AKAChip

Way too early to say that. If Chad Johnson was starting on our team after a one catch, 13 yard pre-season. Me and likely many others would be furious. What upside is there for a 36 year old receiver a year out of football?

Me too, because it means the Als are gonna suck.

I believe it's Rusty Smith. But I really wish it were Rusty Johnson

The fact is, this team would be better than last year's even if the only upgrade was at QB. Randle, Moore, Cotton and hopefully Hajrullahu are all upgrades as well while Kuale is a downgrade. It all adds up to a net gain. I just think there was a lot more room for upgrades and it didn't work out. Such is life.

Oh good. A 35 year old Korey Banks and an MLB who no one else wanted. what about randle? willy? moore? newman? eventhough he is hurt. Unless a starting qb, starting cb and starting receiver isn't good enough. Those other guys didn't fit into my argument.

Oh good. A 35 year old Korey Banks and an MLB who no one else wanted.

I won't say completely devoid. There are a handful of talented rookie imports that I am excited about. Bruce Johnson, Maurice Leggett and Paris Cotton. That being said, one is injured and one probably isn't a starter so where does that leave us? I'm just really, really disappointed at the level of defensive line prospects and receiving prospects we brought in. Look at our rush end depth. The backup is Louie Richardson. No offense to Louie Richardson, but that's sad. Devoid was probably the wrong word but still the weakest I can remember in a long time.

McAdoo and Griggs. Too guys with pedigree and some experience. Not even given a shot. Would have liked to see Terrell Parker get a shot too, even if the WIL position doesn't really exist in this D.

Is he the rush end from Ohio State? That guy made Jarvis Jones look like a Winnipeg Rifle tossed into a pro game in the first pre-season game. That's the fella.

I liked Dumas all TC and pre-season and thought he was very solid in coverage. Cannot say I'm not completely disappointed by this though. Not that we cut the wrong guys, but that guys that really had no business even being on the team last year are still here. I really don't like settling for status quo veterans and that just seems like what we are doing due to poor scouting. The players that everyone thought were on the bubble this year as starters or role players were Morley, Kelly, Ford, Peach, Renaud, Suber and maybe Markett. Aside from Ford, no one has really been replaced or even pushed by a replacement and only Markett has absolutely deserved it due to his play. How hard is it to find a high quality international receiver? Joe Mack could do it. I also agree that it made no sense to play Jaymar Johnson so much in the second pre-season because while I hate the idea of a mediocre 30 year old starting SB, what more could he have done? In the end, I hate to lay any praise on any team but look at the rookie talent the Argos have brought in. Thaddeus Gibson was a very effective college player and just didn't have a position in the NFL. Greg Romeus was at one point a potential number one draft choice before injuries set him back. Vince Agnew was a Joe Mack find who most of us were super high on before he got another NFL shot and I wouldn't be surprised if he rips it up. Maybe it's the scheme that prevented good players from finding a place but it did seem like this was a camp devoid of real quality talent. Joe Mack did a lot of things wrong, probably less than most people admit but that's not really the point. He always brought in rookie talent that got people excited. No one can deny that.

We have zero non-import depth. Sign Messam, simply to replace Volny - who is our defacto running back and used as a 'change of pace'. Messam provides at least a chance to win the starting spot... Volny does not. If Messam surprises, we have our 7th starter... what's the harm in looking? Maybe a $5000 signing bonus if that? Messam is not going to get $125k... maybe 80-90... bring him in. I think you are overrating Messam by saying he has a chance to win the starting spot. He is a significant downgrade from any International we could put in that spot, and by a large margin. I'm not saying Volny is better but he at the very least is more versatile. We would be essentially be dressing Messam to play perhaps four plays per game? And what use is a running back who hasn't averaged more than 4.7 YPC for over two years? And that was with the Montreal offensive line!

But if you're not asking him to replace Cotton or Ford, what are you asking him to do? Be on the roster exclusively as a backup running back as a change of pace? Don't see it as necessary.

What makes him really bad? I have not watched him play the last two seasons. His stats are decent enough? He can't catch the football out of the backfield and he's purely a between the tackles runner which is fine, but since his big season in Edmonton a few years ago, he hasn't proven to be effective even at doing that. A 4.0 and 4.7 YPC average the last two seasons is abysmal for the CFL.

Didn't realize that Messam refused to play offence. You may have a point there, I don't think he fits with Etch's system. He won't play offense because we are using an International who would be far more effective than him in that position. If we needed an NI RB it would be in the Volny mold who at least plays Special Teams or does other things than rushing the football somewhat effectively. I'm not convinced Messam can run the football effectively even.

Messam is actually really bad. What's the point of a NI RB who won't play offense and can't play anywhere else effectively. It's not like we can start this guy just because we've heard of him.

Are you nuts? What about ever watching Jarvis Jones makes you think that he's "even a step down from January." As if it's an insult, anyway.

I doubt Stevenson is even close to where Neufeld is on the depth chart but he's an NI so even if he is, I really don't care.

Cotton had some surprising power. Love that kid.

Am I allowed to get a boner for Marve yet???

The depth chart is in numerical order. I wouldn't read too much into it.

Didn't like Iglesias on the Bears, on the Argos or now. The other guy looks decent, though.

I'll miss Randorf. He did a good job with the idiots on the panel.

Messam won't kill anyone.

Nice to see the spin machine is still working. This couldn't be less of a deal.

lol wut? It's the first bloody day of Training Camp.