TBURGESS

They offered him $400K but he took Ottawa's $250K this year? What is your source?

As always, it's a combination of things. Nichols is playing better than Willy was and isn't turning the ball over. The O line changes have resulted in better protection and are opening holes for Harris which in turn forces the defenses to deal with our running game. All that has moved our offense up the rankings. There still not good, but they're getting there.

Toronto's willing to pay Willy $400K, but they weren't willing to pay Harris anywhere near that kind of money?

Actually it reminds me of the beginning of the 2011 season. We're winning because of turnovers and great defense. It will be interesting to see what happens when we don't win the turnover battle by 4 or 5.

Speaking of a Dynasty after 4 wins and assuming that they all re-sign with us as their contract come up? Other than that, I like the comments about each player.

Just a couple more vets who aren't earning their keep getting dropped before vet cut down day.

He's just upset that Bond goaded him into not one, but two penalties on the same play. I would be too.

Last night showed that Edmonton still hasn't fixed their defense. They'll win a bunch of games on offense alone, especially now that they've added a running attack, but that defense is still a long way off. They also need to learn the killer instinct. Put the boots to them so to speak. The Riders looked bad for the first half, but actually won the 2nd half 22-11 and made it interesting till the end. Kinda reminded me of us when we'd put up a bunch of meaningless points until the other team woke up and put us down. The Riders need to beat us and Edmonton to get into the playoff picture. I don't see them being able to do either.

#1 Leggett - His pick 6 turned the game around. (Can't give it to Harris cuz he fumbled twice) #2 Cole - Big guy pick also gets him the happy honker award #3 Medlock - 6 for 6

I'd love to see consistent calls too, but I fear I'd die before that happens. I'd like to see more black and white rules so there wouldn't be any interpretation involved, but a lot of calls aren't black and white and I'm fairly sure that they are designed that way to give refs some leeway in making calls. I don't agree with a lot of the calls even after they've gone through the challenge process, so I want it to cost the coaches for making bad challenges. The way I see it, challenges were introduced to get the obviously bad calls (In or Out, Fumble or not, 'Obvious PI') overturned, but that's not how they are being used and it's ruining the flow of the game at least for me.

I like this rule change, but I don't think it will make coaches think twice about throwing the challenge flag. Losing a timeout, that you might not even need, isn't that much of a deterrent. I like the 10 yard delay of game idea for getting it wrong even better than losing the timeout.

A slap in the face is a little dramatic considering the situation. The team showed a tremendous amount of faith in Willy by giving him the big contract before he earned it. A readjustment at this point in time is just admitting to the new reality. Frankly, if I were Willy's agent, I'd be quietly talking to other teams to gauge the amount of interest there is in signing Willy if the Bombers cut him. It might be in Willy's best interest to say no and wait until the next starting QB goes down.

PLAP is all about protecting the ball. Brady and Milanovich... Not so worried about it. Kilgore and Willy both won a game this year. I'd take Willy over Kilgore right now, but age, cost, gunslinger mentality and knowing the system come into play too.

CFL APPROVES RULES CHANGE ON COACHES’ CHALLENGES An unsuccessful first challenge will now cost a team a time out Friday, August 26, 2016 — TORONTO (August 26,2016) -- The Canadian Football League has approved a rule change on coaches’ challenges. Effective immediately, if a team makes their first Coach’s Challenge of the game and does not win that Challenge, the team will now lose a timeout. If the team wins its challenge, it will keep its timeout. In other words, the first Coach’s Challenge is no longer a “free” one. With this change in place, teams now put a timeout at risk with their first challenge, in the same way they already do for their second challenge of the game. Teams must be in possession of a timeout to make a challenge. Teams are allowed two timeouts per game and can only use one timeout in the last three minutes of the game.... Source: https://press.cfl.ca/cfl-approves-rules-change-on-coaches-challenges

Who knows for sure? A bunch? Base salary of $150-200K plus bonuses? I forgot about Toronto. Ray's back this week. Kilgore who knows the system vs Willy who was good in 2014. Most likely spot I guess.

It's a case of: Do you want to make backup QB money with the Bombers or roll the dice that another team wants to sign you to backup QB money? I doubt there would be many takers unless/until a starting QB goes down. Cgy, BC, Edm, Ott - definite no. Ham most likely to go back to Masoli even if Collaros goes down again. Mtl most likely to go to Cato if Glenn goes down. Regina might be a good bet, but do they have the SMS room to take on another backup QB? Do they even care?

What a fun football game. Maybe the best one of the season so far. Two good teams going at each other. BC owned TOP, ran the ball well and racked up a lot 1st downs. Harris found some deep receivers open for big plays. The Ottawa defense got a bunch of sacks and managed to force a fumble at their own 2 to keep them in the game. Ottawa with the ball in the last minute still had a chance to pull the game out.

Darrin Bauming - ‏@DarrinBauming `@FarhanLaljiTSN just told us he's hearing a conversation will be had between Drew Willy and the #Bombers to renegotiate his contract. Best of both worlds. Keep Willy for those who think he's still got something to give and reduce the SMS hit for those who think he's being grossly overpaid.

It would be in his best interests to see what the Bombers are offering before he tries that. He might get another contract this year, but it will be a backup QB job at less than half of the $400K he's being paid now. Likely between $150-175K.

I'd rather have Frederick as the DI DB than Harris or Morgan.

Who are you going to take off of the roster once Randle and Frederick are healthy to put Macho on? I honestly don't see a place for him and if that's the case then we might as well cut him.

The point I was trying to make is that none of those 7 players can come back early, even if they are ready, because their entire salaries would then count towards the SMS. As I've said before, I know that Willy won't be cut. The question's never been 'What will the Bombers do?', it's been 'What should the Bombers do?'. It's not 'How can we afford it?', it's 'Is paying Willy that much money to warm the bench the best use of the money?'. Sure, we set aside a certain amount for the QB spot and Nichols bonus will put us $100K over that number. Assuming we can find it without taking from Willy's salary we'd have an extra $150-200K to extend players we want to keep like Chungh or to sign a couple of $150-200K players (It's half the season). I think that's better than paying Willy. You don't. It's as simple as that.

I'm basing my opinion on more than 5 games too. He played great for his first 6 or 7 games then his play fell off as he got beat up and other teams realized that all they had to do was blitz him and he'd fold. In 2015 he got beat up again, was in and out of the first 7 games before being injured for the rest of the season. In 2016 he looked bad in most games unless it was garbage time. I don't think the coaches and GM have given up on him either. They brought him in. Gave him the starters job at the signing presser. Didn't bring in any competition in the first 2 TC's. Gave him elite QB money before finding out if he was even a viable starting QB. Only brought in Nichols when the other 2 QB's proved they couldn't do the job. Blamed lack of wins in '15 on lack of Willy. Gave Willy the starting job back in '16 without competition. Finally gave Nichols a chance in the 5th game of a 1-4 start. Cutting Willy right now would be down right embarrassing and would mean they'd been wrong about him all along.

If that's true, then I apologize. I didn't look back, just assumed you were one of the Taman's an idiot crew.

Yup, cut a PR guy and a close to minimum guy who will be replaced on the AR with another guy making around the same amount of money. That ought to pay for Nichols bonus.