bluedawg

Saving 20-25K here and there from a few players not being brought back is not going to make up for Schoen and/or Olivera getting an extra 150K next season... I would like everyone back too including Dru but let's be realistic here

There is 0 chance Dru is back in Winnipeg if they plan to pay either of Schoen or Brady. With raises kicking in this year for Lawler and Demski plus re-signing young pieces to bigger deals, there's 0% chance they have the money to pay Dru to backup Zach for 2 more years. Dru will likely look for the biggest possible deal and I doubt a team gives him more than 1 year if they pay him well since he's unproven as a start/outside of the Bombers' nest

My theory for how QB carousel shakes out: Dru Brown signs in Ottawa for a 1-year at 250-300K and has a camp competition with Dustin Crum for the QB1 spot. Edmonton signs McBeth and they cut Taylor Cornelius even though he has 100K+ guaranteed — McBeth ultimately beats out Tre Ford for QB1 and he requests a trade but Jones won't trade him. Hamilton brings back BLM and also signs Masoli on the cheap and flip-flops those two back and forth for the year. Calgary signs Dane Evans to backup/push Maier. Winnipeg picks up Cornelius off the scrap heap as a short yardage QB/backup to Collaros.

Nate Givhan got hurt early in camp. Tyrique McGhee also got hurt and got re-signed as soon as he was healthy to develop for the year -- got playing time in the final game and looked quite good to me. Kelvin McKnight didn't work out but clearly was talented — went to the XFL and performed quite well as an immediate starter.

So we had the money in the ops cap to bring back Walters, Goveia and Danny Mac. Then we were able to keep Buck god knows how. And we were also able to promote the U.S. scout Penn? Just saw now has new role. Where's that money coming from LOL https://www.bluebombers.com/football-operations/

Guess I nailed this...

From his bio looks like he was hired initially as an intern and then boosted to U.S. national scout two years ago. Essentially the same role that Drew Morris had for 3 seasons before he left for the NFL.

My guess on CFL award winners is 4/6 to Toronto unfortunately... MOP: Kelly MODP: Betts MOC: Brady OL: Dejon Allen ST: Javon Leake Rookie: Stiggers

I believe MOS said he was going to watch the game last night and could make adjustments from there. Would be good to potentially stagger some rest for older players this week and next before the playoff bye

Now that first place has been clinched, I hope the team uses the next two games to audition some of the PR players who haven't gotten a chance to do much this year. Roster Celestin Haba and TyJuan Garbutt and see what they can do! Give Tyrique McGhee a start or two and see if he's a future starter. They kept him instead of ADS after all! Maybe start Drew Richmond for a a game or two? Start Dobson or Tui for Patty? Rest Biggie and give Brian Cole a shot? Maybe even the kid Ravi who was kept over Agudosi? A lot of possibilities for us to see if the young guys can actually ball!

Lucky Jackson, currently playing WR with the Minnesota Vikings, was likely more talented than another players who stuck in out of '22 camp. Same with Barrington Wade in '23 class — he signed with the Bears after the Bombers cut him. You're telling me he wouldn't be better than Malik or Brian Cole right now? Jamal Parker has not been getting the reps he should've been over Winston Rose. Dobson and Tui should probably both be starting over Kow and Neuf right now.

I think there is moreso a loyalty to the older guys that is keeping new players from those spots. Feels like O'Shea would rather lose with guys he likes like Damian Jackson than win with more talented players he doesn't like as much.

Agudosi does not have the play strength to play on special teams. He's tall and super long but is super wiry thin. I don't think he would have added anything on ST

FWIW, Daramy-Swaray was a 27 year old in 2023 class Agudosi was a 29 year old from 2021 class Other Americans cut when PR shrunk were Deng (25 year old LB/DE from NFL), Martin (24 year old WR from NFL who Alston beat out) and Blackmon (25 year old previously cut by MTL) Would hope they bring back Deng, Martin and Blackmon next training camp to get a better look!

Just came across this forum and signed up to join in on the conversation on the roster. Was reading some of the stuff people commented about on the PR shrinking and ADS and Agudosi getting picked up elsewhere and it made me look back to the post-COVID classes of American players the Bomber FO has brought in: 2023 Class Damian Jackson, FB/LS - 31 Celestin Haba, DE - 24 Tyjuan Garbutt, DE - 24 Tyrique McGhee, DB - 25 Ravi Alston, WR - 24 2022 Class Dalton Schoen, WR - 26 Evan Holm, DB - 25 Jamal Parker, DB - 25 2021 Class Deatrick Nichols, DB - 29 Ricky Walker, DT - 27 Demerio Houston, DB - 27 Dru Brown, QB - 26 Drew Richmond, OT - 27 (Also Dee Alford and Casey Sayles) Recent signings from other teams: Miles Fox, DT (2023 from BCL) - 26 Desmond Lawrence, DB (2022 from HAM) - 28 Brian Cole, LB (2022 from EDM) - 26 Malik Clements, LB (2022 from EDM) - 27 Feels like a pretty even distribution of younger players being added to the roster throughout the years. I wouldn't say we are running rookies out of town like others. In '22 we didn't keep any of the PR guys we brought in but this year we kept Ravi Alston instead of Agudosi, which makes me think he beat Carlton out or they didn't expect him back next year. Difference this year is the young guys aren't getting as much opportunity to play other than Celestin Haba (looking promising!) and Damian Jackson (groan). But Tyrique McGhee likely being brought along to compete for starting DB spot next season and two rookie DEs are hopefully developing behind Jeffcoat and Jefferson.