JuranBoldenRules

3 OL, 2 receivers/tight end/running back, 3-4 guys rotating between 2 spots (DL, LB and DB) on defence. IMO we'd be stretching to claim that we have 3 starting quality NI OL now, so we need to do some work/development just to fill 3 spots, forget 4. Quantity does not equal quality. We can add every halfway decent NI OL prospect from around the league, doesn't mean we can build a OL out of them.

Who? Anybody who can start likely won't hit the market. At best you are looking at utility guys who can step in and be average (like Parenteau), or guys that price themselves off of rosters like Picard. You can't count on draft picks to step right in. For one, guys that have that talent ready to go will probably get a NFL shot, and the others likely won't be ready. If a rookie steals a spot that's a bonus, but you can't plan for that. If we are lucky, one of our NI "tackles" will develop into an adequate guard and we'll able to acquire an average centre, which we don't have. Starting 4 NI's on the OL would just be pure ratio desperation because the players needed to do it aren't on the horizon. Well, unless there are zero linemen as free agents coming, I don't know how you can even makes that statement now. Doug Berry turned the oline around in one season using cast off veterans, it happens and should happen again with the right man in charge. I don't know which Berry team you're talking about. Taman traded a 1st round pick and Garrick Jones (probably the best import tackle we've had since the 80s) for Gauthier, Abou-Mechrek returned as a free agent the year before Berry was low-balled after 06 and hoisted the Grey Cup for the Riders in 07, Khan was a dispersal draft pick, Picard was a draft pick, Goodspeed was added in 05. What's it matter how he acquired them, Gauthier & St Germain allowed them to start 4 NI's and the team went from 5 wins to 9, just do it. Gauthier and St Germain were never teammates with the Bombers.

Who? Anybody who can start likely won't hit the market. At best you are looking at utility guys who can step in and be average (like Parenteau), or guys that price themselves off of rosters like Picard. You can't count on draft picks to step right in. For one, guys that have that talent ready to go will probably get a NFL shot, and the others likely won't be ready. If a rookie steals a spot that's a bonus, but you can't plan for that. If we are lucky, one of our NI "tackles" will develop into an adequate guard and we'll able to acquire an average centre, which we don't have. Starting 4 NI's on the OL would just be pure ratio desperation because the players needed to do it aren't on the horizon. Well, unless there are zero linemen as free agents coming, I don't know how you can even makes that statement now. Doug Berry turned the oline around in one season using cast off veterans, it happens and should happen again with the right man in charge. I don't know which Berry team you're talking about. Taman traded a 1st round pick and Garrick Jones (probably the best import tackle we've had since the 80s) for Gauthier, Abou-Mechrek returned as a free agent the year before Berry was low-balled after 06 and hoisted the Grey Cup for the Riders in 07, Khan was a dispersal draft pick, Picard was a draft pick, Goodspeed was added in 05.

Who? Anybody who can start likely won't hit the market. At best you are looking at utility guys who can step in and be average (like Parenteau), or guys that price themselves off of rosters like Picard. You can't count on draft picks to step right in. For one, guys that have that talent ready to go will probably get a NFL shot, and the others likely won't be ready. If a rookie steals a spot that's a bonus, but you can't plan for that. If we are lucky, one of our NI "tackles" will develop into an adequate guard and we'll be able to acquire an average centre, which we don't have. Starting 4 NI's on the OL would just be pure ratio desperation because the players needed to do it aren't on the horizon.

Pencer and Neufeld are redundant. Neither one can play guard at a level to start in the CFL. The only way we try to start 4 NI OL is if Burke is retained. Anyone with half a brain will make better use of the collection of NI's at receiver/TE/RB. I want to see Neufeld's broken leg healed to the point he can at least practice before I'd consider protecting him.

Kohlert is a free agent. If he were signed for 2014, I'd definitely agree with you. There's probably no use in protecting Suber and Stewart. Since we can only lose one import, it's not going to be a free agent. Maybe substitute Ford and Mainor in for Suber and Stewart. Mainor makes little sense to me. We bring in DE's off the street, let them practice for a week and they are as good or better.

The take it or leave it, not our problem attitude has been the common approach to customer service through the transition to the new stadium and asset sale. Starts with a couple people in leadership positions that are in way above their level of competence, and I'm not talking about Buchko or Miller.

Lapo tried to make him Jason Tucker, he had trouble tracking the ball on one set of routes on the tree and they kept trying to force that corner route until they destroyed his confidence in that offence entirely. Bowman makes lots of plays on deep balls, did here, in Regina and in Edmonton now.

He's sort of like the Tim Burke of quarterbacks. He'd be a great one if he could throw the ball. Not sure why Toronto went heavy blitz in the 2nd half. Sit on routes and you are pretty much guaranteed that Hall won't complete many passes for first downs because he can't place the ball on intermediate routes, and chances are pretty good you'll be returning INTs. That said, I guess you can't quibble too much with a gameplan that limited the opposition to 20 points.

I don't even care about the money. I need a reason to continue supporting this team. I need to see some progress towards the operation of a professional football team in the 21st century. At this point, I feel like the family member of the drug addict who keeps slipping them $40 to get their next fix. I just can't justify continuing to blindly support/enable this "community-owned" organization that is severely flawed, sadly even more so off the field than on. If you told me a year ago that the Football Club would bungle their relationship with me as a paying customer and fan so immensely that I'd basically have zero interest in renewing my season tickets I wouldn't believe it possible, but they've managed to do it.

Kelly was good for a play or two a game and doesn't have much of an all-around game. Hardly a cornerstone player that should stop the Bombers from looking at other prospects. Denmark's guaranteed himself a job somewhere next season, great receiver that can play every spot.

I don't think they can afford to keep Burke, even if keeping him seems like a way to save money. Say goodbye to 10,000 season ticket holders, although many will be gone regardless you might be able to salvage some with the promise of a halfway competent coach and manager. That said, it wouldn't shock me if they kept the core of this staff together, mostly due to cost.

He did use one time out on the play after Foster took a knee. It was the same play where the command centre reviewed a catch. Isn't that a forced timeout when there is an injury, or is that NFL I'm thinking of? NFL. The only way to lose a timeout in the CFL is by losing a 2nd challenge.

And he's not interested in any position where he doesn't have final say, so he's basically guaranteed that he never will manage a CFL team.

Can the Football Club afford all the comp'd meals...Wade Miller CEO, Duane Forde GM?

Obviously we're talking base salary though. Yes, but to be honest, other than Muamba, Edem and Heenan, most of the recent 1st rounders aren't hitting the jackpot on their incentives. The potential is there, but they aren't producing or playing enough to meet them. They are hitting roster bonuses which leave them at still below average CFL salaries. It's not like the NFL before the rookie cap where high picks were handed the biggest contract on their team.

Nasty Nate numbers aside, the highest contract ever signed by a #1 pick is for 70k a year. That contract wasn't signed by Jade Etienne. Keep digging.

Kohlert's the player we sign of the 2 (Etienne & Kohlert). If I was going to gamble, I'd protect Kohlert then make sure he gets signed but leave Etienne exposed to Ottawa. If Etienne isn't selected & wants to come back here then he has to take a significant pay cut to do so based on his numbers the past 3 seasons. All first rounders get paid $85-95,000 a season. He then takes a 25-35% pay cut on a new contract. If he balks then sayonara, kid. Best of luck as he won't get any better offers even in his beloved home land. No they don't. None of them do. If they are lucky they can make that if they reach performance bonuses. Muamba isn't making close to that in base salary on his current deal.

Is Robocop a free agent to play QB? Parenteau and Morley won't be back for sure. It is really too soon to speculate on anything...let's figure out who will be managing the team. If we have a sane coach/management, we won't be starting 4 NI's on the OL from this current group.

Edmonton's competitive. Our team hasn't been competitive for months, and has steadily declined. The lack of effort put forward by the players should put more than enough nails in Burke's coffin. I probably won't be renewing my season tickets just out of my general disgust for the Football Club as a whole and my terrible experience as a customer this past off-season before this 2013 team even stepped on the field, but if Burke is retained there is a less than 0% chance that I will keep my tickets.

I'll give you a chance to go through that list and actually think before you make a fool of yourself.

Neufeld is a fine addition, a prospect. The problem for him here, and will be from the first day he sets foot on the field for practice, is that he's been labelled a "starting Canadian offensive lineman" by the fans and media, which he isn't. The Riders tossed him in last season because they had ratio issues and he performed a little better than a speed bump. He can't play inside, so he is going to have to make it at a position where it is tougher for NI's to make it over the long term. Depending on the philosophy of the management and coach next season, Neufeld might be completely useless to us. Trading for someone's 7th OL who is a fairly limited player on a 6 figure deal isn't a miracle.

So any NI who started some games at tackle is a "starting NI tackle?" There's no variability in quality? Paul Swiston is therefore a NI starting tackle now. That's about the level of player we're getting, so don't get your hopes up too high. Neufeld has much to prove. The only reason this trade isn't a total fleecing is because we dumped a 14 pick for a 15 one when there will be a full draft pool, but there's no way we should have had to give up 2 rounds in that swap. Neufeld isn't a top 6 OL for the Riders and had very little chance of making their team next season regardless of Ottawa. Should have been no need to sweeten the pot, and if it was insisted upon, play hardball. Neufeld started 13 of 17 games in 2012 and the West-Semi...Pretty different from Paul Swiston's situation. He occasionally breaks into our terrible starting line. Steve Morley was a starting tackle for Calgary and started all of 2009 at tackle for us. Not an indicator of ability, nor an indicator of current ability.

So any NI who started some games at tackle is a "starting NI tackle?" There's no variability in quality? Paul Swiston is therefore a NI starting tackle now. That's about the level of player we're getting, so don't get your hopes up too high. Neufeld has much to prove. The only reason this trade isn't a total fleecing is because we dumped a 14 pick for a 15 one when there will be a full draft pool, but there's no way we should have had to give up 2 rounds in that swap. Neufeld isn't a top 6 OL for the Riders and had very little chance of making their team next season regardless of Ottawa. Should have been no need to sweeten the pot, and if it was insisted upon, play hardball.

Neufeld is a marginal starting OL. He's shown no ability to play guard (see Banjo Bowl), he's a pure tackle, and he's struggled at that spot this season too coming off of injury.