pigseye

Apparently it wasn't as obvious to some but, it should be common knowledge for football fans that when you replace a proven player at a position with a prospect there is usually a learning curve and drop off at the position before any real progress is made. Thinking you can just 'plug in' a prospect (even a sophomore) at the professional level without a drop off initially, is just foolish. Now a team that goes from GC finalist to out of the playoffs the following year (in spectacular fashion too boot) should be enough proof of the kind of drop off you can have if you go too far.

And thank you, you are the only one who recognizes the point, which was that nothing different has happened than what has happened before with the approach of management. I'm not saying that they should have signed veterans to replace the likes of Willis, Lobo, Kent and now Hefney.......only that they didn't. Had they gone that route, it would have been a detour from what they have done in prior years.

You can't draw a broad stroke over all free agents like that, the Bombers let Labatte go because they didn't want him is what you just said, which is complete BS. Same with Gregg Carr, they thought the deal was done and he slimed them in the end. There are many reasons why guys go to free agency other than their team didn't want them anymore, the biggest factor being the SMS now but money is almost always the main reason. And you missed the point of the thread, what has changed this year with the way the team approaches the off season.........zip, nada, nothing......it was the same off season as 2011 & 2012 as far the approach to addition and subtraction.

It's easier to answer which positions am I not concerned about. RB would be the only one. Everything else is just a big uncertainty.

That's not the question though. Nothing changed as far as the approach to the team even after a losing season. We are back to the same formula of letting prospects grow into positions, which is always painful. And I would start back in the first year of the program as far free agents go. This isn't just about passing on guys this time around, it's about passing up guys since they took the controls. If they had signed even one marquee free agent a year since they started, they could have locked down 4 positions. You don't build a team in a season, you add to it every year, thus the 5 year plan. Continually cutting guys and adding prospects does not get you there.

The Als just took a look at the Bomber LB'ing corps and decided that they didn't need a feature back in this one.

Younger, cheaper again, it's the mantra of this regime, so no, there hasn't been any change. Change would have been going out and plugging the holes in the team with veteran free agents who could make an impact immediately without the growing pains.

Sounds like most agree with the Wally school of thought, you play to win every game, pre-season or not, you expect to win every game, so you're going to play that way and expect it out of whatever players you line up that night. The Burke school of thought, I have my team picked already, let's just get on with the season, I don't want to waste my time with preseason games, here's what I think of your preseason, a line up of no-names with no chance of even scoring a point let alone being competitive. I can see the league being slightly po'd about it but, since it was southern Ont team doing the pounding, I suspect they were happy about it to raise hopes in that area. Still a pretty arrogant move on the part of Burke/Bombers imo.

Isn't Brett Carter the local kid with no chance of making the team..........and he gets the hardest working player of the game for the Bombers.......that doesn't reflect well on what the scouts brought in from down south does it.

It's preseason Mike.......still honing my skills......I thought it was pretty funny.

Montreal 10 - 7 - 1 Toronto 10 - 8 Hamilton 9 - 9 Winnipeg 4 - 14 BC 13 - 5 Cal 11 - 7 Suks 8 - 10 Esks 3 - 15

I don't see Hef as a SAM LB........he's just not physical enough to stand up to the pounding that the position requires, really don't blame him for telling Burke to stuff it.

Very, very interesting.....must have a heck of a lot of young talent in camp, although last game would seem to suggest otherwise.

It's not just worrying about Buck though, every Bomber QB has missed time due to injuries since 2011. That's a systemic problem, not just a personnel one. Time to change the entire system when a 40 year old fragile as a twig Calvillo can make it through an entire season while our meat grinder goes through 3 a year.

Not when the other side is offering no resistance to it, that's not an accurate assessment imo.

Actually bluto, I don't see what a DC could learn about his players by having them blitz an offence that is doing nothing to try to pick it up?

lol, yes that super aggressive CJ defence that lead the league in sacks.........oh wait........dead last with 27 last year, what's wrong with this picture??? Hey, I do like CJ, he is imo, the best DC in the league in recent memory but to say that this defences attack QB's..........the only time they attack QB's are when they are helpless on the ground or delivering a late hit. They play on the edge for sure but are far from some QB attacking machine.

I'd say the Argos were trying to force the Bombers into revealing more of their protection packages by going after our QB's and I'm glad that Burke and Crowton didn't fall for it and get into a **** swinging match with them in a meaningless preseason game.

Sure, he might not be the guy and there is nothing stopping them from trying the next and the next, all I'm agreeing with is the concept of protecting the QB so that he has the time to make the throws instead of running for his life or getting blindsided.

That's the worst idea I have heard since the nameless one brought in the Bishop.

The only thing certain is that a scrambling QB (CFL or NFL) are going to get injured sooner rather than later. Doesn't matter if it's Buck or RG3, Burke and Crowton are doing the right thing by having him stay at home more and increasing the protection. He'll still have the chance to escape which will keep defences honest.