like Vaughters, Kyrie, Strev, Schoen, Houston etc. Or maybe younger guy you want to move on from like Wheatfall. I really love Ayers upside and what he flashes. But his useage went down last year, and our Lbers/secondary/teams unit got deeper. I could see him being a sleeper cut. Don't want it to happen, but I could see some logic there.

I don't think that's a good push for a guy like Woli. I love that guy, he's about to turn 31, but he's played an extremely physical role for 8 seasons now, and hasn't been able to stay healthy since 23. I'd keep in touch with Woli, if things aren't panning out well after the draft, bring him in for a look at camp. Otherwise, he'd be on top of the early-season/pre-season injury replacements call-backs list. I'd rather have a guy like Cobb. I'd take Woli over a guy like Corcoran in season. But going into camp youre probably better off getting a better look at a young guy like that.

IMO Johnson and Mack are the top 2 and then there's quite a drop off. Arguably a huge drop off from Johnson to Mack too. Johnson is a guy just hitting his prime, legit #1 target. Most of the rest are guys who are in decline. Some guys coming off injuries who might bounce back, like Bane. Could be useful depth but basically have a better version already in Wilson. Robustelli and Nield you could probably get at a decent number. Some upside there especially with the type of offense Collaros runs. Need the big bodies that can both find the chains and win a vertical route. If we had Demski, Nield, Clercius for Canadians, plus other depth/draft pick. Wilson, Mack, Robustelli, rookies/reclamation project for Americans....I'd be good with that. Think you can build a solid offense with that. I'd be in the hunt for Johnson, Mack, Robustelli, Nield, think about Brissett if he's willing to leave the GTA (doubt it), Rambo, consider bringing back Stearns as he developed some chemistry with Collaros. Wheatfall walks. Schoen I'd keep the line open but he's not going to be able to play until the fall if that.

I really like Robestelli's upside. I think he's a gamer and would fit in nicely.

There’s another guy in Montreal I would like us to take a chance on that we wouldn’t have to break the bank and that’s Charleston Rambo. Only 26 years old and had nearly 900 receiving yards as a rookie.

Gotta agree with most, seems like one too many old vets brought back. Doesn’t feel like they’re going to have a lot left to go hard in FA now.

I agree in general. However, once your coach shows that he is apt to making the wrong decision then you need to take that choice away from him sometimes. Part of a GM's job sometimes is to know your coaches strengths and weaknesses and help offset them through the players you choose to sign. He'd be a good get, but I think if he was a realistic target of ours we would have probably parted with T.Jones by now.

United does not mean that every decision is made together in total agreement and that a GM never exercises the right to over rule his HC. I can't think of any instance where a GM just automatically bows to every wish of a GM. He may try to accommodate as much as possible but I cannot name a single instance of any GM doing whatever the HC asks of him. That's nonsense. So, in that regard I can think of many instances of success where the GM and HC are separate roles and have had great success. Any team who has both a GM, and a HC and has won recently has done so because the GM has built the roster, albeit with input from many sources including the HC, then negotiated the deals that make sense and then the HC coaches what he is supplied with. I have zero doubt that almost every GM supplies the kind of team that the coach requests, and that he listens to the coach when it comes to specific players that mesh with what the coach is looking for. I, also, have zero doubt that most GMs don't sign every single player that a coach wants. Jim Barker said in an interview with Peterson on his podcast that the reason he lost his GM job in Toronto was that he listened to his HC too much. (It was a joke because he was in a dual role,) But he went on to further explain that a good GM needs to seperate the roles, as coaches don't care about SMS, or long term viability of the team. They want to win now and that is not a good approach to sustainability. He said the GM has to sometimes tell the coach no to certain players and he said that is very tough to do when you wear both hats.

Can you think of any successful cases of that being the case currently, or recently, in the cfl? For the life of me, I can't think of a time the GM and HC weren't in lock step. Even the two power-mad guys in Montreal are united. Still a pending free agent. I'd love him, but I don't think we kick the tires on him.

This feels like Osh telling Walters he wants Kyrie back, then Walters signs him knowing full well if he doesn't O'Shea is gonna dig his heels in anyway. But this isn't new, we knew what we were getting when we signed O'Shea for another 3 years

I was secretly hoping we would find some loonies to sign Wynton McManis........or has he re-signed with Argos?

For sure he is. However, that is exactly the problem I am pointing out. KW should not be in complete lockstep with his HC. IF Walters is to do his job properly then he MUST make the final decision, and not necessarily be a yes man for his coach.

Yeah, that just isn't how football in this day and age works. KW stated in I believe the season-ending presser, or the one for the extensions, that the nature of the working relationship between him and Mos is not one is the boss. He said it used to be a lot of tug of war over every single move, and that it's closer to being on the same page now. But he also picked his battles. If you look back at the past 30+ years of this team, the number of times the GM was the HC's boss is few and far between. It's about as many seasons as the GM was the HCs errand boy. And most of those outliers went or ended very poorly for us.

Pot meet kettle.

And Thomas. But yeah, the paydays and bringing back guys like Kyrie do make it much more questionable. We have yet to see what the spending is in free agency. With massive needs on DL and WR, I can not see us being inactive. FA, and then the draft, are going to be keys to the offseason quality. We need to kill it in both.

But they are not O'Shea pets.

Don't get the Kyrie signing at all. Hope he came cheap and there is more than a 1% chance he'll be cut if he's out played in TC